We all know by now that u$c's 2005 Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma for the BCS Championship has been vacated.  Yes, there will be an appeals process.  And yes, the BCS will wait for that process to play out before stripping $c of their title.  Ultimately, this is a done deal.  So this leaves us with one question--What should be done with the trophy currently residing at Inheritance Hall?  Oklahoma doesn't get it, as it wasn't won on the field.  Nobody should really want it.  It needs a proper disposal.  I have been thinking about this and have come up with some solutions on how to properly deal with the Little Crystal Football:

• Dress it up in a Lendale White uni, take it to the roof of the highest building on campus, and with the team watching, throw it off.
• Ping it with a ball-peen hammer to the tune of "Lean on Me."
• Put it in a white Bronco, and with AC driving, send it on a low-speed chase to the border.
• Spring OJ from jail, allow him and his cronies to storm Inheritance Hall, guns brandished, demanding to regain his "stuff".
• Drill out the center, place one of those little balls inside, and give it to Brendan to use as a whistle when he conducts walk-on tryouts. (They're gonna need a lot of walk-ons.)

I'd love to hear anyone else's ideas.  Thanks.

UPDATE (N): A poll has been added to this post. GO BRUINS.

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

Joe Hillock, UCLA Director of Basketball Operations spoke at the UCLA Club of the Desert's Annual Scholarship Dinner tonight.  I took some notes that I thought might be interesting to others on this site.

His role is basically that of another assistant coach.  I got the impression he has been with CBH for several years dating back before UCLA and maybe before Pitt, but he didn't say specifically.

One of his jobs is "breaking down" the film taken at practices.  Each practice is filmed, then he compiles the film to review with CBH the next morning at 9am.  He typically is up til 2am every night during the season analyzing the film from the previous practice and/or game.  He also is the "liason" with the medical staff (there are 4 doctors on staff) with whom he meets weekly.  

A typical "day in the life" of a Bruin Basketball student-athlete

1. Breakfast at 6am (training table)
2. Class
3. 1 1/2 hrs in weight room 4 days/wk
4. Athletic training 4 days/wk
5. Practice 6-7 days/wk (practice starts Oct.15 and runs until April...)

The team's GPA for the last term was 2.99.  Four players made Honor Roll.  He made a specific point of mentioning RW's GPA as being somewhat higher.  (I'm not going to post the number, as I wouldn't want my GPA published for public consumption)  The point being that he's not turning pro because he can't hack the schoolwork.  Overall, not bad for a team that played in 39 games and won 35.  On away trips, they leave campus early Wednesday mornings, meaning they miss classes W - F.  An academic advisor travels with the team.  The team for the first time ever has hired a nutritionist and an "athletic performance" coach.  The weight room has recently been re-done.

Regarding specific players:

1. AA2   Sited the Andy Katz article.  Stated he is in summer school and is likely to be back.
2. LRMAM  "testing the waters"
3. JS  "90% sure" he is coming back
4. RW  "not coming back" .  Likely lottery pick
5. KL   "probably not coming back"
6. ND  "false rumors" regarding him leaving.  Some problems with his diet in that he put on 8 lbs during the season despite the training, but has already lost 7 since the season ended.

Regarding recruits:

1. Could not comment on a specific player not yet signed due to NCAA rules.  
2. Gordon is also a track & field athlete competing either in shot put or discus.  He has an outstanding HS GPA.
3. J Holliday is the second coming of D. Wade.  His mother is a coach.  He would be NBA caliber out of HS if he could be.
4. M Lee has a 7'2" wing span
5. J Anderson  is the #2 PG in the country. 

Recruits will be early entries in July to get acclimated to the campus and the academics before the season starts.

UCLA will play in the Coaches v Cancer Classic which will also include Duke and Memphis (possible rematch?)

Pauley renovation will cost $175M.  3 - 4 plan options are being considered.  Naming rights may also be negotiated but the name will still include Pauley  and the court will still be the Nell and John Wooden Court.

He also played the highlight video for the season.  Some of it I'd seen before on this site (the one that has the montage that starts with stills and words like  Intensity, Leadership, Defense, Focus, etc. but this one was longer).  He said afterward that it wasn't yet available on YouTube.  I might be able to get a copy from our club president.  I also asked him about Chase, and he gave me the diplomatic response.

BTW I used to post on this site as UCLAMD89 and used the BN upgrade as a chance for a better username.  I'm a geezer-in-training so no avatar yet.  This is my first fanpost, so please be kind.