Steve Lavin: Coming to an arena near you

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Former UCLA basketball Coach Steve Lavin, now an ESPN analyst, recently sent me his broadcast schedule for the upcoming season.

LAVIN ACROSS AMERICA TOUR begins Nov. 17.

Lav reports:

Lavin also says he may start writing a column and a blog for ESPN. There is some irony here in that, when he coached at UCLA, Lavin was the the subject of some savage barbs from Southland scribes as well as L.A. Times readers sounding off in the Saturday letters section.

Here is Lav’s chance to turn the tables.

He recently penned a story for ESPN The Magazine about his reflections of famed UCLA Coach John Wooden.

It’s a worthwhile read although, as it turns out, Lavin didn’t write it himself. It was ‘as told to Chris Sprow.’ We expect Lav, a Chapman graduate, will eventually work up to writing his own material (just kidding).

The ESPN story also notes Lavin may be a candidate to become the next full-time Arizona coach, replacing Lute Olson.

Think of the possibilities: Lavin, the ESPN multi-tasker, breaks the news of his hiring at Arizona, writes a news story for ESPN.com, adding of course ‘the Associated Press also contributed to this report.’ He then does a video blog as to why Arizona made a good hire and writes a column ripping the school for taking a chance on a coach who never even took UCLA to the Final Four.

I can’t wait.

-- Chris Dufresne