Time for some super secret negotiations with Mendenhall.

I guess I simply can't go on vacation during times like this:P

Many are left. My favoirite, Leach -- and NO, there is not one named source who has said Leach is not acceptable to UCLA -- only Dohn. We also have Mendehnall, Jones, and Pedersen in the mix. Plus, probably a few more top end surprise candidates.

Instead of being depressed, be elated that we are fishing in the right part of the ocean.

For those of you who doubted DG's efforts to find a coach who meets his espoused standards, relax.

For those of you who doubted we would spend enouht to get a good coach, relax.

We will have a great coach. No wrist slashing yet, please.

Belotti had to say something, ANYTHING, right now with all the rumors flying around.  Without a workable deal in place, he said what he had to say.  There are other things at work here.

I know, Ms. B isn't Coach B, but if we can accept her attacking a reporter -- and the possibility it would happen again down here -- what in the world can we have against Leach -- who is at worst, a bit quirky, but never offensive?

Then there is the underlying issue that I do find troubling. Coach MB's son, who is on the team, was convicted of 2 DUI's. It appears that the university covered it up -- and that young Bellotti was given better treatment than that given other Oregon athletes.

Finally, I agree with some in this thread. I don't think Coach B's public statements were very graceful.

Yet, I would hire Coach B and welcome his family. None of this troubles me.

But, I am troubled by the rumors that there is something offensive about Leach that UCLA will not tolerate.

Compared to the Bellotti stuff, I don't buy it.

sjh

PS. And, that's why I've said all along -- there is no empirical evidence that Leach is not acceptable to this athletic department. None. Not one bit. And, that's how it should be.

PPS. Yes, Leach did go after some Big 12 officials and got fined for that. There are many of us here who would pay the fine if any UCLA coach had the courage to go after the SPTR's.

Read into Bellotti's comments any which way you like but he is not coming to UCLA. The search has gone on long enough that had he wanted to be here (or any other coach for that matter) he would've started talks weeks ago, not twenty-four hours ago.

As far as I understand these processes, the search firm is hired to get names. To justify their services and fees, this firm has to come up with some pretty big names. Prior to Bellotti, the coaches they were delivering weren't exactly of a high enough calibur that prospective athletic departments would be knocking down their doors when their time came. So, the firm uses all of its connections and favors to get a big fish like Bellotti to step up and agree to nothing more than a meeting. And while the UCLA football program got absolutely nothing from this meeting every one else who was involved did.

• The search firm delivers one big name for a meeting (a meeting that was no different than one Golden had) and thus its fees and services look justified to future would be clients.
• Guerrero came out of it looking like an AD who has some pull with the elite coaching core.
• Bellotti (a guy who lost four of his last six games) -- for just a couple hours of his time --  was being be talked about before a national audience like he was the second coming of Christ on his way to save Westwood. And just imagine the favors and gifts that were surely thrown his way?

But what did UCLA get? Answer: probably Rick Neuhisel as the head football coach. Why is it that UCLA had to spend $100K+ to end up with the same guy who would have come running had Morgan Center just sent him an email (at no cost)?

This whole thing has been a big waste of time. I would have been better off listening to my cousin try to figure out her boyfriend.