Coach Ben Howland Gets It

Adam Morrison

There is a reason why I do not watch NBA basketball anymore. Gonzaga player Adam Morrison who is a great player and did all he could for his team, was crushed after leading the entire game and losing it in the last 10 seconds. He collapsed in tears with disbelief afterwards. Then, two Bruin players did something that is missing in professional sports.

Hollins and Afflalo went to help up Morrison, who was spread on the floor at midcourt. Few then came to hug the crying Morrison.

“That’s just a sign of a great program and great people,” Morrison said. “They had enough guts as a man in their moment of victory to pick another man up off the floor. That’s more than basketball and I would thank them if I could.”

UCLA Ben Howland has understood what all his predecessors since the legendary John Wooden could not. As a coach, you are in the business of not only coaching good basketball players, you are raising boys to be men.