ANDREW HOWARD
This summer, a rare incident occurred in the athletic world at our fine institution that set this summer apart from the numerous ones before it.
It wasn’t the absence of exciting and heart-pounding Bruin sports action, because that is absent about almost every lonesome summer. It wasn’t the presence of the English Premier League powerhouse Chelsea, because they made a similar trip to campus last summer. Nor was it a sighting of USC fans cheering on a clearly superior athletic program, because we all know they are too caught up in football to realize that athletic prominence requires success in all sports.
It was an event that at first might seem insignificant and, in reality, does not have a widespread impact on the student body. But, this uncommon episode speaks volumes about the athletic excellence and appeal of UCLA and the surrounding Westwood area: A head coach voluntarily left for a head position at another university. That was O.D. Vincent, head coach of the men’s golf team, who left to coach the Duke Blue Devils.
This incident is rare and significant when you realize that Vincent was the first UCLA coach to leave for another university in over 30 years. To put this staggering statistic into context, the last time this happened, John Wooden was coaching Bill Walton and the basketball team to one of his 10 national titles, Star Wars was awing the nation with its “special effects,” and the No. 1 song on the Billboard charts was Don MacLean’s “American Pie.” Long time, right?
This is not to say that some assistant coaches have not left for head coaching jobs at other universities. In April, Kerry Keating, an assistant coach on the men’s basketball team, left for the head job at Santa Clara. But his decision to leave a lower-paying assistant position for a higher-paying and more recognizable head position is understandable and permissible no matter the location … except maybe USC.
But you hardly ever see a head coach do what Vincent did. Which begs the question: Why? Why doesn’t this happen more often?
The answer is that UCLA provides everything a coach, athlete, sports fan and student could hope to desire.
For head coaches, the school has an athletic director who is dedicated to building exceptional programs in a wide variety of sports. From the resurgence of basketball and baseball, to the continuing dominance of the soccer and water polo programs, Dan Guerrero has played a significant role and is someone coaches can trust and find encouragement in. Plus, head coaches benefit from UCLA’s location and legacy in terms of recruiting. Southern California produces some of the nation’s premier athletes in all sorts of sports, and UCLA has an edge over say, Notre Dame, Michigan and Duke because of its close proximity to beaches and entertainment hotspots, and the ever pleasant weather.
For athletes, coming to UCLA ensures that you will be battling for national championships in virtually every sport. It means that you will have access to world-class training facilities and programs. And finally, you will have the opportunity to play in front of some of the most passionate and dedicated fan base the nation has to offer.
For sports fans, this is one of the big reasons you came to UCLA (at least it was for this particular fan). UCLA has more national championships than any other collegiate athletic program in the nation. As fans of Bruin athletics, we should continually feel blessed and thankful. Many outsiders regard us as only a basketball institution, but that observation would be a glaring mistake. UCLA has many teams that are ranked in the top 25 and that have a legitimate chance to bring home a championship this year. Both soccer teams, both volleyball teams, both water polo teams, and baseball all have justifiable national title aspirations. And I didn’t even mention our men’s basketball team, which many experts have beginning the year at No. 1 in the nation. We are blessed with a wealth of outstanding sports teams to root for. In other words, UCLA is a sports fan’s paradise.
For students, UCLA is a first-class institution and provides students with a multitude of opportunities to pursue a career in a field of their choice. In addition to the wonderful education that will more than prepare you for the real world, UCLA is located just minutes away from Westwood and all that it has to offer. Buck Fitty’s, In-N-Out, Diddy Riese, Mr. Noodle, Gushi, Stan’s Donuts, HD movie theaters ““ do I need to continue?
What I am trying to say is that it is rare to see a head coach leave UCLA for another head coaching job. And the reason for that is all that UCLA has to offer. So, my fellow Bruins, take pride in your school because we are truly lucky and blessed. Because where else can you get a delicious burrito for $1.50, a tasty ice cream sandwich for $1.25, and watch a movie in theaters that show premieres seemingly every week, all in the same night? I rest my case.
E-mail Howard at
ahoward@media.ucla.edu if you’ve eaten Buck Fitty’s and Diddy Riese while watching a premiere in Westwood.
E-mail Howard at ahoward@media.ucla.edu if you’ve eaten Buck Fitty’s and Diddy Riese while watching a premiere in Westwood.