While we celebrate the present, here is another opportunity to cherish the past soul of UCLA basketball.

So recently T.J. Simers had the privilege to moderate an event featuring two Southern California legends: Vin Scully and John Wooden. Simers took the opportunity to a little write up on the Coach.

As usual, the Coach was in top form mixing it up with TJ:

The conversation turned to people Wooden had met and whom he'd still like to meet, because any chance to talk to him is time to be extended as long as possible.

UCLA ought to be paying him to talk to a class every single day. Make it a class where debating is emphasized, and he'd love it, and those kids would be mesmerized.

"I wish I could've met Will Rogers," he said, his day beginning at breakfast with actor Elliott Gould, then taking a call from Giants and winning Super Bowl Coach Tom Coughlin.

He's still disappointed, he said, that he never met Mother Teresa,but he did meet Angelina Jolie.

"She's covered in tattoos," I said. "Was that acceptable to you?"

"Yes," Wooden said, and he looked 10 years younger when he said it.

Then he grinned. "But she wouldn't play for me." 

Read rest of the Simers column here. Simers was no match the Coach.

GO BRUINS.