There are no As for effort in basketball. No “close but no cigars.” The horseshoes and hand grenades rule of thumb is in full effect. But what UCLA did against No. 7 Arizona Saturday deserves some sort of credit. Despite the 57-47 loss, the Bruins hung with the Wildcats for most of the game and […]
Category Archives: Sports Columns
Bo Knows: Patience is key as Pac-12 struggles with loss of top players
UCLA men’s basketball’s struggles this season have been well documented. Just last week, I wrote that the Bruins’ NCAA tournament hopes were looking dim after their last-minute loss to the Cal Golden Bears. Yet now, somehow, the Bruins are tied for third in the Pac-12, seem to be in very good position to earn a […]
Bo Knows: Men’s basketball’s chances of making NCAA are bleak
I was ready to claim UCLA men’s basketball had a realistic shot at making the NCAA tournament, but then Cal had to come along and ruin it all. Well, that’s not totally accurate. The Bruins shoulder full responsibility for the mess they now find themselves in. After everything UCLA has been through this season – […]
Bo Knows: Men’s basketball’s home, road play presents dichotomy
How confusing has this UCLA men’s basketball season been? Just five days after one of its least impressive performances on the road at Oregon, UCLA returned home and cruised to a relatively easy victory over No. 11 Utah. Huh? How could a team that struggled so mightily against Oregon State (14-7, 5-4 Pac-12) and Oregon […]
Bo Knows: Backlash on Steve Alford after five-game losing streak unwarranted
For a fan base that rarely fills the seats of Pauley Pavilion and that cheers louder for winning coupons to Yogurtland than its team winning games, UCLA basketball fans certainly seem passionate in their opinions of second-year coach Steve Alford. As the Bruins languished in their five-game losing streak, pockmarked by their embarrassing blowout losses […]
Bo Knows: Despite unrealistic expectations, UCLA football season still a success
The expectations could hardly have been higher. Coming into the season, UCLA was the hot choice for college football playoff predictions. Three out of seven Sports Illustrated experts picked the Bruins to reach the playoffs and another three picked them to at least play in a New Year’s Six bowl game. Among the 23 ESPN […]
Bo Knows: Loss to Kentucky signals need for change in UCLA’s recruiting strategy
This post was updated on Dec. 20 at 9:30 p.m. CHICAGO — I’ll start with the obvious part: UCLA is about as far away from being near Kentucky’s level as possible. The Bruins served as the Wildcats’ punching bag for 40 minutes, trailing 24-0 to start the game, 41-7 at halftime and 83-44 by the […]