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Pastimes : 1998-1999 NCAA Men's College Basketball -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eddie Kim who wrote (235)	12/18/1998 11:23:00 AM
From: The Street	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 571

Egads-- he went to PU university. At least he is from Indiana: John Wooden comes home to Indiana for the Final Four -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDIANPOLIS (March 27, 197) -- So what's UCLA coaching legend John Wooden up to these days? Not much, except tending to his seven grandchildren and 10 (and soon to be 11) great-grandchildren; writing two books; reading biographies and Tom Clancy novels; studying Zen and its application to basketball (he gleaned that interest from the Chicago Bulls' Phil Jackson); attending every UCLA home basketball game; counseling the Bruins' young coach, Steve Lavin; working with the McDonald's high school All-American basketball game; and continuing to espouse his "Pyramid of Success" in speaking engagements for Arthur Andersen & Co. Not bad for an 86-year-old. Come to think of it, not bad for a 26-year-old. "They say it's what you learn after you know it all that counts," the Wizard of Westwood said last week, sounding strong and vigorous during a telephone interview from his Southern California home. So now it's Final Four weekend and how can there be one -- especially one in Indiana -- without John Wooden? The good news is, there won't be. The former Martinsville and Purdue legend who went on to coach UCLA to 10 NCAA championships in 12 years returns to basketball's heartland this weekend. He will be in the RCA Dome to witness Monday night's championship game. Wooden said he will arrive late Saturday night, hopes to spend Easter Sunday visiting friends in Martinsville, will speak to an Arthur Andersen gathering Monday at the Columbia Club, then go to the Dome for Monday night's championship game. "I'm doing as well as an 86-year-old should, I guess," Wooden said. "I'm very blessed and very thankful." Until Saturday, Wooden had a strong rooting interest in the tournament. UCLA, guided by the 32-year-old Lavin, made it to the Midwest Regional finals before losing to Minnesota. Since coming to UCLA, Lavin -- a former Purdue assistant -- has sought Wooden's counsel on a regular basis, a wise decision considering Wooden already had won two NCAA titles before Lavin was born. "I've been very impressed with the way this young coach brought this team along," Wooden said. "I visit a lot with Steve. I don't give advice, I give opinions ... on whatever he asks." Thus, asked his opinions on various subjects, Wooden produced the following thoughts. On the growth of the Final Four: "They're taking the games into the big buildings, but look back years ago at high school. We played at Butler Fieldhouse and there would be 16,000 for the state high school tournament. It was always full and they could have sold a lot more. So the interest has always been there; now they just have bigger and better places." On the current state of basketball: "I still think it's the best spectator sport of all. It's played with the largest ball on the smallest court. It's a game of action and I think fans know more about basketball than they do any other sport." On what he doesn't like about today's game: "I think there's too much showmanship. That I don't like. It's a game of beauty and finesse. I don't like to see physical strength and showmanship take over. You run a nice play, a give-and-go, a screen-and-role, score a nice basket and the crowd gives a little cheer. Then somebody comes in and makes a dunk and the whole crowd roars. I don't like that." On the change in Indiana from one-class to four-class basketball: "I'm glad the Martinsville girls won because it will be memorable as the last hurrah. It's a question of whether you want to be a big fish in a little pond or little fish in a big pond." Those who have the privilege of hearing Wooden's speech Monday will be treated to his Pyramid of Success. It is a collection of words, thoughts and phrases that have as much relevance today as they did when they first came to Wooden's mind. "I coined the definition in 1934, and completed the pyramid when I was coaching at Indiana State in 1948, just before I came to UCLA," Wooden said. "I haven't revised it any since that time." 7 Those thoughts and phrases added up to Wooden's definition of success. "Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming," he writes. That statement not only defines success, it defines John Wooden. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Benner is a sports columnist for the Indianapolis Star and News.