Academic

Last week, after the Law & Society Annual Meeting in Chicago, I rented a car and drove to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to visit my parents. My son was with me, and he has reached an age when he is interested in his father's past. So we drove past a farm where I spent my grade school years and then the house in Osseo where I lived for junior high and high school. Looking at those homes, one of my first and fondest memories was the time I spent shooting basketballs in the driveway.

I never turned into a good basketball player, but as a young man I played a wicked game of HORSE. When I practiced shooting, I imagined myself playing against some of the great players of the day. Having moved to Wisconsin from Southern California, I was enamored with UCLA. My brother told me the Bill Walton had come from a neighboring town in California, and Lew Alcindor was a Milwaukee Buck, so those big men were my favorites, but I also knew about Gail Goodrich, Walt Hazzard, Sidney Wicks, and Keith Wilkes. And, of course, John Wooden.

Much has been written already about John Wooden's career as a Hall of Fame player at Purdue and especially as coach of the UCLA Bruins. (The best one I have read is by William Nack.) You can read about Coach Wooden's philosophies at his official site. Or watch his marvelous TED presentation from 2001. All of this is truly inspiring, and reviewing it on the occasion of Coach Wooden's death has reminded me how much I was influenced by his wisdom and integrity during my youth.

If you are a basketball fan, you might enjoy these highlights of the night in 1964 when, according to William Nack, John Wooden became the Wizard of Westwood.