No love lost for Wooden, Knight says
John Wooden, the Hall of Fame coach who led UCLA to 10 NCAA titles in his final 12 seasons, gets no respect from Bobby Knight.
Knight, who is best remembered for his time at Indiana, said the UCLA program took advantage of recruiting that broke NCAA rules.
Knight prefaced his remarks in the interview on Undeniable with Joe Buck that aired Wednesday night with, “Y’know, I’ve never been a Wooden fan.”
Knight went on to say that UCLA’s historic dynasty of the 1960s and 1970s was built by allowing booster Sam Gilbert to break NCAA rules while recruiting top players to the school.
“Personally, I liked John, as a person, but it isn’t just John, it’s a whole UCLA approach to recruiting,” Knight said of Wooden, who died in 2010 at the age of 99. “I think John was called in and told he didn’t have to worry about recruiting, that they had people that would take care of that for him.
“I have a lot of respect for Wooden as a coach, how he coached. He was a good coach,” said Knight, who won three NCAA titles as Indiana’s coach. “But from then on, and I don’t mind saying it, I don’t respect Wooden, because he allowed Sam Gilbert to do whatever it took to recruit kids.”
The NCAA vacated UCLA’s 1980 national championship game appearance against Louisville and banned UCLA from the postseason in 1981 over Gilbert’s actions, none of which, according to the NCAA, happened under Wooden.
Although Knight personally ran afoul of school administrators for his behavior, the Indiana program under him never was punished for NCAA violations.
Riches
The LPGA Tour tied a record when Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied for 15th in the Toto Japan Classic. Lewis became the 15th player this year to top $1 million, equaling the number from last year.
And it’s about to grow. Women’s PGA champion Danielle Kang is $647 short of $1 million and is assured of topping the $1 million mark next week at the CME Group Tour Championship. Minjee Lee is the defending champion this week in China. Lee is $3,268 short of $1 million, and provided she doesn’t withdraw from Blue Bay, she will top $1 million.
Amy Yang ($962,254) and Mirim Lee ($914,750) will have to play well next week in Naples, Fla., to have a chance. Lizette Salas ($832,635) and Michelle Wie ($829,017) are further away, but still in range, of the $1 million mark. Both are playing in China and next week at the season finale.
Real Deal, Roy
Roy Halladay, who died Tuesday when his private plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, was a hard worker, said former teammate Chase Utley.
Halladay and Utley became close friends after Halladay was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies before the 2010 season. Utley recalled his introduction to Halladay at the team’s practice complex in Clearwater, Fla.
“I can still remember the first day we met,” Utley wrote on his Instagram account. “It was 5:45am on the first day of spring training when I arrived. He was finishing his breakfast but his clothes were soaking wet. I asked if it was raining when he got in. He laughed and said ‘No I just finished my workout.’ I knew right then he was the real deal.”