Twenty-seven days, ladies and gentlemen.
The UCLA basketball team plays its first exhibition game in a mere 27 days.
And you know what? I can’t wait!
Here are 27 reasons why:
27. Let’s get this one out of the way: 59-0.
26. The 45-minute car ride to Pasadena is grueling.
25. The 45-minute car ride back to Westwood is worse.
24. The 10-minute walk to Pauley Pavilion is pleasant.
23. The 10-minute walk from Pauley is blissful.
22. The Rose Bowl may be a picturesque venue, but it does not mix well with 90-degree weather.
21. Coach Ben Howland’s defense can stop teams from scoring. Unlike, uh, yeah.
20. Jordan Farmar, Arron Afflalo, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook ““ who’s next?
19. The “C” on the front of the UCLA jerseys will return to its true, natural form.
18. The Bruins had a 35-4 record last season, which ended with a trip to San Antonio.
17. The Rose Bowl may hold 92,542 fans, but Pauley’s capacity of 12,819 feels grander.
16. Tailgating is fun, but camping outside of Pauley for a night (or two) is a better experience.
15. I’m broke and in college, yet, you’re asking me to pay $15 to park my car at the Rose Bowl?
14. But I will pay $60 for EA Sports’ March Madness, which touts Kevin Love on its cover.
13. Basketball road games don’t serve as torture.
12. A realistic possibility of hanging championship banner No. 12 at season’s end.
11. Nothing beats courtside seats.
10. The Bruins are the reigning Pac-10 champions.
9. There is no punting in basketball.
8. Sure, 20-yard rumbles are beautiful. But fast break dunks make me cry.
7. Former coach Steve Lavin is bound to visit Pauley at one point ““ and you know what that means.
6. The Bruins own USC at the Galen Center, winning the two games played there since it opened two years ago.
5. Fabulous five: Jerime Anderson, Drew Gordon, Jrue Holiday, Malcolm Lee and J’mison Morgan.
4. A fourth straight Final Four appearance lurks on the horizon.
3. Scoring three points in a possession is a good thing.
2. Point guard Darren Collison is primed for a stellar senior season.
1. John Wooden.
If you already bought your plane tickets to Detroit for next year’s Final Four, e-mail Angulo at bangulo@media.ucla.edu.