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# UCLA’s basketball season, the opposite of kvelling
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/uclas-basketball-season-the-opposite-of-kvelling/
- Published: 2008-04-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T23:52:59.000Z
- Author: Jack Neworth
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

LAST WEEK, ON THE ROAD TO POSSIBLY winning their 12th NCAA basketball championship, UCLA lost in the semis to Memphis by 15 points. And it wasn’t really that close. In the championship game on Monday, Memphis led Kansas by 9 points with 2 minutes to go and lost. If UCLA had been that close to winning it all, and lost, I wouldn’t be writing this, I’d still be at the emergency room.

It’s an odd habit but I videotape the UCLA games as I watch. Then later I can see it again without all the tension. After the Memphis game instead of watching it, I used the tape to record Saturday Night Live. It was hosted by Christopher Walken. At least something that day was funny.

I was so depressed by UCLA’s one-sided loss that I forgot there was a second game. By the time I turned it on No. 1 seed North Carolina was already down by 28 points to Kansas. Somehow I found North Carolina’s loss comforting. Apparently misery does love company.

The sad reality about the NCAA tournament is that of the 65 teams that enter, technically, 64 go home losers. But for those teams, like Davidson, who did better than expected, the tournament was a morale boost, giving hope for next season. I don’t think it was a morale boost for UCLA.

With freshman sensation Kevin Love, this year was to have been UCLA’s year. Love was even on the cover of Sport Illustrated’s March Madness issue (the infamous S.I. jinx).

After the loss the Bruin players were heartbroken.“This is going to be in the back of my mind for the rest of my life,” said senior Lorenzo Mata-Real in near tears. Darren Collison echoed the feeling. It doesn’t seem fair. This team worked so hard all season, pulled out so many close games, and won the Pac-10 title for the third year in a row. But, fair or not, nobody remembers who came in second (or in this case, tied for third).

For three straight years now the Bruins have come up short in the big game — very short. Sports writer Bill Plaschke noted in his L.A. Times column that it may be time for a new approach. “The view that Howland’s hard-nosed schemes can control far quicker and more athletic teams was misguided.” Not ungrateful for Howland’s restoring UCLA’s prestige, I tend to agree.

The Bruin offense was often so methodical. I recall a game, with 7 minutes left in the first half, that they had scored a total of 11 points. They always managed to turn it around … except against Memphis. So far Howland’s a little defensive about the criticism. Then again, he’s a defensive specialist. I hope he can realize that sometimes it takes a big man to make changes, as opposed to rigidly “staying the course.” Now where have I heard that phrase before?

It’s all but certain Love and Collison will leave for the pros. I just hope that’s all. Of course, who could blame them? Memphis coach Calipari had a good line about his star freshman guard, Derrick Rose. “If Derrick cares about his financial future and that of his family, he’ll go pro. If he cares about mine, he’ll come back for another year.”

For now there’s an empty feeling where the UCLA basketball team used to be. At least I’ve got the Lakers. I’m not quite as emotionally connected to the Lakers as I am to UCLA, but they’ll do. The Dodgers, you say? I know it’s early, but I can’t seem to get into it. Judging from their record, neither can they. On TV the other night, the Lakers were playing the Mavericks and the Dodgers were playing the Padres. The Lakers game was so intense that, during a commercial, I needed to relax so I flipped to the Dodgers.

If the Lakers are bad for my blood pressure, the Dodgers are like biofeedback. Nothing ever seems to happen. And lately, if it does, it’s bad. Brad Penny stares in to get the sign from Russell Martin. Yawn. I flip back to the Lakers. Two minutes to go, Kobe ties the game on a 3-pointer! Time out. I flip back to the Dodgers. Andruw Jones strikes out again. My eyes are getting heavy. Very, very heavy.

The scary thing is sometime soon (right after the Lakers season) I’ll watch the Dodgers and find the action riveting. I’ll be on the edge of my seat. Well, maybe not the edge. As for my beloved Bruins, last week I wrote that if UCLA won the championship I’d be kvelling, which is Yiddish for “beaming with pride.” I’m not sure what the opposite of kvelling is, but I have a feeling that’s what I am.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 11, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/041108.pdf?ref=smdp.com)