FanHouse Talks to Coach John Wooden

John Wooden is, without question, one of the greatest college basketball coaches to ever set foot on the hardwood. A (seriously) spry 96 years old, Coach Wooden was kind of enough to take some time out of his Championship Monday to speak with FanHouse. From his upcoming Gatorade commercial (it debuts tonight, you can get a sneak preview of it here), to how he feels about the money and attention that college coaches receive, to who he has pegged to win Monday night's big game, Coach Wooden had plenty to say. Hit the jump to read the full interview.

Will Brinson: Good afternoon, Coach Wooden, this is Will Brinson, with FanHouse.com, how are you today?
Coach John Wooden: Fine, Will, good to talk to you.

WB: Well, Coach, first of all, I just wanted to ask about the inspiration behind the poem in your new commercial, "The Little Chap That Follows Me," and the background behind it.
JW: It was given to me when my son was born, and I liked it so much that I had it framed immediately and it's been on the wall where I will see it whenever I'm home every day since then. I just like the thought that is expressed. [Coach Wooden recites the entire poem by heart at his point.] But it represents, I think, what a parent should be thinking about as far as their children are concerned, and it made quite an impression on me.

WB: I know that Gatorade is trying to pinpoint – with the new commercial – kind of a one moment, a "G Moment," do you think that sums up your "G Moment" pretty well?
JW: Yes, I think it does, very much so. And certainly, that's extremely important.

WB: I was curious to know, Coach, what college coaches in the game today do you admire – there are a lot of good ones including Tom Izzo and Roy Williams in the championship game tonight ...
JW: This may surprise you, but this is the first year that I can remember – usually when the brackets are chosen I go all the way through and pick a winner. This year, I said, "I'm only going to pick a winner." And I picked North Carolina, and, now they certainly have a chance to do that. I like Roy Williams very much. I've known him when he coached other places, I've talked with him often. I like his approach to the game, I like the way he works with his players and he's the type of person I think we need working with our young people.

WB: Excellent. Does anyone strike you the same way as Coach Williams does?
JW: I've been very impressed with Michigan State, particularly their half-court play. They're well-disciplined, fundamentally sound and certainly they're a very tough team. You can't take them for granted. I still would go with North Carolina against them because I think they have a little better overall balance and outside shooting.

WB: Sure thing. How about in terms of when you were coaching: who are the best player and coach you ever went against?
JW: Well, there are certainly so many good coaches. I would say the most valuable player that we ever went up against – and I think he became the most valuable player that the NBA has ever had – is Bill Russell. Although I know we played against many other great players too ... I like particularly Jerry Lucas of Ohio State; he's one of the best we ever went up against. And I think I can name many others too. And there were so many outstanding coaches; to pick one over another would hardly be fair.

WB: That certainly seems reasonable. John Calipari recently signed on to coach Kentucky and he's getting a huge amount of money to do that; do you think the amount of money coaches make today has changed the way they do their job?
JW: I think so. I think they're doing it for money -- or the hopes of money -- a little more than they were in the past. And I think that takes a little away from the purpose that they're there to begin with. And I'm not pleased with it, but I don't blame the coaches for changing at all, but it seems out of line.

WB: Kind of along those same lines, do you think the media makes too much out of coaching searches these days?
JW: Oh, I definitely think so. There's just much more emphasis put on it, and it makes it more difficult to live up to it, and I think too much is ... It's still a game. It's not education, it's a game.

WB: Right, exactly. I'd also be curious, when you picked your winner this year, to know how far you had Purdue going?
JW: I had Purdue going the exact amount of time going as they did ... in my own mind. But as I told you, I didn't pick at all, I just had North Carolina going all the way. My daughter, she picked Purdue going all the way. [Mutual laughter]

WB: That's okay, coach, I picked Wake Forest going all the way ...
JW: Oh well, they were good. Wake Forest, they certainly showed it throughout the year.

WB: Speaking of Wake, they have several young players who might be leaving after this year. Do you think the one-year rule is good for college or do you think more college should be required?
JW: I personally think it should be more time. I personally think it should be all the way, for four years. It's not going to be that, I know, but I don't think one year is nearly enough and I'd like to see them extend that.

WB: Well, Coach, I wanted to find out who your pick tonight was, but since you've got Carolina winning, is there anything you're expecting to see out of tonight's game?
JW: I don't think I can expect anything different from the style of play of both. I like the style of Michigan State -- their soundness, their half-court offense and defense I think is outstanding and they're extremely fundamentally sound. But I also feel that North Carolina and Roy Williams' teams have shown that they fast break a little better and they also are sound fundamentally. I believe they have a little better shooting than Michigan State, but we'll find out tonight.

WB: We definitely will ... Coach Wooden, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to talk to FanHouse and for working up a great commercial with Gatorade. Thanks for talking to us.
JW: Well, thank you, Will, and take care.