Those are perfectly reasonable and factually based points.  Dude, I hate SC with the fury of 1000 suns but telling me that next year's bruin team should be "expected" to win the pac 10 over them is simply living in dream world.

So if you've still got a problem with that then you've just lost a supporter of this site.  I'm not disagreeing that we should be farther along than we are and that pac 10 titles should in theory be an expectation.  Next year, though, it should be a lofty and reasonable goal but an 11-1 regular season with a loss to SC, as much as it might hurt, shouldn't in itself be cause for considering the year an underachievement.

It's always like that from Dorrell apologists (not saying you are one), "we will win a pac-10 title, but next year is too soon".

Ben Howland turned the Bruins hoops from a steaming pile of crap into a contender in THREE YEARS! Now, to be fair, he didn't have to compete against a crosstown powerhouse sucking up all attention and recruits, and Lavin was able to recruit. Still, UCLA was yesterday's news.

Greg Schiano has turned Rutgers from nothing to a very solid squad in five years. Steve Spurrier is doing the same in South Carolina. The Humanitarian got a 5-7 team and turned it into a top-5 in TWO YEARS!

Dorrell has the talent. The experience. The momentum. Tons of returning players. The same defensive coordinator.

It's time for him to deliver. We've been very patient. No bad losses from crap teams like last year. No choking at the end like the Notre Dame game. USC is gonna be a good team but we handle our business and beat them like we did last year and we get the Pac-10 title.

It seems like you believe our expectations are unrealistic because USC will still be good... well if we won't win a Pac-10 title until USC falters then all that proves is that we really are USC's bitches and are just waiting for the scraps they throw down. Clearly that is not acceptable.

First, your original post was not inspired or interesting. It was not a response to any specific topic or post. It did not convey any new information or idea. After reading your post, I neither gained any new insight nor did I learn anything interesting or useful about the state of Bruin football.

Second, and perhaps most importantly, your post lacks any specific facts to support your argument. Regardless of whether we here at BN agree or disagree with your position is beside the point. It is obviously your opinion and your position that we should not expect a pac-10 title next year, however, what are your factual basis for that argument? What analysis of those facts supports your conclusion? Citing as a "fact" that the Bruins are not the most talented, or that Ben is talented but unproven,  is flawed because these are not facts, but your opinions as well. In short, you are supporting your conclusion with your opinion.

Third, I think the BN is currently focused on Ben, AA and his crew at the Big Dance. KD and his crew are not the topic at this moment, and while that does not mean that the BN won't entertain posts about KD, such posts should be articulate, well reasoned, well argued, supported with facts and well written to garner the BN's attention at this time.

I don't believe I've seen your logon name before, so I assume you are a relative newcomer to this site. Don't take the criticism personally or in the wrong way; instead, view it as a free discourse in the fine art of persuasive writing.

I understand my post wasn't in response to anything in particular - I suppose just pent up frustration.  I think at the end of the day we're all on the same page here ... there's no reason we shouldn't be a perrenial figure in the top 10 in both major college sports.  And it's also a good point that sadly sc isn't going anywhere in football for the foreseeable future so our success needn't come at their expense.  It's all a matter of semantics really - should we expect pac 10 titles?  yes.  Do I (in my non-fact based and unsubstantiated opinion) think it is a reasonable expectation for next year specifically to win our conference given what I think about our coaching staff?  no.  (and if anyone reads that and says "great, who cares?" that's fine by me at least I feel better venting a little bit haha)

On the other side of that, N, I think the expectations for next season are tremendously inflated.  In my opinion, there is no logical reason to think that next season will be materially different from last season.  There are some personnel changes, but there have always been personnel changes during the Dorrell regime.  Unless some of the new blood really becomes the alpha coach of the pack, there will continue to be no fire on the sideline, and no realistic probability of any.  There is likely to be no creativity or innovation.  

To me, it's like watching a line dance.  It's doing the same thing over and over, then yelling "Ooh, macarena" which equals punt.  It might be fun and interesting for the performers, but from the stands it looks boring, predictable and silly.

To both Royo and Nestor - take both your posts about expectations, and superimpose them over the Basketball program before Lavin went away and Ben arrived.  All the analysis and expectations, etc., wouldn't mean beans in connection with Basketball as long as Lavin was around.  In my opinion, all the expectations and analysis in the world about football won't do any good until Coach Dorrell is replaced.  

And I can give you a lengthy analysis as to why just about anyone who contributes to BN would be a better head football coach than Coach Dorrell, my number one candidate being Nestor.

1.  Our goal should ALWAYS be to Win the PAC-10.  Our expectations should fall in line within that stated goal with some variance each year due to incoming/outgoing talent and schedule.
2. Nestor, I as many people who love and visit this site many times daily really appreciate all that you do for this site.  I just have to ask why, in my perception, you have become intolerant to other peoples' views that you disagree with.  I may disagree with what some people post as well, but lately you have been coming off like a Fox News "analyst".  Ripping into people; calling their comments "dumb" and "silly".  Just an observation; one that I am acute to as I am studying the media's influence on we, the people.

You're right, we're not going to win the pac 10 next year...  And you're part of the problem.  

Because your reasonable "expectations" are we're going to suck, and you really don't care. (don't say you care, it's clear from your post you're at one with mediocrity.)  If you were a "fan" you would be going bat-shit, not saying "it's okay, someday we'll improve by-golly...  thank God for basketball!"  If all the so called 'fans' like you would actually change your mindset to demand that football be taken seriously, like basketball, than maybe it would be.

USC is one of the best college football teams in  history because they DEMAND it.  We suck because "fans" like you allow it.  (And for the record, if we had half the success of USC, or any players that could perform at that level, we'd have a lot of their 'moral' problems as well - although I would hope not nearly as bad.  Schwasticka on your website?  Please.)

Here's a few questions, "fan".

I noticed you didn't say when we should expect to be better than 7-6?  Why?  Because you don't ever expect to be because of (insert pathetic excuse here)...

How many more years does Dorrell have according to you?  Did the USC win get him 3 more years?  

Do you have a 13-9 t-shirt?

How many 11-1 or 10-2 teams in the country would kill to have UCLA's talent?  

If KD is 7-6 AGAIN next year, what should we do?

You think KD can ever win a championship?  If you answered 'no' than why is he still here waisting everyone's time?

Sorry if this sounds personal or angry, it's not intended to be.(well, personal anyway.)  

And just so we're clear, the "Goal" and "Expectations" are the same thing, to win it all, just like in basketball.   Period.   And if it isn't happening, we should be doing the things it takes to get there.  Not making excuses and lowering expectations 8 months out.

What exactly is your point?  Should we have some sort of bike ride to raise awareness of the mediocrity of the football team's performance over the past fifty games?  Is there anything new or different in your take on things?

I don't purport to speak for Nestor.  I suspect he'll speak for himself.  You might want to prepare yourself a little.