[Updated] Stover Publicly Amplifies Criticisms of Howland's Coaching
Sometimes a simple tweet tells us what we all need to know. Last night Anthony Stover posted such a tweet that gives us a little idea of how Ben Howland has lost his team. Here it is:
The full screen grab is after the jump.
Here is the full screengrab:
That paragraph was cropped from Tracy Pierson's game review on BruinReportOnline.com.
Remember this is one of the most team-oriented players in Coach Howland's program. We are not talking about guys like Reeves Nelson and Drew Gordon, who were dismissed from the program for being malcontents. We are not talking about scrubs like the bricklayer from Serbia. We are talking about one of the ultimate team players who has shown the potential to be a proto-type Ben Ball Warriors (unlike the Twins from the OC).
This is the state of our pathetic basketball program. It is a joke where even the most loyal players are putting their arms up (online) about their head coach who seems to have lost all his touch.
It's time for a change in Westwood. However, we are going to have to start with removal Chianti Dan first. It's Chianti Dan who needs to go first so that we can have a competent AD who can replace the current lame duck coach in charge of UCLA hoops.
GO BRUINS.
UPDATE (N): Stover being the classy individual he is put up a followup tweet noting that he thought the articled discussed him "in a positive way" and that was his reason for posting. He added that he "had no intent on bashing coaches or ucla." Whether he intended it or not though his tweet only highlighted the criticisms of Howland's mismanagement of the basketball personnel, which has resulted in what is shaping up to be the second disastrous and unacceptable season in last three years. 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.
74 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I guess I'm missing the point.
is there a photo that Stover posted that prompted Tracy Pierson to make those comments? I think I’m joining geezerville. Somebody help.
Stover is flat out playing better than Josh Smith. And, has been for the majority of the season. He should be starting AND getting the most minutes. JS needs to be benched and he needs to earn his way back into the starting lineup. This is pretty much obvious to everyone except Howland.
Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. ~ Vince Lombardi
Stover screengrabbed a paragraph from Tracy's game review
which focused on Howland’s misuse of Stover in the Oregon. The fact that he took a screengrab of that specific graf and tweeted it to his followers in such a public manner is telling.
God I feel like such a newb.
I had it the other way around, thinking Pierson had commented on something Stover said.
Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. ~ Vince Lombardi
Howland, Guerrero and Block are stubborn fools
Cool Hand Luke was a great movie . . . especially if you love eggs. BUT, the best part of the flick in my mind is the immortal words of the prison warden (and later mimicked by Paul “Luke” Newman is the following:
<blockquote""What we’ve got here is (a) failure to communicate."The jackasses that are running things continue to ignore their constituents in favor of their personal agendas, and their “let them eat cake” attitude is going to lead to their respective ousters sooner than later. I’m not sure if I’m more frustrated in the performance of our major sports programs, or simply tired of talking sh*t from everyone about what a joke UCLA has become. In fact, I was at Disneyland wearing my UCLA hat and some slob in $UC gear started giving me sh*t in the Haunted Mansion line in front of my kids . .. it needs to end NOW. Oh, and by the way, Newman’s other great line is “Sometimes ‘nothing’ can be a really cool hand” . . . there is nothing cool about the dinosaurs who are doing nothing but running our brand into the ground.
This is damaging
For a few reasons. First, it’s a selfish move on Stover’s part. This goes back to the discussion of why these kids shouldn’t have twitter accounts. You can’t publicly call out your coach – especially when you’re a bench player. Dumb. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a suspension. More importantly, recruits read this. What do you think Shabazz is thinking if he sees this?
And, of course, it’s a(nother) damning sign that Howland is losing the team. Very disappointing – just bad news all around.
Shabazz is not coming to UCLA
I’d suggest UCLA alums and fans waiting on him to move on. I’d be shocked if he comes to join this ongoing trainwreck.
Agreed it's selfish, but that's exactly the point
Stover has always been one of the most team-first guys on this squad. Never publicly complaining about minutes. Never needing (deserved or not) the ball on offense. Always just working his ass off on defense – the one person who still adheres to the philosophy that made Howland’s teams successful.
When Stover goes public, that tells me everything I need to know about Howland’s abilities to fairly and intelligently guide this team.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
LOL, I hear ya
I don’t disagree with Stover’s sentiment, just how he went about it. Even if his suspension doesn’t change Howland’s strategy much, it’ll be news. The announcers will have to bring it up, ESPN will make a big deal about, and it will be in the papers. We’re having enough trouble as it is.
by the blur 98 on Jan 22, 2012 11:54 AM PST up reply actions
i don't disagree with his sentiment
but i strongly disagree with his decision to disrespect his coach in such a public manner. not helping the situation in my opinion.
by DoubleTroubleBruin on Jan 22, 2012 11:11 AM PST reply actions
yeah, i hear ya
frustrations are overflowing. but i still think its wholely inappropriate.
not so sure i agree that he has no recourse. he could go talk to howland privately, or even call a team meeting, or quit the team entirely or transfer.
i think of him as a soldier in an army (a dysfunctional army, yes, but still an army) and the public insubordination is more hurtful than helpful. just my 2 cents.
by DoubleTroubleBruin on Jan 22, 2012 11:22 AM PST up reply actions
Deck chairs on the Titanic
He’s not embarrassing the University in public like some of our football players. He’s not calling out opponents he has lost to like some of his teammates. I don’t see a point in going after him for saying what we’re all thinking on a salient point regarding last night’s game when the gross mismanagement of the game and program by the coach is hundreds of times more damaging and hurtful than his tweet.
it was the screengrab that really bugged me
basically agreeing, publicly, that Howland got out-coached…
by DoubleTroubleBruin on Jan 22, 2012 11:31 AM PST up reply actions
I'm saying it shouldn't bother you as much
As the fact that he did get out coached, and everyone knows it.
When is the last time we lost the second half 51-31?
We were outscored a point a minute. It sounds like Tresey was coaching rather than Howland. But seriously – how on earth can we get outscored by 20?
I get that
However, the issue here is Howland is impossible to communicate to. Stover loves UCLA too much to think about transferring or quitting on the team. Same with Brendan Lane. Honestly those kids and their families have shown exceptional patience given the way their careers have been mismanaged by the current staff.
The feedback I have heard from some very close to the program re. Howland paints a picture that is uglier than what we see in public.
i have nothing smart to say in response to this
i think i may be simply gasping for my last breath of Howler air…
by DoubleTroubleBruin on Jan 22, 2012 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
thanks
i wish that made me feel better
by DoubleTroubleBruin on Jan 22, 2012 11:46 AM PST up reply actions
We are all pretty shocked it came to this.
It has not been an easy or painless realization for any of us.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Stover is screwed. He does everything right and smith is still ahead of him.
He basically has two choices. He can go public as he did or simply leave as a parade of other talented players did before him. I actually applaud him for standing up for himself and his school. To me this adds additional support for the immediate dismissal of Howland.
He already redshirted.
I would hate to see him have to sit another year after a transfer. That would leave him very little time to get better or showcase his talents.
Stover is in a very difficult position, I don’t envy him.
Yes, it's inappropriate, BUT
The fact that Stover tweeted this speaks volumes to the fact that Hownland has lost respect of his players and total control of this team. This only amplifies the need to replace Chianti and then Hownland.
We don't know what led to this though
Perhaps he has been talking to Howland privately, or called team meetings already. Maybe he’d rather do this than quit on U.C.L.A.
If your general is telling you to charge into a row of well defended machine gun nests, calling out the general becomes a good decision.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
One thing that is noteworthy about Stover is his body language
He has been frustrated for a long time. Yet unlike Nelson or Gordon he never pouted during the games. During games whenever he is in he is always going all out, helping his team-mates. He is always firing up his team-mates. He is always the cheerleader from the bench. He is all in with the four letters.
That is why his tweet is so damaging to Howland. When you publicly lose someone who I think may be the soul of this program, it is incredibly telling. I am pretty sure that tweet will not impact Stover’s commitment to his team-mates and UCLA on the court (when Howland puts him in). He would have been a different player if he had the good fortune to play for Howland in his first 4 years in Westwood.
Totally Agree
I, too, have seen him as the heart of the program — totally unselfish, team oriented, and a play to his full potential guy.
I’ve been really upset that he does not get the minutes he deserves both because it would help us win and because playing Stover would send the right message — in the same way that playing LMR and PAA sent a strong message about work ethic and reaching full potential.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 12:05 PM PST up reply actions
+1
Stover is one of the best kids in the progra.
And, now he is on the outs?
If he gets sanctioned and Smith is allowed to play out of shape and Jeremy allowed to play with a conviction, it does not much for the lot of the good guys.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 12:18 PM PST up reply actions
I feel so strongly about this.
Thank you for articulating this so well.
I gave up on xCRN when it was clear that he wasn't fulfilling his obligation to the players
Deserving players weren’t being played, talent was being squandered and I thought players weren’t getting their opportunity to showcase their skills.
A coach has an obligation to teach and give opportunities, same as any professor at the University.
I am beginning to feel the same way about CBH. Wins and losses ares sometimes beyond a coaches power, but players should always be learning and getting better. I felt that CBH’s history with getting players into the NBA was just as important to him retaining tenure as the 3 FFs. But now, talented players are leaving, or being wasted, and UCLA players aren’t going from unknown to draft picks (see LRMAM). Stover is an NBA talent if he can develop an offense and get an opportunity. CBH is selling him short. That is unacceptable.
Why is it....
….that the players should transfer or quit? I want them to be Bruins – they chose to be here. How about the coach leaves this time?
The Players Do Have Recourse Beyond Twitter
They can go to the AD.
Unless they are afraid of arriving while he is strapping it on.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 11:42 AM PST up reply actions
Where is SOPA when we really really need it?
Chianti can keep his intellectual property on this one.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
I'm in SFO waiting to fly out
Tons of people pouring in with Niner gear on. Many wearing retro Rice jerseys.
Never thought I’d care more about pro teams than UCLA .
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 11:53 AM PST up reply actions
Never thought I would be waiting for football season at UCLA in January
We all are on uncharted ground here.
I started looking forward to football about this time last year
totally expected a big year from CRN, the weak schedule, and the returning talent.
This has been a terrible year.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 12:17 PM PST up reply actions
Btw
That was my first post. Didn’t mean to come across as harsh, just stating my frustrations with the athletics program as a whole at UCLA.
Welcome!
I’m sorry it took something so unpleasant to get you to speak out.
I hope more than anything that we get a new AD and a new attitude at Morgan that will translate to a hundred more reasons for Bruin fans like yourself to come here and celebrate with your fellow Bruins
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Playing Stover More Is A No Brainer and Has Been Since Josh Showed Up ...
out of shape and unmotivated.
Stover reminds me of the prototypical Ben Baller of old — particularly LMR and to some extent PAA — neither of whom were polished until their last years and both of whom worked hard to improve and play a team game.
When Howland drafted LMR he made clear that he was drafting effort and commitment rather than a flashy Scout rating.
I do not know how to do that +/- math stuff — but it’s pretty clear to my “eye” test that, all year, we have been a far better team with Stover on the floor than with Smith.
And, of course we can’t play both Stover and Smith and spare the Wears some time and keep D. Wear out of the 3 because Smith is so out of shape and can’t play without fouling.
Who will get in trouble for this frustrated tweet? Stover. Who should be in trouble? CBH AND Smith.
Like many here, I’ve disengaged to some extent — will work hard to get rid of Strap On — I don’t think there’s a good way to get rid of Block. We just have to make it so uncomfortable/unproductive for Block that he cuts dg loose.
sjh
I think this is an incredibly important moment
The very soul of our program is at stake. If Stover is forced out as smith continues to be coddled, it will be a very dark day.
Thanks for posting this Nestor.
Protecting Stover
What can we do to protect Stover?
Need to figure out a way to send a clear message we are behind him all the way
I’d suggest waiving his picture and chanting his name at games it who goes to the games?
We need to do something
I can’t stand the idea of drover taking a hit while a player out of shape and a convict are coddled.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 1:08 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Clumsy thumbs
It u get the message don’t u?
sjh
by Class of 66 on Jan 22, 2012 1:09 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
It just occurred to me that during the SFatPauley campaign; Stover was the first and loudest supporter from within the program.
Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. ~ Vince Lombardi
Stover is a Bruin's Bruin.
My favorite player on this team.
by Seth Chandler on Jan 22, 2012 2:28 PM PST up reply actions
Howland must go!
At the outset, we must face the ugly scenario that Dan Guerrero may remain as AD for years. This sad possibility that he might be the one making another coaching change cannot be justification for keeping Howland.
But the UCLA basketball program has reached critical mass.
I have the most bizarre, deja vu feeling, that I am witnessing Rick Neuheisel 2.0.
1. being out-coached constantly. finding ways to lose games we should have won.
2. refusing to note the obvious from the first half, and not adjusting after intermission.
3. having favorites. not giving playing time based on merit. I believe this emanates from a similar stubbornness, that says, “I know who best to play, and I won’t listen to anyone else, and I won’t let the facts get in the way.”
4. hence, players “quit” on the coach. they “lose heart”, and / or they transfer.
5. the same, cliche-filled, post game comments: “we have to fix….” “I’m concerned about….” “nobody is more upset than I am ….” blah-blah-blah.
I do not blame the players. kids in little league are perceptive enough to see when the coach keeps letting his kid pitch - and the kid keeps getting hammered, and the coach keeps starting him: “nice try, Jimmy; you’ll get ’em next game.” and at little league level, the kids get disheartened, when they see obvious favoritism, rather than playing time based on merit.
I am absolutely livid at the Howland “Neubs.” If I hear one more time that “OMG — he took us to 3 final 4s !”, I will lose it. These enablers are always quick to say:
1. it’s not Howland’s fault that Josh Smith is out of shape.
2. it’s not Howland’s fault that Reeves Nelson was a selfish jerk.
3. it’s not Howland’s fault that Ray McCallum / Josiah Turner / Dominic Artis ( fill in appropriate name of point guard ) won’t come to UCLA.
4. it’s Jrue Holliday’s fault; it’s Bobo Morgan’s fault; it’s Drew Gordon’s fault.
5. if only Kevin Love, or Malcolm Lee or Luc, or Tyler Honeycutt had not gone early …..
Here’s the point: every coach is faced with the same set of potential problems.
Duke never has a year like this. Never. UNC never has a year like this. Never. Syracuse never has a year like this. Never. Kansas never has a year like this. Never. yet for some reason, we are supposed to give a pass to “poor Coach Howland”, for having multiple years like this? what am I missing?
Think of this as a major corporation. Ben Howland as CEO. The company is losing millions; terrific employees are quitting; the company is getting hammered in the media. what happens? pretty easy one: the CEO gets “shown the door.”
Last point: I hear that Howland cannot be fired because “it will damage recruiting.” This is the wrong way of looking at it. The long-term future of UCLA basketball ( once “the gold standard” of college basketball ) is at risk. when there is cancer, you don’t put a band-aid on it; you cut the cancer out!
Shabazz is not coming to UCLA. He already mentioned, earlier in the year, that he was really concerned, when he saw how poorly UCLA started. If Jordan Adams and / or Kyle Anderson leave, while that is regrettable, the long-term outlook is much more important.
Right now, this team is an embarrassment. National sportswriters, such as Seth Davis of CBS / CNN-SI, are already calling UCLA the biggest disappointment in college basketball this year.
Anthony Stover has actually done the program a big favor, with his tweet. Hopefully, the media pressure will intensify, as nothing else will get the attention of Block & Guerrero.
I apologize for going so long. I feel passionately about this.
Jeremy Pick
No apologies
You have great points. You really should just fanpost this.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Stover made an error in judgement...
and he should be disciplined…how I don’t know, hopefully it is not by having to sit out. Maybe just a stern talk from the coach.
Someone in another thread mentioned that if Nelson did what he did in a business setting, he’d be fired or some such. Same standard should apply in this case. If this were a business setting and an employee called out his boss in a public forum like twitter, there should be consequences. OK, this isn’t a business. But it actually may be a worse setting. Stover needs to know his place and the proper way of airing his frustration.
Another aspect of this tweet is that if left unaddressed, it sets a precedent that any team in any sport at any level just should not have happen. Can’t let the inmates run the asylum. Input, yes…run it, no.
Having said that, I really like Stover’s work ethic and wish he could play more based on his effort. But the fact is that he is simply not an offensive threat. Yes, his defense is great, but think about how Oregon closed the gap so quickly at the start of the second half. Threes. Stover would not have been able to do anything about those shots.
But, OK, I know, the alternative, Smith, has become not much of a threat at either end of the court, which has to just really confound Howland. So maybe Howland will make changes in playing time. I don’t have the answer here. Which brings me back to the light sentence I call for at the beginning of my post.
I wish nothing but the best for Stover because I am a real fan of total effort, even over results.
I think you are wrong
Unfortunately, Howland has not set the appropriate precedent to discipline Stover in this case.
Howland keeps saying that defense gets you playing time. But apparently you’re better off eating 20 big macs and robbing the joint.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Yep, Howland doesnt have any standing
When it comes to discipline. Look at our senior pg or what happened w the Serbian Bricklayer.
by Nestor on Jan 23, 2012 4:58 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
My apologies to Anthony...
I actually typed, then erased a sentence indicating I only half believed his tweet was meant as a poke at Howland as opposed to what his true intention. I erased it because I couldn’t figure out why he would leave in the part about Howland being outcoached. Maybe it was uneditable (that’s a word?).
So, based on my error in judgement, I request my post be deleted or edited down to just the following…
“I really like Stover’s work ethic and wish he could play more based on his effort.
I wish nothing but the best for Stover because I am a real fan of total effort, even over results."
" Better off eating 20 big macs ... "
That is the message Howland sends.
If you fought off campus, decked your live in girlfriend and the police came to cuff you, or stole laptops etc., that gets the coach’s attention. Aha, you da man. I will play you.
If you walk in like fat Albert, wow we need you to take up space.
I didn’t watch the game yesterday and I don’t think I want to anymore. At least it would not depress me. After all, I can’t deal with the Sports Arena either. Every time UCLA solicited, I gave what I could. It may not be anything close to David Geffen’s for instance, but they are no pittance. Eversince last December, I shredded three envelops they sent me. I hope they do not call to follow up
The Dow index looks mighty good lately. I am better off cashing in some of that, go to some more trips and relax. Wake me up when the honorable Mr. David Guerrero leaves down.
Stover is a good kid.
I never believed his tweet was intended as criticism of Howland. This is confirmed by a more recent tweet:
“I thought the article talked about me in a positive way and that was my reason for posting. I had no intent on bashing coaches or ucla.”
These kids need to learn to be a lot more savvy about these things. It’s easy for comments to be taken out of context or interpreted in unintended ways.
You clearly didn't read the title or the body of this post before you commented
Because you did you would have noticed the update (which I posted a while before you put up your knee jerk comment). Whether or not he intended it as criticism the paragraph he amplified speaks for itself. It gets to the heart of Howland’s most blatant coaching screwup from last game, which was microcosm of what has gone wrong with this program for last 4 years. Stover may not have intended to share the paragraph as a criticism but the paragraph itself was one of the datapoints from a scathing game review of Howland’s latest fail.
My remark was in reference to comments like
" It is a joke where even the most loyal players are putting their arms up (online) about their head coach who seems to have lost all his touch."
and
“When you publicly lose someone who I think may be the soul of this program”
etc…
I don’t think those comments accurately represent Stover’s position based on his tweets.
In fairness to Stover
I’ll take him at his word.
Stover is smart enough
to not make a direct criticism of his coach. His explanation is great and very diplomatic and frankly quite generous to a coach who has not given him a fair shake. Fans love Stover for a reason. He plays with lots of energy and lays it all on the line every time he is out there and plays hard for his coach.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by 



















