Tuesday, June 15th, 2010 at 10:51 am  |  79 responses

A Contrarian View on John Wooden

Not everyone loved the Wizard of Westwood.

Our man Dave Zirin did a nice column right after John Wooden passed away that was in line with much of what has been written about the Coach, who was an unparalleled winner as well as an amazing influence on his player’s. That said, people are entitled to differing opinions on the man, who was laid to rest last Friday. Professor Peter A. Coclanis, who wrote a couple Julius Peppers pieces for us in March and is the Albert R. Newsome Distinguished Professor of History and Director of the Global Research Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, is one of those people. Here’s his take on Wooden:

by Peter A. Coclanis

Ever since his death on June 4, treacly tributes have been pouring in for former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, the so-called Wizard of Westwood. To be sure, such panegyJohn Woodenrics are not altogether surprising, for Wooden—a poor sport, hypocrite, and cheater—has been getting a free pass for decades by most members of the basketball community and by much of the media.

Wooden may have had his good qualities, and he certainly won a lot of championships, but in my view he has always been a poseur, whose self-effacing, aw -shucks mannerisms owed less to Midwestern virtue than to California conceit. This “religious man,” whose strongest exclamation, according to the New York Times—was “Goodness gracious sakes alive!”—was a merciless baiter of officials and opposing players. Wooden ran what was arguably the most corrupt basketball program in the country in the ‘60s and ‘70s, allowing a Bruins’ booster—the sleazy, Los Angeles money-launderer Sam Gilbert—complete freedom to pay players, provide them with free cars, apartments, and clothes (as well as abortions for their girlfriends).

The Wizard later attributed his lack of program oversight to “tunnel vision” and his belief that “Sam meant well.” And, according to Bill Walton’s first wife Susie Walton among others, Wooden, supposedly a great disciplinarian, allowed his star center, but not other lesser players, to smoke pot throughout his college career. Can anyone here spell Elmer Gantry?

Say what you will about Jerry Tarkanian, another great basketball coach, who was essentially railroaded out of the game because he cheated in ways inconsistent with the NCAA’s certified standards of corruption. Before making his exit, however, Tarkanian made one of the all-time great “speaking truth to power” quotes in sports history: “The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky they put Cleveland State on two more years’ probation.”

And Kentucky didn’t have anything on John Wooden’s UCLA.

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  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    I really dislike when people say we should judge morality by the times in which people lived.
    Seriously, that’s stupid.

  • http://sdfjklflc.om Jukai

    Allen, do you remember when QUITE a ton of SLAM commentators threw a tantrum when Eddie Griffin died, all cause a few people DARED bring up the fact that he wasn’t a saint? I have a recollection quite a few regulars did, but it was a while ago, so I can’t be sure.
    Cause a LOT of SLAM commentators yelled and screamed.
    Now it’s okay?
    I have a feeling it’s because one was a ‘poor troubled black youth’ and the other was a ‘rich, white beloved icon.’
    But it’s all the same. The man just DIED. Many, many, many people are suffering from that fact, no matter how old he was. NOW is when you blast him with allegations? I’ve hated that logic. It’s a hack way for nobodies like Coclanis to get their names out, by bringing up shaky facts on people who literally just passed away. Bring it up when the immediate mourning has passed. I know that’s a subjective time zone, but for chrissakes, nobody in their right minds would say it would be now.
    The pot nonsense seems to be pure bullsh*t. The giving cars to players who signed with UCLA? Probably far more true. But “a poor sport, hypocrite, and cheater?” Really? Everyone who has met the man and chatted a few words said they made them a better person. He was gracious in defeat and NEVER caused a ruckus when he won.
    This foxhunt crap is grating and unprofessional.
    But hey— he’s dead! He can’t say anything! No harm, no foul!

  • Ronald

    @Allenp I think you might have opened a big can of worms full of ethical debates. I think morality/ethics change according to the times. At least certain cultural morality/ethics. I’m in no position to agree or disagree with the article, but at least the author had the decency to write his name on this TMZ-type article. I’ve seen too many “editorial” news report on Slamonline.com with no author name. At least Coclanis avoids internet anonymity and will/has receive the flak for writing this excuse of an article. I hope he doesn’t comment on the responses in the vein of “your comment has made this article a success” ala San Dova.

  • http://verizon cgg

    any one knows that it is almost impossible to go into north carolina and get the top recruit to go to california to play basketball. it happened with wooden and his money train. henry bibby was located in the middle of unc duke, state ,and wake forest but they did not have enough money to keep him home. when i talk about coach smith i don’t even put wooden’s name on the same page. i wished he coached today were you have more ncaa control and you would find out just how much he could coach. it took him ten years to win his first conference champ until he met gilbert. what a joke of a coach and i said this before he died.

  • Dean Smith

    Actually, Wooden won the conference championship each of his first four years at UCLA–shockingly, since UCLA had always been mediocre at best. UCLA wasn’t North Carolina (until this professor ruined it), Duke, Indiana, or Kentucky. Wooden’s Indiana State teams could have named the score against UCLA.

    UCLA basketball was depressing before Wooden.

    Everything in this article is untrue.

    Wooden had already won three national championships in four years and had Lew Alcindor before Sam Gilbert showed up at games with apples and oranges for players. No one disputes this.

    Sam Gilbert never had anything to do with recruiting. No one disputes this.

    Wooden had also narrowly lost in the Final Four before Gilbert. Wooden himself was a former college player of the year; Wooden went to the Indiana title game three out of three years in high school; in college, Purdue won the equivalent of at least one and probably two national championships; in addition to being the player of the year, Wooden was the top student-athlete in the Big Ten.

    Compare that to Bob Knight, Dean Smith or whomever you like.

    Sam Gilbert did that too?

    NC State, Florida State (the scandal of scandals at the time), Villanova were all on probation the year before or would be put on probation for what they were doing when they faced UCLA in the championship game or eliminated UCLA in the Final Four during the twelve-year UCLA dynasty. The NCAA wasn’t just going after Cleveland State. UCLA was on probation for multiple years because of a league-wide football scandal during Wooden’s tenure, and the probation covered basketball.

    Some of us know everything about Wooden. Give it up.

    This “professor” ranks below Sarah Palin in his knowledge of the subject.

    And Sarah Barracuda would eat him alive.

  • http://agida.blogspot.com Orkie Glazer

    To the Dean smith poster above—the professor here is dead on–a few ACTUAL facts for you–Wooden won zero national titles his first 15 years at UCLA and it wasn’t until Sam Giilbert showed up that he even came close. More than that regarding his titles in conference–the late Pete Newell showed up in 1955 at California and by 1960 was a National Champion–Cal was a lot worse than UCLa ever was—look this up if you ever want to learn anything about basketball—the last 8 times they played against each other Newell 8 Wooden 0 and it wasn’t until he got his head handed to him by arguably the greatest teacher the game has ever seen, that he started to look up papa Sam’s phone number. Everyone in basketball at that time knew about Sam Gilbert and John Wooden and the fact that it’s been glossed over by the media is a major injustice to the honest and great teachers of the game. Sadly, while Wooden may have won, he was far from the greatest coach ever–he wasn’t even the best coach in California….

  • Dean Smith

    To Orkie Glazer:

    You forgot to mention Wooden won the first seven against Newell, you sly devil; don’t blame Wooden Newell couldn’t take the heat and retired at 44. But “Newell” shouldn’t come out of your mouth: he was a great coach. There’s never been a coach who was a greater teacher than Wooden. A Stanford professor wrote a book about him, Carol Dweck (who is sane and cites sources unlike present company), contrasting him with Knight (sorry, Knight fans). Scientists study Wooden (myelin, don’t you know). Professors study him and write articles and books about him (Gallimore, Tharp–too many to list here). Teachers study him and write books about him (too many to name). You’re in way over your head here. And Wooden has been voted by every reputable source the greatest coach of all time in any sport, including the recent Sporting News final word. Wooden and Newell were friends; all or some of Newell’s books are co-authored by one of Wooden’s former players.

    There are other coaches with great short-lived careers who couldn’t take the stress and retired at the age Newell did. You just don’t know who they are.

    There’s only one Wooden.

    Re-reading time for you; fact-checking time, too; give one cite (note there are no citations from “da professor”):

    Again, no one disputes when Sam Gilbert showed up with apples and oranges for players: it was AFTER Wooden had won THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, and had BARELY lost in another FINAL FOUR to the eventual champion, and had LEW ALCINDOR.

    And Sam Gilbert never had anything to do with recruiting Wooden’s players. No one disputes that.

    Why Wooden didn’t win before his incredible 1963-1964 underdogs (still the shortest championship team of all time):

    UCLA had 3 winning seasons in 21 when Wooden arrived (can you please read before you open your mouth?).

    Wooden said six or seven of his first fifteen UCLA teams could have won it all. “Could.” Not “should.”

    Wooden blamed himself, mostly (a person such as yourself can’t understand Wooden).

    Here’s the rundown:

    1952: team’s leading scorer breaks toe in shower on eve of conference title game.

    1953-6: UCLA had very strong teams but San Francisco had the greatest basketball player of all time–do you even know who he is? I think Wooden eliminated him the one year out of three he didn’t win it all. He was unstoppable in the NBA too.

    After Bill Russell (that’s his name): League-wide football scandal; UCLA put on probation for three years–including Wooden’s completely innocent basketball program.

    After football scandal: Pete Newell. Also, at some point Wooden had Rafer Johnson but no full-court zone press (his assistant coach Jerry Norman hadn’t invented it yet); Rafer Johnson could have taken Keith Erickson’s place.

    Then UCLA made the Final Four, losing by two points to the eventual champion, and the game was closer than that.

    It took Wooden two years to teach his assistant coach Jerry Norman’s full-court zone press (they invented it), then UCLA won 10 of 12, beating two probation teams in the championship game (and losing to a third in the Final Four Bill Walton and Keith Wilkes’ senior year). The one year, every coach raised hell that Florida State’s notorious team was allowed in the tournament–every coach except one. He was gracious to Florida State’s coach and players. He just beat them in the championship game.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/alexander_wolff/06/03/wooden.1964/index.html

    Start citing.

  • Dean Smith

    Orkie Glazer, you’re wrong. UCLA had 3 winning seasons in 21 when Wooden began (see citation in my answer).

    Cal?

    “The Golden Bears first played basketball intercollegiately in 1907 and began full conference play in 1915. The 1920s was the dominant decade for Cal basketball, as the Bears won 6 conference titles under coaches E.H. Wright and Nibs Price.

    Nibs Price would coach Cal with great success for 30 years from 1924 to 1954, earning a 449-294 total record, many single season winning records, and an additional 3 conference titles in the 1930s and 1940s.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Golden_Bears#Men.27s_basketball_history

    You never cited anything. Wikipedia will do.

  • Dean Smith

    Again, Newell “got his head handed to” himself 7 times in a row before he beat Wooden 8 times in a row. Newell got a good big man.

    Then, Newell “got his head handed to” himself by Newell. He was a wreck.

    Newell retired in 1960, age 44.

    Problem solved.

    Also, why would Wooden have “looked up Papa Sam” after Newell retired?

    Newell retired at age 44. He was a wreck. He couldn’t take the stress.

    Newell solved the Newell problem himself.

    And how would one “look up” Sam Gilbert?

    The guy showed up at games with apples and oranges. Would you look in the phone book under “apples and oranges?”

    If it were that easy, Tarkanian would have called Gilbert first.

  • Dean Smith

    Orkie Glazer, you’re wrong. UCLA had 3 winning seasons in 21 when Wooden began (see citation in my answer). Cal? “The Golden Bears first played basketball intercollegiately in 1907 and began full conference play in 1915. The 1920s was the dominant decade for Cal basketball, as the Bears won 6 conference titles under coaches E.H. Wright and Nibs Price. Nibs Price would coach Cal with great success for 30 years from 1924 to 1954, earning a 449-294 total record, many single season winning records, and an additional 3 conference titles in the 1930s and 1940s.” You never cited anything. Wikipedia will do.

  • Dean Smith

    To Orkie Glazer:

    You forgot to mention Wooden won the first seven against Newell, you sly devil; don’t blame Wooden Newell couldn’t take the heat and retired at 44. But “Newell” shouldn’t come out of your mouth: he was a great coach. There’s never been a coach who was a greater teacher than Wooden. A Stanford professor wrote a book about him, Carol Dweck (who cites sources unlike present company), contrasting him with Knight (sorry, Knight fans). Scientists study Wooden (myelin, don’t you know). Professors study him and write articles and books about him (Gallimore, Tharp–too many to list here). Teachers study him and write books about him (too many to name). You’re in way over your head here. And Wooden has been voted by every reputable source the greatest coach of all time in any sport, including the recent Sporting News final word. Wooden and Newell were friends; all or some of Newell’s books are co-authored by one of Wooden’s former players. There are other coaches with great short-lived careers who couldn’t take the stress and retired at the age Newell did. You just don’t know who they are.

    There’s only one Wooden.

    Re-reading time for you; fact-checking time, too; give one cite (note there are no citations from “da professor”):

    Again, no one disputes when Sam Gilbert showed up with apples and oranges for players: it was AFTER Wooden had won THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, and had BARELY lost in another FINAL FOUR to the eventual champion, and had LEW ALCINDOR. And Sam Gilbert never had anything to do with recruiting Wooden’s players. No one disputes that.

    Why Wooden didn’t win before his incredible 1963-1964 underdogs (still the shortest championship team of all time):

    UCLA had 3 winning seasons in 21 when Wooden arrived (can you please read before you open your mouth?). Wooden said six or seven of his first fifteen UCLA teams could have won it all. “Could.” Not “should.” Wooden blamed himself, mostly (you can’t understand Wooden).

    Here’s the rundown: 1952: team’s leading scorer breaks toe in shower on eve of conference title game.

    1953-6: UCLA had very strong teams but San Francisco had the greatest basketball player of all time–do you even know who he is? I think Wooden eliminated him the one year out of three he didn’t win it all. He was unstoppable in the NBA too.

    After Bill Russell (that’s his name): League-wide football scandal; UCLA put on probation for three years–including Wooden’s completely innocent basketball program.

    After football scandal: Pete Newell. Also, at some point Wooden had Rafer Johnson but no full-court zone press (his assistant coach Jerry Norman hadn’t invented it yet); Rafer Johnson could have taken Keith Erickson’s place.

    Then UCLA made the Final Four, losing by two points to the eventual champion, and the game was closer than that.

    It took Wooden two years to teach his assistant coach Jerry Norman’s full-court zone press (they invented it), then UCLA won 10 of 12, beating two probation teams in the championship game (and losing to a third in the Final Four Bill Walton and Keith Wilkes’ senior year). The one year, every coach raised hell that Florida State’s notorious team was allowed in the tournament–every coach except one. He was gracious to Florida State’s coach and players. He just beat them in the championship game.

    Look up Sports Illustrated, Alexander Wolff (my links got blocked).

    And start citing, for Goodness Sake.

  • http://agida.blogspot.com Orkie Glazer

    Smith–you know not of what you speak. Fact:Pete Newell was NOT a friend of John Wooden, had no respect for him and knew he always cheated not to mention the bogus claim Wooden made that he never scouted an opponent–total crap. Now let me teach you about coaching: Newell came to a dormant program and if you took the time to look at the scores you would see that each year the games got closer as Newell’s teams learned all about basketball. The guy was at UCLA for a decade surely using the same tactics he’d always had just not with the same sugar daddy–Newell comes in takes a few years to build his program than lays the wood to the national championship-less coach the last 8 times they play. Furthermore, Newell went to the pros-for from retirement and in all honesty you have no clue what you are talking about when you talk about Coach Newell so please don’t continue to say things about him that are untrue. I’m wondering why you never cited above the probation UCLA BASKETBALL was put on after the cheater retired….don’t let facts get in your way. I’m not sure what is more pathetic–your saying Sam Gilbert wasn’t involved with UCLA before they had won and therefore his buying, paying, feeding and then representing players were irrelevant to their success, or the fact that you are trying to justify wooden getting his head handed to him by a coach who ate his lunch time and again…the best thing to happen to wooden was Newell going to the pros or it would have been years of beat down–by the way I forgot more coaches than you will ever know so please don’t lecture me on coaches/coaching. Another thing–everyone disputes your claim about alcindor and Gilberts involvement–just cuz you say so doesn’t make it true….I believe your referencing the articles that college professors did on wooden is exactly this articles point–that teh myth of wooden was far greater than the cheating actual wooden…here’s a guy who was such a control freak he had his players practice putting on their socks but that same guy din’t know about Sam Gilbert??? Not plausible–to quote cbs sprotsline “Wooden was at UCLA for 15 years, from 1948-63, without winning an NCAA championship. And then from 1964-76 he won 10 titles in 12 years. What changed? Sam Gilbert’s involvement changed.” (citation)Here is another for you from Bill Walton’s book: “”I hate to say anything that may hurt UCLA, but I can’t be quiet when I see what the NCAA is doing (to other coaches) only because (they have) a reputation for giving a second chance to many black athletes other coaches have branded as troublemakers. The NCAA is working night and day trying to get (them), but no one from the NCAA ever questioned me during my four years at UCLA.”"It’s hard for me to have a proper perspective on financial matters, since I’ve always had whatever I wanted since I enrolled at UCLA,” Wow sure sounds like that program was on the up and up…what a true gentleman of integrity and character—you wanted citation you got it–argue all you want but no matter how much you cry about it the facts do not change…get over it—your hero was a fraud—let me end it with another citation from Dan Wetzel at the basketball times:

    “But none of this is a secret in basketball. In the late 1970s, after Wooden retired, the Los Angeles Times did an investigation of Gilbert and the NCAA was forced to sanction UCLA, but never vacated any championships. Then there is Walton’s book, which couldn’t be more damning.

    The NCAA never bothered to investigate UCLA during Wooden’s time, part of its history of selective enforcement. During the 1960s and ’70s, the organization, run by old white men, was too busy going after small, upstart programs that dared to play too many African-Americans, launching inquiries into Texas Western/UTEP, Western Kentucky, Centenary and Long Beach State.

    Apparently a team capturing 10 titles in 12 years, putting together undefeated season after undefeated season, recruiting high school All-Americans from all over the country to sit on the bench, yet never having them transfer or declare hardship wasn’t enough for it to dawn on anyone at the NCAA that, gee, maybe they’re cheating?

    But that is your NCAA.”

    Here end-eth the lesson Dean

  • http://agida.blogspot.com Orkie Glazer

    Smith–I’ll add one more thing—the only reason the man who made his reputation on cheating didn’t win beforehand is he didn’t have the right system yet–once a cheater always a cheater–the was no reason to wonder if he was cheating anywhere else or the first 15 years at UCLA was because he didn’t win anything—if a man would cheat without any qualms while he was winning, how much more so would the shackles be off when he was losing–fact is he wasnt as good a cheater so there was no reason to care if he cheated—the evidence however is pretty clear that he most definitely cheated–not even in dispute–(gee I like that trick–thanks for teaching me how to say that) therefore quite possibly the only reason he didnt win was he wasnt good enough at cheating yet…surely when the right helper came along he was the best–best there ever was—cheater that is…btw it makes perfect sense that would would claim his teams could have won 7 or 8 times–it makes it look like it was all on the level then and afterwards…sorry deano–you boy needed help–most cheaters do

  • Dean Smith

    Wow.

    How about this.

    Name the pro team you imply Newell became the coach of.

  • Dean Smith

    Wooden and Newell were “dear friends”:

    http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15231433

  • Dean Smith

    UCLA was not sanctioned because of the Wooden years.

    It was the Larry Brown years five or so years after Wooden.

    Why didn’t the UCLA ever do anything to Wooden?

    The NCAA didn’t do anything to Wooden because Wooden didn’t do anything wrong.

  • Dean Smith

    And Wooden was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player–before Sam Gilbert showed up to help UCLA basketball players and USC football players. Wooden was a national sensation after 1964. Again, B.G. Before Gilbert.

    Wooden’s reputation was already made. Gilbert was drawn like a moth to the light. Same thing with Gilbert and USC football.

  • http://agida.blogspot.com Orkie Glazer

    Time to teach you again deano…

    “The two old rivals clearly had become dear friends in the 44 years since Newell retired as Cal’s bench coach”

    So says a sportwriter SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE–I would be more than happy to share with you audio of private conversations with Coach that unequivocally disputes that claim.

    Newell worked in the front office of both the Lakers and Cavs but of course you wouldn’t know that if it wasn’t on wilipedia….

    “Why didn’t the UCLA ever do anything to Wooden? ” hmmm–why didnt the school that was winning championship after championship and cheating publicly in front of the NCAA who ignored it do anything? is that a serious question?

    “The NCAA didn’t do anything to Wooden because Wooden didn’t do anything wrong.”

    I am guessing you must be from Yorba Linda so I will repost again…pay attention this time okay?

    “The NCAA never bothered to investigate UCLA during Wooden’s time, part of its history of selective enforcement. During the 1960s and ’70s, the organization, run by old white men, was too busy going after small, upstart programs that dared to play too many African-Americans, launching inquiries into Texas Western/UTEP, Western Kentucky, Centenary and Long Beach State. Apparently a team capturing 10 titles in 12 years, putting together undefeated season after undefeated season, recruiting high school All-Americans from all over the country to sit on the bench, yet never having them transfer or declare hardship wasn’t enough for it to dawn on anyone at the NCAA that, gee, maybe they’re cheating? But that is your NCAA.”

    Once a cheater always a cheater and I am not sure Coach had less respect for any other Coach in his profession than Wooden–he knew all about him as did most other coaches–fraud

  • Steve

    Orkie:

    I’ve read some of your articles on the Internet. As a Trojan parent, and a UNC grad, I’m interested in what you think about the NCAA’s punishment of USC. Deserved? Excessive? Who at USC knew or should have known.

  • Hoosier

    Wow. John Wooden was the greatest man to grace the Earth with his presence in the 20th century. Shame on you for this article. Coach Wooden is now seated with his Lord and Savior as well as his beloved wife Nell, and he just looks down on this pathetic attempt to get a few reads and turns the other cheek. That’s how great of a man he was. Simply, he was the best. Grow up, sir.

  • The Philosopher

    There you have it. People cheated.

  • Dean Smith

    Orkie writes (again and again): “During the 1960s and ’70s, the organization, run by old white men, was too busy going after small, upstart programs that dared to play too many African-Americans, launching inquiries into Texas Western/UTEP, Western Kentucky, Centenary and Long Beach State.”

    You can’t answer how at least 25% of the teams whom UCLA faced in the championship game or were eliminated by in the Final Four during the 12-year UCLA dynasty were notorious big-time basketball programs one year off probation or even worse about to be put on probation for what they were doing that year, putting the lie to your argument.

    I’ll spell them out for you (again):

    Florida State

    NC State

    Villanova

    Also:

    UCLA basketball because of a league-wide FOOTBALL sanction was on probation for 3 YEARS during the Wooden years, which also helps explain why he didn’t win before 1963-4.

    And UCLA was put on probation five years after Wooden because of the Larry Brown years.

  • Dean Smith

    Also, Orkie, if you have blockbuster Pete Newell tapes, why in the world are you not releasing them?

  • Dean Smith

    Also, Orkie, since you speak for “most” coaches, please explain how the Sporting News recent final word, voted by some of the greatest coaches, once again–by a landslide–named Wooden the greatest coach of all time…

    college or professional

    in any sport.

  • Barry

    Wow, just goes to show that no matter how honest and upright you are some hopelessly cynical idiot with a computer and an internet connection will find a way to trash you with baseless innuendo. This piece is totally devoid of facts indicating that Wooden knew anything about any corrupt practices of Gilbert during his tenure. Even if Bill Walton’s first wife were a credible source with no ax to grind, what does it mean that Wooden “allowed” Walton to smoke pot? That he failed to follow him around everywhere he went to make sure he wasn’t smoking it?

    Mr. Coclanis, I would suggest a nice antidepressant. Or maybe you enjoy being a negativist. In which case, please drop dead.

  • Barry

    Oh, and to supplement my previous email, it’s a sure sign that you’re dealing with a kook when he starts talking about how such-and-such is the truth but “the media won’t report it.” Yeah, right. We all know how the media in this country just hates to dig up dirt on celebrities and sports stars. You know, they way they protected Tiger Woods’ reputation at all costs and refused to report on his philandering. Or the way this morning, they refused to report that Jamarcus Russell was arrested for having an unprescribed bottle of cough syrup. Mr. Colclanis, why don’t you go join your fellow kooky conspiracy theorists in the 9/11 Truth Movement, if you’re not already a card-carrying member.

  • John Johnson

    For all of you people wanting more facts, they have this thing called the internet, use it…. There are plenty of articles talking about this subject that go back many years.

  • Barry

    John Johnson:

    And not one of those articles contains facts establishing ANY culpability on the part of Wooden. Thank you for illuminating my point. The media HAS reported on this for a long time and has not unearthed a single piece of evidence incriminating John Wooden.

  • rusoviet

    Oh come let us adore him – for he is in the pantheon of the holy – oh come let us adore him St. John The Divine….

    His successor at UCLA Gene Bartow was amazed at the extent Gilbert’s talons had in the program and confronted him only to be told by Gilbert that he (Bartow) would be killed.

    You asses that bow to Wooden better understand ‘johnnie’ never had the stones to confront Gilbert 0- Gilbert took one look at ‘johnnie’ and laughed.

    Bobby Knight maybe a real troubled and messed up soul but he’s right about one thing he didn’t cheat woodie did and made sure any allusions to his corruption would be opened up after ‘johnnie’ passed on – that way acolytes could decry ‘he’s not here to defend himself’ DuFresne of the LA Times gave his holiness that chance but the fraud said ‘no’.

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