Letters: Are we all one-and-done with this?

Readers have plenty to say, now that the madness has begun

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UCLA Coach Ben Howland talks with freshman Shabazz Muhammad during a game against Washington State at Pauley Pavilion. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images / February 9, 2013)

March 22, 2013, 5:52 p.m.

"One and done," the growing trend of young basketball players to spend only the obligatory year in college before moving on to the NBA, is a manifestation of a much broader societal phenomenon.

Loyalty to teams, cities, employers and constituencies has become passe, a corny vestige of a time when individuals did not think and act as if they were one-person franchises. Today, amateurs and professionals of every stripe are presumptively transient, bags never unpacked, offers entertained before names have been sewn to uniforms or name plates attached to doors.

If we are honest with ourselves, we no longer root for teams; we don't really join or hire institutions whose reputations are one and the same with the people who work for them. What we do is root for and join and hire branded umbrellas beneath which flow an endless line of individuals moving on to the NBT — Next Better Thing.

Mark Steinberg

Los Angeles

Ben Howland's "solution" to the one-and-done problem [March 18] couldn't be worse: "It has got to become a congressional issue where we make a law." Just the mentality we need: If you can't convince others voluntarily to do what you want, then get the government to point a gun at their heads.

Howland should stick to basketball, where he's having enough problems.

Mike Berliner

Los Angeles

2012-13 UCLA men's basketball season in a nutshell: Can't beat Cal Poly at home, but can beat Arizona in three different states.

Paul Jeong

Beaumont

NCAA basketball tournament tip: I guarantee that the USC men's basketball team will get through March Madness undefeated — sad but true.

Chris Gagliano

Rancho Palos Verdes

Not buying it

Phil Anschutz claims that he wants to be more involved in AEG's sports businesses now that Tim Leiweke, his personal mouthpiece and uber-salesman, has moved on. I saw Anschutz only one time at a Kings game in the almost 20 years he has owned the team, and that was last June, when the Kings won the Stanley Cup. In all that time, I don't recall hearing him comment about his team, or much of anything else.

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Comments (12)

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terrygsb at 10:54 AM March 25, 2013

Over the years I have had the same criticisms of Howland as anyone ... didn't play or heavily utilize enough players (especially freshmen), staid offensive style, didn't know how to change with the talent he had, teams that can't shoot well (probably from lack of time spent on this). Now only the latter is the most true.

However, firing a coach with the stats he has put up is childish. The man has evolved over the years and shows signs that he could evolve more. Charles Barkley said it best yesterday ... "UCLA fans are living in the past. There isn't going to be any more dynasty." Heck, the last time someone actually won an NCAA title, they fired him!

I am a Bruin fan to the core. I was going to school there during the biggest glory years. But with one and done that is never going to happen again. That is a reality.

ChicagoBruinMike at 9:09 AM March 25, 2013

I just find it funny that everyone thinks we are going to get some high priced great young coach in here to right this team. There will not be any Shaka, Izzo, Calipari, FGCU coach, Few, or any of those that you guys keep mentioning. Lorenzo Romar will be the biggest name we get, maybe. Coaches around the country are reading the same things we are. They will not come work for a school that fires coaches after finishing first. So what we will get is a coach that has been fired from another school or has had some down years, like Romar.

quoxxx at 5:21 PM March 23, 2013

Too little for UCLA. I mean I really wish Howland well. I think he's a good coach. But not for UCLA. He needs to have players built like a tank. That's not UCLA. At UCLA you get Ferraris. Howland does not know what to do with Ferraris. There is no flow to the offense. Last game of the season, and there still is no flow to their play. He was not recruiting the right players for his system. And at UCLA he won't be able to. Last few years have been a disappointment. And the lack of a bench, that's totally on the coach. Way too many transfers. And yes that's on the coach. He recruited those players. There must be a reason why so many players transfer or stay for only one season. Some leave for the NBA yes, but once in a while there should be a guy who stays just because he loves it there. Need to give more players playing time. Need to keep them happy and need to keep them learning. There is more to bball at this level than just playing your best players and milking them. Ask the Lakers. And most of all, need more people at the games. Not going to get anywhere without fan support.

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