Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

"The truth always comes out"

Those are Pete Carroll's own words, when (wrongfully) accusing UCLA staff of spreading misinformation of Ken Norton Jr. taking over as defensive coordinator for DeWayne Walker to elite recruits. The timing of this accusation was curious, as it came fresh off the heals of the de-committal of top-recruit Morrell Pressley from Southern Cal to the Bruins.

Now Pete Carroll is losing Mark Sanchez to the NFL draft, and once again, those words shed some light on the big picture.

"The truth always comes out"

Pete Carroll has enjoyed quite a bit of success at Southern California for nearly a decade now. Much of that success is borne from the ability to lure elite recruits to the program on a yearly basis, stacking nearly all positions 2 or 3 players deep of 5 star talent.

Mark Sanchez was a 5 star recruit, widely considered the best QB in the country, with enough talent to probably start as a freshman or sophomore at most programs.  Pete Carroll somehow lured in Sanchez the very same year he convinced Heisman-trophy winner Matt Leinart to bypass the NFL for another year of ballroom dancing and Reggie Bush pushing, all the while having another 5 star QB recruit John David Booty waiting in the wings as a redshirt freshman.

Well you know the story. Leinart lost to Vince Young, then slipped in the draft, lost millions, and is riding the pine in Arizona. John David Booty took over, played fairly well for two years, now is riding the pine in Minnesota (I think). Mark Sanchez rode the pine for 3 years at Southern Cal, patiently waiting his turn, then finally got his chance and had a fairly good year his fourth year. 

Pete Carroll somehow keeps his gravy train going by convincing recruits that it's not necessarily playing time that makes players better, it's the competition in practice.  Yet, when it's time for those players to make the decision to take their game to the NFL, all of a sudden, playing time is now paramount. "I really think he (Sanchez) needed more experience" Carroll said.  You know what I call that? A TWO FACED LIAR.

So which is it, Pete? What makes a player better: playing time, or the competition in practice? Or is it simply: whatever is good for Pete Carroll and Southern Cal?

Mark Sanchez got his degree (don't laugh), did his time on the pine for three years (getting better with competition at practice), had a nice fourth year and is projected to be the 2nd QB taken in the draft. He decided to take his opportunity now. There are no guarantees in sports. He made his decision. And for that, Pete Carroll publicly embarrasses him by acting like a selfish, jilted lover and giving him the cold shoulder at his press conference.  Nice way to send the guy off, Pete!

Mark Sanchez in now discovering what it means to be in the "Trojan Family". That is, you are part of the "family" as long as you do what is best for the "family" first. Sounds more like a DICTATORSHIP to me!

"The truth always comes out"

UPDATE (N): Arash Markazi, a writer on SI.com who just happens to be a Trojan alum eviscerates Pom Pom for embarrassing himself:

It was a sad display for the usually gregarious Carroll, who spoke of Sanchez as a statistic rather than a person and a player he's known for five years. If that's what Carroll has to say about Sanchez in front of the cameras, I'd hate to hear what he's going to say about him behind closed doors when NFL scouts and general managers start calling him.

 

Again note to all the recruits. According to a Trojan alum himself you guys are nothing but a "statistic" to disgraceful Pom Pom Petey. GO BRUINS. -  N

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

I attended a UCLA Alumni Event held at the San Diego Hall of Champions at Balboa park last night. CRN was the featured speaker and I wanted to share some interesting observations from the event.

First of all, CRN is every bit as personable, engaging, and charismatic in person as he is on television. He is a captivating and motivating speaker and had several standing ovations from the audience during his roughly 30 minute speech. He is articulate with a witty sense of humor. He will more than hold his own and will be a huge presence during media days.

I can also tell you that CRN has the exact frame of mind that we want in our football coach. He said several times that we're going "toe to toe" with "that team across town" and nothing short of Pac-10 championships and Rose bowl appearances will be acceptable at UCLA. There will be "no rebuilding period"; he expects to win and win right away. He is very mindful of the history and legacy of the many prominent athletes that have graced UCLA, the 100 National Championships, and he intends on using every bit of that as both a recruiting tool and mantra for the football program.

Some specific questions answered:

On the QB situation: He said the injuries to Cowan and Olson, literally less than 5 minutes from each other, were the "most bizarre thing he's ever seen in his years of coaching". As we already knew, he stated Cowan was out for 2008 and Olson would be out for approximately 8 weeks. He gave very luke warm praise for both Craft and Forcier, intimating that they have a ways to go in their development. Of all the topics, the QB situation seemed to concern him the most.

On the Offensive Line situation: He was surprisingly upbeat and optimistic when discussing the OL situation. He gave a lot of praise to coach Palcic and the job he was doing with the kids. He was especially complimentary of Darius Savage, stating unequivically that he would be in the NFL one day as an offensive lineman. He indicated that the starters were essentially set and said that guys like Sheller "need to bulk up a bit".

On his offensive philosophy Someone had asked if his offense would be more open, dynamic, with more "trick plays" than the past few years. He responding to this by stating that the running game would be a heavy emphasis of his. His analogy was the 3 yard run would be the boxing equivalent of body blows early in the fight, eventually beating down a weary opponent so as to open up "the knock out punch". I think this gives us a pretty good perspective of CRNs offensive strategy, which is one where I think maximizes the current personnel's talents and gives us the best chance of winning. In short, I wouldn't expect a lot of fireworks from this offense right away; more of a solid, ball-control, field-positioning, mistake-free unit built to wear down opposing defenses. I think we should be patient with this philosophy and be more satisfied with the 'W' than anything else.

On recruiting Using the real estate analogy "location, location, location" CRN said that college football was about "recruiting, recruiting, recruiting" He mentioned that 9 out of his 10 coaches have NFL coaching experience, which along with the UCLA legacy, he will use to his advantage with recruits. My favorite part of this topic was when he mentioned that when recruits come to campus and see the view from Janss steps, if that isn't enough to convince them, then they "are too dumb to be here." lol

On the "Senior Ditch" Day I personally brought this up with CRN after his speech and asked him if he plans on abolishing it. Somewhat to my surprise, he said he didn't plan on doing away with it, but is somehow going to try to change it into a more positive, constructive event. I told him "Good luck with that."

Anyways, just wanted to share a little bit of a very entertaining and insightful evening with our new football coach. I left the event feeling very good about the direction of the program and optimistic about our prospects next year and beyond.

I know this isn't exactly a surprise to anyone, but just came across this in the LA Times

Kevin Love and Darren Collison have probably played their last games for UCLA and will make themselves available for the NBA draft, sources close to the players said today.

Both players confirmed their decisions in separate meetings with UCLA Coach Ben Howland on Monday. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make an announcement until after Howland holds a season-ending news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Love, a 6-foot-10, 270-pound center, led the Bruins with averages of 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds. The freshman was Pacific 10 Conference player of the year, a first-team All-American and most outstanding player of the NCAA regional at Anaheim. Collison, a junior point guard, was a third-team All-American.

Love and Collison are expected to hire agents, which would mean they could not return to UCLA next season.

While I am obviously disappointed, best of luck to these 2 great athletes.

The same article also speculates that Westbrook is likely to go as well:

The Bruins are also expected to lose guard Russell Westbrook, a sophomore. He played opposite Collison but moved to the point when Collison was injured early this season.

One scout projected Westbrook as a possible lottery pick, and the guard's family has indicated that he would probably leave school if expectations were that he would go early. He had a career-high 22 points against Memphis and, at 6-3, 190 pounds, was clearly the one UCLA player physically suited to run and jump and bump with the Tigers.

The end of the same article also seems to suggest that Nestor's nuclear scenario (losing up to 7 of the current players) is a distinct possiblity. Let's hope Howland has some contingency plans in place. Go Bruins.

Bumped. As indicated in the comment thread great move by CRN as he kills two birds with one stone in this strategic scheduling move. GO BRUINS. -N

I already posted this under Nestor's Spring football diary, but thought this was big enough news to put in it's own diary.

From the LA Times:

UCLA altered its football schedule and will open at home against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl on Monday, Sept. 1, to accommodate television.

The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 6, but will now be ESPN's Labor Day game at 5 p.m. The Bruins' season opener against Fresno State, originally scheduled for Aug. 30, was moved to Sept. 27.

"We're excited because this puts UCLA football in a Monday night football setting," Coach Rick Neuheisel said.

The move also eases the Bruins' burden some. Instead of opening the season with Fresno State, Tennessee and Brigham Young -- all teams that won bowl games last season -- the Bruins will now have a bye week before the BYU game on Sept. 13.

So Neu's debut will be nationally televised, on primetime, on a Monday night? Think the Rose Bowl is going to be rockin'? I know our minds are elsewhere right now, but I think this is a huge development, will give the program great exposure, and is reflection of how CRN already has our program back into the national spotlight.

I know it's still April, and we still have a little basketball left, BUT I CANNOT WAIT FOR FOOTBALL SEASON!!

GO BRUINS!!

College football offseason is in full swing, and our semi-pro, thug neighbors from South Central are busy filling the police blotters.

Just a day after SUC recruit Maurice Simmons was arrested for (allegedly) committing felony robbery and assault with a firearm, defensive tackle Fili Moala was arrested for (allegedly) obstructing justice at a bar fight in Newport Beach. From the LAT:

USC defensive tackle Fili Moala was arrested this week in Newport Beach for obstructing and delaying an officer after police responded to a fight at a bar, a police official confirmed today.

Moala, 22, was not cited for being part of the fight, which occurred March 2 at Hoagie Barmichaels in Newport Beach, said Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach Police Dept.

Officers from the Newport Beach and Irvine police departments and the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. responded to the scene and ordered those outside the bar to the ground as they attempted to sort out what happened, Sailor said.

"He got down on the ground and complied with orders but as they gave more orders he went back into the bar," Sailor said. "He apologized, but was arrested."

Moala posted $500 bail and was released, Sailor said.

Moala could not be reached for comment. An athletic department spokesman said the school was aware of the arrest.

In other legal matters, there was this from the San Diego Union tribune yesterday:

Lloyd Lake's pretrial deposition scheduled for Monday in San Diego in his lawsuit against Reggie Bush is on hold for now, possibly until at least May, according to Lake's attorney Brian Watkins.
The judge in the case issued a stay on discovery in the case until she can hear motions made by attorneys in the case in May. Watkins filed a motion to compel Bush's deposition. Bush's attorneys have filed a motion for a protective order preventing Lake from sharing discovery materials with the NCAA and the media.

Oh, and how can we forget about this:

LAS VEGAS - A judge agreed Friday to delay the armed robbery and kidnapping trial for O.J. Simpson and two co-defendants until September to give the defense more time to prepare.

Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass also refused throw out the charges against the former football star, and refused to separate his trial from co-defendants Charles Ehrlich and Clarence "C.J." Stewart.

As they say, it's like shooting fish in a barrel, folks.

Bumped. I agree that DG deserves credit showing that he is going after a big fish like Bellotti (and the fact that this didn't get out until after they met is impressive), however that said I agree with this post that DG still has to close the deal on a named coach with credible head coaching experience, who will get us excited about UCLA Football. GO BRUINS. -N

So you're praising Guerrero for simply having the guts to publicly pursue Mike Bellotti?

How far have we fallen?

So Guerrero goes out and makes a run at Mike Bellotti, a proven, experienced, successful head coach that, unlike other candidates he has reportedly interviewed, would actually meet the standards that he himself more or less laid out as a prerequisite for the job after firing Dorrell.

And Bellotti, rather smugly, said "No thanks"

And now many of us are praising Guerrero simply for making the effort. For not being afraid of rejection, not being afraid of failure. Never mind the fact that Guerrero wasn't persuasive enough to lure a coach from Eugene, Oregon to Westwood.

How far have we fallen?

I've got news for you guys: UCLA is a big time program, playing in a big time stadium, which sits in a big time city. Going after a big name coach shouldn't be applauded, it should be EXPECTED.

I am happy we went after Bellotti. I am disappointed Bellotti turned us down. Maybe he likes the cold, dreary, wet weather up there. Maybe he actually digs those butt-ugly uniforms. Maybe he doesn't really have the stomach of going toe to toe with PC in his own backyard. Maybe he hates the limelight. Whatever the reason, he basically told us to "Duck Off". Whatever. Let's move on.

We shouldn't be praising Guerrero for having the guts for going after someone like Bellotti. Going after a guy like Bellotti should be a given at UCLA. At this point, we should be asking about other big names, and we should expect Guerrero to make an honest run for them.

If Bellotti is the one and only "big name" that Guerrero has truly made a run at, and we end up with Neuheisel, I would say this search process was a joke.

If Neuheisel was our man, Guerrero should have hired him 2 weeks ago. If he isn't, then this process should be just getting started. I won't accept the fact that Neuheisel is hired over a willing pool that includes Walker, Chow, Harbaugh and Golden. That would be a joke.

If Neuheisel is a second-tier candidate, there should be other Bellotti-caliber names coming into the mix in the near future. Maybe more rejections, so be it.

But I will withhold my praise for Guerrero if and when he hires that big name. When and if he hires that experienced, successful, proven head coach that a big time program like UCLA deserves.

Bumped from the diaries. GO BRUINS. -N

I hate what you've done to this football program, Karl Dorrell. But there's one thing you can do. One thing, and we may forgive you.

End this misery now, Karl. Make an announcement. Do it before the Southern Cal game. Make the announcement that you will resign after the Southern Cal game. Win or lose, you will resign. Spare us any uncertainty that, win or lose, you will be gone come next Monday. It's clear Guerrero won't fire you until after the Southern Cal game. Let all of us root for the Bruins without the fear that victory may mean you will be back.

Five years ago, UCLA gave you the opportunity of a lifetime. Now it's time to give back. Tell everyone that you were "thankful for the opportunity" (don't get me started about that one), but in the best interest of the program, you will coach your last game next Saturday and then tender your resignation. Tell us you tried your best, but you just weren't up to it. Go out with dignity, Karl. Put your alma mater before yourself. Do it for players. Do it for the fans. It would be an honorable thing to do.

You've ripped us apart, Karl. We are tormented. We are apathetic. We bicker amongst ourselves. Our hatred for our cross-town rivals now equals (or maybe has even been surpassed by) the hatred for what you've done to our program. Some of us even hate you, Karl. One of the best rivalries in all of sports is happening next Saturday, and many die-hard Bruin fans can hardly care less of the outcome. Many of us care more about the following Monday and who will be your successor. This is what you've done to us.

Of course, we've given it right back to you: Duhrell. Dullard. Doofus. The Thinker. The Sleeper. Dorvell. Dorrellian. Lavinesque. CTS. Toast. All these names are well known and widely spoken by us, Karl. You may not even know what some of them mean, but ask any one of us, and we'll tell you. They are borne from the angst and frustration of the last 5 years. Fellow Bruins calling each other names. This is what you've done to us.

Did you know there's a countdown to "End of KD Hell" Karl? It's set to go off Monday, December 3rd. That's when we expect, EXPECT, not necessarily PREDICT (that's a whole other story about you Karl, I won't get into that) that Mr. Guerrero fires you. If he doesn't, then there's another fellow Bruin who will get our wrath. But you can wrest that decision from him Karl, spare him our wrath, and do what's right for the program.

And hey, beat Southern Cal, go out with pride, there may be another coaching gig waiting for you. Somewhere, but not here.

You've thrown players and assistant coaches under the bus. You and Mr. Streeter then threw UCLA under the bus. You've given us 5 years of clichés, here's one for you: it's time to right the ship. It's not about winning or losing anymore. It's about saving our football program. It's time to give back, Karl. The time is now.

Make the announcement that you will resign after the Southern Cal game. Tell your players to play their hearts out; that what you've done is in their best interest, what's best for the program. Tell Bruin Nation that UCLA means more to you than your livlihood. The entire Bruin Nation can then unite, and root harder for you this Saturday than they ever have. And maybe some of us..after everything you've done to us..just maybe... we can forgive you.

Come to one of the finest universities in the world, all the while enjoying great weather, beautiful beaches, and bountiful dining and entertainment options galore!

Come be head coach at the University of California, at Los Angeles!

Your team will play in one of the most beautiful and historical football stadiums in the country: the Rose Bowl, recently voted one of the top 20 sports venues of the 20th century by CNN/SI!

Los Angeles is a dynamic, diverse city in southern California, a major media market and in the backdrop of the entertainment capital of the world!

Recruit in one of the deepest and best talent pools in the country, where recruits will literally line up for letters of intent! Despite all the recruiting advantages, expectations are quite low: 6 win seasons and lower tier bowls are the standard! No pressure!

Here's the best part: NO HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! Sound too good to be true? It isn't!!

We're looking for a handsome, fit, nice man who will run a clean program. Thoughtfulness, as demonstrated by remembering birthdays of various office staff, are a plus. Weight will be given towards former UCLA graduates.

Minority applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be given special considerations and allowances during times of poor job performance!

We offer a competitive salary of just under one million dollars per year, plus lucrative incentives!

High energy and motivating applicants need not apply. We prefer a low key, "statuesque" demeanor on the sidelines. We feel 18-21 year-olds respond better to a calm, soothing influence in the locker room, not to the fiery and intense types.

Being articulate with the media is not required. Must be very familiar with cliches and have an uncanny ability to come up with nonsensical phrases.

We also have a bevy of journalists ready to defend you at all costs against those unruly alumni, many of whom harbor unrealistic expectations of Pac-10 championships and regular victories over our cross-town rival. We don't worry about them!

Great university, dynamic city, beautiful weather, top venue, recruiting advantages, low expectations, seven figure salary, no experience required......what more can you ask for??

Apply today!!!!

Ad paid for by UCLA Administrators and the Morgan Center.

With Arizona's victory over the Ducks last night, giving Oregon their 2nd loss in conference, UCLA will have an unexpected supporter next week: the SUCsters of South Central.

And with Dennis Dixon out for the year with a torn ACL, this game is gift wrapped for Dorrell and co.

A UCLA win over Oregon, coupled with a SUC win over Arizona St., puts the SUCsters in the driver's seat for the Rose Bowl.

And of course, there's always the slightest chance that a W may give the few Dorrell supporters out there (cough...Dohn....cough)just enough momentum in their feeble attempts at saving his job (at least that's what the SUCsters are hoping).

Hey, they may even congratulate us for being "bowl eligible"!

SUC in the Rose Bowl, a crappy bowl game, and more momentum for Dorrell supporters? I may be just an "alleged supporter", but this one is a no-brainer for me:

Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. Go Ducks. 200 words yet?

Bumped from the diaries. GO BRUINS. -N

We're getting close Bruins Nation, but there is still work to do.

That's the way I see it anyway. But I am a pessimist by nature.

Many of you think it's already a done deal: Dorrell is toast. Win or lose the rest of the way, he is gone. Nothing can save him now. I agree that's the way it should be. If I were Dan Guerrero (and obviously I'm not), Dorrell would be watching the UCLA-ASU game from his own television. As a matter of fact, if I were Guerrero, Dorrell would be watching EVERY game this season from his own television.

It's almost inconceivable right now to even entertain the notion that the Bruins can still win the conference and go to the Rose bowl. It is laughable to state the fact that these Bruins still control their own destiny with three games to play. Beat Arizona St. at home, beat Oregon at home, and then beat Southern Cal 14 miles from home; that leaves everyone with at least 2 losses and UCLA wins the tiebreaker. Okay, you can stop laughing now.

Like I said, I am a pessimist when it comes to sports. I consider the worst case scenario not only possible, but even sometimes probable. Keeping that in mind, I believe Dorrell still needs 2 more losses to clinch his firing. And one of those losses won't be coming next weekend.

That being said, if Dorrell wins 2 out of the last 3, I won't be feeling very comfortable on December 3rd waiting for the ax to fall on Dorrell. Like myself, I'm sure many of you are very skeptical leaving matters such as these up to our administration. As has been written here many times before: we are mediocre for a reason, and that reason starts at the very top. You almost get the feeling that our administration needs to be hit with a sledgehammer to finally wake up and do the right thing.

Two more losses and Dorrell is gone. I am confident of that. Of course, three more is icing on the cake. That's like 20 wins in college basketball: you know you're probably in, but win your conference tournament, and there's something fulfilling in knowing you're a LOCK. If firing Dorrell is getting into the Big Dance, then Guerrero and the UCLA administration are the NCAA selection committee, and Bruin fans are that 20+ win team from the Missouri Valley conference: we deserve to be in, but we want there to be no doubt in the minds of those who decide.

But we're not losing next weekend. Not going to happen. No way. Once beaten Arizona St., a tad bit overrated, a lot demoralized, comes to the Rose Bowl. It is so Dorrellian, so Lavinesque, isn't it? Home underdogs, coming off a couple of embarrassing defeats, against an opponenent JUST RIPE to be "Dorrelled".

You can just imagine the quotes in the news the following day: "We can still win the conference" ....."It's a three game season"...."Bring on the Ducks"...... "Dorrell saves his job,for now". And of course, a phrase that would be deserving of a kick in the teeth of any Bruin fan that uttered it: "We are bowl eligible"

Then the magic number is still 2, with two to play (I am not considering the bowl game; yes it's possible Dorrell survives the regular season but not a crappy bowl loss).

But there's no way we beat Oregon. I'm pretty confident of that, pretty much.

Then there's SUC. Magic number is one, one to play. Then there's the ultimate conflict that will rage through the hearts of Bruin fans: knowing a loss here means our misery is over, but a win may, just may, keep Dorrell around a little longer. But there's no way Dorrell wins THIS game, right? There's no way Dorrell coaches this team in 2008, RIGHT?

Remember, I am a pessimist.

Bumped from the diaries. Ladies and gentleman godblesstyus95 points us to the elephant in the room. GO BRUINS. -N

Go Bears?

A win over Cal this weekend sets into motion what I have been fearing for the last couple of weeks: a "Doomsday Scenario" where, by sure luck and happenstance, a season full of unexpected mishaps and upsets produces a Pac 10 Champion (and hence BCS participant) with 2 conference losses.  A scenario where, at 8-4 or better, the Bruins, losers to pathetic Utah and Notre Dame, would likely find themselves giddy at the top of the Pac 10. And let's face it Bruins Nation: if Dorrell wins the Pac 10 and goes to a BCS bowl game, the chances he gets fired are, well, fairly hopeless.

It certainly has happened before. 1993 comes to mind, when the Bruins finished 8-4, with 2 Pac 10 losses to Cal and Arizona St., and wound up playing in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1st, 1994.

This season, unlike those of recent years, have 5 teams (UCLA, USC, Cal, Arizona St. and Oregon) that all have a legitimate shot at winning the conference title. Three of them (Cal, Oregon, and USC) already have one loss. Remarkably, of those 5 teams, only Cal and Oregon have played each other already(!). Assuming one team doesn't run the table on the others (unlikely given how this year has unfolded), a season of unprecedented parity will leave each one of these teams with at least 2 or 3 losses before it's all said and done.

Of the 5 teams, UCLA by far has the easiest road, so to speak. They will play all 4 of the other contenders without ever having to leave Los Angeles.

While Dorrell and his minions will certainly spin doctor a successful conference finish, it won't be so much what the Bruins do, but what the other contenders are up against.

A win over injury-riddled Cal would be a good start, getting them to 4-0 in conference, 2 games clear of the Bears with a tie-breaker, with Cal then having to travel to ASU the next weekend.

USC, still the most feared but appearing more and more mediocre each week, arguably has the most difficult task, having to play Cal, Oregon, and ASU all on the road.

ASU, currently leading the Pac 10 at 4-0, would be a close second, having to play Cal, at Oregon, at UCLA, and USC all in succession.

And then there's Oregon, who right now appears to be the best Pac 10 team, but already saddled with a home loss to Cal, having to play USC and ASU back to back, followed by Arizona and UCLA on the road. Oh, and don't forget they'll have to do that without 2 of their top receivers (Paysinger and Colvin, lost for the year to injury).

Protect their home turf against their Pac 10 foes, one feat that Dorrell has actually accomplished with a modicum of success, and beat a couple of 2-5 teams on the road, momentum on their side, and the Doomsday Scenario is complete.

So it's all really set up nice for Dorrell and his Bruins. A season of unprecedented parity, unexpected defeats of preseason favorites Cal and USC, a "what better can you ask for" home schedule, devastating injuries to other contenders, has paved the road for a very Lavinesque finish. Really, it doesn't even seem an idiot like Dorrell could screw this up, can he?

I know, I know, the way they looked against Utah and Notre Dame, and you're thinking "no way" they'll win the Pac 10. For sure, even with the season setting up so nicely for Dorrell, I still expect at least a couple of ugly losses in store for this team. 4 of the last 6: that's all it will take. Doomsday.

40-14.

Looks convincing, doesn't it? A 26 point win on the road against a team that, at least at the beginning of the year, was expected to be a top-25 caliber team. Even this morning that score would have looked impressive to even the most jaded of Bruin fans (myself included).

Okay, everyone with me say: "YEAH, BUT....."

Did we see any glimmer of hope that this team can be an elite team and actually contend for a Pac-10 title?

Did we see any slightest of chance that this joke of a West Coast Offense may actually work?

Did we feel any better about the leadership of this team?

Did we see anything today that actually made us feel good about where this program is headed?

No.
No.
No.
And definitely not.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I know that there are many readers out there who, let me just say, are just slightly more optimistic about KDs coaching future than I am. And for those of you out there, consider this:

With just over 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter, the score was 14-12, Oregon St.  It was just about the ugliest display of offensive football that I can remember in my 20+ years of watching football. Couple that with one of the worst PUNTING performances (Oregon St.) I have ever seen at ANY level (practically BEGGING us to score from midfield on just about every possession from the 2nd quarter on.) Then I witnessed one of the worst 5 minutes of football strung together by ONE PLAYER than I've ever seen in my life: Oregon State's Gerard Lawson, in that time span, did this:
   1. Committed a horrible 15 yard personal foul out of bounds hit on our punt returner, leading to Breazell's go ahead touchdown.
   2. Fumbled the ensuing kickoff, leading to another touchdown.
   3. Fumbled the next kickoff, leading to yet another touchdown.
   4. And if that wasn't enough, fumbled the next kickoff, which was mercifully knocked out of bounds by one of his teammates, keeping the ball. (Certainly demoralized at this point, OSU allowed a blocked punt shortly thereafter, resulting in the final score)

Wow. You would almost think that if there was betting of college football games that maybe a fix was on and.....wait, THAT would never happen!

No, my friends, just another weekend of Lavin...er I mean, Dorrellian football. A worthless win. Nothing more, nothing less.

And for those of you keeping score at home, Dorrell's unofficial Magic Number (to keep torturing us every fall) is down to 4. That's 8-4, which, as you know, at UCLA, is "good enough".

Stay under the radar, Karl! Stay under the radar.

I posted this originally on May 17th, 2007, after Dorrell appeared on the ESPN College Football All Access segment on UCLA. I felt it worthwhile to repost this to show just how (even more) ridiculous Dorrell sounds now:

From May 17th: Just watched the ESPN All Access segment on our Bruins. As I feared, (and I'm sure no surprise to anyone here on BN), KD pretty much sounded like a bumbling, stumbling, cliche-dropping idiot. Here's are KD's exact words from this segment:

KD (regarding the SUC win): "You have to utilize your experience of what it took to win that type of game...and...we've learned from that, and we've learned what not to do from the results of that."  Uh....yeah. The team learned a whole lot from that win. That "experience" carried over to a lackluster showing against Florida State, and then into this year as well. What you should have said Karl was this: "This game saved my ass this year. There's no way Guerrero can fire me right now. I get at least another year to screw things up. I'll be sending Eric McNeal a birthday card every year for the rest of my life." KD: "We're trying to build that practice attitude of being very competitive...and (stutters) playing with your best rep, each time you get a rep to do something."   What? I don't know exactly what he is trying to say here, but my guess he is trying to say that they have finally learned how to practice. Yeah, right. A lot of good that did the week before the Utah game, right Karl? Five f*cking years and this team still doesn't know how to practice! KD: "They're understanding that, it takes them to be hard on themselves..to achieve great things." Whoa, Karl is quite the motivator, isn't he? Another Knute Rockne in the making. I can just imagine what his halftime speech sounded like in Utah last week. Very inspiring, I'm sure. KD: "The image of UCLA football...is..rich in tradition...tradition was...kinda put on the backburner for a little bit...and now has re-emerged...I've helped bring that process back to the forefront." WTF? This may be the most ridicilous, asinine, unforgiveable thing ever to be uttered by Karl Dorrell. ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME, KARL? What tradition is he talking about????? Pre 1940's? What a joke.

And at the end, Mark May said this:

"With 20 returning starters, they should win at least 10 games, possibly more" Hmmm...I know it's early, but I probably wouldn't be putting my money on the over in wins (9) in Vegas. Not with this clown at the helm.

I'm confident someday we'll all look back on these last 5 years and realize what an absolute nightmare we've gone through. I'm confident that Guerrero will end this misery THIS YEAR. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE end this misery!!!

 Sad. Just sad.

(Less than 60 days 'til basketball season ;-))

Bumped from the diaries. GO BRUINS - N

I would love to know what is going through Dan Guerrero's head right now.

First of all, I want to start out saying that, barring any off-field scandal, I think it's HIGHLY UNLIKELY that Guerrero fires Dorrell tonight, tomorrow, next week, the week after that, next month, or the next month after that. This team could totally implode over the next 5 or 6 games and we will still see Dorrell's clueless, dumbfounded mug on the sidelines. Any of you who think otherwise are no less delusional than some of the other "fans" on some of the other Bruin sites. What we want and what we get are two different things. This was a horrible, unforgettable, and unforgivable loss. But a career-ender? Not happening. Not yet.

Take a deep breath and consider this: fire Dorrell in midseason, and Guerrero is faced with the sobering thought of 17 senior starters playing for an assistant coach who, quite frankly, has no business running a program a la their clueless leader. A midseason fire may come across as reactionary and perhaps overzealous, and perception amongst the small fraternity of coaches will be paramount as Guerrero begins his search for Dorrell's successor. Keep in mind these are Dorrell's assistants; as much as it would make us feel good, it probably does nothing for the immediate betterment of the program, and may perhaps hinder our chances of bringing in a quality replacement.

Clearly though, Guerrero must be planning his next move. This team is likely headed to another disappointing, mediocre finish. I've got to believe he is committed to bringing consistency to our beleaguered football program. He also knows he's being watched closely by his peers. How he handles this situation will go a long way towards his own aspirations.

This move will come at season's end, and he needs to start preparing now.

I don't expect Guerrero to come out publicly and denigrate or chastise Dorrell in any way. That's not his style. Yet don't expect any vote of confidence either. Many of you probably remember his demeanor before the SUC game last year. I truly believe he was ready to pull the trigger and fire Dorrell after that game. Then 13-9 happened, and Dorrell was saved.

Even the most optimistic fan knows that 13-9 won't be happening this year, and hence there will be no saving Dorrell. Guerrero will have to pull the trigger. He is going to hear it now and for the rest of the season from all of us.

There is an elephant in the room that I feel is worth mentioning, not because I feel it should matter, but because it is something Guerrero will have to face head on: the fact that Dorrell is African American. No matter how justified Guerrero is in firing Dorrell, there will be plenty of backlash out there that the NCAA will be one less African American head coach. This is a problem. And Guerrero will have to make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that making a change is truly for the betterment of the program. It is already apparant and clear to us, but it will also have to be for everyone else. This will be his challenge.

Guerrero's other challenge will be to bring in a proven winner, and, of course, this will take $$$. Unlike in the past, I believe UCLA has to pony up and pay what it needs to to bring in a proven winner. Karl Dorrell is the 5th highest paid coach in the Pac-10. Say what you want, but the next UCLA head coach cannot and should not be 5th out of 10.

Guerrero's legacy will certainly be remembered for bringing in Howland and resurrecting our basketball program, for being a part of our "1st to 100" championships, and perhaps forwarding our baseball program, but ultimately, his legacy can and will be firmly placed by bringing in a head football coach who can consistently produce a winner, bring us back to Pac-10 supremacy, and take us to BCS bowl games.

Karl said it himself: "If I don't do my job, I'm going to get fired." Dan Guerrero, what are you thinking? What is your next move?

We are all watching.

(fights back laughter). Ya might have heard about this already, but yet another one of Cheatie's prized recruits, Jamere Holland, is leaving college football's "Nirvana". This very startling and unsettling news (fights back laughter) comes just a day after one of SUCs 45 tailbacks, Emmanuel Moody, had finally figured out that there's only one football on the field at any one time.

Here's Pete Carroll on his latest departure:

You know, since the whole Bush fiasco, we've really had to scale back our, you know, "advantages". It's so hard to keep these guy's attention nowadays. This whole playing by the rules thing, really kinda sucks.

Here's what offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian had to say:

These guys want to come in here and play right away and be stars. Please. I mean, come on, who wouldn't want to sit on the bench a few years and rap a little with Snoop Dogg? Playing time is really overrated. Have you breathed the smog around here? Really hurts the lungs.

SUC fans certainly aren't fretting about losing a couple of guys who, quite frankly, were going to have minimal impact this year. Here's what one SUC alum had to say:

To hell with those guys! Fight on, man! Just win, baby! Those guys were losers, and hey, you know what Vick does to losers, right? Nah, just kidding! Fight on! Whooo!

Um, yeah, so much for the trOJan "family". I guess the "win at all costs" attitude is so pervasive amongst the whole program that no one really cares if a couple of promising recruits get thrown away like trash. But hey, keep Cheatin' On!

And finally, I just can't hold it back anymore:

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Who says all we do is bash Karl Dorrell on this site? Hey, let's talk about something good Karl has done, and that's early recruiting for 2008.

Rivals.com came out with their early 2008 recruiting rankings today, and UCLA was ranked #1 on their list:

   
 PROSPECT COMMITMENTS

 School TOTAL
Commits
Commits
Commits Avg Stars
Points
1 UCLA 21 0 13 7 3.57 1,985
2 Texas 20 0 11 8 3.50 1,846
3 Notre Dame 16 1 10 5 3.75 1,739
4 Oklahoma 15 3 5 6 3.67 1,619
5 Georgia 16 2 7 5 3.56 1,616
6 Florida State 12 2 6 4 3.83 1,388
7 Southern Cal 8 3 3 2 4.13 1,113
8 Ohio State 9 1 7 0 3.89 1,035
9 Texas A&M 18 0 4 10 3.00 886
10 Nebraska 10 1 4 4 3.50 877
11 Miami-FL 9 1 3 5 3.56 793
12 Michigan 8 0 6 2 3.75 781
13 Clemson 11 1 3 4 3.18 773
14 Alabama 10 0 5 3 3.30 665
15 LSU 9 0 3 6 3.33 532
16 Wisconsin 14 0 1 9 2.79 518
17 Ole Miss 15 0 1 7 2.60 407
18 Pittsburgh 7 1 1 3 3.14 370
19 Arizona 8 0 2 4 3.00 323
20 California 5 0 2 3 3.40 318
21 Penn State 4 0 2 2 3.50 284
22 Tennessee 7 0 1 5 3.00 274
23 Arkansas 7 0 1 4 2.86 246
24 Oklahoma State 12 0 0 5 2.42 245
25 Boston College 7 0 1 5 3.00 242

As you can see, UCLA has 21 commits so far (most of any school), including 13 that are rated 4 stars.

No doubt the sheer size of our class played a large part in our rank up to this point. The number of 4 star recruits is impressive, but the lack of any 5 star recruits will likely drop us out of the top spot once the final rankings come around (once other teams catch up in class size). I think it's also worth noting that average stars so far for 2008 (3.57) is actually lower (3.60) than in 2007, when we finished 35th. Still, it is likely that we will finish somewhere in the top 10, which will be KDs highest ranking so far.

For putting together an impressive early recruiting class so far, and their #1 ranking, I'll give kudos to KD (and his assistants, of course, who no doubt played a very large role in recruiting these players). Of course, none of this will mean anything if 1. we lose key recruits due to a lackluster performance in 2007, or 2. KD doesn't develop the talents he's recruited (assuming he's still around in 2008...yikes).

Go Bruins.

Yes, I know there has been quite a bit of discussion lately with regards to what many posters believe is an over-abundance of Dorrell "bashing" in the moderator's posts. (To be clear I will refer to "bashing" as any word or statement which reflects Dorrell in a negative light). The poster who diaried this viewpoint rather coherently and articulately voiced his opinion that the moderators are incessantly discussing and cross-referencing Dorrell in a negative manner to the point that it has become unpleasurable. As if a "wrong" had been done to him, the first time poster called out the moderators in order to (in his own words) "reconcile", and affect change in the moderator's tone for the future.

I have a couple of problems with this diary. First, and foremost, I disagree with the notion that Dorrell "bashing" is over-abundant and excessive. Apparently, according to the poll that was constructed, I am in the minority.

Or am I?

For those who voted along the lines of "overly-excessive", I have one question for you: Do you think Dorrell is the right man for the job? Anyone who thinks "yes", you can stop reading now and put your head back in the sand where it belongs. You are simply blind. I will never reach you.

For those who think "No", then obviously you are not blind, but simply, in my opinion, just compassionate. There is nothing wrong with that. It is an inate feeling within all of us, to varying degrees (unless you commit double-murder in Brentwood, but I digress). You loathe suffering. You hate to see someone beat down, over and over again, even if they had it coming. You generally avoid uncomfortable situations. You see a little good in everybody. You generally root for the underdog.

But, Bruin faithful, there is very little pleasant , and certainly nothing  comfortable with the state of Bruin football right now. It is very disconcerting, and it is an issue which deserves its appropriate attention. It is an issue that needs to be revisited often. Like a recently incised abscess, it requires painful and unpleasant packing and dressing on a daily basis. Ignore it, and it can fester back into a life-threatening infection.

In my opinion, Dorrell gets his due criticism. He gets paid quite handsomely to receive this critique. You may have noticed that the worst basketball coach in modern basketball history, our own Steve Lavin, recently placed his house up for sale in Newport Beach to the handsome sum of $4 million. Yep. The most reviled and very heavily-criticized basketball coach is livin' large, and, believe me, KD and his family will be livin' large for a long, long time.

Part of the reason that these coaches get paid so handsomely is that their performance is heavily, heavily scrutinized and critiqued. They are in the limelight. And they accept that. It's a tough job. Not for everybody. So don't feel sorry for KD, he has earned every bit of what he gets. And believe me, what he gets here is tame compared to what they'd do to him in South Bend. Or Tuscaloosa. Or Gainesville. Or Austin. Or South Central LA.

And if you think that a coaching change will simply happen based simply upon performance and merit, think again. DG will have a very, very difficult decision to make if the Bruins go 8-4 or 7-5, and the reasons for this have been covered extensively. The louder the voice of displeasure, the better chance DG makes the right choice.

Finally, I agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and should feel free to discuss them openly amongst Bruins. However, I can only begin to fathom the time and effort that goes into maintaining this site, all the precise cross-referencing and the broad scope of analysis. The committment, day in and day out. Everyone can attest to that. And I know the moderators are not unemployed, computer-geeks living with their parents. They are busy students or professionals, many of them with families. So when a first-time poster comes in and tries to affect change, no matter what reconciliatory or friendly tone is used (and even if the majority agrees with him), I think it is just simply poor form, free speech or not. Just sayin'

Anyways, thanks for allowing me to express my opinions in a open and candid manner. Go Bruins.

Bumped. Summer has barely started and already it looks like M will need update the rap sheet on Pom Pom's (alleged) thugs from South Central. Yeah there is no lack of institutional control in Peetie's goon program. Noooone at all. Everything is all right in South Central. It is all good. GO BRUINS. -N

This is just too comical. From the LAT:

USC junior safety Josh Pinkard was arrested this month (May 18th) on suspicion of driving under the influence, coach Pete Carroll confirmed Tuesday. I know, I know. This is not news. Just another trOJan arrested, happens all the time, right? But wait...here's the real comical part (keep in mind that this incident occurred over 10 days ago): Asked Tuesday afternoon if Pinkard had been arrested, Carroll at first said he was unaware of the incident but would look into the matter. Ummm, yeah, where have we heard that before?

It gets even better:

Carroll said later that staff members had reached Pinkard and confirmed his arrest. Carroll said he would speak to Pinkard Tuesday night or Wednesday. "We're looking into it and we'll find out the details", Carroll said. "As usual, we'll handle it internally." Uhhhh, yeah, I'm sure 'ol Cheatie will handle it "internally" and make poor 'ol Josh run a few winsprints in practice. Maybe put him on "timeout" for a quarter or two against Idaho in their season opener. What a friggin' joke.

Just another example of how little control and oversight Carroll has over his band of thugs and criminals. This is a program spinning out of control.

Would anyone like to wager by what date the next $C rape or assault case will surface? I'm betting one by July 4th. It's a sure bet.

Just watched the ESPN All Access segment on our Bruins. As I feared, (and I'm sure no surprise to anyone here on BN), KD pretty much sounded like a bumbling, stumbling, cliche-dropping idiot. Here's a few of the gems:

KD: "You have to utilize your experience of what it took to win that type of game ('SC)...and...we've learned from that, and we've learned what not to do from the results of that." Huh?

KD: "We're trying to build that practice attitude of being very competitive...and (stutters) playing with your best rep, each time you get a rep to do something."   What?

KD: "They're understanding that, it takes them to be hard on themselves..to achieve great things." Ooooh, that's inspiring!

KD: "The image of UCLA football...is..rich in tradition...tradition was...kinda put on the backburner for a little bit...and now has re-emerged...I've helped bring that process back to (stutters) to the forefront." WTF?

There we were on the national stage, a chance to showcase our program, and this is the type of dialogue we get from our "coach"???? Did KD actually graduate from UCLA? I can't even make sense of what he's saying! On the bright side, at least Horton and Joseph sounded coherent and articulate. And at the end, Mark May said this:

"With 20 returning starters, they should win at least 10 games, possibly more"

Another day, another Trojan recruiting violation.

The LA Times today is reporting that USC compliance officials are investigating whether an NCAA recruiting violation occurred during their pursuit of Lousiana prep star Joe McKnight.

Turns out, during 'ol McSmart's news conference, televised in front of the whole nation, he told reporters that his mind was put at ease about possible sanctions against USC dealing with the whole, ahem, "Free House" debacle, after listening to a conference call between 'ol Cheatie and Mr. Free House himself. Telephone communication between them could itself be a violation of NCAA recruiting rules, as former players are prohibited from making "telephonic communications with prospective student-athletes".

The AP reported Wednesday that McKnight and Carroll set up a conference call so he (McKnight) and his high school coach could talk to Bush to "ease his worries"

Of course, Cheatie "vehemently denies" any such conference call took place, and later McSmart said he "misspoke" about the whole thing, apparently  "overcome with all the attention and scrutiny" which came with his announcement. Uh Huh.

Yeah, I'm sure USC compliance officials will do their "due diligence" and thoroughly "investigate" this whole matter.
If there's any funny business going on, they'll find it!!!

I mean, really.....how much longer are they going to allow this bullsh!t??? How many limos, free rents, free houses, free grades, "telephonic communications" etc... is it going to take to finally SANCTION THESE A-HOLES!!!!!?????

A little interesting tidbit from the LA Times today, reporting that freshman safety Antwine Perez (2006 Rivals rank #29) will be transferring, citing lack of playing time and finding himself 3rd or 4th on the depth chart. They also report that freshman running back Stafon Johnson (2006 Rivals rank #18)is also considering transfer for similar reasons.

Hmmm...now I will admit that Pom Pom has totally outrecruited our a$$es since 2003, turning in top ranked incoming classes just about every year. But it seems that Pom Poms tentacles aren't wrapped around these kids as tightly as they were a few years ago, and promises of pro days, Heisman's, <cough> free rent <cough>, championships, <cough> free houses for Mom and Pops <cough>, are luring these unsuspecting and impressionable recruits, only to find themselves 3rd or 4th on the depth chart at their respective positions, and hence limited playing time. Even John David Booty, the nation's top QB recruit in 2003, who left high school early only to toil for 3 years as the ballroom dancer's understudy, had to bide his time on the pine before finally getting his chance this year. Allen Bradford (2006 Rivals #9), the #1 linebacker in the country last year, finds himself #3 on the depth chart as a safety. Rocky Hinds, one of the top QB recruits in the west in '04, is now playing for UNLV.

Apparently, what cheatie Peetie forgets to tell these kids is he can only field one QB, one tailback, 11 players on offense and 11 players on defense at a time. And now that Bush-gate and Jarrett-gate have got the NCAAs attention, there are probably a lot less "fringe benefits" at the Univ. of South Central. And unfortunately for these talented, promising recruits, they come to realize too late that they are not going to develop their skills riding the pine or playing special teams. One has to wonder when and if Marc Tyler, son of UCLA-great Wendell Tyler, will finally break through the depth chart at running back, where freshman C.J. Gable and Emmanuel Moody are #1 and #2.

One only has to look at Maurice Jones-Drew, who played full time from his freshman year through his junior year at UCLA, to see what playing time and experience does for you at the next level. I bet he's glad he made the choice he did a few years back!

Here is an interesting tidbit that I have heard regarding next years game with USC: We will be wearing our powder blue uniforms (our regular home uniforms) when we visit the Coliseum.

This is a "throwback" to the old days when both teams would wear their home uniforms for this game, no matter where they played. For anyone that remembers what a spectacle it was to see the powder blue Bruins line up against the cardinal red and gold Trojans you can imagine just how awesome this is going to be. Just another wrinkle that adds so much pageantry and makes this cross-town rivalry so sacred and special.

Of course, this will violate some stupid NCAA rule, and when we do come out with our powder blues the penalty will be a loss of a timeout. I understand that KD was the major instigator to get this pact with SC going, and PC will oblige by calling a timeout after the kickoff to even things out. Of course KD (if he is still around ;) ) will return the favor when the game comes back to the RB in 2 years.

If this does play out, I give major kudos to both KD and PC to restoring a great tradition in this great rivalry.

I hate SC.

I hate the colors cardinal and gold.

I hate that horse.

I hate that band and that fight song they play 400,000 times a game.

I hate their helmets and that logo.

I hate their jerseys, home and away.

I hate the Crapiseum, and their fortress in the armpit of Los Angeles.

I hate their coach.

I hate their assistant coaches.

I hate their equipment managers, trainers, water boys, locker room janitors, secretaries, bus drivers, groupies, hookers, pimps and drug dealers.

I hate all their current and former players (not you, Rob Johnson, you're okay by me).

I hate all their bandwagoning fans, at Laker games, Dodger games, Angel games, Charger games, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Catalina, Lake Arrowhead, the Moon....F!CK all y'all!

I hate Petros Papadorkus and Colin Cowturd.

I hate all those sportwriters who think SC's one loss to Oregon State is better than Michigan's to Ohio State and Florida's to Auburn. F!CK You!

I hate OJ "If I did it" Simpson, Reggie "Free House" Bush, Dwayne "Free Rent" Jarrett, Rey "I own tha Police" Mauluga, Matt "Manwhore" Leinart, Mark "She said yes" Sanchez, Eric "Thank you refs, again" Assholter.

I hate Meshawn Johnson. (Hey Meshawn, how many times did YOU beat UCLA?!) Yeah...F!CK you too!

I hate seven in a row.

I hate we haven't beaten them since....
   Slick Willy was giving it to Monica in the oval office!
   Since MJ was winning championships with the Bulls!
   Since Elway was with the Broncos!
   Since Seinfeld was still on the air!
   Since Sonny Bono was still alive!

I hate 19-66.

I hate the fact I can't watch a SC-UCLA game without making alternate plans "if it gets out of hand" by halftime.

I hate Bob Toledo, for giving away OUR STREAK 7 years ago (to Paul Friggin' Hackett for god sakes!) and all the recruiting advantages that went with it. (Thanks a lot, Bob! Still collecting severence pay?)

I hate all the recruits who bought into Pom Pom's "Trojan Family" bullsh!t and chose SC over UCLA.

I hate Dorrell, for getting bent over 3 times. (Pssstt...hey Karl! Ya got ONE more shot, man! And don't thank anyone for the "opportunity" this time!)

I hate that little "Submit your USC pictures" section on the LA Times website. Oh yeah, I hate the LA Times too!

I hate all there ever is, ever was, and ever will be about that school....

And I hate to even think about another SC victory over my beloved Bruins....

All that I ask, for all that is Good, for all that is Right, for all that is Goodwin, Barnes, Cook, Stokes, and McNown......

BEAT 'SC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the diaries. - N

As you may have heard, our football program is falling like a rock and our head coach is a complete tool. Four years ago, you were proabably assigned to Karl Dorrell to make sure from a public relations stanpoint that he reflected positively on the university, be articulate, speak with conviction, and basically not embarrass the program and the university. Uhhh...well...our guy needs a little help. Serious help. He continues to spew out nonsense and pathetic cliches during his interviews that should make anyone in the PR department absolutely wince. And, week after painful week, he continues to embarrass the entire Bruin nation. Here, in my humble opinion as a faithful Bruin supporter and alum, are a few things that KD needs to work on for the rest of his (hopefully very short) tenure at UCLA:

1. Stop using phrases like "showing progress" and "we're improving" after a loss. It's a FRIGGIN' LOSS for cryin' out loud!!! You don't LOSE and PROGRESS! Well, unless you are a perennial loser and bottom-dwelling program, you don't! This is an absolute embarrassment to the program, the university, and a slap in the face of Bruin supporters.
2. Don't ever, I mean ever, thank an opponent "for the opportunity" to play them, especially after blowing a 4 point lead with 1:02 to play. This makes me think of one word: TOOL. Yeah, exactly what we want leading our football program!!
3. It's also probably not a real good idea to smile, and have a "I just boffed the neighbor's cat" look on your face when talking about your quarterback's injury. That's just inappropriate.
4. During the halftime interview at Cal, it looked like Karl was what we in the medical profession call "responding to internal stimuli". You should tell him to ignore the voices in his head and concentrate on the interview. This may also help him with his halftime speeches to his players. (BTW lots of brilliant minds have a bit of psychosis, but it's probably not conducive to being a head football coach at a major university...just FYI Mr. Guerrero!).
5. When something actually good happens on the field, say, a touchdown, a key turnover, whatever, you might want to tell Karl to, well, I don't know, SHOW SOME FRIGGIN' EMOTION!!!!! A simple fist pump, hand clap, whatever. Something to remind us and his players that the guy with the blue shirt and headset actually is alive and has a pulse. The "deer in the headlights" look, despite what you may have heard, is not very inspiring and motivating. Just isn't.

Again, hopefully KDs tenure is short and you won't have to keep putting out these PR fires!

Go Bruins!

The frustration, anger and despair is very palpable upon taking a few minutes to read through everyone's diary and post. I feel it too and am doing my part by withholding donations to the athletic department and communicating to the administration regarding how unhappy I am with the direction of the program. We all want to do what we can to affect change; the fans that regular this site are truly loyal and passionate about UCLA athletics, and I am happy to share this. I want to say: Keep up the good work, because I know we are all making a difference.

A request though to everyone: Keep going to our home games and support our team. We have to show to everyone, both inside and outside the program, that UCLA has a strong, loyal and passionate fan base. A half empty stadium will paint us as apathetic, is demoralizing for the players, and may undermine our efforts for change. Selling season tickets to Stub Hub does not take any $$$ away from the school; it just puts more of the visiting team's fans and colors in Bruin sections. Don't do this.

Besides, can anyone think of a better venue for tailgating than the Rose Bowl?

I have be reading this website for a couple of months now, and I have seen words thrown around like "dorrellian" and "lavinesque". Being a die hard Bruin fan, I have been able to infer what these terms mean, but I don't know if anyone at BN has actually defined these terms for the casual fan who comes across the site (if they have, I apologize in advance!). I thought I might take the liberty to actually define these terms, plus add a couple of more, and submit them to Websters for consideration:

 "dorrellian" adj. 1.The act of being ineptly stoic in the face of adversity. 2. Submissively catatonic 3. Underacheivement and futility in a conservatively bland fashion. (i.e. The prosecution stood there in "dorrellian" fashion as the astounding not guilty verdict was read to Mr. Simpson)

"lavinesque" adj.  1. The praise of dubious accomplishments by a small faction in the face of overall ineptitude and underacheivement. (i.e. Despite a historically low 11% approval rating, the president was "lavinesquely" applauded by tobacco companies after vetoing the cigarette tax bill.)

"svabodad" v. 1. An irrational, undisciplined, and unexpected course of action which leads to futility, despite overwhelming evidence and obvious facts leading one to the contrary. 2. Unpreparedness (i.e. I "svabodad" and hence, prolonged my trip from San Diego to Anaheim not knowing I could drive my hybrid in the carpool lane!)

"colletoed" v. 1. The foolish act of hiring or enlisting a person who historically has performed poorly under similar circumstances. (i.e. The company "colletoed" the ex-CFO of Enron last week)

"dewayned" v. 1. The act of scapegoating in order to deflect criticism of a more obvious and deserving culprit. (i.e. The doctor's attorney  "dewayned" the treating nurse for killing the patient, despite the fact that it was his client that wrote for 10 times the dose of the appropriate drug)

Go Bruins.

Here is my prediction on how the Notre Dame game will play out:

1st quarter: Notre Dame jumps out to a quick 14-0 lead, outscheming a undisciplined, overmatched defense. Camera pans to Dorrell looking lost. Some dumbass announcer makes a reference to all of UCLA's comebacks of last year: "Don't count out Dorrell's Bruins!" Notre Dame scores again. Pan to Dorrell: still looks lost. Bruins then have a promising drive giving only the most optimistic Bruin fan some hope. This drive, of course, is done in by a false start penalty, a curious run up the middle on 2nd and long, a wasted time out, then a screen for 2 yards on 3rd down, and punctuated with a Medlock field goal. Irish 21, Bruins 3.
2nd quarter: Irish start getting bored. Maybe they're looking at Dorrell. Bruins finally make some stops. "Of course, this defense is better than last years!" some astute announcer comments. Bruins add on another field goal. But Irish, after getting some tongue-lashing by a GOOD coach, end the half strong. Irish 28, Bruins 6.
3rd quarter: It gets ugly. Weiss wants to get Quinn done early. Pours it on. Two more quick scores. A special teams blunder, a couple of missed assignments (of course, I'm talking about UCLA) Another couple shots of Dorrell, looking lost. Irish 42, Bruins 6.
4th Quarter: Against NDs subs, Bruins finally punch one in. T.V., looking to fill airtime during a completely crappy game, adds more insult to Bruin fans by showing footage of Notre Dame upsetting UCLA 30 some years ago. In Basketball. Whoa, an Osaar Raashan sighting! Looks pretty good. Bloggers take note. A backup QB controversy! Final score: Notre Dame 42, Bruins 20.
Whoa, I can't wait.

The first 5 games are in the books. We have a 4-1 record, and now we enter the toughest stretch of our season with road games at Oregon and Notre Dame, followed by a tough home game against WSU and a road game against Cal (probably the best Pac10 team right now). We will find out a lot about our team in the next month or so. Can we steal a win or two on the road against some very formidable competition? Will BO be ready to go, or will PC step up and be a capable back up and face the pressure? Will we take it to the next level, enter the top 25, and compete for the PAC10 title? Or will we be looking forward to basketball season by November? Everyone has their opinion on Dorrell, and you may be convinced he is not the guy to  lead us to the next level, but, if one month from now we are talking about a BCS berth, PAC10 title and NOT talking much about basketball, then maybe, just maybe, Dorrell may be evolving to take this team to meat the expectations that the Bruin faithful have set, and maybe this will be the year we turn the corner, take back supremecy of LA, beat SC, go to a BCS game (wow could it happen?). Maybe it is wishful thinking, but with this defense, enough offense, and a little luck, who knows? Maybe we can be a "Football School" after all?

I spent 8 years of my life at UCLA (BS in '93, MD in '97) and during my years there the football team went 6-1-1 against our cross town rival. (If not for a last minute heave from Marijuanavich to Morton it would have been 7-0-1!) Now I'm not saying that these were exactly glory years (we had our share of 6-5 seasons) but we at least could relish the end of the year by beating SC. And mediocre years (94, 95, 96) did turn into good years (97 and 98). This was no accident. As we were beating down SC year after year, better recruits were coming to UCLA. Towards the end of the streak and even a couple of years after, we were enjoying top 5 recruiting classes every year. (Unfortunately, that talent was wasted and never developed by Toledo. We had a small window of national prominence there that came and went like a Miami Hurricane.) I remember leaving the RB in 98 after whipping SC and feeling we may not lose to these poor suckers for another 10-15 years. They were trudging through the Hackett era, flailing through mediocrity and underacheivement (sound familiar?) Boy, was I wrong. And now the tables have turned. Now, they are going for 8 straight, and (unlike Toledo) PC is making the most of his talent and SC is firmly planted in the national spotlight with no end in sight. This is very, very painful. And not only do we have to bear SC winning every week and kicking the crap out of us at the end of the year, but then we have to witness top-notched local and national talent snub UCLA and join the evil empire during the recruiting season. Take a guy like Allen Bradford, for example. Great athlete, top LB in the West, and was a slight UCLA lean over SC for a long time. Would've been a great fit as we lost LBs to graduation. Maybe even could've started as RB..Would definitely be starting for UCLA but instead signs with SC to be .....a third string safety!! Folks, we will not turn this around until we can get guys like Bradford, Gable and Stafon Johnson, etc.. to come to UCLA instead of riding the pine at SC, and to do this we need a HC with experience, motivation, charisma, and dedication to compete at the level of PC, and sad to say Dorrell is not that guy. I like Dorrell as a person, I so badly want him to do well, but we just won't return to national prominence until we beat SC on the field and in recruiting, and we are farther away from doing this than we ever have been. Say what want about the cheating and the scandals over there, it is true, but until games are forfeited and titles are erased it's all just talk. I'm not saying we need to cheat, but we need to beat them at their own game. We need to bring in a coach who can recruit, and then develop these kids, and above all, hate SC with a passion that is unmatched and unprecedented, and bring the glory back to Westwood. Go Bruins.