The End In Sight

by Nestor on Nov 4, 2007 10:26 AM PST in Football Comment 38 comments

It is an absolute treat these days to wake up Sunday morning and read post after posts and comments after comments articulating much better than I can on what I am feeling the day after another Dorrell coached UCLA football game.

I am with godblesstyus95. Although I think the end is in sight, I don't believe the nightmare is totally over yet. I can see the dreaded scenario he laid out in his post coming into fruition, given what we had to endure through those surreal Lavin years. And, I can also symphatize with the argument Class of 66 laid out in his diary, making a strong case why we should all pressure on Dan Guerrero to act now, so that he doesn't have any room to maneuver out of the right decision to get rid of the most incompetent coach in college football by December 3rd.

Photo Credit: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times

However, all that said, I have to tell you I am starting to sense a calm over me. I can feel the end in sight. Let me start with some clips before I share more of my thoughts.

It looks like Dohn has finally caught up with reality and admit that may be the Doofus is in the final throes of his "career" at UCLA:

UCLA's season, which began with so much promise and so many promises, is teetering on being a crumbling wreck.

And Karl Dorrell, the coach who returned to his alma mater to clean up the program and return it to a competitive level in the Pacfic-10 Conference, could be in the final throes of his career.

Such is the state of UCLA's football program, which responded to athletic director Dan Guerrero's statement that he would be "very interested" in watching the final month of the season by producing another discouraging outing.

Then again when I hear any phrase that rhymes with "the last throes" it gives me the creeps (no worries I will end that reference here).

But yeah staying on that theme, yesterday's game should effectively end any talk or fantasy of DeWayne Walker coaching at UCLA. This over hyped, over rated garbage is now getting exposed as a laughing stock just like his Doofus boss:

Against one of the worst running games in the nation, UCLA's defense allowed 145 yards, including Nicolas Grigsby's 124. The Wildcats (4-6, 3-4) were averaging 77 per game. In yielding 27 first-half points, The Bruins gave up 345 yards, including 96 during a three-play drive that also featured a sack.

"They have a hard-hitting secondary, but they were overpursuing so much that when I bounced back (outside), they were sucked inside," Grigsby said. "I kept looking at that the whole game."

The Wildcats scored on plays of 60and 48 yards in building a 27-14 lead at the half.

Quarterback Willie Tuitama finished with 341 yards and three touchdowns while completing 21 of 36 passes, including a 27-yard score to wide-open tight end Rob Gronkowski on the first possession of the second half to make it 34-14.

"Defensively, we had a tough day," Dorrell said. "We got hit over top of us again. They made some plays on us in the first half, and again made some plays a couple times in the third quarter. In the end, it was too much to overcome in the fourth quarter."

Actually Walker's stale Donahuesque bend-don't-and always break (unless we are taking on Notre Dame or another college team with predictable "pro" schemes) defensive schemes have been too much to overcome whenever our team has taken on any college team that doesn't use the predictable NFL offensive schemes during last two years. It should be crystal clear now (no matter what kind of "effort" we get from our defense in next three games in LA) that Walker has no clue how to handle college/spread offenses, and he hasn't learned anything from the asskicking he got last season.

More from the hapless DC:

"That was the game," defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. "Too many big plays."

Walker called it a "shocker" for a unit laden with upperclassmen who came into the season expecting to dominate.

Instead, the defense statistically ranks about the middle of the Pacific 10 Conference. Early on, it gave up too many yards against Stanford, Brigham Young and Utah.

But Walker felt his players had hit their stride recently. Even in the loss to Notre Dame, they gave up only 140 yards. And he felt they played well in spurts against Washington State last week, despite surrendering 545 yards.

It is just comedy to hear these clowns hype up that defensive performance against Notre Dame. Just absolutely comedy.

Speaking of comedy, lets end with couple zingers from the Doofus himself. On how we won the fourth quarter!:

"I'm encouraged how we played in the fourth quarter," Dorrell said. "They didn't score any points in the fourth quarter. We did. We still came up short."

The good ol' college try, though, will do little at this point to pacify fans or, probably, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero.

And then what will definitely be go into the lore of all that is Dorrellian, how our losses are not mounting yet!

"It's two losses in a row, so I won't say the losses are starting to mount right now," Dorrell said. "We have a chance to get back on our feet. We're in Los Angeles the rest of our schedule, and that's encouraging for us."

Of course when you read or hear comments like that, I know it is hard not feel like you want to reach for the razor blades. But seriously, let him be at this point.

Let him continue to sound like a total buffoon infront of the whole world. Let him continue to humiliate and disgrace himself and anyone who wants to associate himself or herself with his joke tenure as the worst college football coach in America at UCLA.

For our part right now, I do believe we have to exercise a little patience. I know I would love nothing more than to have DG can this joker tonight or tomorrow and have Kezerian take over for rest of the season. However, that is not practicable. Unless DG can convince Dorrell to resign or Dorrell has the grace and dignity to read the writing on the wall, and decides to negotiate his way out now so that he can leave with some dignity intact, we have to go through this mess next few weeks, like we did during last few weeks of Lavin.

But unlike godblesstyus95, I believe no matter what happens rest of this season, Dorrell is done. I still think DG knows better than to bring Dorrell back based on some miraculous run in the next three games. He knows that if he decides to bring Dorrell back because somehow the team puts together 2 wins against overrated ASU and Southern Cal teams, it will pretty much destroy any good will left towards him from the fanbase. If he decides to go that route, he will probably have to kiss goodbye to fundraising not just for the football program, but for the entire athletic program including raising resources for renovation of Pauley.

So what can we do for next few weeks? Well we need to keep talking to each other, speaking out, and keep the all out pressure on DG and rest of UCLA administration, that keeping Dorrell (even if beat Southern Cal) will not be an option.

If I were the DumpDorrell.com guys, I intensify the effort to get the word out. In case the money hasn't been raised for bill board, use it to buy ads in the Daily Bruin. Make it crystal clear Dorrell is toxic, and we want him gone even if we go "three and oh" rest of this season.

We just have to keep the pressure on. And I believe we will. As DD notes today Dorrell has already lost the Bruin Nation

It is pretty clear from the responses today and yesterday across the boards and in the papers and on radio that Dorrell has lost Bruin Nation. UCLA Bruin fans have lost interest in UCLA football and that will affect more than just our football program for years to come. This is as big a problem that Dan Guerrero will face as AD. Football is the main revenue source for our athletic department as we all know. Profits from football pay for the excellence all our other sports teams exhibit on the national scene. Without those revenues and profits we wont be a school of "Champions Made Here."

As Tracy Peterson of BruinOnlineReport notes (membership required), fan interest in sports like college football carries a lag effect. That is, it takes a few years for success to bring in fans and it takes a few years for failure to lose fans. Dorrell is already losing fans that won’t pay attention to UCLA football again for several years, and THAT will affect more than just our football program for the next few years. Next year we all know that we lose 17 senior starters, 25 seniors total, and have a brutal schedule. Next year will be a bad year no matter who is coach.

If Dorrell is our coach next year Bruin fans will lose interest period. And it will take years to bring them back no matter how successful we are. Guerrero has to have that in mind. We already experienced it with basketball … Howland - in his 5th year and after 2 Final Fours in a row - is only now getting our attendance back to where it should be. That illuminates the extent to which Lavin hurt our program. Lavin cost us millions even years after we fired him and Howland began winning again because fans needed to be convinced again that they weren’t going to be wasting their time and money again. Dorrell is doing the same thing with our football program. In some sense, it may be too late.

I do believe if not for our collective efforts (BN, DD et al), we wouldn't be where we are today.

Remember all the arrogant comments from Dohn et al. earlier in the season about "what hot seat?" Well give yourself a huge pat in the back for all the effort you have poured in to date. The momentum is definitely on our side.

The end is in sight. We just need to "finish." And we don't need any stinking bracelets to make it happen.

We just need to keep speaking the truth.

Carry on my friends.

GO BRUINS.

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DG

can make this real simple for everyone.

Can the Doofus now, or at the end of the year (if necessary), bring in a solid hire and restore this program to excellence.

Don't fire Dorrell or bring in some cheapo hire and make it crystal clear to everyone that UCLA is not serious about its football program.

I believe DG will do the right thing. He seems like he is a competitor and, unless he is a moron, he sees the crap Dorrell puts on the field. DG's decision will make my own decision on renewing season tickets and making my "donation" to the athletic fund very easy.

by Barnes2JJ on Nov 4, 2007 10:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeap

I have waited long enough. I am going to give DG till December 3rd.

I am not going to lose patience in next few weeks. Meanwhile, we will just keep "working" here on BN and keep "disciplining our resources" here on BN.

by Nestor on Nov 4, 2007 10:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This season

will be DG's chance to put his stamp on the football program. He and his hire will be joined at the hip as the guys who turned UCLA into a dominant program. Did anyone know Mike Garrett was the AD at SC before Carroll turned that program around? This is DG's chance to make a splash and make a name for himself.

That said, not only does DG have to make a statement, but the administration does too. They need to give DG the means to bring in the right coach, something they have been reluctant to do in the past. For this to go down as we want, with a top notch head coach, it will not just take DG doing the right thing, but a collective effort from DG, the alumni, Adidas, the administration and hopefully, the admissions department who can give the new coach the benefit of the doubt with a few players.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Nov 4, 2007 10:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I have a question

I wasn't around the last time UCLA had a coaching change where the school goes through the process of firing an incumbent coach, and then hiring a new one. As Bruin fans, alumni, and students, I know our endgame now isn't just to have Dorrell fired, but to hire a "home-run" coach. Like, if Dorrell is fired and we hire another mediocre coach, nothing really would have happen.

We all know that in college football, it is very easy for fans to put pressure on the administration and voice their opinion on the current coach. And generally it seems that with the involvement of the MSM as well, the administration has a finger on the opinions of the fanbase. But the real important time is during the search for hiring a new coach.

I know that hiring a coach should be done quickly because time is very valuable. And while I also know that we like to throw out names on this site of who we want and who we don't want, how much clout do we really have in choosing a new coach? We obviously couldn't stop the hiring of Dorrell, so what can we do to make sure a good choice is made next time? And I'm talking real steps to showcase our thoughts, kind of like the billboard campaign and taking ads out in papers.

by Steven on Nov 4, 2007 11:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Dear Nestor and Bruin Natiion compatriots

I suggest to keep the fire hot, we need to flood the other bruin boards with the message of dump dorrell. Even though they may hide under anonymity, the Lavinistas/Dorrelistas, we must dominate those boards with the Save Bruin Football mantra. I would also add that we should be posting on the generic college football boards (e.g., espn) with the same message. I noted that during yesterday's telecast, one of the announcers even referred to how Dorrell is being hammered by the blogs. Let's expand. Let's not just preach to the choir on BruinNation. Let's go to the dreaded Bruin Gold, Bruin Zone, BRO (sorry to give them inadvertant plugs, but these times require massive actions)...

by Gary72 on Nov 4, 2007 11:12 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

We have nothing against BRO, BZ, Bruin Gold

or other Bruin online communities. We don't view them as our competitors. :)

We are all Bruins.

If you all want to take the message beyond BN, by all means, FIRE AWAY!

Go Bruins.

by Nestor on Nov 4, 2007 11:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

DG will never, ever...

have the guts to fire one of only 5 African-American Division I head football coaches. KD is here to stay until his contract is up, period.

by bruin80 on Nov 4, 2007 12:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

haha

2011? Or 20__ (forever) with the automatic contract extension every year? This is one of the silliest comments that has been made here. When the national media says your coach is bad, you dont have to worry about someone pulling the race card.

by ranelar on Nov 4, 2007 12:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And you back that assertion up

so well.

by Tydides on Nov 4, 2007 12:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't think so, Bruin80

Notre Dame proved that a Black coach can be fired. And we're not firing Tony Dungy. We're firing an objectively demonstrable incompetent. The BCA and the NAACP might make noise, but it will not be serious, because no legitimate organization such as those two would put their reputation on the line defending the indefensible.

He might have been hired because of the color of his skin (or not, I don't know) but he won't be fired because of it, that's for sure.

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 12:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

South Bend Indiana

is not Los Angeles. Notre Dame (where expectations are at the highest level possible in college football) is not UCLA (where expectations for football have been at best the mediocre "gutty little bruins" level for decades, when it comes to talking about a National Championship). I wish our expectations were the same as at Notre Dame. Our performance against them hardly allows us to compare ourselves to them.

by bruin80 on Nov 4, 2007 12:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

HOw about

John L Smith at Michigan St. getting the boot them

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Nov 4, 2007 3:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

These issues have been addressed before here.

you underestimate how much kd's incompetence overwhelmingly transcends the race issue at this point. I, as all the other posters on BN, have expressed over and over that we couldn't care if our football coach was African, Asian or purple-American, because he just flat out sucks at coaching. To allow kd to keep coaching at UCLA just because of his race would be counterproductive to the fight against racism. I for one am damned proud of being an alumnus of the university that produced Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Ralph Bunche, and the list goes on. kd does not even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as those greats, as far as I'm concerned.

by bruinbunz on Nov 4, 2007 3:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yea and...

They took a TON of heat for it.

But hey, do you know Ty would be leading that team to a 1-8 start this year with one of the worst offenses D1 has ever seen?

Like I said when someone brought up Nebraska, Notre Dame doesn't know what the hell its doing anyway.

p.s. I don't think KD's race will factor into this. You can't defend the guy's performance. If Karl were white would he be getting the same amount of heat? Why does that question even need to be asked? Being black doesn't give a coach the power to run a team into the ground forever.

by njbruin on Nov 4, 2007 5:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't predict the future obviously

but I hope you can't either. We have to have a modicum of faith that the current athletic director will actually direct athletics. The right thing for the CAD to do is to fire him. We'll see.

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 1:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I hope you are right

For the sake of our football team, our recruits, and that talented, athletic, inspired and exciting quarterback we saw play for 1 1/2 quarters yesterday.

by bruin80 on Nov 4, 2007 1:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Look at Oregon

Why can't that be UCLA? This team has the talent (except at QB position, I guess)... this season, all the pieces have fallen into place to make a Pac-10 run. USC is down enough to make some moves. Cal is struggling.

But Oregon is #3 in the country and in discussion for the championship game. We are unranked, on the road to another 6-8 win season and a 2nd tier opponent in a 2nd tier bowl.

by njbruin on Nov 4, 2007 1:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

RICK NEUHEISEL

A Bruin QB, a proven winner, improperly sacked by his last college team, and currently working in the vineyards of the NFL.

Let's bring back the Bruins of Tommy Prothro, Rick Vermeil and Terry Donahue.

RICK NEUHEISEL.

I bleed Bruin blue. Sadly, in football bleeding is all I do.

by MalibuBruin67 on Nov 4, 2007 1:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

with ya MB67

despite the turds hurled at Donahue here (and usually by people whose only experience/memory of him are his last 5 years - admittedly unremarkable years 'cept for "THE STREAK" (8 in a row, Cheaty-Petey-pom-pom - YOU'RE NOT WORTHY!!!!), those were, on balance and IMHO solid years for Bruin FB. I do want someone who'll take the bar up a notch or two. Mr. Clean Program can't do that. He's a caretaker, not a coach. He's proven that. Five Seasons is enough to draw that conclusion. I don't care a lick about the demographic issues for the next coach, we just need one who knows the game, and knows how to attract, maintain and utilize resources properly. Can't say that about the current occupant of the HC office.

The Mad Bruin

by lostnacfgop on Nov 4, 2007 2:03 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

From the Coaches Hot Seat site

Dorrell staying steady at the #2 hot seat after losing a must win game.

People that have watched the Dorrell reign in Westwood closely have always wondered when the meltdown would happen, and you saw the beginning of the end for Dorrell on Saturday in Tucson. The meltdown was inevitable, because the consistency and attention to detail that is needed to build a winning football program has never existed under Karl Dorrell at UCLA... With Arizona State, Oregon, and USC left on the schedule it seems a losing record is a certainty, and there is no way a guy in his 5th year at place like UCLA can, or should survive such a season. UCLA is a very good school academically, they have a great campus, are located in a recruiting hotbed, play in a terrific stadium, and have name recognition across the country, and thus UCLA should be a powerhouse football program. Under Dorrell, UCLA is barely better than average.
The Bottom Line - Dorrell's team looks to be chaos, and that is clearly on one person only, the head football coach.

by bruinhoo on Nov 4, 2007 2:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I was going to blog this ...

Since you already posted, you gotta diary it. :)

BTW I don't believe the rankings are updated. I think they get updated tonight. But I think the Thinker will hold steady at 2.

by Nestor on Nov 4, 2007 2:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

right

just noticed that the ratings are to be updated later this evening, though I doubt that KD is going to jump Weis for the #1 spot after the Navy debacle.

by bruinhoo on Nov 4, 2007 3:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Just frontpaged it

by Nestor on Nov 4, 2007 3:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

looks like I was wrong

KD jumped to the #1 spot.

by bruinhoo on Nov 4, 2007 10:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Post-coaching gigs for KD

He can go to work as a (de-)motivational speaker.

by Telemachus on Nov 4, 2007 2:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Grok, you have WAYYYYY too much talent & time

on yer hands. But, Lawdy Lawdy is your stuff funny!

The Mad Bruin

by lostnacfgop on Nov 4, 2007 2:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Grok, remember all your Bruin brothers and sisters

when you hit the big time in Hollywood. We'll all be happy with one little teensy weensy percent of your next blockbuster.

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 3:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

DUH-rell's next job

His next job could be poster boy for Prozac or lithium.

by Tommy Bruin on Nov 4, 2007 3:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Something I just noticed

From Dohn on Friday...

Q: If the season was over today (with UCLA 5-3), do you think Karl Dorrell would be fired?
A: No. How do fire a guy who is in second place in one of the tougher conferences in the country?

by SuperBruinMan on Nov 4, 2007 4:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Don't tell me you're surprised at Dohn

This is from the guy who wants to give him one more year, and who asks the tough questions in intimate one-on-one settings. (Ever since I heard Dohn give that explanation for the cream-puff questions he asks I have imagined the little corner table with the red checkered table cloth, the bottle of chianti and some spaghetti with one meatball, and then the "Lady and the Tramp" memories take over. But I digress.)

Dohn is also the guy who apparently is writing a book. He's keeping secret all his tough questions and all the clearly stated answers from CTS.

I don't think Dohn is stupid. He recognizes that any criticism of CTS could mean he loses "access" and his free food in the press box. He's not stupid, but he's also no longer a journalist - he's just another PR flack. I wonder if he has to register as a lobbiest for CTS's little corporation?

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 5:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A CTS Corporation?

Oh Heaven Forbid...
What's the name of this fraudulent money pit anyway? Vandeley Industries?

by Tydides on Nov 4, 2007 5:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey - be nice about Vandelay -

They asked me to be their latex salesman. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

But seriously folks. He's got some corp set up to take his income (I can't say "earnings") from Adidas or whatever stupid company thinks that they're getting a deal by having us wear their shoes.

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 5:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Correction from the Latex Sales Dept.

I should say that I heard he has a corporation set up for that purpose. I heard it here, so someone more knowledgeable than I am can probably give more info. They keep us in the dark in the Latex Sales Department anyway.

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 6:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A quote

from a Mr. Seinfeld, floor manager of Vandeley Industries: "If you think I'm looking for someone to just sit at a desk, pushing papers around, you can forget it. I have enough problems just trying to manufacture the stuff".

Sounds like KD wouldn't get through the interview process at his own company.

by Tydides on Nov 4, 2007 7:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, he wore a great suit at the interview

And he went on at length when I asked him to explain exactly why it was that he wanted to be a latex salesman. But in retrospect, I don't really remember much of what he said. Something to do with turning corners and movements. I thought if I said anything I would be accused of either re-gifting or being an anti-dentite.

by Fox 71 on Nov 4, 2007 7:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mansierres

DUH-rell has invested all his money into manufacturing the Mansierre.

He should be fired by Festivus, or there's going to be a real "airing of the grievances" around the old aluminum pole.

by Tommy Bruin on Nov 4, 2007 9:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yup, a brand new Armani suit

I wonder if he's ever been to Mendy's. I heard the soup is pretty good.

by Tydides on Nov 5, 2007 1:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

As has been noted

KD is Costanza and he should probably to the opposite. I think George's experiences at Kruger Industrial Smoothing is more pertinent: staying on despite the fact everyone can't stand you knows you're a fraud. Serenity Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please DG, end the misery and frustration. KD and the prominent people in all of this state they don't read the boards, but I'm sure the frustration that is boiling over is getting to them. DG risks a revolt if he keeps KD on board. Let's just hope he isn't deluded into believing in the 6 year program.

by Bruins095 on Nov 4, 2007 9:16 PM PST reply actions 0 recs