Too bad

Coach Braun brought respectability back to a program that Todd Bozeman nearly destroyed, and the kids he recruited and produced were often of the utmost character, increasingly so as his tenure continued. While I think it was indeed probably time to move on, it saddens me to see the vitriol with which people dismiss his distinguished 12-years as head coach for Cal.

I always thought Ben Braun was a good coach and recruited decent talent. A great fit for the program would be someone that plays a wide open, spread court offense, emphasizes athleticism and quickness, and a good recruiter - the choice is clear: Steve Lavin.

It really really disturbs me when people throw out words like motivating the players - how are any of us on the outside able to fully know that? These are young men - often not even the best coach can motivate his players during the regular college age years.

I understand why Braun was canned - except for one thing. The replacement, I'm a firm believer that if you can a quality coach like Braun that you sure as hell better have a replacement that is just as good (and deep in the process of getting that coach(es). And no, Mike Montgomery doesn't count - just the whole Stanfurd connection irks me and way too many others. Currently it sounds like the Braun replacement plan hasn't been very well though out, which means that they shouldn't have fired him yet.

Braun was a very respectable coach and for the most part he had players who wanted to and did stay for 4 years - an extreme rarity in today's college hoops world, at least on the men's side. The only major exception would be Powe, but he had a big family to help take care of monetarily with i believe both parents gone. braun didn't have a system persay, rather he tried to use what skills his players had. Recruiting is hard and granted, he didn't get a lot of big names - but he did get a lot of 2nd tier players and others who often exceeded expectations.

Yeah, wins are important - but there are other factors too. Other factors that often sadly get forgotten, even by the most powerful folks.

I really really hope that we get a decent enough of a replacement.

And Braun will probably still be coaching, he is respected enough with a long successful resume - don't be surprised if he's back in the Big Dance numerous times in the next 5 years

PLEASE don't hire Steve Lavin.  Good recruiter (but then again, how hard is it to recruit basketball players to come play at a school with the basketball history of UCLA), but Lavin is just about the worst coach ever.  While Braun developed the players he brought in (see Joe Shipp who went from a strictly spot up shooter as a freshman to an all around inside-outside player by his senior year as just one example) players under Lavin just got worse during their college careers.  Did any player under Lavin ever get better from freshman to senior year?  No.  He would bring in McDonald's All-American's who would be worse as seniors than as freshman.  He never installed any offense at UCLA and just let the players try and create one on one while everyone else stood around.  So please not Lavin.

And for the person who referenced Braun not changing up his defense to stop hot shooters, I think it was 63 points that Eddie House scored against us in Haas, not 50...

I'm also in favor of Montgomery as the new head coach.