Coaching Search Notes: Guerrero Speaks

by Nestor on Dec 13, 2007 5:02 PM PST in Football

"Our search for a head football coach at UCLA is progressing. Within the last week, we have done a lot of fact-finding and have also been involved in detailed discussions with some candidates. We will meet with other candidates in the very near future.

"I know our fans and donors have a strong interest in the search and I certainly appreciate their support of our program. Our goal for the search is to find the best head football coach for our program. We are working diligently and I am confident that we will achieve our goal."

The first part of the statement is interesting. He is saying that he has had "detailed discussions" with some candidates and then he follows it by saying "we will meet with other candidates." To me it is coming across as he is referring to those "detailed discussions" as (in person?) meetings. So it seems to me that he might be signaling that he has had more than one meeting to date (and the only meeting we know of publicly so far is the one involving DeWayne).

Anyway, as long as the next head coach is neither Walker or a combination that we can call out as Choker (Chow +Walker), this all sounds good Dan.

In other news Neuheisel as emerged as a secondary candidate (I will take Neu over a hack like Walker or the combination of Choker in a heart beat) and it looks like Dukees might be going after a real candidate diminishing the chances of Walkerites former hero (or scapegoat given their campaign of throwing UCLA offense under the bus to make their beloved dear leader look something better than a Wazzu reject).

Anyway going back to DG statement above, take your time DG and get us someone who will get us excited on Saturdays again.

GO BRUINS.

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Comments

Don't worry....yet

IMHO i believe Walker was told he would be granted an interview if he stayed around to coach the bowl game. Just a formality. The only way he'll get the job is if every other viable candidate goes by the wayside.

Just one lurker's humble opinion from the cheap seats...

by Herschy on Dec 13, 2007 5:29 PM PST reply actions

video on nfl site

of Rich Eisen talking to nfl network reporter and he said Lane Kiffin and Herm Edwards have been discussed by UCLA.

"Call it, Friend-O"

by bruin95 on Dec 13, 2007 5:43 PM PST reply actions

dear god, not herm edwards

The "you play to win the game" references would never end! Plus, I'm not even close to sold on Herm Edwards, he's a amazingly poor game and clock manager.

also, please not Lane Kiffen. As a lifelong raiders fan, I feel like I'm seeing the light at the end of the post superbowl tunnel, and I think Lane's done a fantastic job so far this year. I think we can find a great coach and let lane fix my favorite pro team as well.

by radiorahim on Dec 14, 2007 2:57 AM PST up reply actions

For a Job That People Said No One Would Want

We are beginning to hear some interesting names -- people with extensive HEAD COACHING experience.

The "take Walker or WSU will and we will end up with nothing" wave is gone.

I'm getting excited about the potential.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 13, 2007 5:50 PM PST reply actions

Edwards or Kiffin

Kiffin? Short answer. No. Long answer is the same as the short answer, but longer. What experience has he got? It's basically bupkes.

Herm Edwards? He has experience, but there's no excitement about him, at least to me. There are lots of reasons why he would be a good hire for us, but none say the magic words "Home Run Hire."

But we've heard of these guys, and even though they wouldn't make my list, they are far bigger names than Walker.

As Hank Stram would say to DG and his search team: "Keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys."

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 6:04 PM PST up reply actions

Hank Stram

Reminds me of lamb . . .

by charnaw on Dec 13, 2007 6:43 PM PST up reply actions

Hank was great

If you ever get a chance to watch the 1970 Superbowl movie from NFL films. It was one of the first times coaches were wired for sound. And Hank was wonderful.

Hank was also a heck of a coach. I think his teams were the first to use the bump and run coverage which was so successful that it's now banned.

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 7:07 PM PST up reply actions

Stram was so-o-o-o-o good..

..that they promoted him from TV color man to radio color man because he kept giving away the plays and spoiling the game:

"Well, Bob, this play'll be a run over tackle because the halfback's cheating up and the quarterback's got his right foot back.."

I hated the guy because I was a Raider and Niner fan back in those days and his Chiefs would always disassemble the Raiders on Sundays in that rickety old Arrowhead Stadium. Sure do love him and respect him now.

by whp68 on Dec 13, 2007 7:50 PM PST up reply actions

Exactly right

He predicted plays with remarkable accuracy.

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 8:02 PM PST up reply actions

I lived in KC in 1969

and was there for the Superbowl win in January 1970. Hank Stram was a god back then, and his "65 toss power trap" became a popular phrase after that NFL Films segment.

As a side note, my hero was Len Dawson, and I wore his replica #16 jersey everywhere. A good Purdue man. My brother had a #21 for his favorite player, one Mike Garrett.. Hmmmm..

Forgive him, he was only 7 at the time.

by Class of 86 on Dec 13, 2007 10:39 PM PST up reply actions

"It's gonna go, boys"

"OK, boys. 65 toss power trap. The middle's gonna open right up. 65 toss power trap."

I have a tape of that show. It's great.

by Fox 71 on Dec 14, 2007 6:38 AM PST up reply actions

Matriculating down the field

I used to have a tape of that show somewhere, but can't find it now. Usually ESPN replays each NFL Films Superbowl show sometime in January, so I'll look for it then and tape it again.

I love when the play worked (I think Garrett scored the TD) and Stram kept saying, "That's it boys! That's it! 65 toss power trap! 65 toss power trap!" Cool stuff.

by Class of 86 on Dec 14, 2007 8:19 AM PST up reply actions

Herm Edwards is a rich man's Dorrell...

... without alumni ties.

Geez, Herm Edwards is so conservative on offense he makes Dorrell's playcalling look positively earth-shattering.

If we hire Herm Edwards, I may just set one of my UCLA jerseys on fire in the grassy area outside the Rose Bowl on Opening Day.

"Because I'm tired of it. Year after year after year after year having to choose between the lesser of 'Who cares?'"

by Meriones on Dec 13, 2007 7:17 PM PST reply actions

Doubt it's going to happen

I think he's content in the NFL.

You have to wonder where some of these rumors come from.

by bruinbabe2000 on Dec 14, 2007 9:00 AM PST up reply actions

this rumor came from here

site

"Call it, Friend-O"

by bruin95 on Dec 14, 2007 2:20 PM PST up reply actions

Read it again...

I take Guerrero's announcement as a call to back off on the speculation, grousing and conspiracy theories. He's trying to tell us he's got the message. If the things you are hearing and reading from the AD office aren't adding up (like who we've officially interviewed to date), remember the media sword cuts both ways - and just like on the gridiron itself we are in competition with other big name schools for a limited number of suitable head coaches.
Maybe, just maybe, it would be in every Bruin's best interest to back off on broadcasting every speck of evidence about who is coming and going from Westwood so Guerrero can work the administration and set us up for a quick hire of the right guy at the right time without someone like Michigan (or worse, u$c if Carroll makes a post-Rose Bowl run for the Chargers) out-bidding us. Just because Pac-10 games don't show much here on the East Coast doesn't mean folks aren't visiting this and other sites, collecting all the details about who might be a candidate and how much we're willing to spend. And if we're not careful we could very well be the catalyst for a default selection of an interim head coach no one seems too thrilled about.

Just a thought from the Northern Neck of Virginia (Hokie country).

by East Coast Bruin on Dec 13, 2007 7:43 PM PST reply actions

Come on, East

We have a job to do here. It's up to every man, woman and child to micro-manage this search so that DG will get it right.

But seriously folks. I think it is prudent of us to do what we can to expose the absurdity of some proposed candidates. Nestor has suggested that DG gets info from BN, and a lot of the analyses of proposed coaches are backed by lots of facts which DG might not be getting from his search team (or from his own memory.) And when a guy like Walker suddenly blazes up like a comet, I believe it is prudent of us to expose these reports as just hype by journalistic shills or worse, and to demonstrate (repeatedly) that Walker should consider himself lucky that he wasn't let go along with CTS, given his numbers.

OK. Enough lectures. Now back to micro-managing the search.

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 8:07 PM PST up reply actions

Micro-managing...

Well, at least we're not alone in this madness. Hopefully some of y'all are keeping tabs on what other message boards are saying... gee, some of this sounds all too familiar!
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17480875&postID=1856690378170820966

by East Coast Bruin on Dec 13, 2007 8:56 PM PST up reply actions

Man, woman and child

Save that for the creepy 60 year old cheerleader.

With KD gone Strand is the last connection to Donahue - get rid of him and the curse is lifted and we can have our dignity back!

by mr havercamp on Dec 13, 2007 9:07 PM PST up reply actions

I like the creepy 60 year old cheerleader

I suspect he'll be there when you turn 60, Mr. H. I know you don't think you will ever hit the big 6-0, but you will, believe me. You then morph from whipper-snapper to geezer, whether you want to or not.

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 9:47 PM PST up reply actions

Geoff Strand

is, perhaps, the only reason the crowd made noise during all of the mediocre seasons we've had.

He's the reason that the alum section put out more noise than any other part of the stadium.

He bleeds Blue and Gold and has done so for quite a while.

He has been a winner when others have been whiners.

Lay off. He's a part of our history, Like Ma Crandall was.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 14, 2007 6:52 AM PST up reply actions

I suspect havercamp is not a geezer

Geezerness is a virtue, and allows appreciation of the beauty of the soul. Strand has that. Geezers know that.

I think it will be interesting to see whether the juggler (who I understand has graduated) comes back in 20 years and is welcomed with open arms by the next generation of geezers.

by Fox 71 on Dec 14, 2007 7:01 AM PST up reply actions

Reminds me of a game several years ago

We scored a touchdown, and they show this 80-something year-old lady in the stands wearing shorts that were way too short for her, going crazy. I ask Mr. BB, "Do you think that's going to be me in 60 years?" To which he responds, "No, you at least won't be wearing shorts."

I never make fun of age because karma has a funny way of biting you in the ass.

by bruinbabe2000 on Dec 14, 2007 9:06 AM PST up reply actions

Geoff Strand

If I remember correctly, Geoff Strand was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity (you know, between the Zebes and Sigma Nu'ers on Strathmore). I came back on leave from my first year in the USAF to attend a UCLA/Oregon State game and met him at a booze-up at the house.

He was introduced as a member of the marching band and went on about how he just joined, had practiced all Summer, and was looking forward to this game because it was the home opener, etc.

So, I'm up in the stands when he shows up after half time wearing his uniform. We asked him why he wasn't down with the band and he told us he got "fired" because they caught him playing a kazoo during the half time show! He spent his entire Summer practicing with the trumpet, marching and all that just to pull that one stunt and get his ass canned!

He woulda been a hero at Stanford, I guess.

by whp68 on Dec 13, 2007 10:02 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe an exorcism is needed

A possible added benefit: a large crowd outside the AD's office with torches and pitchforks might speed up the coaching selection process.

by Offside on Dec 14, 2007 1:05 AM PST up reply actions

Make that TWO coaches at Michigan...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/SPORTS06/71213091

by East Coast Bruin on Dec 13, 2007 8:16 PM PST reply actions

Vegas bowl tickets on sale

http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/07-ucla-vegas-bowl.html

for those interested. Looks like CTO is really jacking up the prices this year ($75, a 50% markup over face, compared to the 40% discount offered for the nut bowl last year, where UCLA fans actually felt good about going)

by bruinhoo on Dec 13, 2007 9:24 PM PST reply actions

Chris Peterson, Lane Kiffin

Never say never!!! That's what we learned from the Bobby P. fiasco when he bailed on the Falcons and landed in Hog Heaven. We shouldn't give up on Chris Peterson just because he said, "I'm not going to that place." He obviously was confused because he thought "that place" was South Central LA, not beautiful Westwood. He will come to UCLA under the right circumstances, and why not--UCLA is a huge jump from Boise. First, we need to get him a portable GPS system so that he is convinced that Westwood is not South Central LA. Second, we need to get him a house in Bel Air so that he can walk to work like he does in Boise. Third, the boys at Morgan Center need to come up with some real money ($1.8 million--double his current salary). Lastly, get him an old pickup truck so that he thinks he's in Boise.

On Lane Kiffin...Why???!!!! At least the sorry Raiders have an excuse---Al Davis is so senile that he actually thought Kiffin was Pete Carroll when he interviewed him.

by bruin75 on Dec 13, 2007 11:56 PM PST reply actions