I am a lifelong UCLA Bruin. Westwood is my home away from home. Whenever I'm lucky enough to be on campus I'm a happy guy.
You see, my Mother worked on Campus from 1972 to 1980. My father went to UCLA from 1972 to 1974 graduating with a degree in English. I was in the second class ever of the UCLA Childcare Center. To this day I am still in touch with my favorite counselor from that era.
I only ever wanted to go to UCLA for college, and when I couldn't get in as a Freshman after HS, I waited. I went to SDSU, then Mesa and SMC (community colleges) until I had enough credits to transfer in as a Junior in 2004. I graduated in '06 with a degree in English. And my grades were better than my Dads were.
So I grew up in a Bruin household. I would hear the stories of the 88 game winning streak, the 10 championships (until '95) and I grew to revere the legends of the hardwood. ESPECIALLY the big men.
Kareem is my all time favorite Bruin. He is my all time favorite living athelete. He is the only celebrity I've met that actually made me star struck (and I've met and worked with plenty of celebs). But number two was always Big Red, Bill Walton.
He came from San Diego, where I lived from 1980 to 1998. He was a so-cal legend. A Dead fan, and the hippest cat from Westwood. He had such enthusasm for the Bruins, and I loved it when he called their games as the color guy.
I really wanted to meet him. Alas, I never will. Didn't even know he was ill.
RIP Bill Walton, 1952 - 2024
