H-O-R-S-E
by Nestor on Dec 30, 2007 7:04 PM PST
in Basketball
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PrintSo I have been away from the internets most of the day traveling back to the East Coast. For my in-flight reading I did pick up a hard copy of Fox 71's fishwrap and, sure enough, garbage columns from Plaschke and Simers were up there prominently in the first and second pages of the sports section. I am not going to link to that kind trash. DumpDorrell.com has the links here. I wouldn't bother commenting on those predictable columns focusing on Coach Neuheisel's NCAA recruiting violations that took place 5-10 years ago. But, after listening to a moron like Mark May, and checking out some other columns, I thought I put in my 2 cents with the help of friends in the Bruin blogosphere.
First, if you haven't done it yet, go over to Bruin Roar right now and read CPBruinFan's must read post on Coach Neuheisel and NCAA violations.
Apparently, he was written up for two sets of violations during his time at CU and UDub. He was written up for a set of `compensation violations,' which includes high crimes such as ... you ready for it?!!! ... going $3 over the limit for some recruiting weekends so kids could have access to things such as Nintendo games:
I mean really? Oh it gets better. The second set of violations fall under category of `recruiting violations' which includes such violent crimes as:
And, yet, if one were to read the panting of Plaschke, Simers, and Dohns of the world he or she could get the impression that Coach Neuheisel was in charge of a program where athletes were involved in (alleged) incidents of rape, violent assault, steroid use, racist websites, taking academic shortcuts, or getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, rents, and gifts.
But, hey, what do we know? We live in a world in which people like Plaschke can get away with writing with a straight face something like this:
Let's get back to Coach Neuheisel. CPBruinFan articulates what so many of us have reflected on his past:
He was young and obviously didn't realize that, while each violation was minor, that as a whole it could hurt the University. If anyone in the college ranks understands the repercussions of pushing the NCAA rules, it is Rick. I think now that he is older and wiser, he'll learn form these mistakes. He has recently expressed that he is sorry for the incidents that occurred and he takes ownership of them. There isn't anything he can do now to make up for those mistakes, except run a clean program and stay out of trouble.
I'm all for giving Rick a second chance. It has been almost 10 years since his last violation was committed. He is, after all, a Bruin and member of the UCLA family and that should be enough reason to give him our support. He is definitely one of Westwood's wayward sons and It's time for him to come back home and prove that his past is just that... in the past.
Yet, Rick Neuheisel hasn't been afoul of the NCAA for over 5 years (as the PR said, some of his infractions were a decade ago) and even those infractions were all minor. Neu was young when he committed them and now he is older, wiser, repentant, and committed to doing things right - basically all the things we would want in a human being let a lone a coach - and the press still want to crucify him?? The beat press is swallowing their 2nd bitter pill this month, the first with the firing of their guy Karl Dorrell and the second with the non-hiring of their guy DeWayne Walker. They are mad and want to take it out on us and Neu.
We will repeat again, Rick Neuheisel will not get the goodwill he deserves as new head coach. Next season, we lose 17 starters and 25 seniors, practically every one on the field will be new to the position. We have a much tougher schedule. You all know this because we have been writing about this since early in the '06 season. We said at the time and since that any coach will be lucky to get this team to .500. Brian Dohn said the same thing, and we put it here on the record. He was undoubtedly convinced at the time that his 2nd guy Walker (Dorrell was his first) would get the job so he was making sure Walker had support already for next season. Neu won't get the benefit of such wisdom next year or ever, unless he starts winning titles and even then he will not get the benefit of fair treatment by some.
Rick Neuheisel has a big challenge ahead of him that Karl Dorrell did not have and DeWayne Walker would not have had. He has to fight the press from Day 1. We think Neu will overcome this challenge but it is not fair to him, to UCLA football or to UCLA. The press is ready to pounce on him and turn his tenure into a Neuclear era. Hacks like Simers, Plaschke and Dohn are renegades who will search long and hard for that uranium ... it will sell papers and keep their paychecks coming. One spec is all they need to torch Neu and blow up his tenure. With the myriad of rules and compliance procedures there is not a coach or program in America that is not absolutely clean. It's impossible. That is why programs have compliance officers whose full time job is to check the rules and procedures on everything every staff member and player does. That is why the Washington compliance officer got the NCAA tournament pool rule wrong after Neu ASKED the officer for the ruling on it. That is why Neu WON a $4.5 million settlement against both Washington AND the NCAA.
We are going to do what we can to enjoy just the game and forget most of the shenanigans around UCLA football just like we are now doing when it comes to UCLA hoops. However, we should let the world know that we are not just going to sit back and take this nonsense in the coming days, weeks and years if these idiots keep coming with their same predictable, lazy BS attacking on our head coach. Every time they attack Coach Neuheisel with their H-O-R-S-E-&^%#, we are going to call them out as hypocrites for looking the other way, when a far more disturbing (and in some cases disgusting) record was being compiled on the other side of the town.
In many ways, Coach Neuheisel is the perfect General because we know he is not going to sit back and take this H-O-R-S-E-&^%#, and we are going to do what we can to back him up. Anyway, let's get back to more important stuff. Coach Neuheisel has a program to rebuild. And we are going to enjoy that process just like we did when Coach Howland arrived in town five years ago.
GO BRUINS.
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I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!
Also, while I'm at it, I want to offer a HUGE THANK YOU to BN and my fellow UCLA alums, students, and fans for this site. Through BN, I was able to keep up on the latest on what was happening with the search and get a good feel of what the local reaction to breaking rumors/stories is/was. As you can imagine, the MSM here in Minnesota and the upper Midwest wasn't really saying anything about it. Of course, I rely on BN so much anyway for both UCLA football and basketball anyway but this situation was really neat.
All I can say is that it's GREAT to be a Bruin!!!
by Minnesota Bruinfan on Dec 30, 2007 8:52 PM PST reply actions
Be interested to find out
Seems to me since the time of that payout, I have seen very few cases of the NCAA actually dropping the hammer, and those few cases have been schools like Oklahoma, where they self reported their violations.
In a wierd way, maybe the Neuheisel situation at UW has helped SC because it has created a timid mindset at the NCAA.
RN is no saint....
...but you can't just focus on Petey...
Far be it from me to suggest that Bill Plaschke is accepting 'gifts' from the $cumbags across town, but it does make you wonder why there is no apparent effort being made by the LAT's beat writers to dig into the allegations surrounding Bush and $UC. (Despite the superficial articles that have, to date, appeared.) Certainly, if a writer was being given privileges or gifts they might willingly look the other way while recruiting or maintenance trangressions were/are being committed. I'd hate to think that there is some level of collusion existing between LA beat writers and the University of South Central, but the writers in question certainly haven't worked to dispel that concern.
No, based on personal agendae, writers like Dohn, Plaschke and Simers will continue to aim their invective toward RN - and the only way to diminish those attacks is to play it straight and WIN.
by SecondGenBruin on Dec 31, 2007 9:54 AM PST up reply actions
You Must Be Kidding
I can only assume that you, seattle, are not a Bruins fan, but probably some disgruntled Husky fan still angry at Rick.
by BruinSteve on Dec 31, 2007 12:14 AM PST up reply actions
Not even close
O.k., which is it? They don't like the hire because of his (long) past NCAA transgressions or they are mad at UCLA because it didn't pay the transgressor enough to cover his living expenses in L.A.?
Essentially both points have been addressed here so a rehash would be redundant except to say, it's $1.25 million with another half mil for bonuses.
Hello!
Dorrell was making a base salary of $350,000 per year with all kinds of incentives that supposedly would have pushed that to around a million. Neuheisel's contract with incentives almost doubles that and UCLA is cheap?
"Well not cheap, but cheap-ish."
The stiffs who wrote that column fail to realize it was a contract UCLA and Neuheisel agreed to. No one had put a gun to his head and told him to sign, I assume.
by whp68 on Dec 31, 2007 1:34 AM PST up reply actions
UCLA Fan...but you guys make me laugh
The stories on here defend him and say how he didnt do anything wrong, but I guarantee if this happened to Dewayne Walker instead of Neuheisal you guys would be saying how could they hire a guy who has all these violations against him.
The most ridiculous of stories was the one that was written after UCLA lost to BYU. After a great game..and one terrible block by an offensive lineman away from a win. You guys look to criticize the coach. Saying stupid stuff like, Walker should have went for 2 at the end of the the half.
Some of the stories on here are as hard to take as Petros Papadakis
Selective Reading at its finest
Let me guess, you, like the butthurt mainstream media, didn't get your no-head-coaching-experience choice DyNoMite so now you're here grasping at straws and throwing out your infantile rant.
Three dollars? THAT makes me laugh.
Ridiculing the reporters who blow that out of proportion? You be your ass. If that stuff hadn't been blown out of proportion for all these years, RN would have been appointed last time around. As it was, he wasn't even considered and we had to endure five years of horror.
07, you must not be an alum...
Not much football experience in your resume either, eh? To assess the sloppy, poorly executed Las Vegas game as "great" simply defies logic. Read the stats, they speak for themselves.
Since you won't say you're a Neuheisel fan let me guess - the columns you think are "jokes" are the ones that don't match your take on things, which would make you decidedly pro-Walker. But then if you enjoyed the Las Vegas game that much I guess I can see why.
by East Coast Bruin on Dec 30, 2007 11:43 PM PST reply actions
Lol
Would that be the same team
lol
Again
Walker = ? --> Lost to BYU
Being "competitive" with BYU isn't a positive quality. It is neutral at best, but not something to put in ones portfolio. But hey, don't let me stop you from celebrating your moral victory.
Check out my resume
BYU = Top 25
I didn't know you had such a great football resume and I was talking to a football GOD. Since you know so much about football you must be a Head Coach somewhere right? This must be Bob Toledo, it has to be. That would explain all the anger towards Dorrell and Walker. You re still pissed that Dorrell took your job and pissed that Walker learned how to get UCLA to play defense, something you couldn't figure out.
Another thing Bob, you must have cared about my resume joke enough to find a picture and post it on there.
You must smoke some powerful stuff
Your inability to construct a coherent thought here is disturbing, but not banworthy. Your homophobic comment below, however, is. Therefore, I believe a 48 hour temp ban is fair, and maybe you'll use that time to both grow up and learn how to carry on a conversation like a big boy.
Happy New Year ;-)
OK, I checked.
For the record, there was no "DaBruins07" in the top 99. At no. 49 was "N1KB0G," beat out by "SWAMP THING 5" at no. 46. Bringing up the rear, and apparently also beating you, was "WIPE URSELF" at no. 99.
In any case, I'll take the perspectives and wisdom of folks here who can, you know, like express themselves well over the all-time, World Champeen online gamer. It has to do with experience in the real world. You can look it up on Wiki.
Just wondering, does it work to bring up your game geek experience in job interviews, if such applies?
It was a joke..but i am ranked #49
Is there some gay rainbow font that you guys use to let people know when you are joking? or can i do some gay smiley faces, so you know what is a joke ;)
Think I'll pass
I suggest you take your homophobic, infantile rants where they are better appreciated.
An on-line gaming resume?
But thanks. I haven't had a belly laugh like that in a long time.
Why don't you sign off and go back to your Dungeons and Dragon's marathon, now entering year four.
Ah, come on
"I'm not even going to try to tell you what Lara Croft - Tomb Raider and I do after hours."
Oh, please do.
why the crusade
What are you trying to do, rid the world of the infidels who don't think exactly like you do about a football coach.
UCLA just hired a football coach, people are happy with it, things are looking great despite Guerrero's obvious screw ups, and I have heard a TON of good press from all over.
This entire site is so extremist about nothing. Its a football team not a political party.
by Drake44444 on Dec 30, 2007 11:59 PM PST reply actions
Crusade against double standards?
If you'll notice, we were not the first ones to blog about it. We were at least third, so obviously other people noticed the MSM's duplicitous behavior as well. Save your pointless rant for the BRO forums. People might actually take you seriously there.
Oops, Nevermind
Guess what, mediocrity sucks. Thank God our AD thinks more like BN and less like you.
Birds of a feather
...but the fact is Bruin Nation is a blogsite that I visit for reasons beyond the football program and its recent melodrama. Of all the sites devoted to Bruin sports, it contains more cogent information with LESS personal attacks. What those of us old guys know as civil discourse. And, whether you recognize this or not, there are political, economic and sociological strains in many of the discussions that, superficially, revolve around college football.
And, as is obvious by the quality of writing here, most of us are ALUMNI, not casual fans. We, or our families, passed tens of thousands of dollars into UCLA's coffers during the course of our educations, which we would like to think entitles us to make whatever comments we wish, as long as those comments further the discussion.
I work in a very contentious environment. I retreat to Bruin Nation, and a few other nonrelated sites, to salve the pain I absorb while dealing with intransigent, shoot-from-the-hip adversaries. I don't need more of the same when I'm away from the office.
Thanks to Nestor and the regulars I can detox in a friendly place.
by SecondGenBruin on Dec 31, 2007 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
Isn't H-O-R-S-E a basketball game?
According to RN
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Dec 31, 2007 12:54 AM PST up reply actions
I guess...
Well the key in all this
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Dec 31, 2007 1:05 AM PST up reply actions
So a friendly game in another sport...
In Street Clothes
There's another wrinkle they went after -- but got wrong, too.
There was a "bet" involved. If RN won, the guy would "have to" come to UW. If the guy "won" he'd go somewhere else.
Some tryout. If the guys good enough to win, a superior athlete, he has to go somewhere else?
It was a JOKE.
As were most of the other charges against RN.
A $4.5 million Joke
At CU that's particularly important. When you look at the charges against RN at CU, they are not the "big charges" we've heard against the school -- like rape.
My favorite: After taking the job at UW, RN flew back to Boulder to tell his team. The team was in a room waiting for him to arrive. His plane was going to be 30 min late so he called the AD to ask him to tell the players. The AD or other athletic department person, sent the players home. Only a few stayed and RN, who had made a special trip to say "good bye" had to find another way to do so.
So, he called the ones he had not talked to, at home, to say good-bye, to tell them that he believed in them and that CU was in good shape and he wished them a good year.
THAT BECAME THE PLAYER TAMPERING CHARGE!
There's one better. When RN was on the phone with someone in the athletic department, one of his players came to the department to find out how to transfer to another school. The dep't guy put RN on the phone and RN talked the guy into staying at CU. Tampering? BS.
ANYONE WHO HAS READ THIS STUFF WILL BE OUTRAGED! And, that's why he won $4.5.
Rick, WE HAVE YOUR BACK.
sjh
PS. I was a Leach guy. I'm thrilled to have RN back. And, the more reading I've done about his past, the more I want him to prove them wrong by beating the crap out of anyone we play. Success is the best form of revenge.
A common misperception
Disunity in the Community
I wouldn't totally whitewash Rick's past
He doesn't have to be sinless, just repentent (both in thought and deed) and I think he is. That's the difference between him and someone like Erickson or Carroll. The difference isn't the severity of the offenses, the difference is the change in heart and growth in character.
My main concern at this point is I hope he doesn't feel he has to make everyone in the Morgan Center comfortable. The place still needs a shake up, and I am hoping RN is the one to do it.
by silverlakebruin on Dec 31, 2007 8:26 AM PST reply actions
I left out a word which is important
The IMPORTANT difference between him and someone like Erickson or Carroll....
by silverlakebruin on Dec 31, 2007 8:30 AM PST up reply actions
I can't wait to see
by capecharles17 on Dec 31, 2007 9:34 AM PST reply actions
Lots of questions
My local paper had a REPORT regarding the Neuheisel hiring:
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/dec/30/bc-fbc--ucla-neuheisel-1st-ld-writethru0871-rick/
I thought that's what REPORTING the news was all about.
How is Doh!n and Oberjerk get away with trashing DG and RN the way they did? IFFFFF I want their opinions, shouldn't that be kept to the Op/Ed page, or at least on their own Blog? I hope they are never allowed interviews as our new coaching staff builds a winner.
Help me with a few questions:
1. I kinda thought RN might use the spread offense?
WRT RN talking to QB coaach Scott Loeffler and QB Mallett following
- Would he have a scheme (anything but WCO) that Mallett would fit into?
- With good coaches to help our current QB's improve (Olson, Cowen, maybe MBT??, maybe Rasshan????, or Forcier), do we need Mallett?
- Wouldn't he lose a year of eligibility?
- What recruits might we steal from other schools if we actually have RN/DW/NC (maybe include Scott Loeffler and Ken Norton)?
- Don't know much about Scott Loeffler, but might he pull in a top QB?
- Will RN go after bringing KNjr. home and will he be interested?
- Isn't DW's son planning on coming to UCLA?
by BruinFam on Dec 31, 2007 10:04 AM PST reply actions
Rick Beat the NCAA Because It Didn't Follow
An organization that penalizes someone for playing a game of "HORSE" with a recruit as an unlawful tryout for football needs to be beyond reproach itself. It is ridiculous that the NCAA obsesses over things like HORSE games but turns a blind eye to free houses, penthouse apartments and cars. And then it doesn't even follow its own rules and tries to railroad someone out of a job. It is an organization worthy of little, if any, respect and got what it deserved in the Neuheisel case.
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