Football is like a box of chocolates
by tasser10 on Oct 27, 2009 4:26 AM PDT
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PrintBumped. GO BRUINS. -N
I think we can all agree that the last two years have been an absolute pit of misery for UCLA football. The wins over Tennessee were great, but by no means dominating performances.
We all know that Coach Neuheisel inherited a disastrous situation.
And a lot of us believe that the coaches could be doing some things differently with these players, as young, inexperienced and limited as they are. Because of all this, our team essentially has to play mistake-free football, which is a lot to ask of such young players.
But on top of all this, I can't help but think...
By golly, CRN has had some terrible luck along the way.
He lost Patrick Cowan before the 2008 season started...
...then lost Ben Olson on the very next play...
...then lost a starting offensive lineman to a freak golf cart injury...
...had an injured Khalil Bell as a running back...
...lost his best Tight End in the first game of the season last year...
...and then this year, our starting QB, who had shown some promise, goes and gets his jaw broken...
...a promising corner (Hester) breaks his leg...
...a bunch of freshmen go and do something stupid to get suspended.
Anyway, what am I getting at?
If you look at the totality of Coach Neuheisel's coaching career, his early success, his fall from grace, and his chance at redemption...it just reminds me of a certain character from the Forrest Gump movie:
Lieutenant Dan was a decorated soldier who got his legs blown off in Vietnam, gets saved by Forrest Gump against his will, only to return to an ungrateful society. He hooks up with Forrest Gump again after the war, still depressed, and joins him on his shrimp boat. The scene that sticks out in my mind is the one in which they are stuck in a hurricane, and Lieutenant Dan is at the top of the mast, screaming at God, "IS THIS ALL YOU GOT?!", daring to be killed. The hurricane passes, they survive, and Lieutenant Dan is finally happy. As Forrest says, Lieutenant Dan had finally made his peace with God. And they both got rich because the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. boat is the only one that survived the hurricane. Later, at Forrest's wedding, Lieutenant Dan shows up with his bride, titanium legs, and freshly issued shares of Apple Computer as a wedding gift.
So, CRN is Lieutenant Dan, and he is up on the mast right now, in the middle of this football hurricane.
UCLA Football is Forrest Gump.
I'll let you figure out what the Apple shares are.
We'll get there.
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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Beautiful, Tasser
Splendid imagery, and you elevate the very real human drama that is going on with our team above the second-guessing.
I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floatin’ around accidental-like on a breeze. But I, I think maybe it’s both.
—Forrest Gump
Very well stated, Tas.
The Tom Hanks analogy can go on at length. He’s the conductor of the UCLA version of the Polar Express. He’s the head guard at the Bruin Blue Mile, dealing with a team which includes both Wild Bill and the Big Black guy, the name of neither of whom I can remember. And on and on.
But you’re right with the Lieutenant Dan analogy.
Interesting analogy.
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden
Amen, Brother
Very nice. I know that somehow we’ll get back to the Promised Land.
Los Angeles Rams and the UCLA Bruins!!!!!
by Minnesota Bruinfan on Oct 27, 2009 4:31 AM PDT reply actions
Thanks for the very fine sermon, Tasser
I’m feeling better, and I wasn’t actually feeling that bad. Because I recognize a project when I see one. Still, you got me to thinking how that Forrest boy could really run….
You're welcome
but I hope it’s not taken as a sermon! The God references are from the movie and don’t really have anything to do with what I’m trying to say! I like my BN secular.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
O.K., bad choice of words
But I did detect a serious and uplifting message. But, hey, no worries; I’m as secular as they come myself — no disrespect to those with different views, of course.
Great stuff, Tass!
The lack of good fortune has clearly been an issue the last decade, certainly the last couple years. Your analogy is right on, just a matter of time…
The following quote comes to mind: ‘only if you’ve been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.’
uttered by…?
Richard Nixon, believe it or not. Talk about someone who knew how bad it was at the bottom. Questionable whether or not he ever really knew what it was like at the top, but it’s a good quote, either way! Go Bruins!
W.S. Montano Class of 1994
This is an excellent post!
Great Job, Tasser!
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
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