John Wooden aka The Wizard of Westwood coached a record 10 NCAA tournament title winning teams including seven straight titles from 1967-73

Former NBA star Bill Walton was on two of John Wooden's title winning teams and the team that lost and broke Wooden's 7 straight NCAA tournament winning streak - (Steve Lipofsky photo)

Is Cam Newton getting his aura together? - (screen shot - photo)   Former NFL quarterback Colin Kapernick is working out hoping to join an NFL team. The question is… will he be treated fairly and not abused AGAIN?

Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics Larry Bird in Game two of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden Date 30 May 1985 - Steve Lipofsky www.Basketballphoto.com ALL TIME NBA 1st TEAM - BREAKING IT DOWN MAGIC JOHNSON & PHAL SAMPHORS

SPORTS NOTES EXTRA - JOHN WOODEN the NCAA TOURNAMENTS RECORD SETTING COACH

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Former UCLA coach John Wooden set the GOLD standard for winning records. He led 10 of his teams to win the NCAA tournament including seven in a row from 1967-73. They say records are made to be broken but I doubt that his will - NFL'S BAD BOYS Cam Newton & Colin Kapernick - NFL teams are in need of quarterbacks but not in the conversation are Cam Newton and Colin Kapernick. Kapernick is working out but will he be treated fairly and not abused like a nigger? - NBA's ALL TIME BEST PLAYERS 1st and 2nd TEAMS

Wednesday March 23, 2022

RECORDS THAT CAN'T BE BROKEN?

When it comes to the NCAA basketball tournament referred to as March Madness the name John Wooden comes to mind. Wooden established a record that may never be broken in coaching his teams to winning a record 10 NCAA titles including SEVEN in a row from 1967-73.

Current Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is closest to Wooden winning five titles. The now 75-year-old former point guard for the US Military Academy (ARMY) is coaching longer than Wooden who retired at age 65. Krzyzewski started coaching Army the year Wooden retired in 1975 when he won his 10th NCAA title.

What stands out about Wooden is when via UCLA press relations he invited me to his home to do the interview. My first reaction was how polite and thoughtful he was. This was in March 1990 when he was 80-years-old. To me it's funny because I always wanted to play for Wooden and UCLA since I was a fan of the team back in the Willie Naulls led teams.

Odd enough Wooden didn't win a title with the Naulls led teams. His reflection was he realized that he was too tough on his players and then softened up. What he didn't soften up on was TIE YOUR SHOES PROPERLY.

The parallel with me and Wooden is he chose Walt Hazzard a former opponent of mine during my Temple Prep school days. Hazzard led the team to Wooden's first title in 1964. I joked with Wooden about taking Hazzard over me and he looked perplexed as in what is this man talking about. I then added that I was joking.

Hazzard was indicative of what discipline Wooden had on his teams. Hazzard was the MOP (Most Outstanding Player) of the tournament and went on to have a solid NBA career and then became coach of UCLA teams with Reggie Miller. When I mentioned my interview with Wooden to Hazzard he laughed and said tie your shoes properly in reference to Wooden's instructions prior to a game.

That same comment came from Keith Erickson who was a member of the 65 and 66 UCLA title winning teams. He went to the NBA and was a member of the 1972 NBA title winning Los Angeles Lakers team with Wilt Chamberlain and Gail Goodrich.

When I discussed Wooden with Erickson he laughed also blurted out unconsciously TIE YOUR SHOES PROPERLY.

Goodrich was also a member of Wooden's 1st NCAA title 1964 team with Hazzard and Erickson. Goodrich and Erickson were also members of the following year on the 1965 NCAA title team. As a senior, the Bruins repeated as NCAA champions as Goodrich scored 24.6 points per game. At UCLA, Goodrich helped compile a 78-11 three-year record. In both of those championship seasons, Goodrich was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team. Goodrich at the time finished as the then UCLA's all-time leading scorer (1,690 points). Goodrich went on to be elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame after a stellar NBA career.

What stands out in my mind is both players reaction when I informed them that I interviewed Wooden and they made their tie the shoe comments is when Wooden coached apparently he put the fear of god in them as he dealt out his instructions. With me he was a gentle elderly man. The contrast is incomprehensible.

Following being ousted in 1966 Wooden's teams went on to win those seven straight NCAA titles from 1967-73.

The one thing that stands out about the Wooden interview is when I asked him who was his most talented player he responded Sidney Wicks.

Wicks also went on to the NBA but did not have a spectacular career. When you think about the Basketball Hall of Fame talent that Wooden coached it seemed odd that Wicks was his choice. Wooden admitted that he had to reign Wicks talent but the end result was winning more NCAA titles.

Wooden said he never chose the best talent for his teams but chose players that fit together with what he was trying to achieve with TEAM PLAY.

When you think about it Wooden coached some of the greatest talent in the game. Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Walton come to mind both who are in the Hall of Fame and chosen as tow of the NBA's top 75 players of all time. They have been on NBA title winning teams totaling eight rings six for Jabbar and two for Walton.

Walton has a special relationship with Wooden. After winning two titles for his coach he was a member of the team that lost breaking Wooden's seven NCAA title winning streak. It seemed that Walton had guilt as he recalled the season. Walton has a special reverence for Wooden and kept in touch with him until his death at the age of 99. Wooden was just four months short of turning 100.

Marcus Johnson was a member of the final NCAA title winning team for Wooden in 1975. Johnson had a strong NBA career and was recently mentioned as being considered for the Hall of Fame but has yet to be selected.

The bottom line is this… as the NCAA tournament of March Madness continues the man that must be remembered that set the winning criterion is JOHN WOODEN.

NFL'S BAD BOYS COLIN KAPERNICK & CAM NEWTON

With what seems to be the year of the changes of the quarterbacks there are two that apparently have been forgotten or permanently discarded Cam Newton and Colin Kapernick.

It seems that teams that are frantically looking for a QB have discarded Mr. Everything Cam Newton. When let go by the New England Patriots Newton claimed that they didn't keep him on the roster as a backup to their #1 draft pick Mac Jones was they were afraid of his AURA.

Newton then returned to his home of fame the Carolina Panthers. The brother-man started off OK but faltered as the season progressed and he became primarily used as a seldom used runner. Now that the season is over the question is what lies ahead in the future of Mr. Aura? With all of the teams in need of a quarterback and various trades one name that is not in the conversation is Cam Newton. Excuse me I have to order on line one of those Cam Newton AURA WIG HATS.

KAPERNICK RERUN?

Colin Kapernick has made it clear that he wants to return to the NFL and has been working out… AGAIN! Previously the NFL had a workout for Kaepernick where several teams sent scouts but not their top representatives. The event was deemed a farce and the former San Francisco 49er was largely given a pacifier treatment.

What followed is Kapernick won a lawsuit against the league that netted him less than his last NFL salary in 2016. In addition the league went on to sell out the niggahs by hiring Jay Z to produce the Super Bowl half-time show. He took the money and ran while disrespecting Kapernick's initial concept of taking a knee for social justice for Negroes as well as people of color.

The question now is... since there is a dearth of quality quarterbacks available for a league that is in transition and need, will Kapernick get a fair deal or will the league focus on finding another way to expose and sell out the niggahs as in the group NWA's name signifies Niggahs With Attitude.

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