Bilas hammers Howland "style" myth
ESPN's Jay Bilas tears down the angle that Ben Howland's system "holds back" players in an Inside article. Because it's insider, I won't cut-and-paste more than a couple paragraphs, but here's the gist of it:
"Excuse my French, but the perceptions about UCLA's style are absolute crap. Howland has been a winner everywhere he has been, but especially at UCLA. He guided the Bruins to three straight Final Fours while placing numerous players in the NBA. While there is no argument that a team like North Carolina plays a different -- and faster -- style under Roy Williams than Howland does at UCLA, there is no empirical evidence that the style difference negatively affects the NBA future or draft status of Bruins players relative to Tar Heels players. In fact, the evidence suggests the opposite."
And later...
"This preposterous urban myth about UCLA and Howland is just that, a myth. It is based upon a perception that Westbrook and Holiday are having better pro careers than they did college careers, and that the only "logical" explanation must be that Howland held his stars back. That is nonsense. The more likely explanation is that Howland is not kissing the tails of those believing themselves to be influential in the summer basketball culture, and they are spreading nonsense about Howland and his offensive philosophy."
Maybe Jay, but it's no myth that Howland's style of play has led to a boring, practically unwatchable brand of basketball, and has turned off thousands of longtime Bruin fans. The recent attendance numbers at Pauley should tell you all you need to know about Howland's "style" (numbers that were in decline before last season's debacle).
I'm just amazed that Jay Bilas said something that didn't immediately make me want to punch him the face...
3 straight final fours and a laundry list of NBA stars! What are you talking about. I love UCLA Basketball, and love it even more under Howland. Idiot.
Jay Bilas is the biggest UCLA hater in college basketball. He also wrote a huge article discrediting everything Wooden did, saying he did the same stuff as USC. I don't know what happened with him and UCLA but he obviously will do anything to crap on us.
Reasonable Bruin,
Are you kidding me? Prior to Howland, attendance was down. It was Howland who increased attendance by winning games! Come on. Get your head out of the sand!
Ben Howland's style of play is great. Sure it is not flashy and people think that defense is boring but the truth of the matter is that his teams win and produces great NBA stars. It has had a rough time rebuilding because of losing so many players to the one-and-done rule and not having a true point guard but UCLA fans need to stop whining and just be patient for Howland's inevitability of bring more banners for UCLA basketball.
Go Bruins
Not sure if Anonymous 11:52 and anonymous 11:53 even read the Bilas quotes or were just unable to comprehend what Bilas said, but I'm sure Bilas was defending Howland and UCLA basketball.
Coach Howland has been a godsend for UCLA -- do any of his critics remember how unorganized and underachieving the teams were under Lavin? Sure, his teams made it to the Sweet 16 several times, including a trip to the Elite 8, but they should have been in the Final Four at least once in light of all the future NBA players on their teams (e.g., Baron Davis, Earl Watson, Matt Barnes, Jason Kapono, Ryan Hollins, Dan Gadzuric, Toby Bailey, Jerome Moiso, Jelani McCoy).
pride - they were responding to the first commenter who apparently doesn't enjoy hardnose, fundamentally sound basketball that leads to trips to the Final Four.
You keep killing them with kindness, VB... LOL
I think it can be assumed that "Reasonable Bruin" is either "reasonably" a trOJan, or a UofA alumn - pick your poison.
Hogsman has it backwards when it comes to attendance.
When those old farts were students they filled the ENTIRE north side of Pauley Pavillion at least two hours before the game. Now, no students sit in the middle section at all and only a handful of the upper level. Even the lower level isn't entirely students. The students just dribble in until tipoff and only the lower level students stand up during the game. You'd never know there were students in the upper level.
There's absolutely no support from the student body, which has 37,000 people that could easily fill Pauley. Don't blame it on those that know what it's like in the days when season tickets in their will. That won't cut it.
Nice to see East Coast Bilas say something nice about the Bruins and Howland in particular. It makes me want to take back some of the things I've said about him. I probably won't, but maybe.
Here is a link to the full text:
http://www.bruinzone.com/b12/messages/88413.shtml
Talent level has dropped off significantly. Part of it is rebuilding, west coast high school talent not as superior these days, and partly for some reason some of the elite guys don't want to go to UCLA or play for Howland. Maybe his stubbornness, style, academics, etc. Who knows. But Howland is not exactly a player's coach.
Howland gets all the credit for NBA talent, but how about giving the players some of that credit. You don't think that Luc or Westbrook shine in the NBA at other college programs? Please. Coach clearly deserves some credit, but let's not go overboard. I stick to my argument that he got a little bit lucky. Love was coming here no matter who was coaching. L.A. market. He wanted the fame and glory, and that's what he got. Holiday was going to stay local. Luc was much better than expected. Good find for Howland, but if he was more highly touted would he still have gone to UCLA? Don't know. Same goes for Westbrook, and he is also local. Good job with Farmar, Afflalo, Collison. But have you noticed that the level of talent he is bringing in is not the same quality? For the reasons stated above perhaps. Not only style.
When are people going to look past the three straight final 4s? Clearly, a great job by the players and coaches, but that's long gone. We are over two years removed from that feat. UCLA will fare better this year in a horrendous and still building Pac-10, but I'm not sure if they make the tournament. If they do, the Pac-10 is worse than I expected.
Anon 2:54 you are 100% correct!
You guys know it is possible to be a Bruin fan and not like Howland!
hogsman youv'e got to be kidding: Hollins, Gadzuric, Bailey, Moiso and McCoy!
Ok i'll raise you Collison, Westbrook, Love and Luc all NBA starters(two olympians)all on the same team. What should they have won?
Enough with the final fours, it's like SEC football who cares what you did 2 years ago. Les Miles won a BCS Championship at LSU in 2008 and in 2010 he's on the hot seat.
GO BRUINS!
Dipshit? Idiot? Get my head out of the sand? My family has had season tickets in Pauley since I was a little kid (I'm 37 now). To those name callers out there, I'll bet I've been to more games than all of you combined so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about.
I invite each of you to a complimentary game this season, and you can tell me how exciting it is to watch our team dribble around for 33 seconds than force up a prayer, if not turn it over. So unless you like 1-0 baseball games, watching paint dry, or soccer, you'd have to agree.
And VB, I love your commentary, but the insults aren't cool. Nowhere was I attacking Howland's record. One terrible year should not discredit the success he's had in a relatively short time, and he brought UCLA back into the national discussion. And yes, Bruin fans in general are about as lackluster as they come (students & alumni), but they're getting better (huge turnouts at South Bend and Knoxville in recent years, and I expect thousands more to travel with me to Austin) and still get fired up by an entertaining product.
Finally, the "he took us to 3 straight Final Fours" thing is getting old. Further proof you've never stepped foot into Pauley. This is not Butler, this is UCLA where they judge success by championships won.
I'm pretty sure the T-shirt I'll be wearing at the Rose Bowl in 17 days won't say "Also-Rans Made Here" on it.
And by the way, the fact that anyone would come on here and defend Jay Bilas is outrageous and pathetic. Coach's body was still warm and this guy writes the most disparaging garbage about him. He's a disgrace.
@ Reasonable Bruin
Right on. Even the recent article is double-edged. It's a myth but Bruins basketball is slow and dull so if you Mr Potential Recruit want to put your talent on display go somewhere else.
Bilas is from my home town of Palos Verdes. He is an ass.