Don't sing Howland's dirge, everything's all good in Westwood

And yes, it was a stubborn approach by Howland.

But you know who else was pretty damn stubborn in his day?

Bob Knight.

But he won some national titles, if I remember correctly.

So my advice to UCLA fans is to take a deep breath and relax and look at the big picture. Not long ago you had a program that was slipping under Steve Lavin, that had fallen behind Arizona and Stanford. Now, you've clearly got the best program in the Pac-10 and you've been to three straight Final Fours.

Ask Indiana fans if they'd take that in five years.

I bet they would.

And here's the good news: There's no reason you can't get back next year, even if Kevin Love, Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook turn pro. That's the worst case scenario. But even if that happens UCLA would have Luc Richard Mbah Moute, Josh Shipp and the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation to throw on the court, and that might be good enough if Jrue Holiday, Jerime Anderson and Malcolm Lee develop into the stars many believe they can be.

And what if Westbrook comes back?

Or Collison, even?

Then you can go ahead and make reservations for the Final Four.

And then maybe that'll be the year it happens.

But either way, UCLA is going to be fine.

Honest to God, I still believe that.