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More glowing reviews of the basketball season ....

By Nestor

Here on BN at times all of us (O, A, and yours truly) have been BRUTAL on Tracy Pierson over at BRO (much deserved IMHO) for his shilling for Dorrell's program. After all he has put up some mindboggling football columns during last couple of years such as the one elebrating a UCLA loss to USC as a "true moral victory" or the premature "turning the corner," nonsense he put up after last year's win against Oklahoma. Even though TP misses the boat on Dorrell and the football program, he and his colleage Greg Hicks over at BRO do know their college (UCLA) hoops. And I think as much as it is important to point out the holes in Tracy's commentary/observations on Bruin football, it is just as important to give him props for on the money observations on basketball. Plus he is a good writer. This is IMHO the best UCLA basketball season wrap-up to date that is available online:

While UCLA sometimes this season didn't have the talent of its opponents, it overcame them many times by wearing them down with relentless defense and a well-executed offense. That embodies Howland - maybe not the most talented, but he'll wear you down with his work ethic, toughness and relentlessness.

So, overall, the 2005-2006 UCLA basketball season can't be characterized as anything less than immensely successful. You can nitpick here and there, point out that UCLA's offense struggled at times, that there were a few letdowns in intensity here and there. But you can't find much too complain about.

And the future of the program looks incredibly bright. UCLA should be better next season, and in recruiting, UCLA is arguably leading for three of the top 10 juniors in the country.

It was the season that re-established those four letters among college basketball's national elite, something that all Bruin fans have been painfully hoping for for sometime. With recruiting obviously going well for Ben Howland, and his excellent coaching being the foundation, the restoration looks like it will be a firm reality for the conceivable future.

We, as Bruin fans, know all too well how precious, precarious and fleeting success in college basketball can be, so Bruins everywhere should do their part to savor this, and...

...remember the 2005-2006 season, the one that, after what seemed like a long dark time, finally restored UCLA basketball.
Again make sure to read the whole article. It's a masterpiece. Now only if Tracy is candid in his observations on UCLA football.

BTW there were also great LTEs to the LA Times from Bruin Fans. Check them out here. HT to BruinHoopScoop

GO BRUINS.

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