Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

by jjreicher on Feb 10, 2008 4:06 PM PST

After watching this afternoon's basketball game, if that is what you will call it, I found myself unable to get these words out of my head:

Luc
Richard
Mbah
A
Moute

At first, I was not sure why they were pinballing around in my brain. Yes he's a player on this basketball (really?) team. Yes he's out with injury today. But so is Mike Roll. He could help out too. Heck, if we could just drop in a couple threes, we'd be ahead in this game.

Post-gametime came and the words just wouldn't leave. So I started to search around for what they meant. Here's what I've come up with:

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute = UCLA Basketball
(Keep in mind this is not meant at ALL as a slight against any other player on this team. And I also do not feel that effort had ANYTHING to do with our loss today. These guys try hard every single day.)

Reasoning:

Hard-working.
Solid, rather than flashy.
Winner. Let me expand on this one. UCLA has 3 losses this year. One came when UCLA was down late and Luc Richard brought us all the way back, then missed two vital FT's that cost us the game. Or wait, not really cost us the game, because we would not have been in it had he not brought us back there first. Another loss came to U$C when Luc was KO-ed and missed most of the game w/ a concussion. Our final loss came today in a game that he missed with an ankle injury. Yes there are other reasons we can go into. Look at some close victories too. Clutch shooting in the preseason tourney down to the wire, from a guy who's not even mainly a shooter. How about some past games against, say, Gonzaga?

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is UCLA Basketball.

As of now, I am willing to simplify my notion about how far this team can go. This team can go all the way: provided that Luc plays every game of the NCAA tourney.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Comments

I know exactly what you mean

In the game thread, I was pleading for a healthy Luc to magically appear in Seattle. Once it became clear that they were going to win the 2v1 with Love on the glass every time, I knew we were going to need the Prince of Rebounding.

by Tydides on Feb 10, 2008 4:12 PM PST reply actions

I wore his jersey today.

He always seems to have great games against UW too, at Pauley this year he went off, and last year at Pauley he posterized Brockman.

Get better big guy!
As for the rest of the team, keep you chins up, rest up, and get to work. We've got some revenge to carry out next week.

All is not lost Bruins.

GO BRUINS!!!

by moutekicksboute on Feb 10, 2008 4:24 PM PST reply actions

Totally disagree

Effort had EVERTHING to do with today's loss.

Washington wanted this one way more than we did. They were manic on defense forcing us to spend waaay to much time out on the perimeter just trying to avoid 5 second counts.

On offense they punched us in the face again and again and we let them do it. Instead of punching back we mostly hoped they would just go away. Obviously they did.

This was nothing but a lost you can totally pin on a hungry team pounding a fat, lazy overconfident one.

I hope this doesn't ruin our seeding!

by Dodger Hater on Feb 10, 2008 4:41 PM PST reply actions

You're not disagreeing

He isn't advancing the point you think he is. Pointing out that Luc is a vital component to this team is not mutually exclusive with the notion that the players that were available today were a no show.

by Tydides on Feb 10, 2008 5:09 PM PST up reply actions

Then why did he say

that the loss didn't have ANYTHING to do with effort?

by Dodger Hater on Feb 10, 2008 5:26 PM PST up reply actions

Brainfarted on that one

Read over it twice too. I also feel that the loss has to do with effort, but Luc is a starter for a reason and his presence was sorely missed today as we were getting killed in the areas he is most competent in.

by Tydides on Feb 10, 2008 5:35 PM PST up reply actions

No problem but...

you really had me thinking that I read it wrong.

by Dodger Hater on Feb 10, 2008 6:05 PM PST up reply actions

Ha

Sorry about that. I kind of focused on the overall message from the post.

by Tydides on Feb 10, 2008 6:07 PM PST up reply actions

oops, typo

obviously Washington Didn't go away, but get right on bringing right down our throats.

by Dodger Hater on Feb 10, 2008 4:43 PM PST reply actions

Agree

We played poorly against USC in the first half even with Luc, but at that point we were still winning. People have talked a lot about how he hasn't improved since his freshman year, but how we play without him proves just how valuable he is.

by SuperBruinMan on Feb 10, 2008 6:59 PM PST reply actions

the prince does not equal ucla basketball...

fellas, let's not get delusional in spite of the silly shizz that occurred today.
lrm makes our D very special, combo of his size and agility makes him an integral part of our traps and pressure. as of yet, no one has showed any sign of being anywheere nearly as effective as him. aboya's d is nice but we lose so much offensively with him in there, same for mata, and keefe and dragovic- no comment.
he's a guy that can rotate over on D and is capable of scoring, that's why he's so important right now.
but don't get it twisted- offensively, he hasn't matured since his first year. he throws up to many three's and tries to take the wrong many on the dribble instead of flowing with the O. nonetheless, i can't wait to get him back!

Across The Face

by rb bruin on Feb 10, 2008 8:55 PM PST reply actions

*meant to say

lrm takes too many 3's and tries to take the wrong people off the dribble instead of being patient with the O. i wish he relied more on his intermediate game more, he's ruthless from like 14-15 ft out, and using the dribble drive on the bigs.

Across The Face

by rb bruin on Feb 10, 2008 9:01 PM PST reply actions

Effort in sports

Here is the typical response after a win: The team really put a great effort out there.
After a loss: The team really put out a poor effort. Always, always, people decide after the score is decided whether or not the team put forth enough effort.

I feel that the players always try during the game. If they weren't, I am supremely confident that coach would take them off the court.

When a better team loses, more likely reasons are: 1) poor shooting; 2) injuries; 3) other team has a great shooting day; or 4) poor preparation. Just to name a few.

I didn't see UCLA not wanting to win; I saw them have a poor performance with a vital player missing. And 1 3 pter made all game.

by jjreicher on Feb 10, 2008 9:27 PM PST reply actions

i agree

luc was missed greatly...he did miss the game winning three against texas though...i don't hold that against him though..point being he is hard working a great defender and we really needed his rebounding today

O.A.

by Ollie on Feb 10, 2008 10:29 PM PST reply actions