UCLA Holds A Beautiful & Touching Memorial For Coach But Bruin Alumni Stay Home
by Nestor on Jun 27, 2010 9:32 AM PDT
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PrintYou can see from the pictures how the chairs were carefully arranged so that they did not cover the words, "Nell and John Wooden Court." During the service, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero also announced that Wooden's customary seat in Pauley Pavilion -- Section 103B, Row 2, Seat 1 -- would be retired. No one is going to sit there again, a decision that everyone rightly cheered. It was a beautiful ceremony as reflected in this touching fanpost. bruin805 posted a copy of program.
BUT there is one detail that is going to stick out for a while. The attendance even by the official estimate was around 4,000, which meant thousands and thousands of Bruin alums stayed home or did something else. Somehow the alums couldn't find enough time for Coach compared to a Trojan. Yes, the official site has a wonderful post about yesterday's service, which includes touching tribute in the toplines from a Trojan fan:
Laine (Gary Laine), in particular, stood out in USC apparel, but he explained that although he grew up a Trojan fan, he was also one-tenth Bruin because he completed his dental residency at UCLA.
"I'm here for Coach Wooden. He's been one of my heroes since I grew up [in Arcadia] in the '50s," Laine said. "My high school basketball team ran his zone defense; I read most of his books; I even had a chance to meet him. He's just a remarkable human being and one you'd want to pattern your life after. So there's that cross-town rivalry, but I came all the way from San Jose to be here today. It's very special."
Laine might be a Trojan fan but he certainly showed lot more devotion to Coach than the thousands of UCLA alums in Southern California area who decided to stay home. Laine was not the only non Bruin who showed up to pay respect to Coach in the house he built.
Joe Torre found time from his schedule to show his respect for Coach:
"It was nice," Torre said. "I didn't get there until about 10 minutes to 10, and it started at 11. They had a video of all of his UCLA teams from 9-10, and then played all the music he liked from 10-11. Then his next-door neighbor played an Irish number [on the guitar and sang]. And then Al Michaels made a little speech before the invocation.
"There were a number of taped and live speeches. Vin Scully spoke, but that was after I left. It was good."
Torree was not alone. Derek Jeter (one of Coach Wooden's favorite player in the game) and Mike Sciocia took the time to drive to Westwood and show up for Coach. Even Lute Olson and Steve Lavin showed up to pay respect to Coach, and yet thousands of UCLA alums were perhaps too inconvenienced to spend a Sunday morning in Westwood reflecting on what Coach meant for our University.
The official site listed all of Bruin legends showing up to remember Coach:
Coach Wooden's former players in the audience included Bill Walton, George Stanich, Ralph Drollinger, Marques Johnson, Andre McCarter, Dave Meyers, Jim Spillane, Raymond Townsend, Pete Trgovich, Walt Hazzard, Gail Goodrich, Jack Hirsch, Henry Bibby, Willie Naulls, Sidney Wicks, Swen Nater, Larry Farmer and Rafer Johnson.
As well as Ben Ball warriors and recent Bruin basketball greats:
Numerous post-Coach Wooden Era players were also in attendance at the memorial service, including Earl Watson, Russell Westbrook, Jack Haley, Brad Wright, Ray Young, Matt Barnes, Kevin Love, Kris and Josiah Johnson, Rod Foster, Alfred Aboya, Lorenzo Mata and Tyus Edney.
You can read the whole write up from Wendy Soderburg which includes a beautiful photo gallery here. You can also check all the wire photos by clicking on the more photos link right at the top of this post. There is also the writeups from the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News, and the OC Register.
Our thanks go out to all the BNers who took time out to go down to campus yesterday. Suffice to say it is also deeply disappointing to see the empty seats in Pauley in an event dedicated to Coach. The excuses about UCLA needed to do a better job to promote this event kind of ring hollow. This was known for weeks. There were reminders coming out 48 hours before Saturday. Unless there was an incredible family emergency, medical reasons, or prescheduled travels, there is no excuse for the kind of showing we had UCLA alums had at Pauley yesterday.
On this blog we have come down hard on students before for not showing their Bruin spirit. In this case, this was on us and there are no excuses.
We are sorry Coach.
GO BRUINS.
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thanks for coming
We’re glad you made the trip out west, N. No excuses, right?
by TempletonPeck on Jun 27, 2010 10:02 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
If I could walk normally and allowed by doctors to get on a plane
I would be there Temple. You could count on it.
Were it not mentioned on this site
I really would not have known about it, I mean the alumni association seems to email ever so often to discuss about donating to the school, why not use that list to email all the alumni about this?
They did.
or, at least I got one.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Did I?
I am a life time member of the UCLA Alumni Association and I don’t remember getting a notification. Maybe it just slipped by me but I’m sure I would have noticed. Living in the wilds of extreme Northern California, it was next to impossible to be there in person but I was there in spirit.
I got one, on 6/15
“Dear UCLA Alumni and Friends,
UCLA is deeply saddened by the death of Coach John Wooden on June 4. In Chancellor Gene Block’s message to the UCLA community that day, he mentioned that a public memorial was being planned to honor Coach.
At this time, we share with you the details of the memorial service. On Saturday, June 26, beginning at 11 a.m. in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA will host a public memorial service on behalf of the Wooden family to celebrate the life of Coach John Wooden. … "
I received an email from the athletic department June 10th
but nothing after. I am wondering if they scared people away by talking about overflow seating at Drake Stadium? Or maybe since it was nearly a month after his passing?
I don’t know why folks didn’t show,
by silverlakebruin on Jun 27, 2010 10:40 AM PDT reply actions
I think there is something to that silver
And I can appreciate that. Still only 4,000 out of what – I am guessing there are at least 250,000 if not more UCLA alums in Southern California?
Wish I could have been there
I tivoed the telecast and can’t wait to watch it when I get home.
For everything UCLA baseball, visit my UCLA baseball twitter.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jun 27, 2010 10:48 AM PDT reply actions
Poor marketing
The outline of how thingsw would be handled for attendees discouraged many from attending. I coach a girls basketball team with three assistants who are alumni. One took the time to go even though she did not arrive until 11:30 due to our game running over. I feel that much of the way the Bruins promote events and coordinate with other places on campus have discouraged many from ever showing up in the AM. How many times have I been there for a womens basketball game our other event only to find the Student Store closed. I think this is a student government operation but somebody must introdeuce them to inteligent useage of the facility not only to provide for the visitor to campus but also to make more money. I was going to go but we could not reschedule our game for an earlier time. I have taped it and will kep it in my library.
I agree.
The time to take advantage was immediately after his passing when students were eager to walk to down the hospital and perform an 8 clap. Allowing as much time to pass as they did, only allows passions to cool.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
I had been planning to attend all along, but because of my health, I don’t have the energy to stand in line for hours. I was freaked out by the continuing offical reports of “overflow seating” at Drake Stadium and how gates would open three hours in advance. I expected a mob scene and I wasn’t about to face that.
I was terribly disappointed once I realized that it would have actually been managible to attend. I talked with other UCLA fans and alums and they all thought the same thing. None of us are young anymore and we didn’t want to deal with what was being portrayed as throngs of people. Officlals really should have ticketed the event through the Central Ticket office with a small handling charge, if that was necessary.
Priority Seating
Given that we weren’t able to obtain tickets and the website talked about overflow seating in Drake Stadium, I decided to stay home and watch on TV since I figured it would be impossible to get into Pauley, and therefore, I had a much better seat.
I feel bad that Pauley wasn’t full, but you would have to blame the organizers for not giving out tickets…..I would surely have been there if I knew I could have gotten into Pauley.
Formerly ucla13_usc9
Agree with you and Matt Hagen
I think the legitimate excuse is that the press release from UCLA talked about the overflow seating etc.. and it really read like there was no way most would get to be in Pauley. Why go in that case, especially since it was live on Prime Ticket. I live too far away but I think a big part of the SoCal Alumni not being present had to do with the actual press release.
by 84 on Jun 27, 2010 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions
By giving out tickets, they can gauge on
the number of people would be coming and would be able to enter gate 2 from lots 6 & 8, and gate 15 from lots 4 & 7.
They did this with graduations, limiting tickets distribution.
Totally wrong planning. Wonder how much was done with the family’s instructions.
One thing was that much of the help was by volunteers. They also want to limit the cost.
My only reply to this, is that 3 hours or so before the event a couple of us were saying that the turnout was very low.
At that point, I thought, by putting it out there, people might have come when the doors opened. I know my mom did (she was worried about the crowds) and so did a friend of someone I was sitting with. I’m not meaning to be critical, and I know it’s very hard for many, but I was very saddened to not see more of us there. On the other hand, I am just so glad I went, watching it on tv was nothing compared to the feeling inside. And the singer was beautiful. She said that Coach would come to her house and that the song she was singing was an old Irish song Coached loved singing with her.
I also feel better about the Trojan, now that I’ve read your post N.
It is still so strange to me that Coach has moved on. Even though, as we’ve said, we all knew this was coming. He was always such a fixture in my psychie, that it seems strange he’s not here. But he always will be a fixture, and thank goodness for that.
Go Bruins!
Thank God
I thank God that I could be there. Sure it meant getting up at 3:30 in the morning but nothing could keep me away from honoring the Coach, the man that gave us so much. I was ashamed at the turnout. No excuse for those that didn’t have it in their hearts to give a few hours of their time to honor this great person. My respect and thoughts for him will continue to bring tears. Proud to be a Bruin, win or lose.
Agreed
I’ve never had the privilege to meet Coach in person, but his philosophy and the way he lived his life has had such an impact on my life that I couldn’t miss the opportunity to honor this great man. Rest in peace, Coach. Your teachings will live on in me and my children when I have them.
by truebluebruin on Jun 27, 2010 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Very touching ceremony
I really thought the whole ceremony was done very well. Really enjoyed all the speakers, but the 20 minute video tribute to Coach at the end was extremely moving. Anyone happen to know if that video is posted anywhere?
Not certain, but it seemed like the number of VIP guests on the floor and bleachers rivaled if not surpassed the number of regular guests. It was a shame because it really was a beautiful event. Too bad more people didn’t see it live…
I think the only benefit from the low attendance was that I was able to get an extra program for my brother who has to be out of town. They were understandably strict about one per person before the event, but were giving them away afterwards.
I agree they were making it sound like there was going to be thousands of people and since I recently had knee surgery and my knee isn’t up to walking that far or standing that long I had to stay home.
I did have the privledge of meeting and knowing Coach from when I worked in the football office in the early 90’s, he would have understood. But I wish I could have been there.
Nestor is right more of us should have been there… Coach will always be in our hearts. RIP Coach…
by Michelleucla69 on Jun 27, 2010 5:56 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I've always thought that
funerals, memorials and ceremonies are for the living and not for those who have passed. They are a way for us to celebrate and share a life and to start the healing process.
Coach probably would not have wanted to be the focus of the proceeding; my sense is that he would have wanted it to be for his family, his boys, and his Bruin family.
At first I was really upset that the turnout was so low — partially because I so wanted to be there but had to come back to Texas for a court proceeding, and partially because there was a part of me that lost perspective on the purpose of the proceeding.
I held off on writing this until my anger dissipated and I regained my perspective on why the memorial was held.
All of us who did not attend — including those who could not attend — lost something very special, the opportunity to feel the energy in Pauley during those special moments. And, the ability to share of love for this very special man.
I’ll have no anger for those who could have attended easily, but chose not to. They should be angry at themselves for missing this unique, meaningful and wonderful experience.
On his wall, my brother has a portion of the Torah. I can’t remember exactly what it says but it points out that we are accountable for all of life’s blessings we let pass by. (Or something like that.)
Those who let this pass by have truly lost something that cannot be replaced and they will fell it for quite a while.
sjh
I just clicked on Nestor's Daily News link to Jill Painter's article.
I highly recommend it. Again, she brings up parts of the ceremony that haven’t been written about, but even more wonderful are more tales from Warren and others that are very touching. A really well written and heart felt piece.
Go Bruins!
I don't get it.
I got in line around 7:30am, thinking I was late enough that I’d barely get in. Instead, I was maybe around #300 in line. While in line, I talked with the center on Coach’s freshman team with Andy Hill (last name Wright, didn’t catch his first name) who also played football here, and a former high school basketball coach from Kentucky, Rick Leeper, who knew Coach pretty well. What was great was just standing in line and talking about Coach and his legacy with them.
I did see several students I knew there, including some who are working as Orientation Counselors this summer, and also several who just graduated a few weeks ago. Don’t know why there weren’t more. I know some (like the head of the Den) were outside of California and couldn’t make it. But I can’t explain why there weren’t more. We can get 8,000 people for a game against Cal State Northridge, and we couldn’t even get 5,000 for Coach? Sigh.
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