Just wanted to make sure you all saw gbruin's fanshot re. former UCLA basketball coach Gene Bartow. Coach Barto followed John Wooden as head coach of the men's basketball program in 1976. He was in Westwood for 2 years before moving on to Alabama-Birmingham.
Today news came out that Coach Bartow has been diagnosed with stomach cancer. Coach Bartow (78) is the President of the company that owns the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. Per UAB he will begin outpatient treatment at the Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham next week. You can read the full AP story here.
I'd love to hear more from Bruin alums on BN who might have been around Westwood during Bartow's time about their memories of his reign in Westwood. He certainly has an incredible coaching resume. He won 647 games over 34 seasons. He coach at Memphis State from 1970-74 and took that program to the 1973 national championship title game, only to lose to Coach Woode. Of course there is no shame in losing to Coach Wooden. I wonder what would have happened if Coach Bartow stuck around Westwood a little longer.
Anyway, for now here is to good news for Coach Bartow in the coming weeks. Needless to say echoing gbruin the thoughts and prayers of the entire Bruin Nation go out to Coach Bartow and his family. We're hoping for a complete recovery.
Get well coach.
GO BRUINS.