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Los Angeles: Roundball Mecca

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

Kurt Streeter of the LA Times rightfully earned our wrath when he played the race card out there in a final last gasp attempt at saving Karl Dorrell's job, and in light of that criticism, it seems only fair to highlight when he does something right. I'm talking about his article declaring Los Angeles as the the biggest, baddest, most powerful basketball empire of them all". Built on the backs of the 14 time NBA Champion Lakers and of course, the 11 time National Champion UCLA Bruins, the basketball tradition of this city is without peer:

We tend to forget this. We have grown accustomed to thinking the last several decades we've experienced here -- stuffed with genius players, master coaches and scores of titles -- is somehow normal, somehow automatic. As automatic as a Kareem sky hook or a Kevin Love dunk or a Kobe Bryant three-pointer with time ticking off the clock.

Every now and then I like to take a step back and appreciate the situation that UCLA Basketball finds itself in, because not 5 years ago, our current situation would have been unimaginable. One needs look no farther than the basketball coach poser calling our game today to see that success isn't automatic.

You see it -- good fortune -- watching the Bruins with their gifts of talent and youth -- Russell Westbrook's slam, Josh Shipp's steal and drive -- all of this on a court shadowed by blue and gold NCAA title banners hanging from the rafters. There's 1964 and 1965. There's 1973 and 1975 and 1995 . . . banner next to banner next to banner.

How many Saturdays have been like this, games with an elite, highly ranked home team tested against a tough challenger?

Too many Saturdays to count. So many that we sometimes forget that in other cities -- in places such as Chicago and San Francisco, New York and Philadelphia -- college games with this kind of magnitude and talent rarely take place.

It's hard to imagine a more ideal situation for a hoops junkie than to spend weekends in LA in winter or spring soaking in the tradition of Pauley or the glitz of Staples. It's not wrong for Bruin fans to have high expectations for their team, but I wonder how many of the biggest critics are able to stop and just appreciate leading the charge to what is hopefully a third straight Pac 10 Championship. We live and die with every minute of every game because we care about our team, but sometimes it feels like we're too close to the action to see the big picture. I know it feels that way for me sometimes. When that happens, I remind myself that it could be worse. Much worse.

If anything, L.A.'s true challengers are smaller cities of the south and Midwest. I'm thinking of Durham and Lexington and Memphis and Knoxville. A team from one of those towns may well win an NCAA title this season. Kudos to them, at least they provide the Bruins worthy competition. None of these towns will lift an NBA banner in our lifetime.

We can always ship them the Clippers.

But maybe the Clippers are good for us. Same goes for Trojans' basketball. The Clippers and Trojans are reminders that winning big -- year after year, decade after decade, college and pro -- is neither normal nor automatic.

Emphasis mine. An appropriate shot at the trOJans is a good way to get spotlighted on BN. Although comparing trOJan basketball to the Clippers is frankly an insult to the Clippers.

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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like this should make angelinos proud of our teams and our rich basketball tradition...yet we'll always be a fickle fan base...except bruin fans, have you ever noticed how bruin fans are always knowledgeable and supportive of the lakers, dodgers, hell even the kings...maybe cuz we dont pick up SC wagoners.. but its really a good group of sports fans especially here on BN
O.A.

by Ollie on Feb 24, 2008 2:50 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

It is refreshing..
While not an ardent Lakers fan -- nor pro basketball fan for that matter -- I relish Streeter's observation and your post. How many of us have had to tolerate those insufferable East-is-Best, Philly-is-a-hotbed, Nobody-plays-hoops-like-they-do-along-Tobacco-Road types.

This buddy of mine went ape-shit (as well he should) back in '85 when Massimino's 'Nova team upset Georgetown for the title. It's great to come back with a line like, "Great, now do that 9 more times in the next 11 years and we'll talk."

More proof of the pudding: all Ben Howland had to do was shut down Lute Olsen's and other's recruiting raids into Southern California to turn around Bruin basketball fortunes.

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by whp68 on Feb 24, 2008 4:04 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

L.A. BB capital
The emphasis here starts at the high school level as a disproportionally large number of talented hs players come from southern California and the summer league and informal games played at UCLA are attended by players from all over the country.
Bill
BillSouthBay

by Mensgym on Feb 24, 2008 7:39 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Streeter
I am glad you blogged this T. Yes, his columns on Dorrell were horrible and disgraceful.

But I didn't think his column on Neu was bad. In fact he gave Neu space to reflect and make the candid observation that things will have to be different at UCLA (while keeping in mind he was put into a difficult situation at UCLA where the administration was incompetent as RN was saddled with shady characters from the Lambright regime).

Streeter was also the one who wrote the great piece on CRN working at Rainer High School in Seattle for free. So what I am getting at is while yeah ... we will take Streeters of the world to task when they write something absurd, we should always give them credit when they right something that is fair and on the mark.

by Nestor on Feb 24, 2008 8:02 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

I think Nestor's right on this
Streeter pasted a "kick me" sign on his own rear end, and the BN kicked it up between his shoulder blades.

If he writes something good (i.e., an intellectually and factually honest story, and if he writes it well), I think he should get credit.

I perceive him differently than I perceive Doh! and some others.  I haven't seen evidence that Streeter holds himself out as some sort of all-knowing guru with "sources" and "inside information" such that you should take anything he says to the bank.

by Fox 71 on Feb 24, 2008 10:34 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Edit
I meant to write "while keeping in mind he was put into a difficult situation at UDub" instead of "while keeping in mind he was put into a difficult situation at UCLA."

by Nestor on Feb 24, 2008 10:36 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, I was about to say
Our Athletic Dept. is very compitent when it comes to compliance and academic issues.  

They just have problems with sports marketing.  I think it has to do with the fact that many in that department are recent grads who leave soon after, or interns.

by isodore on Feb 24, 2008 10:44 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Streeter article on KD
His article on KD at the end was self-serving and showed a bias that was not called for. That history, IMO, means he will have to show some chops for a while before I see him as a competent reporter and/or columnist.
Bill
BillSouthBay

by Mensgym on Feb 24, 2008 10:46 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Streeter's article on Neu
This was th e article I was referring to upthread. I think as bad as Streeter was during KD's last weeks, after taking the beating from us, he has been pretty good and provide some perspective on Neu's time in Washington, not a lot of people in the traditional media has done since his departure from Montlake.

by Nestor on Feb 24, 2008 10:54 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The east cost bias
is often quite perplexing. I try to ignore it, but can't help rattling off bruin and Laker championships when the "east is best" talk starts up. I grew up a huge UCLA, Lakers and LA sports fan in the Bay Area, taking all kinds of abuse from jealous fans. I remember the endless smack thrown down by my Celtic and Laker hater friends. The Lakers championship in the garden in 85 was so incredibly satisfying. LA haters are often reminded that only championship banners are displayed in Pauley and Staples.

Basketball runs deep in southern california with so much talent coming from this part of the country. Sticking it to commentators like Digger is always satisfying. The Lakers are playing great ball and UCLA basketball is back! So much to be proud of and I love to see these teams back in the spotlight.  

by Bruins095 on Feb 24, 2008 3:51 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Besides..
..anyone who has done any navigation knows East is least and West is best.

At least, that's what the USAF taught me.

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by whp68 on Feb 24, 2008 5:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

East Coast Bias comes from sleep
Having lived in the Boston area for 11 years I would remind everyone that the East Coast bias is natural.  Everyone is asleep when West Coast B-ball is still being played.

I can still remember a Boston Globe article about the 95 UCLA Bruins.  They sent a reporter to the desert to see UCLA vs UofA.  To paraphrase it:  "if O'Bannon is as good as he was in this game, which I don't know because I have not seen him in a game before this, he is player of the year."

Sunday morning during football season they report leading rushers, passers and receivers.  Never includes the west becuase the list was compiled before all the results are in.

There can be more but time zones account for a lot of it.

Go Team Go!

by bruins grad and dad on Feb 24, 2008 5:45 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Anyone see
that piece about Dodgertown on WWL...just got me a little more excited for baseball..and i know this will be a bit taboo on BN...but that exhibition at the coliseum is gunna quite a spectacle I'm excited for that.  
O.A.

by Ollie on Feb 24, 2008 10:22 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

It got my old man excited
When they first announced they were going to do that, my old man and Uncle BB said they would go.  They grew up in what is now South Central, and my grandfather used to get Dodger tickets all the time.  Some of my old man's fondest memories are pelting the other people with peanuts while my grandfather got up to get a beer.

by bruinbabe2000 on Feb 25, 2008 2:12 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

haha
thats really cool...i can just feel the history already...unfortunately we're gunna have to deal with the "other nation" fans lol
O.A.

by Ollie on Feb 26, 2008 12:10 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

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