The Clock Rarely Stops for Harrick-Bashing, but He Has Fans, Too

Jim Harrick and the UCLA basketball team should be congratulated for outstanding NCAA tournament performances. They played good, exciting basketball and they were soundly coached.

As usual, however, Coach Harrick is being demeaned and second-guessed because he didn’t win like Coach Wooden. Yes, he kept Ed O’Bannon out for a long time in the first half, as his team was substantially increasing its lead; and yes, he took Tyus Edney out near the end of the first half to avoid risking his third foul. Of course, Harrick’s detractors would also be screaming if O’Bannon came back in and the rally stopped, or if Edney stayed in and picked up his third foul.

High school prospects read this ridiculous criticism and many of them, such as Cherokee Parks, become convinced by it that Harrick is a bad coach. Then, when these same kids select another school, the critics who have scared them off label Coach Harrick an inferior recruiter.

ALAN R. ABAJIAN

Alta Loma