Trouble in Basketball Paradise? Upperclassmen jealous of Love?

by waters96 on Jan 2, 2008 12:43 PM PST

The Loose Canons of KLAC are reporting that the upperclassmen on the basketball team are unhappy that Kevin Love is getting all the credit for our success this year. I hope it's not true, and if so, Coach Howland must shut this down immediately...

I'm not sure if this is being brought up just to drive ratings, but they're reporting that some of the upperclassmen are upset that Love is getting all the credit for being the savior for a team that made two consecutive Final Four appearances. To make matters worse, they're stating that Love isn't getting touches as payback for that.

Obviously, this would be devastating to the program. I find it hard to believe that such a rift exists. The kids on our team don't seem to have that make-up and Howland certainly isn't the type to sit there passively and let it happen.

But if it is true, it's time for those players with a chip on their shoulder to grow up. Basketball is a team game, but it isn't a democracy. Like it or not, KL is the main guy on the team, and there's zero chance we win a championship without him. On top of that, he's a total team guy, unlike the freshman gangsta across town. His signature is his passing, and I don't believe he has any interest in padding stats or taking credit where credit isn't due.

Anyway, I don't think this is anything, but since I heard it, I thought I'd report it.

Go Bruins!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Reporting from garbage

on talk radio?

I come to BN to get away from that kind of BS.

by bluestreet on Jan 2, 2008 12:46 PM PST reply actions

Sounds like Doh!n "reporting" to me

I see the Loose Cannon's unnamed and anonymous sources and I raise you the 3 Wealthy and Influential Alumni who have heard otherwise.

I think it's funny to make the argument about not getting touches when his touches have increased over the past few games. Welcome to a month ago, Loose Cannons.

by Tydides on Jan 2, 2008 12:48 PM PST reply actions

We shoudln't

be posting this kind of garbage without subtantiated sources which appear to be total hit jobs on our basketball program.

by bluestreet on Jan 2, 2008 12:54 PM PST up reply actions

The way I see it

is that keeping the obviously made up stuff on the site like Loose Cannons/Doh!n is good for the purposes of distinguishing the real news from the shock jock type crap. For the sake of completeness, we should seek to at least demand the same accountability from the pundits and the beat writers as we do from our coaches, players, and administration.

I can just see it now: Hartman's mom watching the game on TV and asking her son why the short shaved-headed guy who dribbles the ball all the time doesn't pass it to the big tall guy in the middle on every possession = DC AND LOVE DON'T GET ALONG! MORE AFTER THE BREAK!

by Tydides on Jan 2, 2008 1:02 PM PST up reply actions

I thought about not posting it....

It seemed like a bunch of b.s. It's just a little diary that will disappear shortly.

by waters96 on Jan 2, 2008 1:04 PM PST reply actions

Thank You For Posting It

Living in Exile in Texas, I depend on folks like you to report this stuff to the Nation -- my source of Bruin sports.

Even if it's BS, I want to know about it.

Thanks. Again.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Jan 2, 2008 2:41 PM PST up reply actions

I'm living in NoCal right now...

But I keep up with things on the internet... I can stream 570 on the web and I have a Slingbox installed at my brother's house so I can watch the games through his cable box on my TV.

by waters96 on Jan 3, 2008 8:57 AM PST up reply actions

P.S.

So far, they've just teased it. The "reporting" is coming up, in case you want to listen.

by waters96 on Jan 2, 2008 1:05 PM PST reply actions

Feel free to update it

if they have anything that seems credible. Otherwise, we'll just have to add to the long list of reasons why our beat and our pundits are incompetent.

by Tydides on Jan 2, 2008 1:08 PM PST up reply actions

Slight disagreement with the phraseology, Ty

This is the UCLA beat, and the guys who write here are the pundits. There is not a heck of a lot of info about UCLA back here in Tampa. I get my news here, and it's very good reporting and it's done the right way. If you have a source and are free to name him, it's done. (Dienhart let me quote him.) If it's opinion, it's labeled as such. If it's from three wealthy and influential alumni, it's pure gold, of course, but also labeled as such.

The contrast between the actual facts and analyses being posted here and the stuff that comes out on ESPN for example is really remarkable.

I find I enjoy watching games on TV with the sound off, and I enjoy sports talk radio with the sound off even more.

by Fox 71 on Jan 2, 2008 1:48 PM PST up reply actions

I echo those sentiments

For those of you who live in LA and/or have time to muddle through all the sports media, you may not appriciate just how wonderful this site is. This was my only source during the coaching search.

Not only that, but it's my only connection to Bruin fans, students, and alumni not named Mr. BB.

by bruinbabe2000 on Jan 2, 2008 2:49 PM PST up reply actions

The subject finally comes up...

It's on during the weekly interview with Sonny Vacarro. Mychal Thompson brings it up. Sonny dances around saying that it's not Ben's fault that all the reporters gather around Kevin's locker -- it's Ben's job to run the team. That's it. A whole lot of nothing.

by waters96 on Jan 2, 2008 2:15 PM PST reply actions

I dont think Love

is the main guy on the team, he does make us a better team but college has always been about the Guard play.

by uclaov1 on Jan 2, 2008 4:28 PM PST reply actions

I'm surprised

The Loose Cannons talked about something other than the Lakers? Really?

by gilbert on Jan 2, 2008 4:48 PM PST reply actions

that's funny

because the next story was about the Lakers, I just listened to the podcast.

"Tough times don't last, tough people do"-Rick Neuheisel, December 31st, 2007

by bruin95 on Jan 2, 2008 5:02 PM PST up reply actions

This could very well be true

You'd have to be blind to not see that there's some adversity there with Shipp, or there was. Against Davis, Love was working hard to give him five and they were acknowledging each other. Shipp saw that Kevin was trying to show him respect and it's all of us, not me. Like you're saying, they need to get it together. Love is a team guy and it's not his fault the media has responded the way they have. There might be a little distrust, jealousy there of the Wooden situation with Kevin, Love getting Hazzard's #42, Love and Howland's close relationship in the beginning.

Like Sonny Vaccaro said, it's human nature that this would happen. Each one of those guys is important and it's important that we have a center to balance it all out. I'm trying to figure out what "upperclassmen" Mychal Thompson was referring to. Maybe it's just one guy, Shipp. We need Shipp just as bad as Love. I don't think we can blame anyone for this, it just had a good chance of happening. It's probably over and their cool with each other, anyways, now.

"Tough times don't last, tough people do"-Rick Neuheisel, December 31st, 2007

by bruin95 on Jan 2, 2008 5:00 PM PST reply actions

Damn tall guys!

Every disturbing -trouble making basketball story -
pro or collegiate - seems to involve players over 6 feet ball. I think it is something in the genes.

No player over 6 feet tall should be allowed on ANY team.

There's got to be a a reason why there is a song for "short people", but none (to my knowledge) about tall people. I might have to amend that assertion since I vaguely recall a song involving a gal who is "tree-top tall".

I say bring back the 5-guard offense!

by Offside on Jan 2, 2008 6:43 PM PST reply actions

Slight correction

It should be 6 feet Tall - not ball. The latter would be giving these giraffes more prowess than they deserve.

by Offside on Jan 2, 2008 6:47 PM PST up reply actions

All I know is

Don Maclean was interviewed on the Joe McDonnell Experience a few weeks ago and said that while interacting with the players off-air before and after games, he saw absolutely no hint of any such selfishness or jealousy. Now I know Maclean is not God, but I do generally trust his words because I know him to tell it like it is. That is to say that I would think he'd say something if he sensed something was up.

I may have seen some of this "stuff" going on during some games, but that might have just been me reading too much into things after reading BRO and BN. Now I'm by no means blaming anyone for that. We're all fans and we want the best for the team and are concerned about camaraderie and when we see bad things we want them corrected.

I hope that if there is such an issue here, it is corrected, and soon. If not, well, continue to enjoy the ride!

Proud to be a lifelong Bruin

by omnigeno on Jan 2, 2008 8:18 PM PST reply actions

I find it hard to believe

You can see the joy with which they play the game. I would also think that KL earns his shots with all the offensive rebounds he gets.

If anything I think they defer to him too much, whether that is coach's doing or their own. I would like to see Shipp lead the team in scoring followed by Westbrook, added to whatever KL can contribute with hussle and great play.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Jan 2, 2008 10:33 PM PST reply actions

Stuff Like This

Makes me skeptical of claims of friction

by Tydides on Jan 2, 2008 10:50 PM PST up reply actions

Yup

Do I think Shipp wishes KLove wasn't getting so much attention and he was getting some more? Yup, but I don't think in any way that attitude makes its way onto the court. Howland makes sure that attitude is checked at the door and if there was any of that attitude on the court, I guarantee you Shipp wouldn't be averaging 30 minutes a game. It would be 40 minutes on the bench.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jan 2, 2008 10:54 PM PST up reply actions

No evidence

people act like you can go from having no presense in the paint to having a dominant one, and the offense is supposed to change without a hitch. The players have to get comfortable making passes to the post and feeding the big man. That takes time and practice. It is nothing personal.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Jan 3, 2008 10:19 PM PST reply actions