Now that we have had a little bit of time to read the SI article by George Dohrmann, and we've had reactions from Nestor and gbruin, it's time to dig a little deeper, and really think about what this means for our program. But really, the article raises more questions than it does answers, and the local and national traditional media, as well as bloggers, social media need to continue asking questions.
First, a few questions for Ben Howland:
You have said many times, that you're only the caretaker for the UCLA basketball program, built by the late, incomparable Coach Wooden.
Would Coach Wooden have tolerated fistfights among teammates?
Do you condone fistfights among teammates?
Would Coach Wooden have tolerated a player urinating on another player's clothing?
Do you condone a player urinating on another player's clothing?
Would Coach Wooden have tolerated players using drugs?
Do you condone players using drugs?
Would Coach Wooden have tolerated players coming to practice drunk or high?
Do you condone players coming to practice drunk or high?
Would Coach Wooden have tolerated a player intentionally injuring another player?
Do you condone players intentionally injuring another player?
The article stated that you refused to punish players who were producing. Would Coach Wooden approve of that?
Would Coach Wooden have approved of verbal abuse of staff, student managers, and the weakest players on the team?
Do you think it's okay to verbally abuse people who you supervise?
According to the article, when you told your players not to party on New Year's Eve in 2008, some of them went to a rave and used Ecstasy. Also according to the article, the players bragged about the night to their teammates; an assistant coach asked questions about the rave and some players submitted to drug testing.
What were the results of those drug tests?
How many players have used masking agents to pass drug tests?
Can we have access to all the drug test documents? Personal identifying information can be redacted. How about just the data?
How many players currently on the team have failed a drug test? What percentage?
How many players have failed a drug test since you became head coach at UCLA?
How does this compare to your time at Pitt? Is UCLA's drug testing policy more lenient than at Pitt?
Please describe in detail what happens when a player tests positive for the first time?
The second time?
The third time?