SAN JOSE “”mdash; There is a God.
I’m not sure there is too much in the way of other explanation for what UCLA did to Kansas on Saturday.
After drinking 48 ounces of the finest brew Budweiser has to offer in the parking lot, I rolled into HP Pavilion about 20 minutes before tip-off not even remotely inebriated; the edge that I had felt for most of two days had not even remotely worn off.
As tense as I was toward the end of the Pittsburgh game as the lead was whittled down to five points, it did not even come close to matching the tension of the first moments of Saturday’s West Regional final. Kansas was supposed to be the team to give UCLA fits ““ the team that was the most difficult to match up against.
For most of the first half, it kind of looked that way. UCLA was playing really well, but Kansas was also playing really well. It just looked as if it were a matter of time until the athleticism and energy of the Jayhawks would wear down the Bruins.
Then the Bruins went on their run.
Arron Afflalo hit one of his patented herky-jerky, I-have-zero-athleticism-but-I-will-still-score-this-ball layups. Josh Shipp had one of his not-so-patented 3-pointers to close the half.
UCLA went into the half leading by four, and never trailed again.
Take a moment. Realize that Kansas played well. The Jayhawks played hard, gave the Bruins fits on defense with their athleticism and length, and got some easy dunks on alley-oops. Yet UCLA led throughout the entire second half.
I have no explanation. I desire no explanation.
For some reason Shipp can hit 3s now; for some reason Luc Richard Mbah a Moute can block the most athletic players he will face all year flat-footed; for some reason Afflalo and Darren Collison can hit well-guarded prayers from 25 feet.
For some reason, there were people who actually expected Bill Self to out coach Ben Howland.
And for some reason, it was Howland leading the 8-clap before cutting down the final net as UCLA advanced on to the Final Four.
There is probably an explanation. Probably something having to do with Xs and/or Os. I don’t care.
All I know is that it was pretty freaking sweet.
But it is not enough.
I hate to be that guy, but as good as this feels, it’s not over.
UCLA needs to win the national championship.
Back-to-back Final Fours ““ that’s great. Fantastic, even.
But take a look at Pauley Pavilion. Really soak it all in for a second. (I’ll wait while you break in.)
There are many banners hanging from the roof. Many sports, many years.
What do they all have in common? They are national title banners.
A Final Four is great. It means UCLA really is back for good, and proves to the national media that the Bruins are back among the elite.
But who cares? What matters to the national media has less significance for UCLA fans.
And UCLA fans are firm believers that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
We’ve known all year long that UCLA is among the top four teams in the nation. All this accomplishment really does is reaffirm that.
What do I want? I want UCLA to be known as the best.
I want UCLA to go through Florida and North Carolina to definitely show that not only is UCLA the best team in the nation, but also it dethroned the last two national title winners to take the crown.
I want to go to Atlanta and make it my favorite city in America.
There’s only one way to do that, and with my lack of jump shot, athleticism or any form of basketball skill I probably can’t do it myself.
A national championship.
It’s really not a huge favor to ask, is it?
E-mail Woods at dwoods@media.ucla.edu if you found religion on Saturday.