Out of print for more than 30 years, now available for the first time as an eBook, this is the controversial story of John Wooden's first 25 years and first 8 NCAA Championships as UCLA Head Basketball Coach. This is the only book that gives a true picture of the character of John Wooden and the influence of his assistant, Jerry Norman, whose contributions Wooden  ignored and tried to bury.

Compiled with more than 40 hours of interviews with Coach Wooden, learn about the man behind the coach. The players tell their their stories in their own words. This is the book that UCLA Athletic Director J.D. Morgan tried to ban.

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NFL 2010 Playoffs Round 3

by Tony Medley

For me, coming off a week in which I picked all four winners, last week was instructive. The Jets beat New England, as I predicted, but they did it without blitzing. I bet they didn’t blitz 15% of the time, going with a four man rush the entire game. It was still enough to put the pressure on Brady and the Jets’ coverage was spectacular, especially the inconsistent Cromartie. And the Jets let Sanchez throw downfield. Actually the pass he threw to Tomlinson was brilliant. Instead of leading him, he threw it right at his head. JT made a very good catch and because the pass didn’t lead him, he could cut back into the end zone. If it’s thrown with a normal lead, I don’t think JT could have made it into the end zone. Result, a rout.

As I suspected, Baltimore didn’t belong on the same field as Pittsburgh. Sure, the game was close, but Pittsburgh completely shut down Baltimore’s offense. Two of the three Ravens’ scores were the result of horrific Pittsburgh turnovers. The score should have been 28-7.

Seattle was a joke, and anybody with half a brain should have seen it. But the conclusion that the ease with which they were dispatched by Chicago means that Chicago is a power is erroneous in my judgment.

Unlike everyone else, I think this Sunday’s two games shouldn’t be that close. They will be played on the two worst fields in the league. The theory is that a bad field favors the offense because receivers know which way they are going to cut and, therefore, aren’t as susceptible to slips as defensive backs. But the field is what it is and that’s not what is going to decide the games, although it might allow a weaker Chicago to make the game closer than it would be on a dry, firm field

I don’t think Chicago can stand up to Green Bay. Green Bay has the best defense in the NFC. Chicago’s offensive line is still suspect and if Cutler is pressured, forget it. Charles Woodson was the NFL defensive player of the year last year and he could be a thorn in Chicago’s side, as could linebacker Clay Matthews, who is reputed to be in line to replace him as defensive player of the year. Chicago plays cover 2 better than anybody in the league, but Green Bay’s offensive line has improved immeasurably. Rodgers can scramble and either run or find open receivers under the deep coverage. Further, Green Bay’s rejuvenated running game will be a plus. I don’t look at this as a close game.

I also don’t think the Jets vs. Pittsburgh will be as close as advertised if, as I suspect, the Steelers are injured more than they’ve let on. My feeling is that Troy Polamalu’s Achilles injury is much worse than reported. He was a shadow of his former self against Baltimore. And the Steelers’ offensive line can be negatively impacted by injuries to its two starting tackles, about which I haven’t heard much. This should give the Jets the opportunity to not only pressure Roethlisberger with a four or five man rush, but to bring him down when they hit him instead of letting him get away.

Offensively, the Steelers are most dangerous when Roethlisberger is forced out of the pocket. The Steeler receivers have designated alternate routes to run (instead of free-lancing) whenever that occurs. So when the Jets hit Roethlisberger but don’t bring him down, there could be trouble. But I’m not going to be surprised by a relatively easy win for the Jets.

The Jets like their running attack. If Polamalu’s injury keeps him from being as active or effective, it could blunt the Steelers’ vaunted defense, allow the Jets to run and establish Sanchez’s passing. It looks to me as if the Jets have finally allowed Sanchez to throw downfield. If they can run and if they turn Sanchez loose to throw downfield, if his receivers, mainly Holmes and Edwards can keep from dropping his accurate passes, and if the Steelers are hurt more than they’ve let on, the Jets should win.

This week I’m picking Green Bay and the Jets.

January 22, 2011