(“The TEN” is not a top ten but ten items worth being included in “The TEN”)
1. Free agent Manny Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres.
2. Former Dodger great Don Newcombe passed away at the age of 92.
3. Former Seattle Seahawks receiver T.J. Cunningham was shot and killed in a dispute Sunday.
4. College Basketball Top 5: 1. Duke 2. Gonzaga 3. Virginia 4. Kentucky 5. Tennessee.
5. Warren is expected to name a head football coach this week.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney and receiver Antonio Brown agree that it’s time for Brown to move on.
7. UCLA is currently 13-13 overall and 6-7 in the PAC 12 (9th place).
8. Former NBA All-Star/ TNT analyst Charles Barkley turns 56 today.
9. On this day in 1963 Willie Mays signed a then record $100,000 per year contract with the San Francisco Giants.
10. “I could have rolled the ball up there against Musial and he would have pulled out a golf club and hit it out.” – Don Newcombe.
With UCLA basketball struggling, thoughts naturally turn to who the next coaching savior will be. Many have speculated that Luke Walton will be fired at season’s end, and believe this kid would be a great fit in Westwood. I say Luke would be similar to Alford, minus the recruiting ability. Better to hire a shark like Rick Pitino, let him run a dirty program and win big, then deny any knowledge of wrongdoing when the thing blows-up. Truth is, John Wooden ran a dirty program too (via Sam Gilbert), but was canonized in retirement, simply because he operated in a different time. Winning is the thing UCLA needs, damn the cost.
It seems like the length of an entire season has passed since Warren began its monumental search for exactly the right guy. What’s the holdup here? I’ve seen dead men move faster, and for far more important things.
From T. Peterson: True but it’s still only February. I’ve seen head coaches hired in May or June. As long as they get the right guy that’s the important thing.