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Relax UA fans

OK, Arizona basketball fans - do me a favor - take a breath.

Despite being swept by both Oregon and Oregon State, the men's basketball season is far from over.

If I have to listen to Susie Sorority and Bobby Bonghitter bitch about how our season is 'sooo over' or how 'we suck' one more time, I'm gonna hang myself.

Let's get a few things straight, the team that lost a heartbreaker to the Beavers and choked against the Ducks is hardly the team that will be representing Arizona come tournament time.

In fact, the team that was swept in Oregon is the worst, talent-wise, that UA has played with all season.

Loren Woods, UA's all-world center, has been out of the lineup since the UCLA game, due to back problems.

Would he suit up to play seemingly meaningless conference games? No way, there's way too much to risk.

Will he play in the NCAA tournament? Of course, he'll be fine.

He's a competitor and, as any little-leaguer is taught, you got to play the big games, even if you're hurt.

Richard Jefferson, one of the greatest athletes to wear the red and blue, has been slowed since returning from a broken foot. He's not 100 percent physically, but given a little playing time and a chance to get his feet (and lungs) back, he'll be as good as new.

That should happen by the first round of the tournament, which starts in 10 days.

Arizona was playing its best basketball when UA defeated Michigan State, 79-68, on December 11 in McKale Center. In that game, Woods and Jefferson combined for 30 points.

Once the team's two best players return, the Wildcats will once again become one of the top 10 teams in the country.

Lute Olson is not a miracle-worker. Olson is an evaluator and cultivator of talent, not the second coming of John Wooden.

Arizona's fans should take a step off of the bandwagon for a second and realize that the team is only as good as its bench.

Against Oregon, the Wildcats bench consisted of Jefferson, Ricky Anderson, John Ash and Josh Pastner. Frankly, I'm surprised UA wasn't embarrassed against the Ducks.

In fact, the team has played well despite the injuries. As fans, we should have seen the letdown coming. Arizona was playing the series without Woods and with Jefferson coming back, albeit slowly, from an injury.

So, relax fans, there's nothing wrong with our basketball team. Whether or not we'll beat Stanford or California, we'll be fine in the tournament.

As long as Loren Woods and Richard Jefferson can realize that losing in the first round of the tournament is a little different than losing to Oregon State, we'll be OK.

Call me stupid, but I'm booking my flight to Indianapolis now. Real UA fans should do the same.