Out of touch?

[wco81]

http://www.slate.com/id/2155116/?nav=tap3

Here I thought Wooden won because of overwhelming talent, not because of some control-freak discipline, like dictating what his players wore and ate.

But his influence is undeniable, not just in the NBA dress code but the whole reaction to the "thuggish" players of today.

Is the Wooden Way the only way to make NBA palatable to white America who's put off by the tatoos and the hip-hop ethos of the players? Can they only market the NBA to Middle America by using a family values strategist?

It seems like he wants to crush individuality and exalt the team and virtue over everything else. But the success of those UCLA teams were due to individual talent, like Alcindor and Walton.

[snaz16]

http://www.slate.com/id/2155116/?nav=tap3

Here I thought Wooden won because of overwhelming talent, not because of some control-freak discipline, like dictating what his players wore and ate.

But his influence is undeniable, not just in the NBA dress code but the whole reaction to the "thuggish" players of today.

Is the Wooden Way the only way to make NBA palatable to white America who's put off by the tatoos and the hip-hop ethos of the players? Can they only market the NBA to Middle America by using a family values strategist?

It seems like he wants to crush individuality and exalt the team and virtue over everything else. But the success of those UCLA teams were due to individual talent, like Alcindor and Walton.

Craggs is welcome to his own opinion,but its not one I share. I think its unfair to blame a man that hasn't coached in what,20 some years for today's NBA dress code and what not.
In regards to your last paragraph, last time I looked,basketball is a team game,and there better be some cohesiveness and discipline,along with talent,or your not going very far. One need only look at the past few World Championships and Olympics,where the USA has twice the "individual talent" than thier competition,yet routinely are getting beat. Playing fundamental basketball has given way to the " I'm an ESPN highlight".
A little bit of "Wooden" in today's game would be a benefit.

[Kanamit]

Wooden managed to win a championship before Kareem and Walton arrived.

http://www.hickoksports.com/history/hbwooden.shtml

Maybe if more coaches like Wooden were around the U.S. could win the gold in basketball again.

[Kazuya]

Craggs is welcome to his own opinion,but its not one I share. I think its unfair to blame a man that hasn't coached in what,20 some years for today's NBA dress code and what not.
In regards to your last paragraph, last time I looked,basketball is a team game,and there better be some cohesiveness and discipline,along with talent,or your not going very far. One need only look at the past few World Championships and Olympics,where the USA has twice the "individual talent" than thier competition,yet routinely are getting beat. Playing fundamental basketball has given way to the " I'm an ESPN highlight".
A little bit of "Wooden" in today's game would be a benefit.

Yeah, like that's why USA lost...

They lost because you can't throw a team of All-Stars together and expect them to beat a good team... and yes, all of the other nations out there have good teams. This ain't 1992. It has nothing to do with ESPN highlights.

People need to get a new criticism of the NBA, the one they're using is about ten years out of date. All of the great NBA players are fantastic team players (Wade, Nash, James, Nowitzki, etc.).

[XXXIV]

Yeah, like that's why USA lost...

They lost cause they were playing the superior Greeks.

Yasou Hellas!

[wco81]

I think the point is that a disciplinarian won't fly these days.

NCAA is now just a rest stop to the NBA for the top players, only stalled because of the Minimum Age rule.

Bobby Knight isn't getting the talent he used to.

In the '60s, you could enforce a pseudo-military regimen on kids but these days, the best prospects have been pumped up since middle school so they think the world is at their feet (and that is usually the case).

Coaches from several different top programs are auditioning to them and their parents whereas back then, who else competed with UCLA for talent? Westwood is a nice place and Pauley Pavillion was swanky compared to most gyms probably.

So kids are going to go with coaches who coddle them, not those who are going to yell at them all the time.

[sfz_T-car]

Wooden has been deified more than any coach not named Lombardi. Since his teams only exist as scratchy old highlight films and the fond memories of now middle aged men, he sits on a higher pedestal than mere mortal coaches of today, even guys like Krzyzewski, Torre and Belichick. Wooden's unequalled record, seven-point creed and grandfatherly image have become symbolic of everything that was good about the good old days. His failings, if there were any, have been buried under layers and layers of his legend.

Sport needs symbols like these even if they're not entirely true. Wooden was a great coach by all accounts, but he never coached in the pros, was active during a time with comparatively little media scrutiny, and didn't have to deal with the scholarship limits that level the playing field in college hoops.

I'm glad Wooden is still alive because basketball doesn't seem to respect its history as much as some other sports. But Craggs' article in Slate is as ridiculous as the stuff he used to write for the SF Weekly a few years ago. His basic premise is flawed and his arguments aren't entirely consistent.