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There’s Much Love In This House …….Kevin Love That Is !
By tophat | March 23, 2008
There’s much to be said about the program that John Wooden built. The legacy of the UCLA Bruins Its won multiple championships and has a college basketball winning streak that’ll never be matched in the annals of college or professional sports. And by the way they’ve produced one or two phenomenal players along the way too. The likes of Walton and Jabbar still has reverence in the house that John Wooden built.
Kevin Love of the UCLA Bruins during his team’s victory 53-49 over Texas A & M.
And today it’s no different even if the players and coaches have changed the pursuit of excellence on the court is still there to be seen. Coach Ben Howland who now guides this team has a tandem that’s admired across the collegiate basketball scene. Darren Collison and the greatly admired Kevin Love are the pivotal forces that’ve made the team the success it has been this year. Having won their third consecutive PAC 10 championship, they garnered a #1 seed for the regional rounds of the NCAA tournament.
Darren Collison of the UCLA Bruins celbrates having scored against Texas A & M .
The team acquitted themselves with a great deal of aplomb with a 53-49 victory over Texas A & M . And categorically I’d state that this wasn’t really much of a competitive game considering that the B ruins were basically playing in their own backyard at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Ca. The rabid fans must’ve felt that this was nothing more than a godsend……manner from heaven one might say ? The victory though not emphatic was enough to stamp their ticket to the next round. The play of the duo Collison and Love were the main reasons why the victory in all essence done with some ease. Though many’ll feel that this wasn’t borne out by their play over certain sretches during the game . It was enough to stake their claim in the next round.
Coach Ben Howland of the UCLA Bruins.
Howland has got to be pleased with the play of his duo . They might even be considered the best duo in all of collegiate basketball. Naysayers would obviously disagree with the assessment but if you’re a purist how can one deny the fact as to their play ? They’re resilient and dogged on defense as and when they need to be. On the offensive side of things they might be considered to have some frailties but when Collison and Love get going they are a force to be reckoned with. Love in pariticular has been dominant on both ends of the floor. And only needs to look at the game stats to understand the reasons why. They tend to leap out at you but then you realize that’s not the only reason behind the Bruins’ overall success. They play as a team and are very much committed to play what it is that coach Ben Howland is trying to achieve. And it’s not lost on the players or the fans either. The Bruins’ fans may well be some of the most voiciferous in all of collegiate basketball.
Russell Westrbrook (c) of the UCLA Bruins is surrounded by teammates during their game against the Aggies of Texas A & M.
As to whether or not the Bruins can make it to the Final Four is certainly the question that’ll be on the lips of their fans and fans of the sport alike. It’s not often we get to see one of the great programs of college basketball perform with poise and at the same time show a great deal of class. Were it only such in the professional ranks where its driven more by the egos of the players and the chase of financial prosperity instead of the glory. Though there isn’t necessarily wrong with that it has been the college game that has in all actuality remained pure whereas the game within the NBA has become corrupted , ego driven and by all accounts a mere caricature of its former self.
Kevin Love the face of the Bruins this season.
Though it can be said there’s an excitement about the NBA this year that hasn’t been witnessed in some time . As we’ve seen the rise and return to prominence of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. Two of the storied franchises of the NBA that now seem to be on the lips of everyone when one mentions contenders for the NBA championship this season. It makes one think that should either Collison or Love choose to parlay their game in the NBA ranks how’ll they fare ? If their college game is anything to go by then they’ll definately do well. I for one would relish the chance to see if either can take their game to the next level.
justan’ aka tophatal….
pictures appear courtesy of either the associated press or getty images…….
Topics: Uncategorized |
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I still like North Carolina to win, but if you’ve seen the results of my bracket…you’d know that doesn’t mean very much. UCLA has a solid team…and Love and Collison are phenomenal players.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:22 am
shooter b
The win though it’s been claimed wasn’t overly impressive was enough to get ‘em through to the ‘Sweet 16′. And that at the end of the day was what counted. Now this is really where the tournament starts as far as most people are concerned.
Here’s where the legacies begin and the fame garnere will determine thier status for the future.
All the big names cemented their legacies here within the tournament and became legends once they went to the NBA.
tophat …………
March 24th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
My strategy going into March Madness was to take all No. 1s. So far so good …
UCLA needs continued big efforts from Love and Collison.
March 24th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Mean Dovine
I won’t disagree with you there. And the Bruins are proving to everyone how good they can be. As to how far I expect them to go , I can’t really say. However you’re only as good as your most recent performance when it comes to the tourney.
Hence having seen both Georgetown and Duke implode the way they did. This whole tournament is living up to all that we’d expected. BTW my post on Tiger went up in flames. So I’ll be rewriting the post once again. My apologies for that !
tophat …………….
June 5th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I read similar article also named ’s Much Love In This House …….Kevin Love That Is ! | Got Milk ? Got Beer Now For Some Damn Sports !, and it was completely different. Personally, I agree with you more, because this article makes a little bit more sense for me
June 6th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Daniel
Love is a good player but it remains to be seen whether or not his game’ll
connect and convert to the NBA.
But that’s what the NBA has become about nowadays when it comes to the overall
potential of the players. It’s either leave your ego’s at the door or just come
to play.
tophat ………..