Save the Last Dance

When Cal men's basketball coach Ben Braun sits down in his thick leather chair behind a commanding wood desk, a shrine dedicated to himself towers above.

There's the basketball commemorating his 400th career win. There's the one from number 500. And don't forget about the painted ball paying tribute to his only Sweet 16 appearance.

But sitting right behind Braun's right shoulder are basketballs signed by the two coaches he considers the best in history: John Wooden and Pete Newell.

"I've always admired what Coach has done as a teacher," says Braun, showing deference and still not referring to Newell by his first name even though the two are good friends. "I admire the way he teaches the game, how it's all about footwork and fundamentals."

Braun may be in his 12th season as the Bears coach-a longer tenure than all but 11 Division I coaches-but Newell and all the success he brought Cal in the 1950s still loom over Braun, right over his shoulder.

And while Newell likely spent his offseasons just focused on teaching his big men footwork, Braun faces a much more precarious situation: whether he will admit it or not, his job may be in jeopardy as the Bears head into the NIT.

Here are the facts: this year's Cal team features two future NBA big men in Ryan Anderson and DeVon Hardin, and yet finished ninth in the Pac-10 and at least three conference wins away from having a legitimate chance of reaching the NCAA Tournament.

Fans have taken notice. Average attendance at Haas Pavilion this season was only 8,249, the lowest turnout since the arena opened in 1999.

While teams like Arizona State, Washington State and USC all look poised to join the traditional powers UCLA, Stanford and Arizona as perennial contenders that are relevant on the national scene, Cal has made just one Tourney appearance in the last five years. The Bears have only won 44 percent of Pac-10 games over that period.

Braun knows Cal has fallen short of some goals and has his sights set on returning to the NCAAs next year.

"I don't think you can call this season a wash because we made the NITs," says Braun. "If we're in the Tournament a year from now, which I think we will be, people will say I'm a better coach."

Braun has amassed 551 career wins, but he has only made one Sweet 16 appearance-way back in his first season at Cal's helm with Todd Bozeman's players. Also significant, of the 11 Division I head coaches that have remained at their school longer than Braun, seven have won national championships and the other four head mid-major programs. No other major program has stuck by its coach's side quite like Cal.

Braun knows the statistics, but remains undeterred, like a rider knocked off his bull multiple times but still eager to get back on the saddle. He preaches patience, which is what Athletic Director Sandy Barbour will need to allow Braun to live out his contract.

He is not shy about comparing himself to some of the top coaches in the country.

"I remember Gary Williams (at Maryland) coaching and winning a national championship, the next year he didn't make the Tournament and people said he was over the hill," says Braun. "A lot of people said Jim Boeheim (at Syracuse) couldn't win one. They said that about Dean Smith, too. Those coaches were at their schools 20 years before they won a championship, and you know what, they're good coaches. I believe our team has that capability."

Braun defends himself from the barrage of criticism heaped upon him by emphasizing Cal's close losses this year, using that as a sign that the team may be closer to playing for a Pac-10 title than many think.

"I think our team has been a work in progress in terms of teams that are clawing and fighting. But you have to get over the hump," says Braun, before again hammering home his theme of patience. "You have to see the big picture. It's not an overnight fix. When we get everyone healthy … I think the sky's the limit."

Time and patience may be wearing thin around Berkeley.

There are two years remaining on his contract. The buyout if he is fired now stands at $985,000 and will drop to $400,000 after this season.

While Barbour has stood by her embattled coach publicly, it is hard to imagine that she is not paying attention to the losses piling up under Braun.

"They are talented enough to have a better record," Barbour recently told the Oakland Tribune.

Braun is confident, nevertheless, that she will be in his corner when she makes decisions about the future of the Cal basketball program.

"She's been there for the tough losses and that resonates big," says Braun. "She was there when football had some tough games. I didn't see her jumping the ship. She's someone that will fight for you."

Braun does not want to be defined by the year-to-year numbers in the win-loss column. He says he believes that this year's record does not do the team justice.

"I don't believe you can use the place of your team to describe how good you are," says Braun, eschewing the most common way of judging a coach's performance. "We could've very easily won 10 games (in the Pac-10) if we got a couple of stops, a couple less turnovers. It seems like we're one play away."

It remains to be seen if the Bears were just a few defensive possessions away, a few missed shots away from saving Braun his job.

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