Today's Word from Westwood:

Fellow Bruins:

I’d like to take a moment to address the article which appeared in this week’s Sports Illustrated concerning our men’s basketball program. You have been such a great supporter of UCLA Athletics, and I know that you may have questions.

I am disappointed that the alleged actions of a select few could cast doubts on all that is great about UCLA Athletics. At UCLA, we take very seriously anything that challenges our long-held values as an athletic department and as a university.

As a lifelong Bruin, I take enormous pride in the conduct of all of our coaches, staff, and student-athletes. Please be assured that the athletic administration on this campus continues to work tirelessly to ensure that all of our student-athletes take pride in what UCLA is about. Those of us fortunate enough to work with our student-athletes do everything in our power to make sure the values of UCLA Athletics are instilled in them each and every day.

Like many of you, my resolve to restore our program to its place among the nation’s elite has never been stronger.

I ask you to continue to support the young men and women who represent UCLA in their chosen sport every day. The Bruin family must now, more than ever, come together.

Thank you for your continued support of UCLA Athletics.

I loved Mora's message about the silly Over the Wall tradition. I was glad to see him speak out about accountability. But to me, the Over the Wall day was the lesser of two evils.

3 players were ruled academically ineligible for the Bowl Game. This is a bigger issue of accountability AND a bigger issue for those players futures. It is especially sad for a player that had come back from injuries, given up a red shirt and will not be able to play in the Bowl. There may have been some special circumstances but 3 players is speaks volumes.

This is still U.C.L.A.

Mora should be sending a loud, strong message to the players that: 1. Academics matter and 2. It is another issue of accountability.

I have copied only the revenue sport sections. Denial of rumors. No discussion of the challenges the basketball team faces. Will give him credit for recognizing the student athlete first.

According to the LA Times the attendance at Monday's game was:

"An announced crowd of 3,885 that seemed less than half that number included a student section 34 strong." I had estimated 3,000 and 50 (not counting the pep band) in the game thread. Attendance is going to be a problem this year no doubt.

According to the official calendar, final's week is NEXT week. So that means there has to be another factor.

One source has told me that while there are buses to the game, the buses leave exclusively from Jackie Robinson stadium. That would mean that students have to figure out how to get to the stadium before they can take a bus to the game.

Please tell me the source is wrong. Please tell me that there are buses at the dorms, fraternities and sororities? Please tell me this aint so.

And, I would love some suggestions on how to get more students to the game.

BTW: Kudos to the students that were there, including the band. You all were loud and into the game.!

The full text of the email from Dan Guerrero sent out today:

Members of the Bruin Family:

As many of you have surely heard by now, earlier today, I notified Rick Neuheisel and our football team that he had been relieved of his duties as UCLA head football coach.

Given that this is an unusually short week and the coaches have already begun the game plan and other preparations for Oregon, I have decided to let Rick coach us in the Pac-12 Championship Game this coming Friday night.

I subsequently named offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Mike Johnson our interim head coach, and he will coach us in whichever bowl we play in.

I am fully aware that a great number of you had been clamoring for this decision for quite some time, while just as many were fervent supporters of Rick. I want you to know that this was a difficult decision for me, primarily because Rick is an alumnus and bleeds Bruin Blue.

However, it became evident that a move had to be made in the best interest and in the short-term and long-term health of our program. Despite Rick’s efforts, the team’s performance was inconsistent throughout the year.

Continue reading this post »

From today's "Word from Westwood".

Dan also confirmed new uniforms.  I hope they include a return of the "UCLA Sleeve" which were screwed up in our other new uniforms.

It was only the first game in our season of away "Home" games.  This thread is NOT about the game or the team but rather the event of our first "Home" game.

The Good:

1. The band and cheerleaders tried hard to make it feel like home.

2. The UCLA logo at center court, the videos on the scoreboard etc we designed to make it feel like a home game. 

Continue reading this post »

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire / October 29, 2011)

There was discussion last week whether it is acceptable to root against the Bruins.  In football we can not. 

I am not saying anyone here wished for injuries in any way, shape or form.  I know BN would not hope even for little injuries for the other side.

But we have to remember, in football, the young men that are playing with four great letters on their helmets, are putting themselves in harms way for themselves, their teammates and our school.   The Bruin players on the field have my support.

I wondered if it was just me or not...until I saw this T&R on SI about the results of a Nebraska fan survey:
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/289053-strike-up-the-band-change-coming-to-nebraska-games

A survey of Nebraska fans said they wanted the band and spirit squad more. 

I for one would love to see the same happen at Pauley and the Rose Bowl.  We don't need as much (if any) piped in music when the band is there.  I am there for the college sports experience - leave the rest to the Lakers and other pro teams.

Lost in the mess that was the Saturday night loss to Stanford, was evidence of what CRN does so right and an example of UCLA sports Marketing getting it right....

Before the game there was a short video on the PASSION BUCKET with CRN explaining it.  It was amusing and one of those things that makes you understand why CRN is such a good recruiter.  Would have tried to video it if my Blackberry would have captured it effectively.

The people around me had never heard of the Passion Bucket so they really loved it.  (Makes me sad how disconnected some supposed fans are from the goings on around UCLA.)

I am sure they will show it at future games.

PS I was glad to see the Gloved One had posted the Ogden video.  As my son said:  he may be the greatest lineman in football history.  And he was a Bruin!

According to the Sporting News, here is the way the new Big 10 with 12 members will schedule:

"For now, each team will play all five teams in its division once as well as its protected rival every year. The other two games will be a rotation of the other five teams in the opposite division that is not the protected rival. Delany did say the league is looking into adding a ninth conference game, but that change wouldn't come until 2015 so teams can satisfy existing non-conference agreements. "

Michigan will play its protected rival, Ohio State, the last game of the regular season.

Seems like it might work for a model for the expanded Pac12 with a "zipper" plan and protected rivals.

Here is the link.

May have missed it but did not see a link posted on BN.....

Luke Winn used some statistics to allegedly determine the players most likely to "breakout", and selected "a believable Breakout Starting Five".  Reeves Nelson as one of five.  Link is here:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luke_winn/08/05/breakout.candidates/index.html

It is interesting because I think most on BN would say TH is just as likely to break out.  I agree though with the view that RN could be a monster if he can stay on the court for 30 minutes a game and improves his free throws.

Stewart Mandel of SI has an interesting article on Lame:

For four-plus years, envious fans around the country waited with anticipation for the NCAA to drop the hammer on USC's dynasty, which it did, and now they're presumably waiting with giddy anticipation for the expected on-field aftermath. That Kiffin could be steering the ship when the Trojans sink to mediocrity surely brings smiles to a lot of faces from Westwood to Austin, Gainesville and, of course, Knoxville.

No program that's undergone sanctions as severe as USC's (which include a two-year bowl ban and 30 docked scholarships over the next three years) has avoided an accompanying downfall. Yet, I don't remember a many people rooting for that to happen when Butch Davis took over at Miami or Mike Shula at Alabama.

The bottom line: 

"And yet, in less than two years, the man has, quite justifiably, developed into a near-universally despised figure -- and I can't for the life of me figure out whether it's intentional or accidental, whether he's genuinely affected or apathetic about the venom directed toward him."

Read rest of it here.

Nestor asked me to bump this to a FanShot....

Last night there was a total disconnect. The fans around me were not nearly as frustrated by the game as those on the in-game thread (and UCLA fans tend to be very vocal in their criticism). I will watch the game tonight on replay and maybe I will get frustrated too.

In the arena, it appeared to me that the team played with intensity (particularly the starters). The level of play and energy was well above what we saw against SC, in the 76 Classic etc. They may have lost last night but it was not the hopeless team from earlier in the year.

We seemed to play pretty good defense over most of the game. I have said before that our zone packs the paint and if the opposition passes crisply it will force our over rotation to the point where there were wide open shots. Stanford did that and got wide open shots. They beat the zone by making their 3’s. That is how you beat the zone. But beating the zone does not mean we did not playwith intensity.

The team does appear to lose focus at times. One of the things I will watch for in tonight’s replay is if the subs are as good at getting it inside as the starters. The run to pull it out at the end was a patient focus on getting high probability inside shots. Have not seen the subs able to get the ball in.

And, N, one of the things that you sense when you are in Pauley is how much this team is together. A coworker who was also at the game last night was talking with me about how excited the bench got during the game. They were into it for the whole game not just the last few minutes. That specifically included BL and MM. This is different than they looked in Anahiem or in some of the earlier games. They appear, admittedly from a distance, to be coming together as a team. All the comments about the other players resenting the starters does not appear to be true in Pauley. (But who really knows).

To me the following are the positive things:
1. Team is starting to show signs of improvement: free throw shoting, turnovers etc.
2. The team appears to be developing an identity
3. The team appears to coming together.
4. The team is starting to play closer to its potential. The team is starting to bring more intensity to every game.
Admittedly this was all suppose to happen earlier in the season and the team’s potential may not be that great.

So I am looking forward to the end of the work day to try and figure out why the tone of the thread was so overwhelmingly negative compared to how it felt in Pauley.

Got an email for UCLA Athletics that tickets are still available.  OK this is a down year for Ben's team and they can be frustrating to watch at times.  But this is SC.  We need to pack the house!