Roundup From the BN Walk: News & Notes

by Nestor on May 10, 2008 8:38 AM PDT in News

We will begin our Saturday BN walk with bad news. First, the bad news:

The UCLA baseball team fell to Oregon State, 10-1, at Goss Stadium in a Pac-10 series opener Friday evening before 2,436 fans. Oregon State right-hander Mike Stutes (3-6) logged his first complete game of the season, allowing one run and four hits while totaling nine strikeouts for the host Beavers (23-18, 10-9 Pac-10).

Bruin left-hander Tim Murphy (3-6) was tagged with the loss, exiting after recording four outs. Murphy allowed six runs off one hit and six walks through 1.1 innings for UCLA (24-22, 7-9 Pac-10).

Oregon State was led offensively by center fielder Chris Hopkins and catcher Erik Ammon, as each player went 2-for-3. Hopkins and third baseman Garett Nash each scored a team-leading two runs, and Ammon led the Beavers with a three RBI.

Needless to say a disappointing and disheartening start to what is supposed to be a must win series if our guys want to make the post-season. Savage’s team will try to rebound today at 1 p.m. Right-hander Charles Brewer (6-4) will go up against OSU left-hander Tanner Robles (3-1).

We will find out whether they can fight back today. Because if they don’t … well I don’t want to write them off yet. But we would be getting close to the end.

Now onto the good news:

The top-seeded and undefeated UCLA women's water polo team defeated eighth-seeded Pomona-Pitzer, 19-6, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year. Katie Rulon, Gabrielle Domanic and Jillian Kraus each netted hat tricks for the Bruins.

UCLA scored early and often in the first quarter, totaling seven unanswered goals. Brittany Rowe put the Bruins on the scoreboard just 52 seconds into the contest, scoring after a Tanya Gandy steal. Rulon followed with a pair of goals in a two-minute span, first capitalizing on a Courtney Mathewson steal and then going end-to-end to score a minute later to put UCLA ahead 3-0. Anne Belden scored two consecutive goals of her own, and freshman Priscilla Orozco notched her first NCAA goal with a looping shot past the goalkeeper with 1:44 left on the clock. Domanic finished the first quarter scoring onslaught with her first goal at 1:02.

The Bruins opened up a 9-0 lead after notching two more goals - by Domanic and Kraus - to start the second quarter. Pomona-Pitzer stepped it up, with freshman Tamara Perea scoring back-to-back goals. Orozco scored her second goal of the game to give UCLA a 10-2 lead, but Perea scored again on a power play a minute later to cut into the Bruins' lead. A Domanic goal made it 11-3, but Laura Condon scored the Sagehens' fourth goal of the quarter with 34 seconds to play in the half.

They are amazing. Lady Bruins will take on UC Davis in the semifinals today.

Now shifting gear to our major revenue sports, WWL has this capsule on CRN in an article on how first year coaches are performing on the recruiting trail:

The smartest recruiting move Neuheisel may have made in his return to UCLA was retaining defensive coordinator and highly-touted recruiter DeWayne Walker on staff. Receiver Byron Moore Jr. (Harbor City, Calf./Narbonne) is a top national prospect, but look for the former Bruins' signal caller to try and land a top-tier QB after the rare injuries UCLA suffered at the position this spring. Don't be surprised if Under Armour All-American Josh Nunes (Upland/Calif.) quickly becomes Neuheisel's top in-state target. The hire of respected offensive coordinator Norm Chow should start to help on the offensive recruiting end.

In addition to QB and skill players we need some OL. It will be interesting to see what kind of OL talent Neuheisel and Palcic bring in this year and beyond. From what I have heard this year is down year in terms of OL talent in the West. So the Bruin coaching staff has no choice but to look into the JC ranks for some immediate help. I think they should be able to put together a class that will provide some short term help and also decent talent, who Palcic will be mold into good players in college. It all starts with a stable, consistent, and simple offensive foundation. And fortunately for us we have that with a great coaching staff.

Speaking of having a solid foundation in place, Jay Bilas from WWL tells us there is nothing to worry about in the world of Ben Ball:

UCLA supporters have taken the loss in the Final Four pretty hard. Of course, the fans, players and coaches all want to be rewarded with a championship. As has happened in the past with other programs, UCLA and Ben Howland have been questioned following three Final Fours and no titles. It may be a fair point to make, but it falls short of the full picture. No reasonable observer can argue that UCLA's accomplishments over the past three years have been anything short of remarkable. Precious few programs have cracked the insanely difficult task of reaching the Final Four three straight times. UCLA and the Bruins' fans need to internalize and accept that it is an amazing accomplishment that should be celebrated. I feel the same way about Howland that I felt about Bill Self for many years … he is the real thing, and it is only a matter of time before he wins one … or more.

Well obviously we agree with Jay's main assertion but we need to make an important point. While we all took the loss against Memphis really hard, I don’t believe there were any questions from UCLA alums and students (at least the ones who have healthy perspective when it comes to our basketball program) wrt to how Coach Howland runs his program. We know in terms of hanging a banner in Pauley, it’s a matter of time. And we are happy to be patient, while enjoying the building and development process of Coach Howland coached teams put together one fun season after another. We believe in Coach Howland. He can take his time. We don’t want him to go anywhere else. Meanwhile, we are going to stick around, watch, enjoy, and have fun following Ben Ball.

GO BRUINS.

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Comments

Enough!

I’m tired of the MSM telling the world that UCLA fans and alumni are questioning CBH and the basketball program. There is a huge difference between being disappointed in a loss and being disappointed in our coach and program.

Of course we (and most much more eloquently than I) debate things like levels of talent, coaching moves, matchups, etc., here in BN – that’s just part of fans discussing sports and breaking down games. But I don’t get the sense that any of us are really questioning the leadership or direction or progress of our BB program. Three Final Fours in a row is an amazing accomplishment, and I am extremely proud of that, and am not in any way disappointed or ashamed or let down by my team. All 3 opponents that beat us in the FF the last 3 years had great talent, forced difficult matchups, executed very well, and deserved to win. Disappointed in a loss? Of course. But disappointed in our coach or program? No way!! None of those 3 losses was the kind of upset or shocker that should make us question our program.

I know that there are voices for UCLA beyond BN, but I’m not hearing that kind of doubt or criticsm anywhere. Am I just missing something? Or is the MSM just making something?

I know talking heads like Bilas (who is actually pretty fair) need to generate headlines, but I would love to hear someone on TV report that the majority of Bruin fans are crazy enthusiastic about our team and our results the last 3 years, and we are confident, and PATIENT enough, to know that we have the right coach and the right program, and that the pieces will fall together in the right way for us soon. Are you listening, er, reading, Bilas? Dickie V? Packer? We Bruin fans love our team, we love our coach, and we are in this for the long haul.

Ok, to be complete…go Women’s Water Polo!! You women rule!
Still hoping baseball can get things turned around and make a run. They have the talent to do it.
In CRN, OCNC, & DCDW we trust. See that comment about confidence and patience above.
And in BN 2.0, $c still sucks!!

greg in denver

by gbruin on May 10, 2008 10:12 AM PDT reply reply 0 recs

Bilas

is generally very fair towards our team, and considering that he doesn’t get to see our team as much as we do obviously, we can obviously let a few of the inaccuracies slide. It’s not like he’s an incompetent beat writer for UCLA that just so happens to tout SUC basketball, and reward them for a 1-1 week by bumping them from unranked to 21st or so in his AP ballot.

The narrative that UCLA fans are unreasonable has been out there so long that the national media usually gravitates toward it. Sadly, I have seen some signs of what he’s talking about, and some of it has gone down right here on BN, though not as much as on other boards, and the squeaky unreasonable wheel gets the ink I guess.

by Tydides on May 10, 2008 11:07 AM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

They're trying to create conflict

It makes a much more compelling story to write about how UCLA fans are wrong to hate Ben Howland than it does to write about how UCLA fans are right to love Ben Howland.

by SuperBruinMan on May 10, 2008 6:34 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Right.

So the more we can be loud and united in our support for the coach, the program, and our results – especially the last 3 FF’s, the less the MSM has to work with and the more the country will know what our fans are really saying.

greg in denver

by gbruin on May 11, 2008 10:53 AM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Chow + Walker = Choker?

I was the dumb sonofabitch who coined that unfortunate acronym and, although it was in a completely different context, many times I have regretted it and some of the truly unkind things I have said about Dewayne Walker. While it is a testament to CRN’s ability to forge a spirited coalition from the remnants that Tennessee and KD left lying about, it took considerable maturity for DW and Norm Chow to accept their roles on what will be a successful coaching team.

DW sure has gone the extra mile so far and there’s no reason to believe he will not continue to do so. At some point Norm Chow will consider retirement and DW will be a valid selection as head coach somewhere. (Washington State?) Much as KL has departed for the pros, I will regard their departure with sadness but wish them all the best.

by WHP '68 on May 10, 2008 5:14 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

Need a QB?

I’m not quite sure we really need a ‘top-tier’ QB. We need an OL. We already have Forcier and Crissman, and Crissman was an Elite 11 QB from this year. Honestly, I think we’re pretty squared away at the skilled positions – I’m not really sure where I see the need to focus solely on a quarterback. I think whoever says we don’t at least have a good stable of quarterbacks doesn’t understand our depth chart two years or three years down the road.

That said, we have an immediate need at QB – but recruiting’s not really going to fix that.

by CAJason80 on May 11, 2008 9:25 AM PDT reply reply 0 recs