In Reply to: Why is this relevant? posted by ClockBlocker on January 17, 2026 at 22:36:49
don't believe he was asking about advertising deals but rather about what the level of investment in personnel is for UCLA vis a vis that of the schools, particularly in our conference, with whom we are directly competing.
Seems a relevant question about how level the playing field is at least in that aspect. But to me questions about the current era are even more relevant. A friend wrote me last night his thoughts about Cronin not being easy to learn to play for and players really require time to develop to play his style - especially on defense (leaving aside all arguments about his approach to offense). Players like Jaylen Clark improved significantly with more experience playing for him. But guys can struggle their first year in his system.
This era of free agents requires that your evaluations be a lot more on target and one has to wonder if a coach whose system - team defense - is as specific as Cronin's can achieve what he has always reached for if he has to rely on players who have only one season to try to learn (and not actually master) it.
Given another year - which he won't have - Jamerson might well learn to play without fouling all the time. Booker may have "talent" and "potential" but at this point he isn't any sort of answer at all, especially as a center, and there's no way he's beating out Bilodeau as a PF so that may be an evaluation failure. No way that guy develops into an actual center in a single season - just not happening. Dent - partially misevaluation (not big and strong enough to step up - especially in the B1G - to play PG at the P4 level) and partially mental struggles learning to play defense (such as his is...) and what that's done to his shooting focus.
Anyway, relevant question I think, CB