Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

Photo Credit:AP Photo/Evan Vucci

All of us are enjoying (in my case, extremely enjoying) that the NCAA has finally come down hard on the bold, arrogant, open institutional flaunting of NCAA recruiting standards by USC, Carroll, Garrett, Kiffin and SC alums.  We all look forward to their imminent 5 year demise.  But now, let's turn our focus on the restoration of the UCLA football program that to me is obviously well under way under CRN.  We all love the Bruins.  In our family we live and die with Bruin success and failure on the field, diamond and on the court. 

In my view, it is fine fun to enjoy the long overdue agony of the $C fan, but it is more important to provide overwhelming support to our own program so that it equals and exceeds the SC programs perceived former stature. As Bruins, we expect our programs to be above reproach, while achieving excellence on the field and in the classroom.  Our long list of National Championships combined with academic excellence speaks for itself. Last week's 11th Softball National Championship is a case in point.  We don't have to make excuses or apologize to anyone.  We are the premier athletic institution in the NCAA.

However, I do believe that in order for us to return to the Football glory years, (and we had them despite only one National Championship) and to compete in the newly formed Pac-16, we need to strive for and achieve higher levels of excellence on the field and in the stands.  In addition to reading Bruins Nation every morning for its excellent reporting of sports news and ideas, we all need to support the team at a much higher level.

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Just finished attending 0-3 Weekend at Anaheim watching Bruins exhibit little talent, teamwork or enthusiasm.  I'm sure Howland is going to reassess the lineup and start playing the guys who seem like they want to be on the floor to work.  It is going to happen, I believe in the coach.  Reeves Nelson, Roll, Brendan Lane all worked when they were on the floor.  Malcolm Lee has flashes of brilliance.  Bobo looked a little confused, but worked hard and hit the floor on a contested ball.  Dragovich, Gordon and Keefe were outrebounded, and lost on defense.  Gordon seemed more concerned about whining about ref calls than giving the game a true effort.  Since he is possibly one of our top two players, that is a disappointment.    LB actually took a rebound and scored two on a missed free throw - that should not happen. 

Looking forward to seeing what Tyler Honeycutt can do when he finally joins the team, but I suspect he won't make much of a difference for a month or so.  Right now I'm not a big fan of Anderson running the floor.  Hopefully he will improve or move to the bench.

A lot of this could be expected  from a young group led by three seniors, two of whom would not be starting on a typical Bruin team. 

I look forward to the improvement, dedication and desire that will absolutely follow an eye-opening weekend like this one for a group that should now realize that they aren't good enough to phone it  in.

Hoops plays Thursday, Friday and Sunday night at Anaheim Convention Center and FB at USC Saturday night.

Four wins in one weeken!!  Anyone else going to be there every night?  Plenty of time to rest up during the day.

RN has chance to convince everyone that his enthusiasm and dedication over the past two years is paying off, and isn't hype.  I for one am on his bandwagon and am absolutely confident that we will return to be a premier team by year 4 or 5 of his stewardship, but it sure would be sweet to repeat 2006 with a big win over a declining USC program.  Let's bring back the Donahue clydesdale for good luck.