John and me.

The passing of John Wooden was never expected. It always seemed like he would forever be sitting along the railing in the lower bowl at Pauley Pavilion. In his 99 years on this planet, he spent 63 of them mentoring at UCLA. He had outlived several of his former players and outlasted several of the coaches who followed him. His historical numbers and legacy is staggering not just in depth but in width. His impact not only changed UCLA, it changed everything.

When Wooden arrived at UCLA in 1948, the University of Southern California Trojans had already won four national titles in football securing their legacy in this star struck city of the angels. The third generation of USC myopians were already attending classes and singing that annoying fight song. The USC basketball team had won four conference titles and been to a Final Four. USC had already won 18 national championships in men’s athletics before Wooden coached his first game for the Bruins. UCLA had not won any national championships in any sports and were lightly regarded in all sports. The UCLA Basketball team had not finished over .500 in two decades.

Flash forward to the late 60’s, this young Bruin fan was starting to embrace the powder blue and gold but LA was a scary place for all Bruin Fans. USC had practically been added to the articles of incorporation for the city and UCLA was still the plucky public school across town. Trojan Fan had two more generations of in breeding brought on by their success in football, track and baseball. Legendary coach John McKay won football national championships in 1962 and 1967. In 1965, current USC AD Mike Garrett was winning the Heisman trophy followed by the OJ zigzagging his way to another Heisman in 1968.

It took John Wooden seventeen years of coaching at UCLA to win his first title. Those first seventeen teams only made the NCAA tournament four times. Los Angeles media was respectful of UCLA and their puritanical coach but no one knew what was about to be unleashed over the next ten years.

In 1967, Wooden’s dynasty was in its infancy and a perceived anomaly. Wooden was a tea totaling Midwestern bumpkin who was not endeared to the Los Angeles faithful or the LA Times. His legendary sound bites were perceived as corny in this tumultuous era of Viet Nam, Nixon and the Beatles. John McKay was the maverick across town that was the legend not Wooden. Bragging rights still were owned by the school in the hood. The braggers were loud and proud in their cardinal and gold.

In the next nine years John Wooden re-wrote the definition of brilliance. He did it with such subtle humility that the loud crowd from across town hardly knew what had transpired. He did not brag or gloat like McKay and his faithful legions. The LA Times did not know what to make of this no nonsense, intensely private coach who shunned the spotlight and recognition. This was LA! Who does that?

During this historic period, his teams were a combined 230-12. The Bruins lost only one home game. The Bruin’s 88 game winning streak will never be broken. The UCONN Women are dominating but chick hoops are not the same thing. The streak ended with four of the twelve losses coming in 1974. That year a petulant Bill Walton decided that the bong was more important than the teachings of the Wizard. UCLA won eight titles in those nine years. It is and will always be the greatest stretch of coaching brilliance that this planet has witnessed.

Today, coaches negotiate more lucrative contracts for getting to the Sweet 16 or a single Final Four by winning three or five consecutive tournament games. Mike Krzyzewski won 12 tournament games in a row and was a dynasty. Billy Donovan won 12 in a row and he was a genius. From 1967-1974, the UCLA Bruins won 38 tournament games in a row. Wrap your head around that for a minute when you think about your next March Madness pool. Their only tournament loss in Wooden’s last nine years was to David Thompson and North Carolina State in double overtime in the 1974. He coached a lesser team to the 1975 title and he retired.

Most of the accolades and the blessings came much later when the LA Times and others had time to reflect on how historic his results were. His legacy locally to the media grew during the 35 years after he retired not the 47 years that he coached with his simple conviction of how the game should be played. He never coached for the records or to be revered. He coached because he believed in the journey not the results. His teams always found their way because they were coached how to play. The wins were a byproduct not an expectation. He understood that is how life is best lived.

In 1948, USC owned this town and had 18 national championships on their resume. UCLA had none and only the belief and passion of a small town coach and his pyramid of success. In 2010, UCLA has 105 national championships to USC’s 94. It is not about the championships, it is about the conviction and passion of one simple man who forever changed my life, UCLA and the history of this city. The nation noticed along the way but John and me, we lived it. John Wooden, god speed your journey to your beloved Nell! God bless your passion for the school we both love.