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 stories in their own words.

Click the book to read the first chapter and for ordering information. Also available on Kindle.

Sports Medley: UCLA lost to USC because of one inexcusable penalty 30 Nov 15

by Tony Medley

It matters not who won or lost, but how you lined up for the game: The key play in UCLA’s loss to USC was not the Josh Rosen fumble returned for a game-leading TD. Nor was it either of Rosen’s interceptions. Nor was it UCLA’s befuddlement in facing USC’s man-to-man pass defense. The key play of the game occurred with 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter. USC had scored another touchdown to take a 12 point lead, 33-21, but Rosen led the Bruins downfield quickly to a 2nd and 10 on the USC 24. He handed the ball off to Nate Starks who made a spectacular run for a first down on SC’s 12 yard line.

Flag! UCLA had lined up incorrectly with 5 men in the backfield (and it was obvious)! So instead of first and ten on SC’s 12, they had a second and 15 on SC’s 29. UCLA was unable to advance from there and missed a 47 yard field goal (by one of the best field goal kickers in the country) and the game was basically over.

This is inexcusable. Occasional penalties for illegal procedure and offsides, things like that, might be understandable (but not in the quantities produced by head coach Jim Mora’s UCLA year in and year out); but to line up incorrectly during a key part of the game? As I’ve said before, that’s coaching. Did nobody see it from the sidelines or the booth? Hadn’t they practiced this play? Is there nobody on the team who is supposed to make sure that the players are lined up correctly, like, for instance, the quarterback, or the offensive coordinator?

How could a huge game be lost by such an inconceivably irresponsible penalty in crunch time? I know that the quality of UCLA’s academic standing and student body has plummeted since I attended due to the people running the campus, but this stupidity and lack of discipline that are constantly evidenced by its football team is embarrassing because it’s seen throughout the nation and reflects negatively on the University. Mora needs to replace his offensive coordinator, and should consider replacing the defensive coordinator, too. This team had the talent to do much better with competent coaching. But we’ve seen the same problem before on UCLA’s basketball court.

Bring back the Replacement Refs add: I’ve seen lots of terrible penalties called by these horrible NFL refs, but the one Thanksgiving night in the Chicago-Green Bay game could compete for the worst. In the first quarter, on third down and long, Aaron Rodgers threw a deep pass that was incomplete. A flag was thrown for pass interference. When it was replayed, the defensive player had barely touched the intended receiver, if at all. There was nothing that even vaguely resembled pass interference. But it was called and after the inept referees huddled, Green Bay had a first down deep in Bears territory, and went on to score its only touchdown of the game. The Bears came back to win a close game, but it shouldn’t have been that close because if the pass interference penalty is not called, Green Bay has to kick and doesn’t score it’s TD and doesn’t lead for most of the game.

Perplexing: There was a three second film clip during the first quarter of the Notre Dame-Stanford game showing a touchdown scored on a three yard line plunge in the 1925 Rose Bowl game between Notre Dame and Stanford.  After the ball had been handed off and the player plunged into the line, the referee behind the offense took off running, jumped, and landed on top of the pile of players on the goal line. All I can find out is that the TD was scored by Elmer Layden. If anybody knows what this referee was doing jumping onto the pile of players, please let me know.

The Baywater Babes keep coming: Fox Sports’ hot blonde babe field reporter Molly McGrath after Stanford beat #6 ranked Notre Dame on the last play of the game, asking Stanford coach David Shaw, “What kind of statement did your team make with this game today?” If there’s any sexism in today’s business world the fact that over 90% of on field TV reporters at sports events are sexy females who don’t know their elbow from third base about the game should take the cake. Isn’t there a Gloria Allred out there to represent men who are more qualified?