Growing Up In Westwood (AKA Howlandwood For Ben Ball Warriors)

by Nestor on Jun 23, 2009 5:24 AM PDT in News Comment 16 comments

As I was reading the stories this am about UCLA the theme became pretty clear right up front. It's about growing up experiences of student athletes who have (or will have the privelege) to put on a UCLA uniform in Westwood. Ovewhelming majority of the kids who have come through UCLA "gets it" in terms of what it means to develop and mature not just as an athlete but also as a young man or woman through their most memorable years on campus. Unfortunately every once in a while some don't make it and falter a bit. However, as noted above most of the time they shine, leave their mark as other Bruin greats and then come back to contribute even more to the family.

Today as we do this roundup, we will start with news on couple of kids who have a lot of growing up to do. First on the football front apparently E.J. Woods is considering transferring out of UCLA:

The 6-foot, 210-pound Woods plans to transfer to a junior college - College of the Canyons and Southwest Los Angeles College are two possibilities - and play for a season and then transfer to a four-year school, sources said.

He still wants to play in the Pacific-10 Conference, but it is possible UCLA would not release him to a team on the upcoming schedule. By going to a junior college and earning his associate's degree, Woods could transfer to any school.

UCLA planned to use Woods as a hybrid linebacker in 2009, with his focus on being a pass rushing specialist.

The hard-hitting Woods also has an outstanding legal matter. He still faces six misdemeanor counts of battery and sexual battery. A pre-trial hearing is set for Wednesday.

I don't think this is a story worth losing any sleep over. It doesn't matter what position E.J. settles into (if he wants to stick around at UCLA), it needs to take a back seat to his legal situation which needs to get resolved first. A kid like E.J. would be better served if he focuses on his off field related issues first (so he never ever again gets himself into a situation like that) before getting caught up with charging up the depth charts of a football program. If E.J. is not willing to learn that lesson, he and UCLA are better off if he learns it somewhere else.

Speaking of someone who has a lot of growing up to do, ESPN's Chad Ford has an amusing update on Jrue Holiday's workout in NYC (emphasis added):

Chad Ford: UCLA's Jrue Holiday was feeling the pressure. He was in New York today for a callback with the Knicks -- a team he would love to go to at No. 8. His first audition wasn't all that it should've been. He was overshadowed by more experienced players like Stephen Curry and Gerald Henderson. He struggled to shut down Curry defensively. He got frustrated. A little down. And then those old feelings of self-doubt, the ones that were on display all season at UCLA, started creeping up.

Apparently the Knicks (who you know have such a great reputation for talent evaluation) still invited him back for another workout during which he looked "much better" against Miami's Jack McClinton. Whatever. That's the second time in a week we have heard about Jrue getting frustrated in these workouts. It happened the first time in Minnesota. Reading these updates one gets the feeling that Jrue right now is doing everything he can to cash in on his reputation that was made in high school and during controlled settings of NBA draft workouts. Perhaps another reason Jrue Holiday didn't want to come back to UCLA was because he was afraid of getting exposed even more when given the responsibility of running a basketball team under intense pressure. Whatever it is, I guess under the current "one and done" rule can't really blame him for cashing out but on the other hand no one will ever mistake him of being a "Ben Ball warrior."

Speaking of Ben Ball warriors next year's freshmen are already on campus for summer school and look who is hanging around to teach the ropes. Coach Howland tweets:

Russell Westbrook came by earlier today. He is in the same summer school class as our freshmen! Its great to have him showing them the way.

RW is not the only alum hanging around Howlandwood:

Just sat with Arron Afflalo for a half hour in my office. He is up on campus lifting and playing everyday.

For some reason I can't see Jrue Holiday showing that kind of loyalty to Howland and the program after his first year in the NBA. Anyway, going back to the freshmen here is Howland's update from yesterday:

The Freshmen love it here already. What a great group! It was a lot of fun to sit with all of them together this morning before class.

If any of you are around campus this year and are checking out some of those legendary summer games at Howlandwood, would love to get some updates.

BTW freshman Ben Ball warriors are not the only freshmen who have checked in for summer school. Brian Dohn has this update re. freshmen joining the football team:

On campus today and saw freshmen offensive linemen Stan Hasiak and Xavier Su'a-Filo, and thought I would pass along how big and strong they look. In my six years covering UCLA, I cannot remember two offensive linemen coming into school with that size.

Here is to these guys having a healthy and productive summer. Right now going into next season our team is still a huge question mark. I think the difference between a 5-7 and 6-6/7-5 season will be a healthy and improved offensive line that will be able to keep our young QBs healthy and get our anemic running game going. These two kids might have the opportunity to emerge as a huge (no pun intended) factor in that OL.

So I can't wait to see and read about them in Fall camp starting this August. It will be fun to watch all of these growing up as Bruins in Westwood. I have high hopes that those two will have the opportunity to grow and develop and contribute to the efforts of rebuilding UCLA football, the same way AA and RW left their marks in Westwood.

GO BRUINS.

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No glossing over this one

Losing Woods would hurt. I wonder what happened.

by Karl II on Jun 23, 2009 8:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Football players personalities and EJ Woods

Ooops…

As a former long time ago athlete at UCLA (baseball), I spent time with athletes in other sports as we shared jobs to pay for our grant-in-aids during offseason. So I could be raking leaves with football players, basketball, etc. When a coach is running a football program, where aggressively behavior is encouraged (controlled though), and there are roughly 100 players involved, expect issues.

Let’s hope there aren’t many but these players at their ages, pampered elsewhere before coming to UCLA, with a variety of family backgrounds, it is inevitable that UCLA needs to understand that an EJ Woods situation may occur. I am not condoning his alleged offense, but I am not surprised that some of this has occured. UCLA screens this out in their recruiting, I am sure, but that is about the best that can be done.
Bill

BillSouthBay

by Mensgym on Jun 23, 2009 10:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

What's amusing about that Holiday update?

I don’t see anything funny there.

by Westwood Wizard on Jun 23, 2009 10:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don’t find it amusing at all.

Oh UCLA you sweet bitch, you've BRUINed me for anything else.

by bruin8uclap on Jun 23, 2009 6:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, glad I’m not the only one.

by Westwood Wizard on Jun 24, 2009 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Woods

I think the issue is whether Woods did what he is accused of doing, not that he has legal issues to clear up. We all did things as kids that we’re not proud of now. One of the ways to get cleansed of this sort of thing is to admit guilt if you did those things, and accept your punishment. That’s one way things could go. At that point, we would have to decide whether we want him on our team. Frankly, it would be hypocritical for us to excoriate the trOJies for the Sanchez business, and then look the other way when it’s a guy on our team. If it were up to me, I would pass.

Another way things could go is for him to demonstrate that he did not do what he is alleged to have done. (I know I have the burden reversed.) If he shows he didn’t do it, then the incident is a nullity as far as he is concerned.

The part that I really don’t want to see happen is some sort of wishy-washy resolution, with stuff like I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it, and I’ll never do it again. You know – the way just$c* handles things.

by Fox 71 on Jun 23, 2009 11:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I Agree With Fox

These are serious charges, crimes against a person or persons. Dealing with those, and doing so with honesty, is the priority for Woods here.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Jun 23, 2009 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree too

My point is that with football players in particular, this “stuff” will occur (hopefully less damaging that what Woods has been accused of). I like the way UCLA has handled this, and Woods will most likely go somewhere else to sort his life out. If he mature some, he may realize what an error he has made, not only, “allegedly”, with the charges, but also with UCLA itself. If he does grow up, and gets his AA, then he might be able to come back for two years and get the leverage he wants from the school and sports program.
Bill

BillSouthBay

by Mensgym on Jun 23, 2009 1:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

with regards to jrue

isnt this the time in the draft season where gm’s sending out interference? here’s a kid that didnt have a great season at all and after workouts seemed a pretty sold projection in the lottery. now 2 reports about him not looking so great? hmmm… the draft’s in a few days, so i guess we’ll see

Across The Face

by rb bruin on Jun 23, 2009 9:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Win expectations for Football

I’ve noticed a continual dampening of expectations on this site, and I don’t think we should be doing that. It is my belief that WRT to Neuheisel and co., we should at least be putting the burner on low.

I don’t think we can walk away from this season and hope to continue imagining that we are progressing with anything less than 7-6 after the bowl game. I think we’ll be ok with 7-6, and doing very well with 8-5.

However, if we were to finish as a 5 or 6 win team, I just don’t see our recruiting making much progress in 2010, especially because we are slow playing so many potential recruits. If they don’t see success, after 2 years of Neuheisel and Chow it is easy for me to imagine wavering recruits looking elsewhere (guys like Hasiak that weren’t initially firmly committed).

Furthermore, we are going to lose several key defensive players next season. Despite Price’s commitment to hang around, he will be a potential high first round pick after this season. He’d be foolish not to take the opportunity to continue to the NFL when injuries can end your career in college before you even get a shot at the big time. As Aikman has shown, education can be put off until after your NFL career. Carter will be gone. Verner will be gone. The Bosworths will be gone. 3/4 dlinemen 2/3 linebackers and at least 1/4 secondary players will be gone after 2009.

In 2010 we might have a front 7 on our defense as porous as our offensive line was in 2008. Are we fooling ourselves in thinking that there will be massive gains in 2010 and that we are just 2 years away? I really think Neuheisel and company need to make it happen now, not next year, if we want to continue to progress as a team. I don’t think that as a fanbase we should be easing up the pressure as if everything will continue progressing just fine without a season that is at least a little ahead of most expectations. I love what Neuheisel has done so far, but I think the grace period should not extend beyond the 2008/2009 season. They’ve had 2 off seasons to install their system, get the players in shape, and bring in new recruits. It is now time for things to happen on the field.

by captainqtp on Jun 24, 2009 12:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Uhm

If this team wins 6 games and gets into a bowl game given the question marks around our offensive line, our quarterbacks, I think it will represent a step forward. If you disagree with that, then that is fine but again don’t lecture us about setting expectations or what arguments we should be laying out here on BN. Thanks.

by Nestor on Jun 24, 2009 4:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

When did an opposing argument

become a lecture? I love UCLA football too, but we need more than a step forward. I agree that even getting 6 wins will be a challenge, but in 2010 we’ll have some significant holes to fill in the front 7 on defense. If we only go 6-7 this year, and we’re looking at a 2010 where our offensive gains will be offset by a defensive dropoff, then we might just go 6-7 or 7-6 again. That’s where a pattern starts to develop that recruits get concerned about, and as we’ve seen from the past season, even great coaches need bodies that can get the job done. 2008 was the new coach grace year and 2009 will be how the media and college football fans judge the succes of the rebuilding effort. That perception will be a big factor in the future success of UCLA football.

by captainqtp on Jun 24, 2009 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Telling us what we should or shouldn't be writing

is a lecture

by Nestor on Jun 24, 2009 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I took what captainqtp said as...

“we” as in Bruins, not “we” as in “you, Bruins Nation.”

by Westwood Wizard on Jun 24, 2009 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, let's see

Your arguments are so full of holes that I don’t have the time to go into each of them.

1. “In 2010 we might have a front 7 on our defense as porous as our offensive line was in 2008”.
How do you know this? Are you assuming that the players recruited so far are going to be complete busts? If so, why?

2. Don’t tell players what to do. Brian Price wants to graduate because he would be the first in his family to get a college degree (if I am not mistaken). He doesn’t need your advice.

3. There are very few firm commits anymore. That’s how we got players like Presley and Carroll.

We have a brand new QB who is essentially a freshman, an offensive line that was terrible last year…and your expectations are that anything less than doubling our wins from last year will not be good enough? What are you smoking? I want some. Have you even looked at the schedule before setting your expectations? It’s one thing to analyze the upcoming season…but your expectations are based on a subjective idea of what “progress” is appropriate for our team. Truly unfair and unsubstantiated.

But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by tasser10 on Jun 24, 2009 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree wholeheartedly with your last line.

“It is now time for things to happen on the field.”

Every year at this tiime I have to push down that little flicker of hope. If we win just one little game a week, just one, we could end up undefeated. We don’t have to win 12 or 13 in a row, just one each Saturday. Is that asking too much? The flicker started in the ’50’s, burst into a gigantic inferno that one year with Cade at the controls, and then things happened after that. But it’s still there.

Right now, I don’t care about 2010 or who’s leaving or who’s coming. Right now, to keep my little flicker of hope going, we need to get one measly, cheesy little point more than San Diego State. That’s all. What’s so hard about that?

by Fox 71 on Jun 24, 2009 3:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs