Rick's debut now v. Tenn. on ESPN prime time

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 2, 2008 4:02 AM PDT Comment 27 comments

Bumped. As indicated in the comment thread great move by CRN as he kills two birds with one stone in this strategic scheduling move. GO BRUINS. -N

I already posted this under Nestor's Spring football diary, but thought this was big enough news to put in it's own diary.

From the LA Times:

UCLA altered its football schedule and will open at home against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl on Monday, Sept. 1, to accommodate television.

The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 6, but will now be ESPN's Labor Day game at 5 p.m. The Bruins' season opener against Fresno State, originally scheduled for Aug. 30, was moved to Sept. 27.

"We're excited because this puts UCLA football in a Monday night football setting," Coach Rick Neuheisel said.

The move also eases the Bruins' burden some. Instead of opening the season with Fresno State, Tennessee and Brigham Young -- all teams that won bowl games last season -- the Bruins will now have a bye week before the BYU game on Sept. 13.

So Neu's debut will be nationally televised, on primetime, on a Monday night? Think the Rose Bowl is going to be rockin'? I know our minds are elsewhere right now, but I think this is a huge development, will give the program great exposure, and is reflection of how CRN already has our program back into the national spotlight.

I know it's still April, and we still have a little basketball left, BUT I CANNOT WAIT FOR FOOTBALL SEASON!!

GO BRUINS!!

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

Nothing like jumping into the deep end ...

but this is great news all the same. Should be the first in a long line of great games. I'm really looking to next season!

by snorkeldorf on Apr 1, 2008 1:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

looking ^forward^ to ...

by snorkeldorf on Apr 1, 2008 1:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

National exposure?

Marketing your product? Excitement and enthusiasm? Is this really UCLA football?

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Apr 1, 2008 1:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Briefly crossed my mind

that this could've been an April Fool's prank, but yeah, it's true.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 1, 2008 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can you imagine

this move to get the program on national spotlight while also cleverly creating a break in the first part of the season under KD?

by bluestreet on Apr 1, 2008 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Geezer brain fog

I don't follow you, blue.

by Fox 71 on Apr 1, 2008 1:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This move

Did two things for UCLA:

Immediately get the program on ESPN lights
"Instead of opening the season with Fresno State, Tennessee and Brigham Young -- all teams that won bowl games last season -- the Bruins will now have a bye week before the BYU game on Sept. 13."

That will give us a much needed week break before the conference season. Killing two birds with one brilliant scheduling move. I have to think CRN is behind this because didn't see this kind of creative moves under KD.

by bluestreet on Apr 1, 2008 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Read the last paragraph

in the LA Times blockquote, and I think he meant CRN, not KD.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 1, 2008 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You got it

My bad for the clumsy wording.

by bluestreet on Apr 1, 2008 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now I get it

My mind seized up when I got to those initials -- K something. But now I get it.

by Fox 71 on Apr 1, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I swore it was an April fools joke

Confirmed that it is actually not? Another source on top of the LAT?

by bruinhopeful on Apr 1, 2008 2:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Here you go

from ESPN.

I know, it's still hard to believe.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 1, 2008 2:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good lord it IS real

by bruinhopeful on Apr 1, 2008 2:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome!

Was a bit concerned that Tenn would have a game under their belt but their 08/30 game against UAB has been moved. 1st games are always tricky with lots of mistakes due to rust.

Tenn will be breaking in a new QB as Ainge graduated (we'll see whether it is a good or bad thing) and their best LB, Mayo declared early for the NFL draft.

Man, that is going to be one helluva Labor Day!

by BlueReign on Apr 1, 2008 2:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

haha awesome..

bruins now open up the season with fresno on my b-day...hopefully i can bring us good fortune?

O.A.

by Ollie on Apr 1, 2008 3:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully

Loved the original date (9/6=my bday) and was gonna throw a bday tailgate at the Rose Bowl, but if it had to change, this is a good reason

by kidro2001 on Apr 1, 2008 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Under KD, UCLA probably opens

against someone like Fullerton in a game no one outside of Westwood cares about. We eek out a sloppy ugly win with nothing but FGs, and all his supports then rave about a great season start. KD then takes credit for the win, and throws a few players under the bus for not being able to score TDs, and that the team is still a work in progress.

by bluegold on Apr 1, 2008 3:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Go figure

KD, who was as stiff and stale as a week-old baguette during interviews, was hardly ever seen in front of a camera outside of football season. To the contrary, CRN has gotten more camera time this offseason than Brittany Spears. Lo and behold, the Bruins are playing on MNF on opening day.

Yeah, I'd say we're going to see a whole new brand of Bruin football come fall.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 1, 2008 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who is this "KD" you're talking about

I remember Coach Toledo, then for some reason either I went into a coma or Bruin Football went into a coma for five years. So who is this KD? I thought his name was "Love," not "Dove."

by Fox 71 on Apr 1, 2008 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is awesome

My dad and I have season tickets and the 1st is his birthday. What a cool way for us to celebrate his birthday.

by BruinFanBaby on Apr 1, 2008 4:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

wow, truly wow

that is marketing genius on the part of CRN. he hasn't coached a single UCLA game and he's already got ESPN drooling over us more than KD could w/ a 10-2 season.

by jjreicher on Apr 1, 2008 8:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Moratorium on KD ?

Just a thought. After having a nightmare, and then waking up after a beautiful dream, it is much more healthy to dwell on the dream.

It is obvious that CRN is doing all the right things. We might want to consider focusing on the future and the positives, instead of dwelling on how this would never have happened if KD was still around. Fortunately, the "if KD was still around" has fallen into the 100% hypothetical category.

We got the coach we needed for the football program. Let's move forward. At least, that is what I hope to do.

by islandbruin on Apr 2, 2008 7:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

USC Nigthmare..

..Petey must be crapping in his pants. CRN has upstaged this guy from hell to breakfast.

All this substantively started with Rick's half time appearance at the Rose Bowl on 1 January at the Condoms' only big post-season dance (if you don't count their ONE AND ONLY TRIP to Omaha this year) and it has been an incessant off-season drum beat of successful promotion after appearance for UCLA football.

All Petey Babes could drum up to counter this was a desperate, reheated Mater Dei QB commit -- versus the 18- or 20-player restaurant signing by UCLA's new class.

Also, UCLA will benefit from the same underdog syndrome that the MSM is giving to poor aTm, WKU, and Xavier against the evil Bruin BB team. They're always looking for a hook to hype their broadcasts.

(..er, maybe I should go back on my meds now.)

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by whp68 on Apr 2, 2008 7:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hell to breakfast???

Must involve the 5 freeway at rush hour (or any time).

by artybruin on Apr 2, 2008 7:54 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Tennessee

Looks like we get to Punk 2 teams from Tennessee.

BroundogLB

by broundog on Apr 2, 2008 12:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not so fast

The Vols are very talented. More talented than the Bruins BTW. Crompton isn't a complete rookie. He's seen some playing time and he's going to be better than Ainge when it's all said and done.

Tennessee's defense will be young but they'll also be extremely fast.

I like the fact they moved the game because it gives both schools a chance to showcase themselves.

I'm really looking forward to the start of the season.

Happiness is a Warm Gun. Mother Superior Jumped the Gun. Some Pervert Grabbed the Gun and Jumped Mother Superior.

by MoonDog on Apr 2, 2008 2:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ditto

Moon has a good take on this. The offset is that we will be "new" to Vols (who knows what the Big 3 will cook up), and we will have all summer not just one week to prepare. Will be a good game, I'm excited!

by bruinblue85 on Apr 2, 2008 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs