Tag: John Wooden

Examining the parallel between John Wooden and Nick Saban

The John Wooden-Nick Saban comparisons are certainly interesting.

Here at UCLA Wire, we’re dealing with an uncomfortable situation for both football and men’s basketball. Both programs are facing noticeable difficulties after previous successes. A lot of Bruin fans are depressed at the state of their football and men’s basketball operations (although DeShaun Foster might provide some hope). It’s exactly the right time to taste a little nostalgia for the past and the most famous coach in UCLA history.
John Wooden is the gold standard by which all other college sports coaches are measured. Not even Bear Bryant or Adolph Rupp or some of the other iconic coaches in college sports had the dynastic run Wooden and UCLA enjoyed from 1967 through 1975. UCLA won eight national championships in nine seasons. The Bruins won seven national titles in a row. Can you imagine that happening today? Imagine how that would play on social media and on television in the modern age. Of course, the NCAA Tournament was much smaller back then, but the accomplishment is still astonishing.
Nick Saban retiring at Alabama as — in many people’s eyes — the greatest college football coach of all time gives UCLA Wire a chance to remember what it was like when John Wooden, the greatest college basketball coach who ever lived, retired in 1975.
Let’s take a trip down Memory Lane, helped by Trojans Wire editor Matt Zemek. I talked to Zemek about Wooden-Saban comparisons, the final season for Wooden at UCLA, and the events that followed his retirement after a storied career in Westwood:

Bill Walton’s John Wooden quotes go viral after passing

This is something to keep forever.

The connection and relationship between UCLA legends John Wooden and Bill Walton was truly something special. After Walton passed away on Memorial Day, the community mourned the loss of a superstar in every regard.

John Wooden will always be a legend in Westwood and across the country for a lot of reasons, with his one-of-a-kind quotes still resonating in the ears and hearts of many even until this very day.

After the news of Walton’s passing, a clip surfaced on the internet of Walton talking in detail about some of Wooden’s one-liners, something that Walton admitted changed who he was as a person and a player.

Watch for yourself.

UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close also quoted the same “It’s ok to disagree. Just don’t be disagreeable” quip from Wooden, so it’s safe to say the legendary coach left an impact on many, just like Walton has done.

Cori Close remembers Bill Walton with touching tribute

Cori Close chimes in on Bill Walton’s passing.

After UCLA legend Bill Walton passed away on Monday, tributes came in full force. Perhaps the most colorful person in recent memory, Walton’s lasting impact will be remembered by many for a number of reasons.

UCLA women’s basketball head coach Cori Close shared a video with her remembrance of Bill Walton.

“We lost a magnificent human being in Bill Walton. He’s had such an impact on the game and obviously on broadcasting…The one that stuck in my heart today…’Disagree without being disagreeable.'”

“Isn’t it ok to have a different point of view?… I am building my standards from my life and my heart differently than you…I look at Bill Walton. We probably disagree on how to call a basketball game, for instance…I think about all the ways Coach Wooden used to talk about him…Probably Coach Wooden and Bill Walton disagreed on a lot of things. But man, their love was so deep.”

The relationship between Bill Walton and John Wooden, two UCLA legends who will be remembered by basketball fans forever, left a lasting impact on the lives of many, and Close had a lot to say about it.

Photos of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden

John Wooden is one of (if not the greatest) of all time.

The NCAA Tournament is always a great time to remember some of the legendary moments in the history of March Madness.

When you think of UCLA, one name automatically comes to mind: John Wooden. Arguably the greatest coach in the history of the sport, Wooden’s name will always be remembered by fans everywhere.

Wooden coached at UCLA from 1948-1975 and finished with an unreal 620-147 overall record. He won 300 games in the conference and was a 10-time national title winner, including seven in a row in the most unprecedented streak in history.

Wooden has a special place in the memories of UCLA fans and college basketball fans everywhere, and when March comes around, his name circulates everywhere de to his sustained success.

Here are some of the best photos from the legendary career of John Wooden.

 

John Wooden stamp to be released Saturday

The John Wooden Stamp will be released on Saturday, February 24.

UCLA Bruins legendary coach John Wooden is getting a special piece of recognition starting this upcoming weekend. On February 24, 2024, the USPS will release the John Wooden stamp.

The announcement of the USPS releasing the stamp came in 2023, but the release date officially is on Saturday and will be made available at USPS.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block had this to say about the Wooden stamp back in 2023:

“This stamp is a tribute to Coach Wooden’s remarkable and widespread impact, which extends far beyond UCLA and far beyond basketball. His success on the court was unparalleled, and he remains a model of integrity and excellence in athletics. But the values he stood for and the timeless wisdom he shared have spread even further, influencing generations of leaders from all walks of life.”

The stamps cost $13.60 for a sheet of 20 and are a perfect keepsake for UCLA and John Wooden fans.

A sneak preview of the stamp was released earlier in February, and the official artwork is quite the tribute to Wooden.

There’s a little bit of John Wooden in Lincoln Riley

No, Riley is nowhere near Wooden in titles, stature, or importance, but in one aspect of coaching methodology, there’s a parallel.

Iconic UCLA basketball coach John Wooden was known for not calling timeouts to change his team’s tactics or approach during games. He felt the opponent always had to adjust to him, and that calling timeout was an admission of defeat. This is something Bill Walton said on a recent ESPN documentary. UCLA needed to play better. That, not a timeout, was Wooden’s answer to problems. He didn’t panic and wanted his players to not panic.

In that one specific aspect of coaching methodology, Lincoln Riley is like Wooden.

To be clear, Riley is not in the same universe as Wooden in terms of achievements, championships, and historic status. We’re only talking about one specific aspect of the art of coaching. In this one way, Riley and the Wizard of Westwood are similar.

Riley Files expert Kegan Reneau explains:

“When it comes to how he goes about his business, he’s typically more like, ‘Hey, our offensive line has gotta play better.’ He’s not just figuring out who could play where; he’s like, ‘No, we’re gonna give these guys time to figure it out. Then we’ve gotta make the decision. If it’s not working out, we need to figure out the solution and push forward with it.’ They typically like to do that early, the first four, five, six games of the year for the offense,” Reneau said. “The roster’s typically pretty consistent. That’s how I imagine it’s gonna be. Then (consider) how that impacts Caleb Williams. If they don’t let Caleb Williams be Caleb Williams, then they’ve failed as a coaching staff.”

They obviously didn’t fail in 2022. Riley didn’t panic with his offensive line.

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Jalen Pickett among 15 Wooden Award Finalists

Here is a look at all 15 finalists for this season’s Wooden Award in men’s college basketball.

Penn State senior guard [autotag]Jalen Pickett[/autotag] is having one of the best seasons in program history.

During a victory against Illinois, he set the Bryce Jordan Center record for most points in a game with 41. He set the all-time single-season record for most assists in a season, breaking Tim Frazier’s record of 198. Pickett also will set the most assists per game record and surpassed 2,000 career points.

It’s been a phenomenal season for the senior out of Rochester, NY.

Head coach, [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag], has been pounding the table for more eyes across the country to notice how well Pickett has been playing this year.

It seems like that message got through because Pickett is one of the 15 finalists for the Wooden Award. This award, named after legendary coach [autotag]John Wooden[/autotag], goes to the Player of the Year in both men’s and women’s basketball.

The award is voted on by 1,000 sports writers and media professionals across the country. The top 10 will be named All-Americans, with the player receiving the most votes winning the Wooden Award.

It’s a highly coveted award that some of the biggest names in the sports have won. The first award was given to [autotag]Marques Johnson[/autotag] of UCLA in the 1976-77 season.

Here are the 15 finalists for 2022-23.

Notre Dame celebrates anniversary of historic win over UCLA

Who remembers this?

With no game scheduled for Wednesday, Notre Dame is taking time to look back at arguably the program’s finest moment. When UCLA entered South Bend on Jan. 19, 1974, it had won a record 88 straight games as well as the past seven national championships. With the John Wooden-coached Bruins being led on the court by future Hall of Famers Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes, there was little reason to think this game would be any different from the recent past. Instead, the second-ranked Irish decided enough was enough:

The victory catapulted the Irish into the top ranking for the first and only time that season, but nobody thinks about that. What they do think about is the Irish took down a powerhouse, and those who were alive for it have fond memories to this day. Also, who wouldn’t storm the Joyce Center court after that? Hopefully one day, there will be a moment that will surpass that, like a national title.

With Montez Sweat and Chase Young injured, what now?

Casey Toohill, Shaka Toney and Bunmi Rotimi have a major opportunity with the loss of Montez Sweat and Chase Young.

The WFT defensive line has lost both Montez Sweat and Chase Young.

Sweat, a first-round draft choice out of Mississippi State in 2019, suffered a broken jaw against the Broncos in Week 8.

Young, the second overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft, suffered a torn ACL in Week 10 against the Buccaneers.

 

What now?

Ron Rivera, Jack Del Rio and defensive line coach Sam Mills III are forced to think, “What is best for the team, and how does the defense march forward?” It seems uncaring, but they must accept a “So what? Now what?” mindset and prepare this team. It’s their job.

Who will have to step up at defensive end?

Casey Toohill, a seventh-round draft choice by the Eagles in 2020, was signed by Washington last season and appeared in eight games. The 25-year-old defensive end played 29 defensive snaps last week against Tampa Bay, collecting one solo tackle while assisting on three others.

Shaka Toney was selected by the WFT out of Penn State in the seventh round (No. 246 overall) in 2021. At 6-2 and 238 pounds, perhaps his size will limit his snaps, and coaches may attempt to use him exclusively in pass-rushing situations. Toney was called upon for nine defensive snaps against Tampa in Week 10.

Bunmi Rotimi played at Old Dominion, went undrafted and was signed by the WFT last offseason. At 6-3 and 273 pounds, the 26-year-old lineman may be pressed into a role where he will be needed to also help against the run. He has appeared in recent games against the Packers (six snaps) and the Buccaneers (eight snaps).

Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden often said, “Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”

Toohill, Toney and Rotimi are going to be thrown into the proverbial fire.  Many WFT fans will wish them good luck.

Wooden also often said, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”