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UCLA is interesting

nole96

Well-Known Member
Oct 9, 2002
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Could they win the Pac-12 regular-season and not make the tournament? Don't think that's ever happened before for a major conference, but right now they are tied for the Pac-12 lead but are not even a bubble team. #84 Kenpom, #78 NET, and only appear on 2 of 94 brackets in Bracket Matrix.
 
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Here. Grew up a Bruin fan. Still am. Attended FSU and a fan as well. When you’ve had John Wooden and been the best ever, hard to get excited about mediocrity. Pulling for them to make the tourney tho.

I understand. I had no desire to post during the end of Tubby's tenure or BCG's two years (I also was a young guy and dgaf about internet). Cal got me excited about UK basketball again.

You like the Cronin hire?
 
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I understand. I had no desire to post during the end of Tubby's tenure or BCG's two years (I also was a young guy and dgaf about internet). Cal got me excited about UK basketball again.

You like the Cronin hire?

Lol, didn’t even know who the HC was until a day ago when I was looking up some facts during the Wooden era. He’s coached Cincy? Don’t know enough about him to form an opinion yet. Bruins look like they’ve gotten better as the season has progressed. May have lost too many too early to make the tourney eh?
 
I understand. I had no desire to post during the end of Tubby's tenure or BCG's two years (I also was a young guy and dgaf about internet). Cal got me excited about UK basketball again.

You like the Cronin hire?

I always thought Cronin was perfect for Cincy. He really seemed to fit their trash/thug culture. It seemed like a massively weird jump for him to go to LA, but it does seem to be working for him this year.
 
Cronin did nothing in the post season @ Cincy a pretty blah resume and strange hire. I wonder how many others got offered before they inked him.

If they have ANY prominent former players coaching they should go that direction next.
 
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I always thought Cronin was perfect for Cincy. He really seemed to fit their trash/thug culture. It seemed like a massively weird jump for him to go to LA, but it does seem to be working for him this year.

Really does seem weird. I think of offense when I think UCLA. I think defense with Cronin's Cincy teams.

Lol, didn’t even know who the HC was until a day ago when I was looking up some facts during the Wooden era. He’s coached Cincy? Don’t know enough about him to form an opinion yet. Bruins look like they’ve gotten better as the season has progressed. May have lost too many too early to make the tourney eh?

Last I seen they were close to the bubble. They could still get in. Hell, they could win the auto-bid. Probably need some others to lose games though.
 
UCLA actually isn't that far from making it as an at-large. The thing that will help them the most is they have 6 Quad 1 wins. They're also playing really, really well in the past month, winning 6 in a row, and 10 of their last 12.

If you look at the bracketmatrix, UCLA is one of the first 4 teams out. They're already in the mix for an at-large, just have a little more work to do to earn that bid.
 
Cronin's teams at Cincinnati weren't actually super-talented. It was mostly 3-star guys, sprinkled in with an occasional 4-star recruit. From his last 10 classes at Cincy, he only had 6 guys that were top 100 recruits. Only 3 times did he have a recruiting class ranked in the top 40.

His Cincinnati teams were thought of being defensive-minded, with offensive limitations. UCLA, in recent memory, is kind of the exact opposite. All offense, with limited defense. Will be fun to see how his teams progress in coming years. Having a team stocked full of 4-star recruits that can play defense could be very, very promising.
 
I agree. UCLA is interesting. They've won 11 national titles, yet their fanbase is extinct.
 
UCLA is not a top 25 fanbase, at least according to the number of Twitter followers. The data is from 17 months ago, but I doubt the needle has moved a whole lot since then.

DpqV0B4UcAEfu7l
 
I don't judge a fanbase from message boards/social media

UCLA has plenty of fans and when they win they have even more.
Do these fans feel tbe need to hit up national message boards and Twitter...
Most likely not.

Bandwagoners.

If they had a large and devoted fanbase, you would at least occasionally see one on a general CBB forum. I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't remember the last time I spotted one. Yet I see Indiana fans everywhere.
 
UCLA is not a top 25 fanbase, at least according to the number of Twitter followers. The data is from 17 months ago, but I doubt the needle has moved a whole lot since then.

DpqV0B4UcAEfu7l

Here comes Bert to refute this in 3...2...1...
 
Message boards/social media don't always equal reality.

But if they're nowhere to be found on message boards or Twitter, what are the odds that their fanbase even comes close to the top programs?

I wouldn't necessarily expect them to have the following of other bluebloods, but it's not like they've been any less relevant than Indiana. They had a really good team a few years ago and are consistently in the tourney. Three straight final fours just over a decade ago.
 
But if they're nowhere to be found on message boards or Twitter, what are the odds that their fanbase even comes close to the top programs?

I wouldn't necessarily expect them to have the following of other bluebloods, but it's not like they've been any less relevant than Indiana. They had a really good team a few years ago and are consistently in the tourney. Three straight final fours just over a decade ago.

These things aren't important.
What is important is how much pull does UCLA have.

Some schools have a lot of diehard fans but their name doesn't bring in causal basketball fans.
UCLA? I think they still do. I think UCLA in a Sweet 16 matchup is interesting for the TV networks.
 
These things aren't important.
What is important is how much pull does UCLA have.

Some schools have a lot of diehard fans but their name doesn't bring in causal basketball fans.
UCLA? I think they still do. I think UCLA in a Sweet 16 matchup is interesting for the TV networks.

That's the sad thing. A UCLA tourney game probably generates more interest outside of LA.
 
Even if you only get 15% of the media market in Southern California that is more than 100% of Kansas

Right, but I never claimed that UCLA is irrelevant to the NCAA or useless for ratings. Just that their fan interest is pretty pathetic relative to others.
 
UCLA is not a top 25 fanbase, at least according to the number of Twitter followers. The data is from 17 months ago, but I doubt the needle has moved a whole lot since then.

DpqV0B4UcAEfu7l
You just had to post something,showing UK, 5th---, Behind the likes of KU, Duke, IU, etc, etc..

The storm that follows is on your hands...
 
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Bandwagoners.

If they had a large and devoted fanbase, you would at least occasionally see one on a general CBB forum. I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't remember the last time I spotted one. Yet I see Indiana fans everywhere.

I grew up a UCLA fan. Still am. Went to FSU and pull for them. I am not on twitter. Just started posting on here more regularly. Go Noles Go Bruins! If they played for #1...I’d have a tough time. Likely go for FSU. I was a HUGE John Wooden fan.
 
I finished my USMC career at El Toro and lived out there for awhile after that.
Between 92-2007 I developed a respect for UCLA Basketball.
Wouldn't ever say I was a fan but March/April is the time for UCLA basketball in the sports news cycle.
Don't know if any other school does this or if they still do but Pauley Pavilion also had an open gym policy in the Summer.
Could find pickup games there and you never know who would show up.
 
I finished my USMC career at El Toro and lived out there for awhile after that.
Between 92-2007 I developed a respect for UCLA Basketball.
Wouldn't ever say I was a fan but March/April is the time for UCLA basketball in the sports news cycle.
Don't know if any other school does this or if they still do but Pauley Pavilion also had an open gym policy in the Summer.
Could find pickup games there and you never know who would show up.

After coach Wooden had heart issues late in his coaching career, he would walk the track at UCLA daily. Man would have been great to be out there and have a convo with him.
 
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