Wooden Rubs Elbows With UCLA’s No. 1 Fan

I arrived early on the beautiful Bruins’ campus for Wednesday’s basketball game against the other school in town, and while I had no idea the other school in town even had a basketball team, I noticed a long line stretching out the door of the UCLA bookstore.

Following it, I found John Wooden sitting at a table, a security guard telling me Wooden was halfway through a three-hour autograph session, signing his name to each item put before him, and then adding a “UCLA” below his name just to make sure that no one made the mistake of thinking he was from that other school in town.

“You’re looking good for yourself,” I told him, and in return I got a put-on scowl from the Coach and a good-old fashioned retort: “I’m only 95,” he said before adding a grin.

I suppose I could’ve told him he looks better than Dwyre, but doesn’t everybody?

Then Wooden brought up the Rose Bowl, saying, “What a game that was,” which gave me the chance to tell him how happy I was to be a true-blue Bruin fan just like himself.

“I’m not sure I believe that,” Wooden said while shaking his head, but I imagine he knew where I was coming from a few hours later after watching the futile attempt by the other school in town to play basketball.

At least they won’t have to worry about any of these guys leaving early for the pros.

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MY BRUINS were ahead 18-2, then 24-5, then 31-11. I guess all the scholarships at the other school in town go to the football players.

At one point in the second half their coach, Tim Floyd, became so upset that he wadded up his game plan, threw it to the floor and then kicked it. With the other school in town, it’s always football in some form.

Now I’m happy for our guys, of course, but they aren’t even at their best with all the injuries they’ve suffered. With eight minutes to play in this ho-hummer, the Bruins had doubled their opponent’s score, making it 60-30.

I wonder how anyone could possibly bring themselves to root for USC.

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IT’S ONLY January and we already have the leading contender for “Most Ridiculous Quote of the Year,” this one coming from Kobe Bryant.

Bryant, talking about his new pal Shaq, said, “It’s great, and it’s much bigger than the sport itself.”

As the world turns -- all around Kobe. Full of himself, he continued, “We’re an inspiration to and looked up to by many youths out there. I think it’s good for them to see.”

It took the babies only two years to come to this mature realization, apparently youth not mattering until now -- when Shaq reached out to Kobe.

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I WAS covering the Chargers when Eric Bieniemy joined the team as a player, and gave him the full Kevin Brown treatment only to discover I was dealing with someone bright, self-effacing and full of good humor.

I wasn’t surprised to learn later he had become an outstanding recruiter and coach with UCLA, and I believe it’s only a matter of time before Bieniemy is a head coach in the NFL.

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HOW CAN the U.S. be talking seriously about putting the best players on the field for the World Baseball Classic without inviting any Dodgers?

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THE DODGER website, which has never been big on providing up-to-date information, is asking fans to vote for who will emerge as the setup man in the bullpen. Edwin Jackson, who is no longer with the team, has received 9% of the vote, and Yhency Brazoban leads everyone with 64%. No mention of Danys Baez, acquired from Tampa Bay on Saturday to fill that role.

By the way, the site also has an advertisement for the Dodgers’ online shopping store with the following question superimposed over an action picture of Jackson: “Are you Dodgers material?”

In Jackson’s case, apparently not.

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AS VICTORIES go, this one was huge in the world of proving yourself once again as one of the top football agents in the business, making it a pretty good week for Leigh Steinberg, who already represents Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and who now has landed Matt Leinart as a client.

Steinberg, known best for representing the game’s top quarterbacks for years, stumbled somewhat after breaking up with his partner, but good old Jerry Maguire is back.

“I could represent 50 first-rounders, but I happen to live in SC heaven [Newport Beach], and everyone I know is excited about this,” Steinberg said.

Steinberg suggested Leinart could be the first pick in the draft, but most believe he will go No. 2 to the Saints, who will play in New Orleans next season, but then could be on the move to L.A.

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NEW MEXICO hired Bob Toledo to punch up its offense. I remember a time in my life when I would have said, “If New Mexico wants to punch up its offense, schedule a game with UCLA.”

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KNOWING HOW Henry Bibby feels about practice and how Allen Iverson feels about practice just brings a smile to my face.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from CV in San Marino:

“I keep hearing and reading about teams trying to locate Latrell Sprewell, including the Clippers. He works out all the time at the Gold’s Gym in Pasadena on Altadena Drive, a block below Colorado. I’ve seen him in there on weekends.”

Wait until Sprewell finds out you gave away his hiding place from the Clippers.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at

t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.