It’s already taken more shots than a group of sorority
girls in Cancun over Spring break, but the Pauley Pavilion mystique
absorbed the sort of thumping on Saturday that only the home team
used to deliver.
No. 2 Arizona stormed into Westwood, guns blazing, and left two
hours later with Steve Lavin’s job hanging by a thread.
Now as the reputation of UCLA basketball continues to crumble
under the weight of six straight home losses, it’s time for
Steve Lavin to do the honorable thing and resign.
Lavin has been the subject of profound media scrutiny throughout
his seven-year tenure, but this season, the flames from his hot
seat have engulfed the entire program.
Since the cries for his dismissal intensified after the
Bruins’ disheartening loss to USC, the squad’s play has
been decidedly lackadaisical. With UCLA’s streak of 54
consecutive winning seasons teetering in the balance, not one
player has shown any resolve including senior Jason Kapono, who has
disappeared like a naked albino man in a blizzard.
While Lavin cannot be blamed for all of his players’
shortcomings, he must be held responsible for not maximizing their
potential.
This year’s squad has nearly as many McDonald’s All
Americans (3) as victories (4), yet potential superstars Dijon
Thompson, T.J. Cummings, and particularly Cedric Bozeman still have
the same weaknesses they did coming out of high school.
Meanwhile, as the losses pile up, the atmosphere at Pauley
Pavilion has deteriorated from lethargic to caustic to downright
tragic. Lately, catcalls have rained down from the rafters like
beads and bras on Mardi Gras, and the Bruins have been booed off
the court in each of the past three home games.
Some students have come to games clad in T-shirts displaying
Lavin’s image hung in effigy, while others have worn paper
bags over their heads. Many UCLA alums are openly rooting against
their alma mater in hopes that each Bruin loss tightens the noose
around Lavin’s neck.
As long as Lavin remains the ringmaster of this travelling
circus, the ambience can only grow more hostile.
Dan Guerrero has already made it clear that he does not plan to
make a change in the middle of the season, so unless Lavin starts
hurling obscenities at John Wooden, the decision to stay or go will
likely be his own.
While Lavin stated last Tuesday that he has not even considered
leaving Westwood, his resignation is the only way to keep the
season from deteriorating into a state of ugliness usually reserved
for south campus majors or people from Wisconsin.
As long as Lavin remains the head coach of the Bruins, the fans
and media will continue to focus more on death throes than free
throws.
But if he were to resign immediately, it would serve as an
instant tourniquet for the program. The players could concentrate
on simply playing basketball, and the energy around the program
would be far more positive.
Right now the Bruins just appear mentally exhausted.
“It was tough seeing the looks on their faces,”
Arizona guard Salim Stoudamire said after Saturday’s game.
“They were moping. They just looked sad.”
Not as sad as a bewildered Guerrero appeared in the stands.
He had to be considering how this and future nationally
televised debacles could impact the program in the future. You can
just imagine all the elite prep players who put their letters from
UCLA into the paper shredder as the Wildcats’ lead continued
to increase exponentially.
Perhaps the most telling indication of how bad things have
gotten in Westwood were Arizona State head coach Rob Evans’
comments after the Sun Devils dispatched of the Bruins on Thursday
night.
“It’s just another road win for us,” Evans
said. “We don’t get too excited about beating UCLA any
more than we do about beating Washington State.”
Because his editor was born in Wisconsin, Eisenberg’s job
might also be hanging by a thread. Offer him some much needed
support at jeisenberg@media.ucla.edu.