Plaschke Whine / Incompetent UCLA Athletics PR
So, Bill Plaschke is at it again. He has written up another ignorant column in the Times. This time, he has written up a "sports column" on UCLA receiver Andrew Baumgartner, who was awarded a one-year scholarship last season. Andrew, if you can recall, was awarded a "one year" scholarship last year after he stepped up against the Sooners (when Taylor got injured). From a report in last year's Daily Bruin (emphasis mine):
Baumgartner, who was a walk-on that was awarded a one-year scholarship, picked up the slack with the loss of Taylor.
UCLA converted on a key third down when he streaked down the middle of the field and caught a 22-yard pass which setup a touchdown by tight end Marcedes Lewis.
"It's a privilege and opportunity to play in a big game like this," Baumgartner said.
So, the term of his "one-year" scholie ran out this season, and Baumgartner is back to being a walk-on again. And Plaschke is whining. Whining like a baby with dramatics that would make John Tesh proud.
While we know Plaschke is worthless, I do wish the UCLA administration/coaching staff had clearly communicated to the Baumgartners that "one year scholarship" award given to Andrew, which I imagine these days come out to somewhere around the amount of $20-25,000, was just that - a one year award. Perhaps Dorrell himself should have told AB in person that he was not going to extend that "one year scholarship," but no mistake about it, AB is still an invaluable member of the team. Plaschke of course doesn't mention anything about that "one year scholarship," and instead writes another one of his patented ill-informed, snarky, moronic takes, which makes him look like he knows shit about college football.
AB is living a dream:
Celebrating TD against the Sooners - Matt Sayles/AP
He is part of a team that treats him as one of their own. But the reality is that UCLA needs the scholies to bring in as many talented athletes (with UCLA grades, of course) as possible so we can bridge the gap against USC/Cal in the Pac-10. So, pulling this scholie is really not all that big of a deal.
Someone should have communicated to an ignorant reporter/columnist such as Bill Plaschke, who clearly needs to be spoon-fed to write his columns, often barely worthy of the rags next to grocery store check out counters. Plaschke is obviously the classic lazy so-called journalist who always types up the easy convenient story lines. But, UCLA's incompetent PR department is also responsible for this awful story that makes us look bad. It is the job of the PR professional at UCLA to get ahead of this story. They should have aggressively pitched the UCLA angle of this story to Plaschke and all the other reports in the UCLA beat, so that the real story came out. Once again, they totally failed, making UCLA football look bad in the process.
This is not the first time it has happened either. Of course, the convenient excuse here is that SC is sucking up all the PR real estate in LA. But they do so because they have skilled PR professionals at Heritage Hall, who are good at spinning and getting their story out. That is why they have been so effective in covering up the systematic pattern of scandals during last few years under Carroll. Those guys are running circles around UCLA not just on the field but off it as well. And clowns like the Plaschkes of the world are soaking it up.
GO BRUINS.
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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7 comments
Comments
Funny, I just read this,
It's pretty weird, because I don't know a single person that likes Bill Plaschke. Not a single one. And, yet, the Times shoves him out there as the poster child for great columnists. Amazing.
First Kinsley destroys the Opinion section (political affiliations are irrelevant, he just destroyed whether your a (D) or an (R)), and now, what used to be the best sports page in the nation under the Chandler family is now just another sports page. The Times is dying, and I'm glad I canceled my subscription two years ago.
by HomeBruin on Aug 13, 2006 12:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Plaschke is a dolt
We probably have the No. 1 athletic program in the country. But it's communications department is not even in the top-100.
What a bunch of clown these guys are for not getting UCLA's side of the story out and letting BP writing this nonsense without the counter facts.
This is not KD's fault in general. But it also shows how he is not in control in all aspects of this program. It doesn't help the fact that UCLA's Athletic Department is not helping him out to make sure his program's side of the story is getting out.
Just mediocre efforts all the way around. Totally f**ked up.
by bluestreet on Aug 13, 2006 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not Just a PR Problem -- A Coaching Problem Too
If the story is correct, KD didn't sit down with Baumgartner to tell him he wasn't going to get his scholarship. That doesn't show me much.
Yes, it was a one year deal. And, yes, one year means one year.
But, a stand up coach would have met personally with Baumgartner, thanked him for his efforts, explained why he would not be receiving his scholarship, encouraged him to stay with the program, and, maybe, even offered to have someone in the department look for other financial aid.
If the coach had better people skills, in the first place, there would be no "story" and no need for a PR department to manage the downside damage.
I hope, when we finally have had enough, KD gets the message that he has been replaced in a letter that says "By now, you may or may not know ..."
sjh
by Class of 66 on Aug 13, 2006 3:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
great point 66
Your right though. It doesn't paint a flattering picture of KD.
Just wish we had a HC was in total control. Oh well.
This season is going to tell us a lot more which will give us a defintive impression of Dorrell. Lets hope it makes him look legit. These kinds of stories sure don't help his cause.
by Nestor on Aug 13, 2006 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
KD is a badguy, but Carroll isn't?
Maurice Drew- I promise to make sure that Lewis gets ice if he needs it, that's what team mates do.
Lendale White-Spits on his own players.
Maurice and Marcades signed their contracts right away.
Bush sqeezed all the money he could from the Saints.
Leinart is the only player in the first round who hasn't signed his contract.
Have any of our players got hit up for steroids or drugs or rape or assault?
Do our players cry in training camp or wear shirts on TV that say "F*ck the BCS"?
There is a college football coach in Los Angeles that is a villian and it's not Karl Dorrell.
by True Blue and Gold on Aug 13, 2006 4:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
KD sending the wrong message
by MarcoTheBruin on Aug 13, 2006 11:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

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