Preview of Howland interview
I had a long one-on-one interview with Ben Howland, who really opened up about the last few years of UCLA basketball, including this quote that caught me just a bit off guard...
Me: So if you guys get hot, play well in conference, get a couple tournament wins, finish with 22, 23 wins...
Howland: "God, I'd kiss you right now. I swear to God. I would come over there and I'd kiss you if we got 22, 23, 24 wins. Are you kidding me? I'd be so happy. Are you kidding? That's so nice to even project that possibility."
More from the interview over the next couple days, and a ton of press conference videos. Stay tuned.
Make sure to get it on video if he kisses you!
Wow, great to see he has such high expectations for the team....if this team doesn't win at least 23 games this year, UCLA needs to find a new coach. 23 wins with a 31 regular game schedule and 3 possible Pac-10 tournament games is nothing special especially considering how many cupcakes UCLA plays in the preseason and how bad the Pac-10 is. Personally, I'd like to get a new coach with anything under 27 wins this year (including at least a couple in the NCAA tournament), and I know most will think that's unreasonable, but after the last two years that's what I think should be required for Howland to keep his job.
. . . if this team doesn't win at least 23 games this year, UCLA needs to find a new coach.
All that typing to make the dumbest comment of the week.
No way Howland gets fired after this season. I don't care what he does or doesn't do this year. Howland is a proven coach who took this program to national prominence and he'll get more leeway than a few down years.
Don't feed the trolls.
GrisBruin said:
All that typing to make the dumbest comment of the week.
GrisBruin, you're being too kind.
Did you follow-up with a request for a reach-around if the team gets to 25 wins???
Unlike CRN, I find it refreshing that CBH has the courage to actually look critically at the state of his team. There is just far too much sugarcoating going on with UCLA athletics which is really what impedes any real progress. Big ups to Howland for truly keeping it real.