Basketball’s former good luck charm reminisces

The names of UCLA basketball greats roll off the tongue like a
who’s who guide to the Basketball Hall of Fame: John Wooden,
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Sean Farnham. Sean who? Exactly,
sports fans.

Who is Sean Farnham? Farnham is a gangly, goofy guy who works
hard and laughs harder. Whether reporting on high school football
games for Fox Sports West or coordinating programs for UCLA’s
Academics in the Commons, Farnham goes through life smiling. I had
a chance to sit down with the 1996-2000 Bruin and do a little
reminiscing.

Eli Karon: Tell me about your time at UCLA

Sean Farnham: Just to be part of UCLA’s basketball
tradition and the pride and history of the program in a small,
semi-meaningless way is something I’m very proud of.

EK: You’re an opposing coach. How does the scouting report
on Sean Farnham read?

SF: Pure heart, baby. [Laughing] No, I’d say hustle, heart
and soul, physical, don’t worry about his outside jumper.

EK: Talk about your adjustment from high school to college
ball.

SF: When I came to UCLA, I came in playing every minute of every
single game I ever played in my entire life. I came to UCLA and I
sat on the bench basically for two years. I played 48 minutes in
two seasons.

Obviously, I was picking splinters for a long time. But that
toughens you up.

EK: How many games did you start while at UCLA?

SF: I started 18 games.

EK: What was your record in those 18 games?

SF: 16 and 2. We never lost a game I started in the regular
season.

EK: It seems like maybe you were a good luck charm “¦ Was
there any pressure on you?

SF: During my junior year, I started my last five games. The
last game of the year we were at Arizona, and they were pretty much
a buzz saw that year. And I wasn’t in the starting lineup.
After the game, which we lost by 36, I looked at coach (Lavin) and
said, “So, what’s up?” [Laughing]. And he said,
“Sean, I don’t even think your lucky charm could have
pulled out this W.”

EK: You follow the current team closely. Does part of you want
to be out there still?

SF: Oh, heck, I wish I could go back and play college all over
again. I’d go through everything: I’d sit on the bench,
I’d pay my dues, I’d get called “Water Boy”
up at Oregon State all over again. That was the best time of my
life. To be able to walk into Pauley Pavilion and play basketball
every single day is truly a blessing.

EK: Talk about coming in off the bench versus starting.

SF: I enjoyed starting; I’m not going to lie. I wish I
could have started every single game. My perspective on it was
this: Coach deemed me worthy of starting. I would start, I would
play my two minutes, and I would go sit down. That’s the
thing that was so funny. So many people got caught up with me
starting.

I played two minutes. It wasn’t like I started and played
for an eternity.

EK: You played for UCLA, and now you work for UCLA.

How has that been?

SF: I love working up here at UCLA, doing the Academics in the
Commons program, working with students, doing summer orientation,
and doing workshops there. I have a great time, and I feel blessed
to even be on the campus still.

EK: How do you think people remember you?

SF: I think when people look back at me they say: “˜He
worked hard; his talent was limited, but he was a winner, and he
did whatever it took to win.’ That’s the thing
I’m most proud of.

Farnham also likes country music and rodeos. E-mail Karon at
ekaron@media.ucla.edu.

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