Think about this.
Even though we know better every time we read about big bowl money and the latest zillion-dollar TV network basketball tournament contract, does not the NCAA purport to exist for the betterment of the educational experience? What better educational opportunity anywhere than to meet and talk to John Wooden?
Another thing. If Wooden had the time, health and youth to do so, he would spend just as much time imparting his wisdom to a tuba player from Occidental as he would to a 6-foot-10 center. If Wooden talked to Love and didn't think UCLA would be a good fit, he would have told him not to come, to go somewhere else, to join a rock band. Whatever.
Wooden is 97 years old. He loves UCLA, but he is driven by only three things: family, truth and integrity. Bruins loyalty would be a distant fourth.
Even if Wooden hadn't been official and legal when he chatted with Kevin Love and his family, who cares? It's John Wooden, for Pete's sake. Is there nobody at the NCAA who can think and reason and insert logic into their 14,434-page rule book?
Right now, confusion remains, which is grossly unfair for a freshman trying to lead his team back to the NCAA Final Four. Athletic Director Dan Guerrero and Coach Ben Howland think it is OK for Love to have any contact he wants with Wooden. Others at the school may not be so sure. Herczog's final e-mail to the NCAA, sent a week ago with answers to all questions, has not received a response. It is a situation in limbo.
The school, which wasn't the source for this column, just wanted all this to slip under the radar. Columnists don't care if the NCAA gets mad at them. Schools do.
Stan Love is under the impression, hopefully incorrect, that his son can't talk to Wooden right now. His son, who played the kind of game against Washington State on Saturday that could move him up several notches in the next NBA draft, used the occasion to tell Steve Dilbeck of the L.A. Daily News that "Coach Wooden says to be your best when your best is needed. And I think we did that when we were needed today."
Two calls to the NCAA on Monday, both specifying the nature of the inquiry, went unreturned. They were busy making new rules, presumably.
The thought occurred to call Wooden and see if he even knew about all this, but logic says you don't bother a 97-year-old man with foolishness.
When Wooden attends games at Pauley Pavilion -- sadly fewer and fewer these days -- Lorenzo Mata-Real, Love's backup center, likes to go over to his seat and greet him.
Expect an NCAA investigation soon.
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Bill Dwyre can be reached at bill.dwyre@latimes.com.
To read previous columns by Dwyre, go to latimes.com/dwyre.
