They say that every memory has a soundtrack. This one is straight out of “;That 70's Show.”;

Hours waiting in line outside of Pauley Pavilion, including some overnight stays, hours that would have been better spent in Powell Library, as my GPA would attest.

Scrambling for seats in the student section to watch the Bruin frosh team beat up on some hapless opponent, a necessary evil to endure in order to be in place for THE event:

UCLA varsity basketball.

Let Duke have its Cameron Crazies. Let Kansas Rock Chalk it all they want.

It will never compare to the time when the NCAA Tournament was known as the UCLA Invitational.

And John Wooden ruled it, using his rolled-up program as a scepter. A coach's coach. A player's coach. A fan's coach.

He was mine.

A coach worth getting up early for an 8 a.m. class just to catch him as he came off the Drake Stadium track following his morning jog.

Someone you felt fortunate to be able to toss a “;Good morning, Coach”; to like a bounce pass, a pass always returned with a “;Good morning to you”; and a smile.

Someone who always merited a standing ovation when he strolled onto the court as the band played the theme from the “;Tonight Show”; and the crowd finished the welcome with the Ed McMahonesque shout of “;Heeeeeeere's Johnny.”;

It was with great sadness that I first read of Wooden being hospitalized Thursday via a Facebook news feed from high school friend Greg Newell, son of another coaching legend, the late, great Pete Newell.

It was with even greater sadness reading the AP news alert on the wire yesterday afternoon: Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden has died.

Many had hoped he'd live to see the renovation of Pauley Pavilion completed, originally scheduled to be finished on his 100th birthday this Oct. 14.

Perhaps it's fitting that he didn't. Wooden was all about the game, not its trappings, an Indiana native with a philosophy (appropriately enough) straight out of “;Hoosiers.”;

He won his first two NCAA titles (1964-65) prior to Pauley being built, playing in Men's Gym—the UCLA campus equivalent of Klum Gym—as well as being shuttled around Los Angeles to various venues.

College basketball was a far different landscape than the billion-dollar one that exists today. When Wooden retired in 1975 after his 10th NCAA championship, he was making $35,000.

I was there, in the San Diego Sports Arena, when UCLA took down the Blue Grass State, first Louisville in the NCAA semifinal and then Kentucky for Wooden's final banner.

I was there, in Pauley, for his retirement. He was embarrassed when accepting the pair of Mercedes Benzes ... baby blue for him, gold for his wife, Nell, ... but did so with the graciousness that had become his trademark.

And I was there, in Pauley, when he sat across from press row, watching the Bruins pull out a win over the Riley Wallace-coached Rainbows in 2000. Too professional to go ask for an autograph then, full of regret now.

Records are meant to be broken, but the ones set by Wooden's teams won't be ... the 88-game win streak, the seven consecutive championships, 10 in 12 seasons.

The world lost a special man yesterday. Aloha, Coach, and thanks for the memories.

Reach Star-Bulletin sports writer Cindy Luis at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).