Wooden's Wisdom: Did Bill Walton ever challenge you on your rules

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[@jfstennisman]

I loved everything Wooden stood for. He was an not only an incredible coach, but an outstanding person. It's sad that an insecure Bobby Knight could not respect him.

[@ruthellenhudson9270]

Need more people like him. Bless him.

[@davidlangston6927]

I coached Jr. High and High School kids for nearly 30 years. John Wooden and his approach to coaching and life were my guide!

[@michaelwainscott2633]

Did you also have a mafia guy like Sam Gilbert paying the players?

[@robertgoslin4826]

@@michaelwainscott2633 I think you have your story confused with USC (University of Spoiled Children) As Jerry Tarkanian, basketball coach at Long Beach State University, pointed out to the NCAA, he got his players from the same Neighborhood USC players came from. His players came to school on bicycles or public buses. But USC‘s players were coming to school in BMWs and Porsches, how could that be??? And that’s not mentioning how well off the football players were either.

[@philiprea8340]

What an intelligent man and such a gentleman.

[@starshipcaptain4753]

Old school tough approach but with a fair and open mindness about it. Not bad

[@patearly9492]

As a fan thoroughly enjoyed John Wooden. See seem to me to be an idiosyncratic genius. Rest in peace John and God bless everyone

[@buckeyechuck4064]

such a wise man

[@michaelwainscott2633]

He ran a crooked program. Disgraceful that the NCAA turned a blind eye. The LA Time quoted Brent Clark, an NCAA field investigator who said that, in 1977, he was told to drop his case in Westwood. “If I had spent a month in Los Angeles, I could have put them on indefinite suspension,” he said of UCLA. An NCAA spokesman disputed this claim, saying that Clark was living a “fantasy world.” The Times established that Gilbert, during Wooden’s heyday, helped players get cars, clothes, airline tickets and scalpers’ prices for UCLA season tickets. Gilbert allegedly even arranged abortions for players’ girlfriends. One former UCLA All-American told The Times: “What do you want me to say? That’s my school. I don’t want to see them take away all those championships.” Gilbert considered many NCAA rules arcane and silly. Larry Farmer, who played for Wooden and later became head coach, remarked of Gilbert: “I saw him move mountains.” The Times’ investigation concluded Gilbert probably committed several NCAA violations in his dealings with UCLA players. Wooden, in 1981, told The Times: “There’s as much crookedness as you want to find. There was something Abraham Lincoln said - he’d rather trust and be disappointed than distrust and be miserable all the time. Maybe I trusted too much.” Times reporters Mike Littwin and Alan Greenberg opined: " . . . Wooden knew about Gilbert. He knew the players were close to Gilbert. He knew they looked to Gilbert for advice. Maybe he knew more. He should have known much more. If he didn’t, it was only because he apparently chose not to look.” Gilbert died, at age 74, in 1987, four days before federal prosecutors, unaware of his passing, indicted him for racketeering and money laundering. “I tried my best,” Wooden told the Basketball Times in 2005, ". . . My conscience is clear.”

[@robertgoslin4826]

@@michaelwainscott2633 Once again, I think you have your story confused with USC (University of Spoiled Children) As Jerry Tarkanian, basketball coach at Long Beach State University, pointed out to the NCAA, he got his players from the same Neighborhood USC players came from. His players came to school on bicycles or public buses. But USC‘s players were coming to school in BMWs and Porsches, how could that be??? And that’s not mentioning how well off the football players were either.

[@63DANNYLEE]

Wish he could have been my dad. Maybe I would have a least been noticed.

[@michaeltootikian4402]

Coach Wooden a great man! I was lucky enough to see him on a regular basis having breakfast at a coffee shop in Tarzana 🙏🏀

[@markito9864]

I remember seeing him there too.

[@michaelwainscott2633]

The NCAA turned a blind eye while Sam Gilbert paid the players. Disgraceful and forever stained the UCLA dynasty.

[@robertgoslin4826]

@@michaelwainscott2633 I think you have your story confused with USC (University of Spoiled Children) As Jerry Tarkanian, basketball coach at Long Beach State University, pointed out to the NCAA, he got his players from the same Neighborhood USC players came from. His players came to school on bicycles or public buses. But USC‘s players were coming to school in BMWs and Porsches, how could that be??? And that’s not mentioning how well off the football players were either.

[@mikewubben2844]

@@michaelwainscott2633 a "blind eye" like they have to North Carolina and Kansas who both just played in the national championship game? Haven't heard or read a single word about a tarnish on either of those two teams so I think UCLA's legacy is just fine.

[@joevaldez8107]

I wondering if this was the Sportsmania event in Palm Springs?

[@michaelstevens8401]

Was is not a movie being made of John Wooden? He only won 10 national championships where 7 were consecutive. It should be titled "The Wizard of Westwood." We need more inspirational movies.

[@bcrater6400]

the ultimate 'parenting' coach.

[@ramonazteca252]

what great advice. you don't give in. don't be a tyrant, but don't acquiesce.

[@williamelgin6873]

And in our time today, it's Bill Walton continuing to test my patients. He can single-handedly make watching a basketball game unpleasant for me. He does not know when to stop.

[@richardthelionheart5594]

Difficult balance bc u primarily wanna hear a play by play analysis - Who got that foul? How many fouls does he have? etc vs listening to the wealth of knowledge he has on every player to ever play etc

[@williamelgin6873]

@@richardthelionheart5594 Not really. I feel the fewer words the better. I am watching the game, I don't need a play-by-play. I also don't need an announcer who spends time talking about things not even remotely connected to the game and self-promoting.

[@qs4177]

You weren’t the only one, I remember one co announcer always talking down to him. I Iiked Bill well enough.

[@stevefowler2112]

Wooden's "wisdom/genius" had a lot to do with his bagman buying UCLA the best talent in the country during his run and not so much about teaching his players how to tie their shoes at the start of every season.

[@Pronzini1]

Wooden was a real a-hole. He worried about stupid little things like beards and long hair, but he never seemed to be at all distressed that Sam Gilbert was recruiting players illegally for him.

[@MrHarp-mp2wo]

But all those "stupid little things" can add up to big things down the line. If you were ever a coach you would know that.

[@rayfalkoff1274]

What loser planet do you live on? Watch the interview with Kareem

[@michaelwainscott2633]

@@rayfalkoff1274 Sam Gilbert paid the players. That's not in doubt. UCLA under Wooden was crooked. The LA Times quoted Brent Clark, an NCAA field investigator who said that, in 1977, he was told to drop his case in Westwood. “If I had spent a month in Los Angeles, I could have put them on indefinite suspension,” he said of UCLA. An NCAA spokesman disputed this claim, saying that Clark was living a “fantasy world.” The Times established that Gilbert, during Wooden’s heyday, helped players get cars, clothes, airline tickets and scalpers’ prices for UCLA season tickets. Gilbert allegedly even arranged abortions for players’ girlfriends. One former UCLA All-American told The Times: “What do you want me to say? That’s my school. I don’t want to see them take away all those championships.” Gilbert considered many NCAA rules arcane and silly. Larry Farmer, who played for Wooden and later became head coach, remarked of Gilbert: “I saw him move mountains.” The Times’ investigation concluded Gilbert probably committed several NCAA violations in his dealings with UCLA players. Wooden, in 1981, told The Times: “There’s as much crookedness as you want to find. There was something Abraham Lincoln said - he’d rather trust and be disappointed than distrust and be miserable all the time. Maybe I trusted too much.” Times reporters Mike Littwin and Alan Greenberg opined: " . . . Wooden knew about Gilbert. He knew the players were close to Gilbert. He knew they looked to Gilbert for advice. Maybe he knew more. He should have known much more. If he didn’t, it was only because he apparently chose not to look.” Gilbert died, at age 74, in 1987, four days before federal prosecutors, unaware of his passing, indicted him for racketeering and money laundering. “I tried my best,” Wooden told the Basketball Times in 2005, ". . . My conscience is clear.”

[@robertgoslin4826]

@@michaelwainscott2633 Again and again, I think you have your story confused with USC (University of Spoiled Children) As Jerry Tarkanian, basketball coach at Long Beach State University, pointed out to the NCAA, he got his players from the same Neighborhood USC players came from. His players came to school on bicycles or public buses. But USC‘s players were coming to school in BMWs and Porsches, how could that be??? And that’s not mentioning how well off the football players were either.