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UCLA Athletic Department Financials Disappoint Under Chianti Dan

UCLA Athletic Department Financials Disappoint under Chianti Dan via Team Speed Kills

USA Today is out with a report on college athletics financials, and once again, Chianti Dan's performance does not justify his outsized salary, with the school reporting sharply rising expenditures, even as the total revenues are down from 2008 and 2009 along with contributions, while-on-the-field performance in revenue sports is also down.

Out the window of Mack Brown's office sits the sixth-largest stadium in college football, empty and quiet on a warm spring morning but the center of the Texas universe, packing in 100,000-plus, on game days in the fall.

Big is good in this state. Bigger is better still. A short walk away is a 20,000-square-foot weight room and an equally recruiting-friendly, state-of-the-art locker room complete with gaming stations and a nutrition bar. Brown, himself, is one of the highest-paid coaches in his sport — at better than $5 million a year, pulling down more than four NCAA Division I schools spend on their entire athletics program.

"The thing you know at the University of Texas," he says, "is that you're going to be able to have the best of the best and you're going to have it on a yearly basis. … I wouldn't swap with anybody."

Continue reading this post »

22 comments  | 

Dwyane Wade is a punk. Should have been a flagrant 2, ejection, and suspension. So of course David Stern, the most incompetent administrator this side of Chianti Dan, decides that blindside cheapshots are okay if you're a superstar.

about 22 hours ago Arron_afflalo1_tiny Tydides 18 comments

UCLA Football Graduation Rate Still Lags Under Chianti Dan

What's wrong with having the third worst graduation rate among the Pac-12 football programs?

Back in the fall, I covered the topic of UCLA's graduation rates for student athletes. At the time, the overall graduation rate was quite good, but the Football program lagged the rest of the sports rather dramatically with a 59% graduation rate.

Well nothing has changed in that respect. The latest set of data released by the NCAA (HT The Bootleg) shows that UCLA is still 9th in the PAC-12 in graduation rates for football, at 59%, besting only Cal and Arizona. The top dogs in the conference are Stanford and Washington, at 87% and 76% respectively. This is based on the Graduation Success Rates, which are "four class" graduation rates, i.e. the combined graduation rates for the four most recent classes for which information has been reported. This analysis covers graduation rates for the classes that reached the end of their six-year graduation windows in the years 2007 through 2010.

Football Graduation Rates: Pac-12
Stanford 87%
Washington 76%
Arizona St. 64%
Oregon 63%
Washington St. 62%
Utah 62%
USC 61%
Oregon St. 60%
Colorado 59%
UCLA 59%
Cal 54%
Arizona 48%

You have to admit, given Stanford's recent success on the gridiron, it is still impressive to have that kind of graduation rate.

It seems a bit odd that the other two academic powerhouses in the PAC-12 have such terrible graduation rates in football (Cal's is 54%, one of the worst 10 in the country). What gives?

Follow me after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

22 comments  | 

Headlines in the Bruin Twitterverse

Welcome to our newest feature here on BN, where I justify following hundreds of people on Twitter to give you the most interesting, relevant, and fun Bruin related tweets. They're not just about the athletics programs, but about UCLA in general, Westwood, and other fun tidbits from the lives of our favorite current, past and future Bruins.

First, congratulations are in order to Brandon and Jalynne Crawford, he of UCLA Baseball (and current SF Giant) and she of UCLA Gymnastics, as they announced they are expecting their first child together.

That is going to be a VERY beautiful baby.

Checking in on the men's basketball team, LMR is working out with the team.

Gavin Smith is still missing. For updates, please visit the website linked up by his son.

Continue reading this post »

18 comments  |  1 recs | 

The Glass is Half Empty: UCLA Basketball Upperclassman

How UCLA Coach Ben Howland deals with these three players (l-r Stover, Smith and Lamb) and the other returning upperclassman, will decide UCLA success next year.  Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Last week I wrote about the positive side of UCLA Basketball, the incoming freshman class and recruiting generally (More good news, UCLA is officially leading on Zach Lavine.) Let me add, I also feel good about Norman Powell. I think he is poised to make a sophomore leap, the year when many players improve the most. But now let me turn to my concerns, the upperclassman.

Let me emphasize I am not against the players (although I have qualms about two of them), but rather how Howland will handle them. For when I think of Howland’s problems the last few years, only one is of right now looking to be fixed (recruiting). The other three are: looking only to "win the next game", playing favorites, and dealing with problem attitudes. All three can be seen by playing upperclassman instead of more talented youth.

Let me say I have no doubt that Shabazz Muhammad will start and play. Howland is not stupid. But how will he use a 6’8" Point Guard (on offense at least) Kyle Anderson ? How will he handle the talented but raw underclassman is where the concerns abound. As some might say, how stubborn is Howland?

Continue reading this post »

25 comments  | 

UCLA Strikes In The Ninth To Edge Out Fullerton, 6-3

Trevor Brown drove in the winning run in the ninth (Photo Credit: Scott Wu)

Every time UCLA went in front, Cal St. Fullerton had an answer. The Bruins go up two, the Titans had two in response. The Bruins went up one, the Titans had one in response. The battle of Southern California's two best programs in recent years looked like just that as they played each other tight for eight innings, but when UCLA put three across in the ninth, Fullerton finally didn't have an answer. The dramatic nine innings finally tilted in the Bruins' favor as they quieted the Goodwin Field crowd with a 6-3 win over the Titans to sweep the series and lay temporary claim as the area's best.

Cody Keefer's three hits led the way for the Bruins and Trevor Brown had the game-winning RBI in the ninth inning as a pair of UCLA's usual suspects came through, but it was two freshmen who really stood out. Kevin Kramer had a hit, two RBI and a run scored in the game and Shane Zeile came off the bench to pick up two RBI as the youngsters made their presence felt.

The Titans did their part to help the Bruins out too, running into four outs on the base paths. Grant Watson managed just 4.2 innings, surrendering two runs, one earned, while waling three in the no decision. Eric Jaffe allowed three hits in 1.1 innings, but no runs and David Berg worked his usual scoreless inning. An unearned run came across against Ryan Deeter, who retired just one and Scott Griggs earned his first win of the season with three strikeouts in 1.2 smooth innings.

Continue reading this post »

4 comments  | 

UCLA vs. Cal St. Fullerton Tuesday Baseball Open Thread: Trying For The Titans Sweep

Photo Credit: Scott Wu

All college baseball games are not the same. Midweek games will never carry as much weight as weekend games. Resumes are built on weekend series wins, but that doesn't mean midweek games carry no weight. If say, a team beats Cal St. Fullerton twice in two games and claim victory over a RPI top 15 team, conference winner and likely Regional host, that is impressive. Well, that's what UCLA can do tonight.

Grant Watson will be on the mound for the Bruins and Koby Gauna will take the ball for the Titans in a battle of freshmen. The two squared off in UCLA's win over Fullerton earlier this year with Watson allowed two runs on four hits in six innings and Gauna surrendering four runs, two earned, in just 3.1 innings.

John Ramey is back on the road so he will have the call online and GameTracker will be going. Of course, make sure to check my UCLA baseball twitter for game updates, notes, observations and everything else on the program. This is your open thread as the Bruins try to top the Titans so keep it going with updates and anything else you have.

29 comments  | 

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Welcome to Bruins Nation, an unofficial daily online scrap book covering the greatest collegiate athletic program in the nation. Established June 16, 2005. GO BRUINS.

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Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.

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Don't ask CJM about the new playoff system. While Rich Rod wants to talk about the +1 system and TV...
OT: Parents of Murdered USC students sue school for wrongful death
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Congratulations to the newly named USA Women's Water Polo Team. Representing UCLA are Courtney Mathewson, Kelly Rulon  and Coach Adam Krikorian.

Back (L-R) Betsey Armstrong, Kami Craig, Annika Dries, Heather Petri, Kelly Rulon, Melissa Seidemann, Jessica Steffens, and Lauren Wenger. Front (L-R) Tumua Anae, Brenda Villa, Courtney Mathewson, Maggie Steffens, and Elsie Windes.
2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team (Hometown/College/Club)
 1. Betsey Armstrong - Goalkeeper (Ann Arbor, MI/Michigan/NYAC)*
 2. Heather Petri - Attacker (Orinda, CA/California/NYAC)#%*
 3. Melissa Seidemann - Defender (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/Stanford)
 4. Brenda Villa - Attacker (Commerce, CA/Stanford/Olympic Club)#%*
 5. Lauren Wenger - All-Around (Long Beach, CA/USC/NYAC)*
 6. Maggie Steffens - Defender (Danville, CA/Stanford/Diablo)
 7. Courtney Mathewson - Attacker (Anaheim Hills, CA/UCLA/NYAC)
 8. Jessica Steffens - Defender (Danville, CA/Stanford/NYAC)*
 9. Elsie Windes - Defender (Portland, OR/California/Tualatin Hills WP)*
 10. Kelly Rulon - Attacker (San Diego, CA/UCLA/NYAC)%
 11. Annika Dries - Center (Laguna Beach, CA/Stanford/SET)
 12. Kami Craig - Center (Santa Barbara, CA/USC/Santa Barbara WPF)*
 13. Tumua Anae - Goalkeeper (Newport Beach, CA/USC/SOCAL)
 #2000 Olympian
 %2004 Olympian
 *2008 Olympian
 
 News release from USA Water Polo

The UCLA story
Baca and Franklin Show (again) Why Bruins Are the Best
UCLA wins at Cal State Fullerton in the 9th inning with 3 runs.  Scott Griggs has his first win of the season.
Ogden to College Football HOF
LRMAM's guide to round 2 of the NBA Playoffs
Don't forget to watch Kareem on Jeopardy tomorrow!

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Time Since UCLA's Last Pac-10/12 Title In Football


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