FanPost

Beat $C

Wanted to share this email sent to us by a UCLA alum living in Washington DC. Although I don't necessarily agree with Walter's mentality of being "happy with a 1-11 finish, as long as that lone victory were against SC," I am more than happy to join in the underlying spirit of his fiery email. This is really about getting into a "mindset" that this week no matter what the records are we have a chance to win. I guess so many folks have been so battered and abused from the experiences from last seven years that they have lost the will to believe. Well I promised myself during the bedlam in the student section that followed after Nikosi Littleton batted down a desperate Rob Johnson pass in the Rose Bowl end zone (Sophomore year, November 21, 1992), I will never ever concede a loss to those imbeciles going into this game. So I am with Walter. I believe despite Dorrell, the weak season and the last seven years, we can pull this off. Please keep these types of emails, diaries coming.  F*CK Southern Cal. GO BRUINS. -N

Hey guys... again, kudos on the excellent coverage/analysis throughout the season.

I agree with your latest; we simply have gotten USED to the 'Dorrell era' and pretty much EXPECT to lose these days to these clowns across town. I also was at UCLA during the eight-game winning streak (in fact, I was there for the first three of those eight years) and I remember thinking (even though many of those games were NOT blowouts -- unlike the pounding we've taken during SC's winning streak) at the time that there was no way SC could ever replicate such a streak. Here they are, about to tie it, and given Pete Carroll and all this momentum these last few years, they could really keep this streak going for a few more years (see, this pessimism is contagious, stop me now!)... but I digress...

During that winning streak against 'SUC' I remember the second win, when JJ Stokes dominated the SC secondary with the help of FOURTH-string QB (yes, fourth string!) John Barnes (who had played at a JC earlier that year). We simply weren't supposed to beat SC that year, and we did. I also remember my freshman year, 1989, when we were  3-7 heading into the SC game. They also were a superior team, they were supposed to kill us. I remember being at the bonfire rally the night before on campus and being unimpressed by the lack of people present. Everyone clearly thought we'd get wiped out that year, to the point where no one bothered to show up. Though we ended up at a 10-10 tie at the Coliseum, (the winning FG hit the goal post with no time left, after SC had tied US), I remember the firm realization that these guys were beatable.  Had we beaten them in that final game, a 4-7 finish wouldn't have seemed so bad. (I'm one of the type that would be somewhat happy with a 1-11 finish, as long as that lone victory were against SC).

My point is that these clowns can be beat. The DL and LB corps have to put the fear of god in Booty and rush him till he's flustered, and hit him more than a few times, ... perhaps even knock him out of the game. KD MUST have some type of solid gameplan for the offense, in addition to some surprise in his 'vaunted' west coast package in order to surprise (read shock) the SC defense. These guys are cocky s.o.b.'s... but like every other a** hole out there, you throw a punch or two at them, they tend to back down. I think if every man accounts for himself in this game, on the OL and on the DL, this game can be won in the trenches and thus the game can be won on the scoreboard. It can be done.

The Bruins need to come to this game as they did against Notre Dame; dead serious, all business, but loose, ready to fight, and man-for-man. If there's intimidation, they need to hit the SC players in the mouth and fight even harder. I hope Big Ben Olson comes out strong, and has the game of his life (a la Cade McNown -- the last UCLA QB to beat SC, nevermind that he did it FOUR times!). I hope we establish some type of running game, with the occasional big play... We have the weapons, but unfortunately NO ONE on offense has stepped up to the plate this year... that needs to happen this weekend. SOMEONE needs to have THAT game, the one we will remember for the ages...

I think they can pull this off. In fact, I KNOW they can (despite Dorrell, the weak season and the last seven years). It can be done.

Go Bruins!

Walter S. Montano
Washington DC
Class of 1994

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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