Happy Birthday to JJ

by Fox 71 on Oct 6, 2009 2:47 PM PDT Comment 27 comments

According to my handy dandy sports calendar, It's JJ Stokes' 37th birthday. It would be nice to celebrate it with a nice video of the fourth quarter of the John Barnes game. I don't have the smarts to do that, but I hope someone does. It's always nice to watch that particular fourth quarter.

In fact, I have that videotape permanently set for the beginning of the fourth quarter. Along with several others.

UPDATE (N): Here is the video for Fox:

Barnes To Stokes (via rongee)

We can never get enough of that. 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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Hey!

Bill and Ted says you could be head football coach for UCLA now!

by Tydides on Oct 6, 2009 3:39 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

ROFLMAO

by Nestor on Oct 6, 2009 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Happy Birthday JJ

I was there. I saw it in person.

I’ve seen it hundreds of times on tape.

And, I get goose bumps every time!!!

sjh

by Class of 66 on Oct 6, 2009 3:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw it person too

What a magical night that was! That NEVER gets old. Happy Birthday, JJ! GO BRUINS!!!

"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel

by uclafan11 on Oct 6, 2009 4:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And I saw it in person too! lol

I think we were around in row 30s around tunnel 6 (student section back then) by the time JJ dragged Oliver into the end zone who was hanging on to his knees like a rag doll, we ended up somewhere in row 15s because of a total moshpit/bedlam scene. Incredible.

by Nestor on Oct 6, 2009 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There also...

…more than anything I remember the following:

- the improbability of Barnes playing so well to bring down the trOJans

- the fact that my oh-so-loyal wife attended even though we had to be at UCLA Med Center the next day at 6am for her thyroid surgery.

- the cold and damp night that it was that day in November (anyone else remember it that way?).

by bruin4life1993 on Oct 6, 2009 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

cold and damp

Certainly was in the 4th quarter before we started really lighting it up!

by Nestor on Oct 6, 2009 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's so funny!

My mom and I call it “The Rag Doll Play”. If I even hear the term rag doll, I think of that defender and Stokes getting 6! GO BRUINS!!!

"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel

by uclafan11 on Oct 6, 2009 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gee

One of my favorite games. Who would have guessed it?

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 6, 2009 4:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I feel old...

JJ is 37? Wow!

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Oct 6, 2009 5:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not just you

by Nestor on Oct 6, 2009 5:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Add me to the list.

Damn.

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on Oct 7, 2009 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was there too.

Took a break from law school in S.D. to come up to the Rose Bowl for that one. We were sitting in the western side of the north end zone near the field, right where JJ finished his run. I will never forget that play, the $uc* defender JJ dragged into the end zone, or the angle in which it developed from my viewpoint. Amazing stuff.

by orlandobruin on Oct 6, 2009 7:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw it!

on TV!

Oh UCLA you sweet bitch, you've BRUINed me for anything else.

by bruin8uclap on Oct 6, 2009 7:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for finding the video.

by Fox 71 on Oct 6, 2009 7:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You'd bet

Thanks for finding the excuse to post the video.

by Nestor on Oct 6, 2009 7:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey JJ

I didn’t realize that you and I have the same birthday when I met you at UCLA.

I’ll never forget 38-37. The 90 yard TD where JJ carried Jason Oliver into the end zone for the last 10 yards. My seat was at the 40 yard line. (The best thing about being a student was that I could stand in line in October for a reserved seat to the USC game, as opposed to having to leave the tailgate (read: beer bus) to get good seats.)

I went to the game with my future wife. I already knew she was the one, but a part of me thinks that sharing that comeback with her helped to create a bond that could not be broken. To date, that game is in my top my 4 favorite Bruin sports moments ever. Since you are probably thinking, what are the other 3:

(1) Seattle 1995 (This is the clear #1. 89-78 was enough, but the rest of the weekend were beyond epic. The greatest weekend of my life, with caveats that you can’t compare sports to getting married and the birth of your first child.)
(2) 73-71 over Gonzaga. The unbelievable happened.
(3) 27-21 to go to the Rose Bowl.

I’ve had a lot of great UCLA moments, but those 4 when I was there live to see it all were the best. And they make me realize on my 3_th birthday that I need to go to more games. GO BRUINS!

by BruinsRule on Oct 6, 2009 8:06 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

I was there too - sort of

It was our 10 year reunion, that game. My wife, our 1 1/2 year old and me, waiting for bar results that weekend. Had to leave when the little guy was shivering on the cold metal Bowl benches, and the wife was bundled up in hers and my jackets and starting to look like one of the Donners. As we walked out of the Bowl I remembered thinking "well, 17 points with a 3d string QB against the trOJan jugheadnaut, better than I had expected. Then the Bowl started roaring about half way to our Aquatic Center parking space. Once in the car, found out that the Bruins had scored and were threatening again 31-24. The drive down the 210 turned into a frantic effort to get to my folks house in SG Valley to watch the end. We crashed through their front door in time to watch the celebration

The Mad Bruin

by lostnacfgop on Oct 7, 2009 6:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I was there too!

Lost my voice for two days…

As much as I love, LOVE this video and it never gets old…

…it just makes be sad that it’s been 16 years since this game, and UCLA still doesn’t have a receiver as good as JJ Stokes. Not even close (someone correct me if I’m wrong).

But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by tasser10 on Oct 8, 2009 8:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Danny Farmer

I think Farmer is pretty much the only game breaker who has rivaled what JJ did since those days.

Otherwise we have had decent WRs since then but not with the kind of impact JJ/Danny had back in their days.

by Nestor on Oct 8, 2009 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah ok

That’s still somewhat disheartening for a team like UCLA. We’re not necessarily a WR factory, but we’ve just had no gamebreakers…hopefully until now.

But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by tasser10 on Oct 8, 2009 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem ...

I think two key issues:

1) mediocre coaches with mediocre to horrible OCs

2) mediocre recruiting in recent years (of QBs)

Of course we are hoping that has changed and will see the result in next 2-3 years.

by Nestor on Oct 8, 2009 9:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

'zactly

Having that kind of WR changes the complexion of your offense and opens things up for your RB.

I expect big things next year. For now I’m just happy to watch this year, I’m going to enjoy watching these kids learn how to compete and play football the right way.

But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.

by tasser10 on Oct 8, 2009 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LaChappelle

was another dependable receiver with some size who could break things open.

by bru79 on Oct 8, 2009 1:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He was before JJ though

by Nestor on Oct 8, 2009 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, sort of "before"

Actually LaChappelle was a senior that magical season. IIRC, he changed his mind at the 11th hour about leaving early (was at Maddox’ press conference, and was about to announce, when he decided to stay), wound up getting hurt really bad in ‘92 (just like Cook did), but still managed to come back in time for a play or two in the $C game. In fact, he made a nice catch, only to be grabbed by the facemask, twisted around and then smacked in the same rib cage where he’d suffered his injury earlier in the season. Remember thinking at the time it was just another trOJan cheap shot, far more damaging than the face mask penalty yards.

The Mad Bruin

by lostnacfgop on Oct 8, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah he was back

I think he hurt his rib during the Arizona game early that year.

He was an absolute dynamite with Maddox. BTW everyone remembers JJ for emerging in that SC game. However, it was the game before he really exploded into the college scene … going off … against … well … the Ducks (in Eugene).

by Nestor on Oct 8, 2009 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs