SoCalHoops Recruiting News

UCLA: Good News About Flowers, Mixed News
About Sampson--(Oct. 20, 2000)

Did anyone else read the LA Times today?  Of course you did. . . silly question.  But in a section we usually just skim (the Newswire section, page D-3, top half of page) there it was, jumping right off the page, pulsating as though it was flashing in neon:  On the day that Jamal Sampson will begin his official visit to UCLA, the LA Times runs the following: 

"Meanwhile, Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight said center Jamal Samp9son, a coveted UCLA recruit, is expected to choose to attend either California or Kansas."

Since the Times Newswire story isn't attributed, we can't actually tell to whom McKnight is supposed to have made the statement, but you gotta admit, it's a pretty odd statement for the Times to be printing the morning Sampson begins his official visit.  But then as we've been saying for months, Sampson recruiting is really, really weird, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if this is just another bit of media misdirection, so that when Sampson does commit to UCLA (as many believe he will) the Bruins will look just that much better. . . . on the other hand, maybe coach McKnight knows something the rest of us don't. . . .

The other bit of UCLA news in the Newswire section in today's LA Times is that guard Jason Flowers has been medically cleared to return to the team.  He had been diagnosed with a slow (but not irregular) heartbeat and was held out of practice for "two weeks" according to the Times (well, at least since last Saturday, since practice just started last weekend), but doctors have determined that there are no cardiac irregularities.  Great news for Jason and for the team.

 
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