2008 Woodie Awards
Lavin anticipates end of career at UCLA
Greg Schain--Daily Bruin (U. California-Los Angeles)
Issue date: 2/19/03 Section: Sports
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(U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES - Steve Lavin will either have to come up with a new hairdo or buy cheaper gel.
Affording top-of-the-line hair products might be difficult if he is fired as expected at the end of the season.
At this point, Lavin's future isn't just speculation; the coach is clearly resigned to a lame duck role.
When former Bruin Billy Knight called Lavin this week to offer his support, Lavin could only laugh.
"Hang in there," Knight said on Lavin's voicemail. "I know you'll be back next year."
"I thought he must not be getting the news from here," Lavin said. "I guess he's not reading USA Today."
With a new athletic director in place and the Bruins' inability to advance beyond the Sweet 16 in the past five seasons, Lavin was already on the hot seat coming into the season. It likely would have taken at least another Sweet 16 appearance, and possibly more, to save his job.
But with the team's current 5-16 record, and ninth-place standing in the Pac-10, even an NCAA tournament berth is just about impossible.
Even if the Bruins do manage to make the Pac-10 tournament and win it to earn an automatic tournament berth, the team's poor regular season performance certainly would not be forgotten by Athletic Director Dan Guerrero.
So Lavin is already talking about who might replace him in one of the most high-profile jobs in college basketball.
"[Pittsburgh coach] Ben Howland, [Gonzaga's] Mark Few, [UC Santa Barbara's] Bob Williams, [Kansas'] Roy Williams, and [UC Irvine's] Pat Douglass," Lavin said. "These are my list of candidates."
When asked what it will take for any of them to succeed at UCLA, Lavin gave a trite response.
"If you produce, you get the coach," he said. "If not, you're unemployed."
Even though his future seems decided, Lavin is refusing to throw in the towel on this season. Despite 10 straight Pac-10 losses, he is still using the possibility of postseason play as motivation for his players.
"Talks like 'win one for the gipper' don't seem appropriate," Lavin said.
And his players haven't noticed his focus waning as his farewell tour comes to an end. They say he is still only thinking about UCLA basketball, and not where he might be next year.
"I don't think he's thinking about what his next job is," guard Jon Crispin said.
Affording top-of-the-line hair products might be difficult if he is fired as expected at the end of the season.
At this point, Lavin's future isn't just speculation; the coach is clearly resigned to a lame duck role.
When former Bruin Billy Knight called Lavin this week to offer his support, Lavin could only laugh.
"Hang in there," Knight said on Lavin's voicemail. "I know you'll be back next year."
"I thought he must not be getting the news from here," Lavin said. "I guess he's not reading USA Today."
With a new athletic director in place and the Bruins' inability to advance beyond the Sweet 16 in the past five seasons, Lavin was already on the hot seat coming into the season. It likely would have taken at least another Sweet 16 appearance, and possibly more, to save his job.
But with the team's current 5-16 record, and ninth-place standing in the Pac-10, even an NCAA tournament berth is just about impossible.
Even if the Bruins do manage to make the Pac-10 tournament and win it to earn an automatic tournament berth, the team's poor regular season performance certainly would not be forgotten by Athletic Director Dan Guerrero.
So Lavin is already talking about who might replace him in one of the most high-profile jobs in college basketball.
"[Pittsburgh coach] Ben Howland, [Gonzaga's] Mark Few, [UC Santa Barbara's] Bob Williams, [Kansas'] Roy Williams, and [UC Irvine's] Pat Douglass," Lavin said. "These are my list of candidates."
When asked what it will take for any of them to succeed at UCLA, Lavin gave a trite response.
"If you produce, you get the coach," he said. "If not, you're unemployed."
Even though his future seems decided, Lavin is refusing to throw in the towel on this season. Despite 10 straight Pac-10 losses, he is still using the possibility of postseason play as motivation for his players.
"Talks like 'win one for the gipper' don't seem appropriate," Lavin said.
And his players haven't noticed his focus waning as his farewell tour comes to an end. They say he is still only thinking about UCLA basketball, and not where he might be next year.
"I don't think he's thinking about what his next job is," guard Jon Crispin said.