SB Nation User Blog: Achilles

Darren Collison Interview With Some Cool Quotes About UCLA

Achilles — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:22:51 -0000

This is going to be a tough one to blog from a formatting point of view.

For those of you who don't read it, The Sporting News is available as a free, daily email. It's really a good read, like getting a really good daily newspaper delivered. I've been getting it for a while and have actually seen some UCLA stuff in it in the past.

But it's hard to "blog" because it doesn't really have links to the individual stories -- it's just one big file. And as far as I can tell, you can't "grab" anything in it and use it to post into a blog like Bruins Nation.

But today's interview with Darren Collison was just too good not to share. So, I had to save it as a pdf as if I was going to print it out (this is a feature of the email) and then I was able to use Acrobat to copy and paste.

I know that one of the customs of blogging is that you can use copy from another site provided you link over and give them credit. In this case, I can't really link to the article, but I can link to today's copy of The Sporting News and then I'll post some highlights. I trust that all these props for what is really a worthwhile daily read cover me on the quid quo pro of blogging etiquette.

Now, without any further ado or apologies for my overall Internet lameness, here is some of the Darren Collison interview from The Sporting News. Click over to read the rest and the rest of the issue.

Darren Collison returned to UCLA for his senior season intent on leading his team to a national championship. The Bruins came up short in that quest, but Collison’s speed and shooting skills as a point guard persuaded the Hornets to pick him with the 21st pick in the first round of last Thursday’s draft. Collison told Sporting News Today’s Bill Eichenberger and other media members that he is looking forward to learning the finer points of point-guard play from All-Star teammate Chris Paul.

Q: Any second thoughts about returning to UCLA for your senior season?

A: If you understood the emotion when you’re sitting in this chair right now, you’d understand that it doesn’t matter what anybody says about my past. I did what I had to do at UCLA. It was a project I was trying to build, and unfortunately we didn’t win the national championship last year.

<snip>

Q: Being a four-year player, what assets do you bring to the Hornets?

A: Maturity. UCLA is not just any school. It’s a high-profile school. Being there for four years … I think I can come in and produce right away.

Q: What about your ability to play defense? Is that a strength?

A: Yeah, you can speak to the other guys at UCLA, they will tell you the same thing. Coach (Ben) Howland, he gets you ready for the future. Defensively, he doesn’t play. Every day he emphasizes defense.

Click over and read the rest. This was a posting pain in the neck, so I don't know if I'll be doing it again.

LOL.

The Kevin O'Neill Thing Is Too Good To Be True

Achilles — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:29:47 -0000

The whole Kevin O'Neill story is going to be the gift that keeps on giving for UCLA fans.

One minute we were worried that SC would hire Ben Howland's best friend, and the next they hired one of the least liked people in the sport of basketball.

If you don't believe me, try listening to this interview Kevin O'Neill did with Dan Patrick today. Patrick basically gives up on him halfway through the interview.

But, maybe SC had no choice. This is what Gary Parrish had to say about the SC job:

To me, it sounds like the type of job you take if you are unemployed, unhappy (or unsafe) at your spot, or a low-major coach (or high-major assistant) looking for a nice salary increase. Short of that, you don't touch this. And that's why USC shouldn't spend too much more time imagining a scenario that ends with a hire that garners national attention and reinvigorates the fanbase, because this search is not going to work that way.

Anybody pretending otherwise is living in a fantasy world.

For USC's sake, I hope athletic director Mike Garrett isn't one of them.

Dave Libbey Retires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Achilles — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:03:01 -0000

I saw this on the BRO message board first.

From the Seattle Times:

Libbey retires from officiating
Posted by Bob Condotta

So who knew we all were seeing some college basketball officiating history when the Huskies beat Mississippi State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Unknown to everyone at the time was that it turned out to be the last game worked by Dave Libbey, the official everyone seemed to love to hate.

David LIbbey was, IMO, the worst official I ever saw.

Just so you know, I'm not someone who complains about officiating. I argue with those that do. To me, officiating is just part of the game and bad officiating is part of the game.

But Dave Libbey wasn't just a bad official. He was a bad official who seemed to go out of his way to make sure the spotlight was on him when the game was on the line. An official with an ego is the worst thing in the world.

Good effin' riddance.

(The above story links to this story detailing some of the controversy about Libbey.)

As an aside, it's not often that the Pac 10 bloggers on this network agree about things. But it wouldn't surprise me at all to see similarly joyous posts about this news all around the network. Libbey was that bad.

E.J. Turner -- Son of Late Bruin Great Eric Turner -- Commits to the Bruins

Achilles — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:46:52 -0000

The Ventura County Star has the story:

E.J. Turner of Ventura High has made a verbal commitment with the UCLA football program.

Turner caught 32 passes for 378 yards and two TDs for Ventura last season.

His father, the late Eric Turner, was an All-America defensive back at UCLA.

Bruce Davis Story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Achilles — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:30:05 -0000

Linebacker Bruce Davis, a member of the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, is was featured yesterday in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Outside linebacker Bruce Davis didn't make a single play as a rookie — no tackles, sacks or interceptions — which is why he couldn't wait to get into the weight room and bulk up so he never goes through a season like that again.

A third-round pick in 2008, Davis shouldn't be labeled a bust because he wasn't on the field long enough to show he could play. But he knows the pressure is on him to produce this year.

"Last year, I don't want to say it was disappointing," said Davis, who had 29 career sacks at UCLA. "I would have hoped it would have gone another way, but it didn't."

Davis expects making a bigger contribution in 2009 because "the difference between year one and year two is I'm a lot more comfortable."

It's a good read -- take your time with it.

Reflections on Jrue Holiday's Press Conference

Achilles — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:32:23 -0000

More photos » by Reed Saxon - AP

Jrue Holiday at his UCLA presser. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Browse more photos »

Something is bothering me about the Jrue Holiday press conference. As in:

Why did he have a press conference?

What’s bothering me is that his performance as a UCLA Bruin wasn’t worthy of a press conference. This is different than debating whether or not he should go to the pros. I frankly don’t know if he should go to the pros. I’m not an NBA coach, general manager or scout. I lack any knowledge of his personal financial situation. I haven’t seen his report card. For all I know, he has to go pro. But the press conference bothers me. It bothers me because it feels as if it is symptomatic of a larger reality. The reality is: Jrue Holiday was always going pro after one year at UCLA. I supposed he was also suppose to average double digits in points, lead to a fourth straight Pac 10 title and help it advance past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. What we’re seeing now is the fulfillment of a plan/dream that was laid out a long time ago:

Press conference to announce for college of choice
One outstanding college season
Press conference to announce that “I’m ready for the pros.”

And clearly the absence of anything “outstanding” is not going to knock the Jrue Holiday Express off its tracks.

This will not be a popular comparison among UCLA fans, but I have to point it out USC’s Mark Sanchez deserved a press conference. Jrue Holiday did not. Sanchez led the Trojans to a 12-1 season. His performance was stellar; he became a prominent figure whose future plans were clearly press conference worthy. Holiday on the other hand had a (and I’m being a little generous here) good first season. His performance as a freshman would have been recalled as “perfectly fine” if he played at UCLA for a couple of more seasons, his number and the team’s record improving every year. Since they’re going to be his only stat line for college it’s for certain no one will ever recall his “great college career.”

Holiday’s press conference, on the other hand, should be recalled as, well I was going to say arrogant, but that’s not it. I think it’s more accurate to say that it will be recalled as somehow perfunctory, more of a had to do than a deserved to do. Press conferences called to announce transitions, whether they are for a pro retiring, a high school player committing or a college player moving on. This press conference was symptomatic of a Holiday world view that seems disconnected from the objective reality. The press conference – previously reserved for players whose performance earned a press conference – suggests an “I’m a star … people care what I think, say and do … I’m going to enjoy sitting here in the hot TV lights talking into microphones despite the fact that my play on the court doesn’t warrant this” attitude.

What was worse was that Head Coach Ben Howland was forced to sit there and squirm and participate. Howland at the press conference had to wish Holiday well and call him a “pro” in what looked like an award-winning acting performance. Say what you will about Pete Carroll’s behavior at Sanchez’ press conference, and I’ll say he acted like a jerk, at least maybe he was speaking his mind honestly – albeit self-servingly. (And, yes, I might have just invented an adverb.)

Let’s be real honest for a moment. Does anyone really believe there is any chance at all that Holiday returns to UCLA if he has any chance at all of getting drafted, as opposed to the mythical “first round guarantee?” I don’t. The reason Holiday hasn't hired an agent yet is because he is protecting himself from a catastrophic situation ala Brandon Rush from Kansas. If he doesn’t get hurt, he’s staying in the draft.

What’s bothering me, in the end, is the charade. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Jrue Holiday fulfilling a lifelong dream and becoming a professional basketball player. I actually really like his game and would love for him to return to UCLA as point guard next season. I think there is absolutely nothing to suggest that last season was nothing less than a decent freshman season of a player with a lot of potential who had to make a lot of adjustments to college play and a trio of older, more successful teammates. It would be more than perfectly fine with me (shoot, I’d love it) if next season was the year when Jrue Holiday transitioned from tentative freshman to super sophomore. It’s just that it’s never going to happen. Barring the unspeakable, Holiday is going to go pro. And there’s something about the cliché, something about the inevitability of it, that’s bothering me.

Holiday’s press conference was just another item on his I'll-be-a-pro soon checklist. He called it not because he had to have one, but because from his point of view, that’s what you do. The will he or won’t he agent dance is just an extension of the same predictable series of events. Just watch, Holiday will take his decision right down to the wire and when he announces he’s staying in the draft he’ll maintain that he “didn’t make up my mind until the last minute.” I get bonus points if he makes any allusions to prayer in the final announcement.

Jewish Journal Article on Jordan Farmar

Achilles — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:26:13 -0000

This article on Bruin/Laker Jordan Farmar discusses (among other things) his being the only Jewish player in the NBA, his role on the Lakers and some of his off-the-court community activities.

It also discusses the history of Jews in basketball, a sport at one time heavily populated by Jewish players.

Indeed, a sport once dominated by Jews now counts only one MOT at the highest level. And Farmar, who doesn’t celebrate Jewish holidays and considers himself spiritual but not religious, is no Sandy Koufax. At the same time, though, Farmar doesn’t shy away from his Jewish heritage, from the mixed racial and ethnic identity to which it contributes or from the pride that many Jews take in having their own hoop hero.

“People see me as somebody they can relate to,” said Farmar, whose mother is Jewish and father, who is black, is Christian. “It’s not something I even think about. It’s more them relating to me; just me representing them and their people and what they believe and stand for. I don’t make a big deal about it. I don’t deny it or don’t stress it. I just live my life and be who I am.”

I thought it was an interesting article -- Jordan is a good kid.

(For those who might not know -- MOT = Member of the Tribe, it's a way some Jewish people refer to themselves and other Jewish people.)

In Case You Didn't Know, It's In Reno

Achilles — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:54:38 -0000

According to the University of Nevada, UCLA has entered into an agreement to play Nevada three times in upcoming years, including one trip to Reno to play the Wolfpack.

RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada will play host to Arizona and UCLA at Mackay Stadium as part of multi-game deal with each school, athletics director Cary Groth announced today.

Nevada will travel to face the Bruins on Aug. 31, 2013 and again Sept. 19, 2015. The Bruins will come to Mackay Stadium on Sept. 17, 2016.

We don't head for Reno until 2016 -- so don't start packing yet. Our starting quarterback in that game is home right now watching Hannah Montana.

UPDATE (A): Here are Rick Neuheisel's comments from the UCLA release.

"Nevada is one of the top programs in the Western Athletic Conference," said head coach Rick Neuheisel. "In addition, two of the three games are at the Rose Bowl. Reno is an easy trip from Los Angeles, so hopefully, a lot of Bruin fans will go to support us."

Bobo Has Knee Surgery

Achilles — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:11:22 -0000

Brian Dohn breaks the story.

UCLA backup center J'mison Morgan had arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage in his right knee today.

Too bad for Bobo. Hope that this doesn't derail his off-season workout program too badly.

More here

UPDATE (N): More from PE.com's blog:

The procedure was performed by Dr. David McAllister, a UCLA team physician, earlier Thursday at the UCLA Hospital. Recovery time is expected to be six weeks.

Bobo is a great kid. Despite all the rumors and gossip we have heard on the message boards about him transferring, it sure seemed he has been very happy to be Bruin and enjoying his time in Westood. Instead of sounding discouraged, I think we should send good vibes Bobo's way. Sure he will get set back by few weeks. But I am counting on him to get well, feel better, have a great spring quarter and a very productive summer before his sophomore season in Westood.

In the long term Bobo is going to be all right getting coached by one of the best staff in the country. Get well Bobo. We are all pulling for you big fella.

GO BRUINS.

Cameron Dollar to Take Over at Seattle U?

Achilles — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:19:05 -0000

According to this story, Cameron Dollar is about to become the new head coach at Seattle University.

Dollar played four years for the Bruins in the 1990s. He is best remembered for coming off the bench to replace an injured Tyus Edney in the 1995 championship game when UCLA beat Arkansas for Banner 11. Most recently, Dollar has been an assistant at Washington, where he worked for former UCLA assistant coach Lorenzo Romar (who was on Jim Harrick's staff in '95.)

Trivia Question: Who is the greatest player to ever come out of Seattle University?

(I just realized that this was already up as a Fan Shot. I guess I just didn't see it, but there it is.)