Bayno is eager to prove himself - The Daily Breeze http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_8872287

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Most Views Most Comments del.icio.us Digg Reddit YahooMyWeb Google Facebook What's this? 1. Villaraigosa warns ICE to back off immigration Print Email raids 2. 2 girls, 13, hurt in Wilmington hit-run; witnesses grab suspect Bayno is eager to prove himself 3. Teacher gets 6 months for sex act 4. USC's Mayo declares By Phil Collin, Staff Writer Article Launched: 04/10/2008 04:49:08 AM PDT for NBA draft 5. Woman shot and killed on Harbor Fwy 6. Worker killed falling into tree-trimming It would be easy to wonder which party was taking a Click photo to enlarge machinery bigger leap of faith Wednesday afternoon. 7. You find $140,000 in the street ... what do you do Loyola Marymount introduced Bill Bayno as its 24th next? 8. Bret Michaels added to coach before an enthusiastic group of students, 'house trashing' lawsuit players and alumni gathered in Gersten Pavilion, and it 9. Torrance cleaners robbed, ransacked was a high-energy collision. 10. Carson deputy shot while off-duty Now, will Bayno miss out on the development of the New LMU basketball coach Bill Bayno clowns with the Lions'... (Sean Hiller, Staff , where he has been an assistant Photographer) coach, forged deep friendships and had a career More News resurrected? Bush stops Iraq troop withdrawals Will LMU be victimized by a coach who has had to Retailers post weak sales overcome personal demons and sideward glances after being fired seven years ago for March Villaraigosa warns ICE to by UNLV? back off immigration raids Bret Michaels added to "Life is about second chances," Bayno, 45, said. "For a while, I never thought I 'house trashing' lawsuit Marina del Rey boater is would get one." missing L.A. County Fire names He answered questions with a crimson T-shirt draped over his right shoulder that first black chief deputy 2 girls, 13, hurt in read "Just say Bayno," but acted as if he never noticed it. Wilmington hit-run; witnesses grab suspect As he spoke, he was also focused beyond the weight of the recent tradition in Firefighters find body after dousing flames Gersten Pavilion: The previous four coaches had a combined winning percentage of Woman shot and killed on .341. In the , the Lions have been 64-160 (.286) in that Harbor Fwy Betting measure wins a span. round Not exactly the same direction the Trail Blazers seem to be headed.

"I left a great job," Bayno said. "The organization in Portland - they're going to win an NBA championship. And I really didn't think I wanted to walk away from that."

And LMU athletic director Bill Husak wasn't so sure he had his man when Bayno walked onto campus to discuss

the opening. He had read that Bayno had Advertisement said, "If I'm never a head coach again, I'll be happy."

"I meant it at the time," Bayno admitted.

1 of 3 4/10/2008 10:23 AM Bayno is eager to prove himself - The Daily Breeze http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_8872287

Bayno signed a five-year contract worth more than $2 million, according to sources. Bayno said he took a pay cut to take the job.

Before that, Husak had to confront Bayno's past. He led UNLV to a 95-65 record with four conference titles beginning in 1995, but was fired seven games into the 2000-01 season when the school was placed on probation for violations in the recruiting of .

The NCAA cleared him of wrongdoing. Bayno later filed a wrongful termination lawsuit and received a settlement from UNLV.

During that time, Bayno admitted his alcoholism. In a story on the Trail Blazers Web site, Bayno recalls the last drink he took was on Dec. 23, 1999.

"As with each one of us, what we are today is a product of our past experiences," Husak said. "During this process I have spoken with so many individuals who . . . deeply care for Bill Bayno. People like Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, Rick Majerus of Saint Louis University and Coach Nate McMillan and General Manager of the Trail Blazers.

"(They) speak of the candidate's coaching abilities and through personal trials and tribulations, he has become the person you listen to and become intrigued. When you have the opportunity to spend time with the person, you become convinced he is the one.

"For LMU, Bill Bayno is the right leader for our program. For Bill Bayno, LMU is the right place and this is the right time."

Bayno, who spent time as a coach in the Philippines, the ABA and the CBA before catching on in Portland in 2004, was an assistant to at Massachusetts from 1988-95. At UNLV, his teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice.

"I came back because it's unfinished business," said Bayno, who has lived in Venice for three years. "I came back because I missed it. I came back so I could really see what I can accomplish at full strength, with the knowledge I have now, with the peace of mind I have in my life.

"We got to the NCAA, we got to the NIT, we got a lot of success but we didn't have the success that I wanted. I want to finish that."

Bayno takes over for Rodney Tention, who resigned after going 30-61 in three seasons.

Jason Levy, who graduated from Cal State Northridge in 1993 and has been an assistant for the past eight seasons at Cal State Fullerton, will be one assistant.

Bayno first met with the team on Sunday and made an immediate impression on a team that went 5-26 last season.

"It was his fire to just want to win," said sophomore guard Orlando Johnson, who led the Lions with a 12.4-point average. "His fire about getting in the gym and working hard."

Bayno's first real challenge begins today, when he takes the coaches' recruiting test. He can't hit the recruiting trail until he passes. But he's aced all the others exams so far.

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