Maybe it's the (almost) new year optimism speaking, or it could be the Saturday-bowl-watching-and-UCLA-has-new-coach celebration taking place right now in liquid form, but I just wanted to pass out some "Thank you's".

Thanks, first of all, to all the thoughtful and articulate posters here on Bruins Nation. To say I was engrossed in this ongoing drama would be an understatement. And, here, everyday, someone was discussing revealing stats, informative commentary, and delicious rumors. All this great material was high-energy food for my obsessive interest in this search. Thanks, good people. I don't know how I could have survived the ordeal without you.

Thanks to Dan Guerrero. A big part of my engrossment with this hire was, frankly, a fear of our blowing it. Mostly, I was a mixture of confident and hopeful that Dan would do it right. But, the dread would creep in now and then. The thought of having to live another decade or so with UCLA football mired in mediocrity concerned me in the same way that the thought of surviving a loved one would. Thank you, Mr. Guerrero, for conducting this search with purpose, professionalism, and dignity. Thank you for representing UCLA well. And, thank you for saving me much anguish in coming years.

And, a second, separate "Thank you" award to be shared by Bruins Nation and Dump Dorrell, in the Speculation category, for the possible effect you might have had on this outcome. I don't know that there was an effect, but I'd bet so. Perhaps slight, but probably significant. Without your passionate and reasoned voices reminding DG, if he was listening at all, of what we did and didn't want, he would have heard certain other voices disproportionately.

There are many others I'd like to thank, Rick Neuheisel, Chancellor Block, the academy, but I see my time is up. Now, if y'all don't mind, I'm going to continue celebrating, and basking in the team victory. I believe in keeping a bottle of champagne around, just in case something good happens. Tonight's the night!