Bumped from the diaries. GO BRUINS.-N

In every sense.  As I read the paper Sunday, and even as I have read through a good deal of what's been posted on this and other threads, all I can think is "Was I watching the same game?"

I'm considered a big optimist by people who are close to me, but geez.

The defense is getting kudos for playing well.  Huh?  The paper gave them credit for stopping OSU on their first possession, but seem to forget that they found the end zone, only to have the play called back due to a clipping that must have been away from the point of attack 'cause it wasn't on any of the replays.  And on the next possession Trey Brown got quite the gift interception when the ball was thrown behind the receiver - well, actually, that was an offensive tackle.  The score at the end of the first quarter could have been, should have been, between 20-0 and 28-0.  The Bruins were mighty fortunate.

From that point the defense played hard, sure, but that should be the minimum expected from any group - they still were not completely sucessful in stopping what, for all intents, was a one-dimensional OSU offense.

Our offense played poorly pretty much all day long.  They were not prepared to play from the get-go.  The play calling was gawd-awful - Norvell admitted that the first two plays were simple as simple can be, implying that the fumbles were a result of poor execution.  Now in general I don't fault any player unless it's clear he's not executing what the coaches have prepared him to do.  But just the fact that the first two plays were, indeed, simple runs up the gut shows the continued attitude of the coaches trying not to lose.  They say they want the team to play a full 60 minutes at a high level, but send a completely different message by starting with "simple plays" rather than having your team prepared to do anything in the playbook from the first series onward.  It's no wonder the team lacks focus and finds itself sluggish or playing out of hole to start games.  I don't blame Bell one bit for either of those fumbles.

Someone here also gave the offense kudos for sticking with the running game.  That's just crap.  Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the sign of a dolt, to paraphrase the saying.  I'd have rather seen them mix things up to open up the run.  Whatever the numbers say, our offense was horrible for several drives (until midway through the second quarter, our biggest gain was on Bell's eight-yard fumble!), until finally mediocre enough to score on two mid-distance field goals to end the half.  The offense then started the second half with a couple more punts, despite outstanding field position, until being able to put together a touchdown drive of five yards.  I think it's fair to say our offense would have been reported as completely inept if OSU were not so very weak and could have sustained a drive.

To his credit, Bell persisted and had some very nice runs - indeed, his effort was the only positive thing the offense had going in the first half.  And btw, with Markey injuring his toe, why didn't we see Ramirez or Moline?  The staff should be trying to find ways to get their athletes on the field.  I guess KD forgot they were on the bench.

I've been a big fan of Brandon Breazell's before I ever saw him play a down - he was a skinny freshman at a one-day fan-friendly feel-good mini kid workout day at Spaulding field and his demeanor and attitude were absolutely phenomenal.  His play all through this season has me thinking we should be trying to get the ball his way more often.  I'm not well versed in Football 101, maybe he's being used as a decoy? - but he only had two catches (both TDs), did they throw the ball his way more than that?

Special teams play was fine - no big mistakes or lapses.  But on a day when neither team could move the ball, they had a huge advantage in that OSU had neither a true punter nor their best punt returner.  The fumbles on the kickoffs were gifts.

Olson showed some mettle by the 4th quarter, and the second TD to Breazell was a great play at both ends.  Breazell's first score was a well-executed, momentum-changing play.  Other than that, the guys showed persistence and effort, but were wholly unsuccessful despite having tremendous field position.

I'm failing to find any silver lining based on any phase of that horrible game Saturday, a game in which neither team deserved to win.

Worse yet, based on a few player comments I read, it seems some players have the misguided sense that the way they played Saturday against OSU represents the kind of effort they need to display as the season progresses.

I gave KD the benefit of the doubt for 3-plus seasons, hoping to see him improve and grow into the position, all the way until the South Bend collapse last year when it became clear that the program's problems ALL stemmed from his leadership and that he had hit his plateau well short of being an adequate football coach at the college level.  Not everything he does is wrong or poor, but everything that is wrong or poor, at least to my eyes, is due to the collective character and attitude of the team; and that is dictated by the head coach.

We're 4-1.  I had a similar hollow feeling after the win over Stanford, despite what was reported as a great second half - I saw it as a respectable half, maybe something to work from, but nothing more.  Even that seemed to go away after seeing them eke out a win over BYU.  The next week was a bye week (right?), and the win over UW wasn't so impressive either - their defense was overwhelmed, and they really only had one excellent athlete trying to will them to a win (and after what happened in Seattle this week, it could very well be that they were looking past us).

How can a 4-1 season be so ungratifying?  Despite that record, who could be happy with this season?

Someone has posted that BN wants UCLA to be winning games, playing for national championships, etc., that's not me.  Maybe 40 is old, and maybe I worship Coach Wooden too much, maybe I settle for too little; but there is no satisfaction in watching a group rarely perform at their best, show no consistency, not show poise or display self-control (why do players on our defense mug for the crowd like they've never made a play before?).

I want to see a team that executes with confidence and enthusiasm, and consistently plays to their capabilities.  I'd rather not have to wait until basketball season to see such a team.  Wins, and conference and national championships, may follow, but are secondary to me.

I'm sure there are a lot of teams that would love to be 4-1 at this point, but something has sucked all the fun out of being a Bruin fan, even here in the middle of a winning season.

How can this not be Dorrell's farewell season?