For years I have loved UCLA basketball and have hated UCLA basketball fans. Fans that love to tear an 18 year old's game down to either sucking or being awesome. To tell you the truth, most players are neither. However most people expect a player to come to UCLA and be awesome, and when they fall short I almost have to duck from the on slaught of people ready to kick the kid when he is down.

For example, JaRon Rush came into UCLA heralded as a scoring machine. Perhaps he doesn't have the drive that he was touted to have however he gave 100% on defense and hustle with a bad back. For any of us who have suffered back spasms will atest, shoving and out jumping players who are 3 or 4 inches taller for a rebound is he last thing we would want to do. Rush didn't write his scoring report. He simply giving his heart out on the floor and all the fans can do is call him an overrated bum.

Another example is Earl Watson. He was a nobody when he was picked up however he played on an elbow and heel that needed an operation throughout the season. He started as a freshman and was called to be a leader on the team despite being a sophomore. He has picked up when Baron has fallen short, with injuries and/or foul troubles. Watson is a 20 year old kid who also leaves it all on the floor, trying to make up with hustle with what he may lack in game. Still the fans yell, "you bum."

Steve Lavin ignores all of the cheap shots the Harrick and the media have thrown his way. In his classy way he has saved a program that was headed for ruin considering that Harrick was fired in the middle of recruiting. He was left with a few stars but very little depth and managed to have a fair amount of success. Without Lavin, our team does not have Baron Davis, Earl Watson, JaRon Rush, Dan Gadzuric, Jerome Moiso, and Ray Young. We probably end up with more 2nd tier players like Reed, Daley, and Hines and have to spend a number of years at .500 ball before an established coach can reload. Hazzard has clearly shown that UCLA does not recruit itself but the coach must go out and get kids. Still a young coach, he has steared us to the cusp of becoming a top team. If Baron decides to stay, in his 3rd year UCLA would be one of the favorites for a final four or even a finals birth. Not bad for the 3rd year of his tenure. But then again we blame Lavin for getting too good a player like Baron Davis who leavse but not good enough of a player like Earl Watson. Unfortunately it is these same fans that go an spam on all of the opponents boards when we win a national championship though b!tching all of the way.

Toledo starts his career barely over .500. He recruits a #1, #3, and a #5 recruiting class and he is heralded despite losing his top prize in JP Losman. Lavin recruits equally well loses Baron Davis to the NBA and Shea Cotton to an NCAA rule that has since been thrown out and we throw tomatos at him.

I had thought this is just the way of fans but after perusing the Utah Utes board I find that this is not true. That there are fans out there that support a team positively through thick and thin. A pity, I have always bragged that UCLA is a far better school however in this area we fall far short. The SC fans are right, we are UGLY.

Kawai...