San Jose, Calif. – He looks like Homer Simpson.
He leads like no basketball coach at UCLA since John Wooden.
You can more easily comb a part on the skin of a peach than find hair on the head of Ben Howland, who, at first glance, appears to be about as soft and even less threatening than your average white guy, directing the action with a TV clicker from his Barcalounger in the suburbs.
Which made the T-shirt all the more hilarious.
“Howland is our Homeboy,” was the bodacious statement worn across the chest of a fan in attendance at the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
UCLA is the most-storied hoops program in America.
And did the Bruins represent, or what?
They gave Kansas a 68-55 beatdown to gain a berth in the Final Four.
Let’s face it. UCLA has long fought a reputation for being as soft and pretty as the school’s baby-blue uniforms.
For years, the roster was loaded with as much talent as any team in the country. Too often, the Bruins acted like Teddy Bears.
No more.
“We beat the best team we played all year,” said Howland, whose Bruins won for the 30th time.
Sure, Howland appears to be a little pudgy, not unlike most middle-aged men. But this 49-year-old coach is one phat dude. His name is Ben, but he’s anything except gentle.
Many seasons and several pounds ago, Howland played basketball for Weber State, where he was so tenacious on defense as to telephone a friend in the middle of the night, promising to give Arkansas star Sidney Moncrief a hurtin’ during the 1979 NCAA Tournament.
Howland is all up in your face, even during news conferences, where he can be almost as prickly as Bob Knight, the old master of making everybody in the room uncomfortable except himself.
On the eve of the West Regional final, when Howland met with the media, the question-and-answer session was disturbed by the din of rude voices outside a nearby door. Like any good hall monitor, Howland demanded quiet, then proceeded to set more ground rules for how the press and his players would behave in his presence.
“I just like this to be run in a proper fashion,” Howland explained.
Whatever homeboy wants, homeboy gets.
“Having a coach being so detailed, it makes us a better team,” UCLA guard Darren Collison said. “We’re not going to miss on any beat.”
In advancing to the Elite Eight, Kansas had gunned down three foes with deadly 56 percent shooting from the field, proving that this sport can have no more intimidating weapon than something as delicate as a jump shot.
After the Big 12 Conference champions raced to a 27-21 lead in the first half, Howland was one angry bear on the UCLA bench, growling at his players for more effort.
When the Bruins immediately began pushing the pace to a place where the Jayhawks knew they weren’t in Kansas anymore, Howland enthusiastically pumped his fists with such force that the California crowd mimicked the coach’s intensity, giving UCLA a decided home-court advantage.
Howland is their homeboy.
“I think we got sped up,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. He watched in frustration as the Jayhawks lost their poise, then their touch, and were ultimately left to explain how they missed 33-of-56 attempts from the field.
“They’re a great defensive team,” Self was forced to say of the Bruins.
Guard Arron Afflalo led UCLA with 24 points, as the Bruins imposed their will during a second half in which they absolutely dominated the Jayhawks, who had won 14 straight times, dating to early February.
Wooden became a living legend by claiming 10 national titles for the Bruins. Jim Harrick added one more championship in 1995, but ultimately left the school out the side door, after proving to be no wizard.
In his fourth year on the hot seat at UCLA, Howland has now led the Bruins to the Final Four in two consecutive seasons.
That does not qualify as a dynasty.
But it’s reason to shout.
Howland is their homeboy.
Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
