Check out the latest batch of weekly answers…
1) Why does CRN wait so long in the recruiting process to sign players as apposed to how Texas recruits? – AnonymousBecause Texas doesn’t need to recruit. Mack Brown sits in what I imagine to be a gigantic orange throne, with five-stars throwing themselves at him like he was the Bachelor. If you’re a top-level recruit in Texas, you’re probably going to end up at Texas. It’s not the same anywhere else.
2) It seems the recruiting equation is dependent on equal parts tradition, team momentum (popular new hires, buzz, positive future expectations), and wins. All Ben Howland has at the moment is tradition. Is this enough to right the ship and get back to the level of success he experienced when he had all three working for him? I’m not certain without these things that he can put all of the right pieces together. Additionally, every season like the last two that occurs puts us exponentially farther away from ever getting all three back. Would you agree? – Anonymous
You guys are so incredibly jaded. Two years ago, Howland had them in three straight final fours. Now you think he’ll never get it back? It’s all a cycle, and in major D-1 hoops these days, it’s not easy to be consistently dominant. Just be patient.
3) After the run of success that the UCLA basketball program has had recently in the tournament and players going on to the next level to star in the NBA why has it been so difficult to restock the team with top recruits. – Anonymous
OK, so lets see. In 2006, they get the following “levels” of recruits – No. 9 PF, No. 16 SG and an unranked SF. In 2007, they get a 1 (Love) and an 18 (Stanback). Then they get that “great” class in 2008 and everything implodes. Come back last year with a 3, 7, 12, 22 and 36. This year, they get the No. 4 center, the No. 13 SG who is rising on most lists, a JC PG and a class of ’11 PG who ranked with the best in the country. How much more do you want? It’s not as if UCLA had all No. 1s across the board before?
4) Is Norm Chow’s name and reputation still as powerful when recruiting as it was when he first started at UCLA? If the offense continues to underperform for another year, how badly has he tarnished his reputation? Under what circumstances would someone of his stature be let go? – Anonymous
I think it’s pretty clear whatever UCLA is doing on the recruiting end is working. If the offense stays the same, yeah, it slips. Another year of mediocrity, it slips a lot. But as for now, Chow has a lot of pull.
5) How come we can’t rush the field during an epic win in the Rose Bowl? I see other PAC 10 schools do it, how come we can’t? What are the ramifications if we defy the law and rush anyways? – jaaaayb
Simply put, they don’t want to lose control of the crowd. It has nothing to do with the facility, nor does it have to do with the team. No school wants 10,000 crazy, drunk fans rushing the field. I think the ramification is beheading, but I might be off on that.