dukemsu
03-26-2007, 11:10 PM
Just caught the UCLA Dynasty special on HBO. Some thoughts:
-From a Duke perspective, some background on the UCLA Team, Wooden's first National title team that beat the favored Devils.
-LOTS of Bill Walton. Not footage of him playing, but footage of him speaking. Depending on your opinion/tolerance of the big redhead, either a good or very bad thing.
-Some background on Sam Gilbert, the guy Digger Phelps always brings up as the real reason UCLA got all the great players. Gilbert was the alleged "sugar daddy" of UCLA basketball who was banned from Pauley and the program after the Wooden run. Interesting stuff.
-Thankfully, limited amounts of Digger recounting the one thing that saved his job in his incredibly overrated run at ND, the Irish's streak-busting win over UCLA in 1974. You can almost see his eyes about to pop out of his head when he's telling the story of having his kids practice cutting down the nets.
-Overall, a good history lesson on the overall impact/dominance of UCLA. Mostly reminded me of how impossible a run of titles like that would be now.
A bit too much deification of Coach Wooden for my taste, but the guy obviously was/is a legend. A bit schmaltzy, but worth watching.
-One strange thing-no interviews (recent) from Abdul-Jabbar. You'd have to wonder why he wouldn't have participated. Lots of footage of his dominance, and some very interesting interviews with a college-age Alcindor about social issues. You won't likely find many athletes on any level these days with that sort of introspection.
dukemsu
-From a Duke perspective, some background on the UCLA Team, Wooden's first National title team that beat the favored Devils.
-LOTS of Bill Walton. Not footage of him playing, but footage of him speaking. Depending on your opinion/tolerance of the big redhead, either a good or very bad thing.
-Some background on Sam Gilbert, the guy Digger Phelps always brings up as the real reason UCLA got all the great players. Gilbert was the alleged "sugar daddy" of UCLA basketball who was banned from Pauley and the program after the Wooden run. Interesting stuff.
-Thankfully, limited amounts of Digger recounting the one thing that saved his job in his incredibly overrated run at ND, the Irish's streak-busting win over UCLA in 1974. You can almost see his eyes about to pop out of his head when he's telling the story of having his kids practice cutting down the nets.
-Overall, a good history lesson on the overall impact/dominance of UCLA. Mostly reminded me of how impossible a run of titles like that would be now.
A bit too much deification of Coach Wooden for my taste, but the guy obviously was/is a legend. A bit schmaltzy, but worth watching.
-One strange thing-no interviews (recent) from Abdul-Jabbar. You'd have to wonder why he wouldn't have participated. Lots of footage of his dominance, and some very interesting interviews with a college-age Alcindor about social issues. You won't likely find many athletes on any level these days with that sort of introspection.
dukemsu