2008 True Blue Celebration

by uclafan11 on Jun 9, 2008 6:49 PM PDT

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

On Saturday night I attended the 3rd annual 2008 UCLA True Blue Celebration. This is a great event held to raise money for all programs within UCLA athletics through both silent and live auctions. The silent auction offered more than 500 items inlcuding autographed Bruin and Laker memoribilia. It was hard not the break the bank and bid on everything in the room, but I did get a great autographed photo of Cade McNown in action as a Bruin!

The live auction included dinner with Howland, golf with Neuheisal, floor seats to a UCLA Pac-10 home game and running out of the tunnel with the football team and staying on the sidelines for the games against Tennessee and usc. My family won the TN auction item, so we are just a LITTLE bit exctied - is it Labor Day yet??? There was also wine tasting and food provided from many local eateries.

One of the highlights of the night was a panel of former UCLA greats led by James Washington. The panel included Terry Donahue, Cade McNown, David Norrie, Wayne Cook and Rick Neuheisal. They answered questions and told stories about their days at UCLA. I took a few video highlights for those who could not attend... join me more after the jump.

Wayne Cook and Cade McNown talk about their recruiting experiences:

Terry Donahue talks about the 4 QBs

Donahue and Neuheisal talk about each other and the program - Doesn't Rick just pump you up!?

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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cade

do you know what cade mcnown is up to nowadays? that guy was my hero when i was a pre-teen, and it killed me that his NFL career never panned out.

by deepdish on Jun 8, 2008 5:03 PM PDT reply actions

nevermind

http://www.costar.com/news/Article.aspx?id=161DCEA1F6348638A509C5A792084C57

by deepdish on Jun 8, 2008 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Good stuff

Thanks for sharing this 11. Love the old stories.

by Nestor on Jun 8, 2008 6:20 PM PDT reply actions

Great event

I attended the event as well with Mrs. Bald Eagle and another BN frequentor and his wife. This is the third year of the event and our second year attending. Many former and current bruin greats attend. D Walker was there walking around minglinig as well as CRN, CBH and many other legends. Kareem was there the first year and Coach Dick Vermeil was there peddling his wine (year 1). There is so much UCLA athletic gear and memorabilia available, as well as other auction items that it shouldn’t be missed by any UCLA Athletic fan or supporter.

This year we bought a signed Aikman UCLA football for Mrs. Bald Eagle (she has a crush on him after following him around during his Senior year on campus) a UCLA/USC chess set which was autographed by all the current football coaches and several current and former players. Then I splurged and won the golf outing with CRN at Bel Air CC. I’ve never played the course before so I’m not sure which I’m more excited about; playing or riding around for 4 plus hours listening to CRN. I’ll report back after we play with any good stories.

Finally, one story from the night. I shared a glass of wine with CRN during the silent auction. He was very gracious, warm and approachable. I have a good friend who is an SC alum and full SUC homer. His kids go to private school at a place called John Thomas Dye here in LA. As you can probably tell from the name, the school is a very traditional and tries to model itself after some of the elite prep schools on the east coast. A good school, but dominated by parents who are SC alums. I find out from my friend that CRN is sending his youngest boy there (the older two are going to Loyola, an all boys school, known for solid academics and athletics) so during our encounter over a glass of red wine, I warn him that my buddy and some of his SC cronies are planning on giving him and his boy some grief while they attend the school. CRN ’s response was absolutely classic: “We’re going to convert them all to Blue and Gold. Just you watch!”

And from what I’ve seen of CRN so far, I don’t doubt it for a second.

Go Bruins!!

by Bald Eagle on Jun 8, 2008 9:56 PM PDT reply actions

Thank you

for telling your stories too! It really is a great even that I wouldn’t miss. I’ve been there all three years too and having Dick Vermeil serve us wine was awesome. We spent some time chatting with CRN too and he fired me up about our opening game. I can’t post what he said as it could be used as bulletin board material. :)

GO BRUINS!!!

by uclafan11 on Jun 8, 2008 11:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Good stuff, Baldy

You are the envy of just about everyone here as to your golfing buddy. And I also have no doubt that the prep school will be wall to wall Bruin Blue and Gold before long.

by Fox 71 on Jun 9, 2008 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions

True Blue

This is the poster formerly known as GreatGymnasticsSchool with a new name that was much easier to come up with after the event.

I attended with Mr & Mrs. Bald Eagle and it was great. The Eagle and I often discuss how fortunate we are to be involved with UCLA, have extensive history there and attend these types of events. It was interesting to take my wife who went to a small East Coast college and explain that while many (so many) things are similar at every college, the differences at a place like UCLA. That’s when Rafer Johnson walked by… after I explained who he was I pointed out the Wooden memorabilia. After I explained who HE was (that’s a joke! she knows who he is), I ran into several old friends and we spoke with many of the student athletes who were working the auction… Championships. World impact… She gets it even better now.

But the most important thing about the event is simply to say that CRN is the man. The Best CEO in America. He has changed the entire feel of the athletic department. There is an excitement, confidence and buzz that’s at a higher level than in way too long, if ever. My major complaint about the previous coaches (didn’t say his name Fox!) was not just that they weren’t the right type of dynamic leaders for the job, they had no plan on how to manage not only the team/game, but what is one of the most important jobs in athletics at a major school. That is no longer an issue. Rick has done more for UCLA in a few months than has been done in a very long time and it really showed at this event. He’s embracing (good and bad) the history of the program that had turned it’s back on great players and assets and is creating one of the best programs in the country. The family of Bruin athletics seems stronger than ever and I’m positive recruits, reporters and rivals can feel it. (Although I’m worried that when CRN sees Eagle’s golf swing it’ll set him back 100 years…)

It’s very clear Howland, Guerrero and Neuheisel know they are the luckiest men in the world and they deal with very difficult aspects of their jobs (Blogs like this!) very well. The athletic department feels very excited for the future.

The Tennessee game can’t get here fast enough. Win or lose (we better win, RICK!!), I know theres a football future being built and and the people in place to stay on that task. And with the positive spill-over I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to 200 championships before SUC gets off the football death penalty.

by drinkbruinKool-Aid on Jun 9, 2008 11:02 AM PDT reply actions

Great post drink

You should put this in separate fan post of its own drink. I will take a wild guess and say it will fire everyone up.

by bluestreet on Jun 9, 2008 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions

I agree

There was a different feeling with CRN at this event and you could just feel it in the room. His excitement is completely contagious and I can’t remember being more excited about a coaching staff. I’m with you, Kool-aid – can the Tennessee game just get here already!? The Rose Bowl will be ROCKIN! GO BRUINS!!!

by uclafan11 on Jun 9, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions

While my friend merely drinks the Blue Kool-Aid. . .

I choose to unabashedly bathe in it. While not fortunate to have attended UCLA, I grew up rooting against SUC. The first football game that I ever attended live was the 1979 Rose Bowl where USC beat Michigan on the controversial Charlie White fumble at the goal line. I went there with another family who were diehard Wolverine Fans and all we did was root against SC and for the Maze and Blue.

My passion for UCLA was as much a function of hating USC as it was loving UCLA. That changed a bit when I married Mrs. Bald Eagle who is a UCLA Alum and who shares my passion for UCLA sports.

As you can see from my friend’s name change, he is slowing moving away from his dark, pessimistic, Kierkegaardian view of our esteemed athletic program, to a more enlightened, dare I say sunny view. This transformation was due in large part to the hiring of CRN. Mind you, if we only win 5 football games next year he’ll return to his insane rantings and may change his name again to “Great Women’s Tennis School”.

“Drink” has a special connection to CRN which I can’t elaborate upon here, but as much as I embarrassed him during our encounter with CRN because of my childlike, passion-bucket overflowing-like, enthusiasm during the conversation (partially alcohol enduced), “Drink” actually invited himself to visit CRN in his office so he could sit in his office chair and look out over the Bruin Bear and the rest of the campus. To which CRN very graciously agreed to, if Drink promised to clean up after he left. I’ll let you all decide which was more embarrassing.

The embarrassment will continue on the golf course when I try not to shoot my weight (195 not being an ideal golf score). Drink will probably join me unless CRN vetos. We’ll keep you posted as to who embarrasses who more on the golf outing.

by Bald Eagle on Jun 9, 2008 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Finally

Now that’s a nick name we can dig!

drink as others have said … you should put this up in a separate fan post. We would love to front page it.

GO BRUINS.

by Nestor on Jun 9, 2008 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Re: fan post

I’ll leave that up to Nestor. Remember, until very recently, I was GGS.

by drinkbruinKool-Aid on Jun 9, 2008 11:15 AM PDT reply actions

Thanks for the post

I’m regretting that I chose not to attend, tho I know I would have bought so much at the auction that it would have killed my basketball ticket fund.

If I may ask- how much did the sideline passes go for? That sounds sweet! (If you don’t want to post it publicly, feel free to email me at insomniacslounge@gmail.com

by insomniacslounge on Jun 9, 2008 10:34 PM PDT reply actions

I can give you a range...

I have been there all three years and they have auctioned off sc and Notre Dame both home and away as well as TN this year. If I remember correctly, it has gone from 7,000 to 10,000. When two bidders are going at it, Both Dorrell and Neuheisal have stopped at a certain point and said SOLD to both people bidding. That way the athletic department doubles their money. This time Neuheisal said “you can even call the first play…but I can’t promise we won’t call an audible!” : )

GO BRUINS!!!

by uclafan11 on Jun 9, 2008 11:28 PM PDT reply actions

"Call the first play"

I don’t care if we lose 15+ yds on the first play – as long as it’s not a run up the middle.

by haywood nighttrain on Jun 11, 2008 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

11 is right

The general consensus though, from those I’ve spoken with regarding the event and the prices that things sold for, is that things went relatively cheaply. Especially when compared with similar events held across town.

My golf outing went for for $1500 and the bidding started at $2500 and they sold a pure bread english white lab that included a huge UCLA dog house for only $1500 (Terry Donahue’s wife bought the dog). One of the auction vendors who also donated some stuff to the SC auction said they auctioned a similar dog w/out the house for $12,000 and a golf outing with Carroll for $15,000 (at Riviera). So the feeling was that the Athletic Dept left some $ on the table.

Nevertheless, it was a memorable evening.

by Bald Eagle on Jun 10, 2008 8:45 AM PDT reply actions