Los Angeles – Day 5 – UCLA

Long before I heard of Florida State, I was a fan of John Wooden and UCLA basketball.  I admired his attention to detail, his coaching philosophy, his success, and how he was intense yet acted like a gentleman during games.  He believed in preparing his players for success in life and didn’t judge his teams by wins and losses, but by the effort, the players had given.  Long after their playing days, Coach Wooden remained a mentor to the players he coached.  So of course, any stop in Los Angeles would include a stop to the UCLA campus.

At the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame, I got a good overview of the history and traditions of the various sports.  The UCLA botanical gardens is well kept well-kept and is a quiet refuge from the urban environment of the campus.  I wasn’t completely alone however, and some of the people I saw there were quite interesting.  One man was hugging and kissing a tree.  If I had gone and hugged the tree after he left would that have been considered cheating?  I decided not to.  Another man was elegantly dressed in a coat and tie, along with a fedora.  Instead of ambling along like the rest of us, he was taking very slow measured steps, like he was in a parade.  A parade of one.  Hmm.  

The annual “Beat USC” pep rally was taking place that evening so I decided to check it out before the basketball game.  Several good rock bands performed followed by the marching band, cheerleaders, and dance team.  Some of the other UCLA teams were promoted culminating with the football team which included a pep talk from Head Coach Foster.  

That evening, I attended the UCLA basketball game.  It was a treat to be in the same building where so many historic teams had played, and to view the championship banners and retired jerseys of so many great players!  Watching a game there is like nowhere else!