The Heat Is Now On Rick Neuheisel To Win In DC
by Nestor on Dec 16, 2009 6:46 AM PST
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PrintI want to build more on the question uclahy posted about whether Rick Neuheisel is too soft to lead our program? Obviously I am rooting for the answer to be a thunderous no. However, at this point actions are going to speak louder than words. The UCLA football program doesn't have a lot of room for error these days. We have been wallowing in mediocrity for the entire decade thanks to the incompetent leadership of previous head coaches, who seemed to be directly responsible of a football culture grounded in laziness and being perfectly content with mediocrity. This is the reason why we saw the excessive celebration around 13-9 (which in someways is embarrassing because it expose the larger problem of getting beaten to pulp by our rival year after year) and victories in Sun Bowls.
When Rick Neuheisel came to Westwood, he repeatedly told us about a culture change in which the football program would pursue a standard of excellence that would be in par with rest of our athletic programs. His soundbites are littered all over this blog from last two years. We ate up his words and we are going to hold him accountable if he doesn't deliver in next 2-3 years. In the meantime, while we are on this journey if we do see troubling signs we are going to speak out on it. We were encouraged by the fact the football program won 2 more games in this season and was heading into a bowl game giving us an opportunity to build for the future. We repeatedly heard about how getting into a bowl game was crucial because it would mean extra practices for our football program. That is why what happened yesterday at Spaudling is a little stunning.
We have already called out seniors such as Logan Paulsen and Reggie Carter (who apparently hasn't even completed his school work either) for basically not living up to their words about ditching these practices last spring. Hilariously, some in previous comment threads tried to thread the needle in defending these players saying they were just talking about spring. That excuse doesn't work because the context of those comments were not just about spring practices but practices at Spaulding Field. They are even more relevant consider what a big deal Rick Neuheisel, his staff and players made about benefit of extra practices from the bowl game. It doesn’t look good and trying to defend this makes one look as pathetic as the ones who were stretching and looking for something to defend Dorrell/Lavin back in the day.
Moreover, apparently per the OC Register Paulsen wasn't "pleased" about it and left at the "insistence" of Neuheisel. Meanwhile, the quarterbacks were on the field when this stunt took place, and were also called off by the coaches. In other words, the spin about the team doing this together as some kind team bonding this is total BS as the reported facts indicate not everyone was on the same page.
The guy bears the ultimate responsibility for this latest debacle that makes UCLA football look like a joke is Rick Neuheisel. He bears the ultimate responsibility for reasons laid out below the fold and he is now going to be under pressure with a must win game in Washington DC.
Per the reports it seems clear that Neuheisel was in on this:
"Spring practice is now only 15 days and we convinced the guys not to do this," Neuheisel said. "We went through the history of Wall Day, that it started before a bowl game. They gave us what we wanted in spring, but they did remember it was during bowl games that you could do it."
If Neuheisel did make some kind of "deal" with the players, it makes him look like a leader who is weak and is afraid to impose discipline in a program that needs it badly. It makes me look back at this season with a slightly different light, when I see seniors like Logan Paulsen making same bonehead mistakes over and over during games and not being held accountable for it. Again, while the senior captains needs to be called out for their failure in showing any leadership, Rick Neuehisel is ultimate responsible. I agree with Blue Me that if he wanted to put a stop to this, he could have.
We will see how this all turns out. As mentioned in the topline of uclahy's post, the heat is now on Rick Neuheisel. At this point the story is well known about what took place when the previous UCLA head coach took a 6 win team to a bowl game in his second season in Westwood. His record was permanently tarnished as he was unable to organize a focused, disciplined team in Las Vegas, which was humiliated and embarrassed by Wyoming. If UCLA ends up losing against Temple, in an uninspiring, listless, mistake prone, the blame will squarely fall on Rick Neuheisel. We will also look back at this over the wall shenanigans, which will stand out as a telling sign of a continuation of culture of mediocrity that has defined a sad decade of UCLA football.
We will be watching Neuheisel very closely in next two weeks and see what product he rolls out in DC. Actions will speak louder than (sweet & polished) words at this point. The heat is on.
GO BRUINS.
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If you're looking for a ring leader,
I think it’s pretty clear by this
Terrence Austin, a senior wide receiver, said the idea popped up in the locker room Tuesday morning.
“We kind of wanted to have a complete season and decided to get this in,” Austin said. “We promised Coach we wouldn’t do it unless we got a bowl. We decided to get it out of the way early so we could get back to work for the Washington, D.C., game. We didn’t want it to interfere with business.”
"I don't forget very much" Rick Neuheisel, 11/28/09
Def one of them
with the blessing from his head coach apparently.
Classic, this is the guy who really hasn’t gotten it done with weak return game most of this season.
I think it's also worth mentioning
I see no indication that this “tradition” will end this year. Unless a leader on the team steps up and puts a stop to it altogether.
"I don't forget very much" Rick Neuheisel, 11/28/09
It's all good
Goes in the par with tradition of losing annually to U$C and then complaining really hard about how mean Pete Carroll is to our Bruins.
If you're mocking it
Then you need to make sure you’re not condoning it XD
Back in business
by ucla13_usc9 on Dec 16, 2009 7:30 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Whatever
I was upset about it at the time and I still am. However, I am more upset at our coaches and football players turning my alma mater into a joke.
One more cycle right?
One (two/three for redshirts) more year(s) till all the bad blood is officially out of the program
Back in business
I hope so
But note it’s an argument that was also advanced by Dorrell supporters. Look up the word “underbelly.” We mocked it thoroughly.
+1
As I was saying (with a nasty sense a foreboding that was confirmed) even before the SC game, I could never care more about Pete Carroll than our own pathetic mediocrity. Which seems to be just all right to a great deal of Bruin fans who like bitching about how Carroll manages the annual blowout.
Why can't they...
…jump over the wall AFTER practice? Would that be so horrible?
If I skipped a day of work because of “tradition” I would be fired.
223 career returns. 0 TD’s.
Compare this to:
Maurice Jones-Drew: 57 returns, 6 TDs
Matt Slater: 35 returns, 3 TD’s
Ugh.
The stats say it all
TA never got it done in the return game. Sad, really.
by Bellerophon on Dec 16, 2009 10:34 PM PST up reply actions
Look at how far we've fallen folks
UCLA football is the program of Troy Aikman, Gary Beban, Jackie Robinson, etc. Elite hall of fame talents have worn the Blue and Gold.
And we’re in the [Insert Corporate Sponsor Here] Middling Scrub Team Jerkoff Bowl?! Against a program with only 2 bowl appearances in 112 years?! Who’s most famous former football player is Bill Cosby (yes, that Bill Cosby!).
If we’re ever to get back to being a legitimate program, these kinds of “traditions” need to stop. It’s a f**king joke. Guys at LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, etc. aren’t pulling s**t like this. Their tradition? Winning.
CRN better get this crap under control ASAP or it’s going to be an ugly tenure in Westwood.
Bill Cosby
Hahaha, forgot about that. While in school there Cosby was considered an alumni god. He does a lot of good work for the school including donations. But outside Chaney and the basketball program, its a school searching for an identity.
They Reached THEIR (low) Goal, So They Celebrated.
Our problem is that OUR goals (da Nation’s) are HIGHER than even Rick’s.
Urban’s goal is to go Undefeated.
Pete’s goal is to go Undefeated.
Brian’s goal is to go Undefeated.
Mack’s goal is to go Undefeated.
Their GOAL is to go Undefeated.
Please hear me out.
I am NOT talking about “looking at reality”.
I am NOT talking about “Karl left the cupboard bear”.
I am NOT talking about “being realistic”.
I’m talkin about GOAL SETTING.
I’m talkin about VISIONARY.
I’m talkin about LEADERSHIP.
If I’m Head Coach of the UCLA Football Team
I don’t announce that I want to be competitive.
I don’t announce that I want to be “in the national conversation”.
I don’t announce that I want to get in a bowl.
I don’t announce that I want to get in a BCS game.
I announce that:
I Will Bring The FIRST Undefeated Season To Westwood
And I Only Want Players Who Want To Be Part Of That History.
(Think the attidude of why Jordan and Aaron said they came to play for Ben)
What’s your timetable, Coach?
This Season (or next)!
That’s always my stock answer.
Now that I’ve laid THAT vision… what we (the football program)
do DAILY, is ALWAYS toward that effort of bringing the FIRST undefeated season.
On Saturdays, we MUST win.
Therefore, starting on the previous SUNDAY… all conversations, actions, attitudes,
all through the week are pointed toward the FACT that on Saturday, we MUST win.
Everytime we lose – so what. The NEXT 12 game win streak starts with the NEXT game.
But we WILL go UNDEFEATED or die trying.
In fact, we won’t rest until we do!
Then once we do… simply say… that was FUN, let’s do it again!
The season is only 12 games. 1 game a week. That’s it.
If players muse in the locker room about going OVER THE WALL, because
it’s TRADITION. I gather the squad and tell them… No Guys… WE are the NEW TRADITION – the NEW STANDARD… we BUST THROUGH OUR WALLS AT THE END OF AN UNDEFEATED SEASON!
THAT my friends is a culture change.
That will keep us in the National Championship hunt year in and year out.
The NEW Goal = an UNDEFEATED season.
You GET what you GO AFTER.
(As far as THIS bowl game… Coach should say… YES we’re happy, YES we’re excited,
YES it’s a big accomplishment, BUT let me tell you something… THIS is a NATURAL
PROGRESSION toward our Main Goal: The FIRST Undeated Season in Westwood!)
this is an interesting point.
Don’t know if anyone watched the 30 for 30 segment about “the U”, but that reminds me of Howard Schnellenberger. Came in talking about winning the National Championship, then, lo and behold, he did. I’m curious if Neuheisel makes that sort of statement in the locker room, that the ultimate goal is the top of the country, or if he sticks to one season at a time. Personally I think either can work, depending on the personality behind the statement.
Perhaps Neuheisel puts on this glamorous LA image, but behind it is a maverick shooting for the top. Maybe we just never get to see that. In any case, our program is still in the early stages of a new regime, so before I make any judgements negative or positive I’ll give Rick a few more years to show me his way works (or doesn’t).
by Captain Leebeard on Dec 16, 2009 3:15 PM PST up reply actions
I agree, the pressure is on......
but I wil reserve my blasting comments for if we lose to/ play undisciplined against Temple.
If we win in convincing fashion and have an all around complete game then I feel that this conversation is moot. I would conclude that missing one practice did not make a notable difference. I would also be glad that I did not get caught up in all the emotion here. Serenity now. But considering our season as a whole, I have a feeling that I will be very upset come December 29 after the game.
For the record, this is s stupid tradtion and should never occur from this point forward. Not even if we become a dominate team and develop a winning tradition. It serves no purpose.
Well
Let’s hope we don’t have a reason to have “insanity” around here right after the bowl game. :-)
Looks like
I will have to come here and air my grievances once again.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
agreed
Rick cancelled two practices over the weekend. I can’t imagine he is thinking they won’t get enough practice time in the next two weeks.
I think this is a dumb tradition, but I don’t think it matters before a bowl game when you can reschedule a missed practice if you want to. All RN has to do is add in a day that would have been off if he feels the team needs the practice. We are still two weeks away from the game.
I agree it is a very stupid thing to do during SC week, when you have a few days before the game and a missed practice is huge, but I think this is a different circumstance.
"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"
by silverlakebruin on Dec 16, 2009 10:14 AM PST up reply actions
+1
Well stated.
Would only add that I believe CRN is tacitly approving the “Over the Wall” because it is part of his effort to instill a sense of tradition in this program. Bringing in old guys who were part of the winning ways of the past and doing things (like this stunt) that he felt help make his teams come closer together during bowl week.
There was only 1 maybe two other games this entire season where we had more time to prepare and that was game 1 and the bye week game. We have plenty of time to prepare and I suspect that the coaches and many of the players used the time to watch film on their opponent as a way to prepare.
Not a great tradition, but it is a tradition that the leader of this program believes will do more good than harm for the program. If CRN really thought otherwise, I believe he would have come out more strongly against it.
Go Bruins.
All for tradition
but not one that reeks of laziness.
How convenient, a prank that lets us skip practice.
Let’s have a TRUE leader on this team that steps up and says “the next guy jumping over the wall will get pummeled at practice by ME”.
I’m all for pranks and enjoying the team spirit, but traditions are only good if they mean something. The Virginia Tech players have a lunch pale. Our players skip practice. Fucking awesome.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Agreed
Here’s an idea:
Hose down the practice field and hold a mud-practice with lots of tackling and fun intensity.
There was one day in high school where our coach did this and it was a blast. We did about half of a normal practice and then everyone crowded around the muddiest patch of dirt and two people at a time did full intensity, short range tackling drills with everyone else yelling around them. A hell of a lot of fun, a good team-building practice, and still benefitial.
If UCLA doesn’t want to do that, figure something else out. Maybe make the seniors wear pink one day. I don’t know. Figure something out. Just not this ‘over the wall’ crap.
Eh, details.
:)
Still, something different from the wall ‘tradition’.
by longbordr52 on Dec 16, 2009 10:20 PM PST up reply actions
Agreed-Not a great tradition
but I also feel CRN backed himself into a corner in the Spring by not abolishing it then and leaving the door open a crack for it to continue if we get to a bowl.
They did it. He acknowledged it as a team and tradition building stunt. Now CRN has to end it, because it is a poor execution of a good idea. Traditions are good. This one is bad because it sends the wrong message.
Traditions are important. Vital to creating a new sense of identity for any team or organization. Lets start new traditions that speak to your desire to do anything necessary to win. Skipping practice sends the opposite message.
Attitude
Hopefully, the team will practice with some real passion for the next two weeks and make all of this a moot point but at the moment, I’m not convinced.
So much for the "student-athlete" moniker.
If you can’t even make 6 units as a senior (who by now should know the system in and out) then you really don’t deserve to call yourself a student athlete. I am sorry, but that is a joke. Look at Toby Gerhart… didn’t he purportedly take 20+ units at Stanford and still have time to get a serious look at the Heisman? Time for us to flush the program and bring in new blood; it cannot happen quickly enough.
B.F.
Is this sarcasm?
“They caught us all by surprise with this one,” Neuheisel said. “I do compliment them on the choice of days, when we are still getting back into football mode. I am pleased with the leadership in terms of the choice.”
I suppose one could make the assumption that it’s not.
Go Bruins!
Confucious once said...
“Its easy to talk about, its easy to sum it up when you just talk about practice. We sittin’ in here, I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talkin’ about practice. I mean listen, we talkin bout practice. Not a game, not a game, not a game. We talkin bout practice. Not a game, not a, not a, not the game that I go out there and die for, and play every game like its my last. Not the game. We talkin’ bout practice, man. I mean how silly is that? We talkin’ bout practice. I know I’m supposed to be there, I know I’m supposed to lead by example. I know that, and I’m not shovin’ it aside, you know, like it don’t mean anything. I know its important, I do. I honestly do. But we talkin’ bout practice, man. What are we talkin’ bout? Practice? We talkin’ bout practice man.
At the end of the day it was one practice. Let them be kids for a day. I know some of you guys here are alot older. But just let them have a little fun. We should shift our focus on how much Drago is a bum and the state if our bball team. Our football team is heading in the right direction.
by BobbySteels on Dec 16, 2009 11:36 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Ummmm
About as many as CBH, Neuheisal, Frank Beamer or Brian Kelly have won. So what’s ur point? Beamer n Kelly have built great programs. Yet you guys praise CBH for bringing our program back to prominence. I’m not sayin he didn’t. I’m just saying he hasn’t shown any championships for it.
by BobbySteels on Dec 16, 2009 1:16 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Uh Howland has won 3 Pac-10 championships
and taken us to 3 Final-4s.
We have criticized Howland here but don’t make idiotic arguments about Neuehisel accomplishing the same feat as Howland at UCLA as a head coach.
LOL
Best speech ever… another Philly product. Larry Brown probably wanted to shoot him after that.
TY
At least some on here have a sense of self awareness and a sense of humor. Let’s not lose perspective on the big picture which is our football program is heading in the right direction.
by BobbySteels on Dec 16, 2009 1:22 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I'd prefer our teams to reflect AI's personal values as little as possible
This isn’t exactly positive reinforcement for your point.
OVER THE WALL
Okay-they honored a past tradition NOW eliminate it unless they win PAC-!0 outright., Then it is a reward aqnd would still honor a past tradition whose time has expired. As far as grades are concerned, if you are a Senior and have not figured it out yet -you deserve what you get and if that means not playing so be it.
I could let that slide...
Usually agree with most posts, and totally agree with the importance of EVERY practice. I am very passionate about UCLA football, so I know we must improve. That said, just seems this issue has been blown out of proportion. They at least did it on a “non-Temple” practice day, and they are still young kids who have enough pressure bestowed upon them. UCLA is very prestigious, and I’m all for tradition. It was ONE day, and its not a short week or a 1 week preparation span. So now that its out of the way let’s get down to business! GO BRUINS!!
It speaks to the issue that the program isn’t serious. If we have 15 practices (I’m not sure exactly how many) before the bowl, that’s 7% of our practice time. Considering the RB who has performed the best for us this year has had serious fumble issues, and we’re looking at starting a true FR @ QB possibly, I think this becomes even more important.
The team had 2 practices canceled because of a drizzle, and now another practice lost for what?
Nestor.....
……I think you are entirel correct and support your position 100%. As a coach, I was so pissed off when I heard they did that stunt again. I was shocked that the seniors would even go that route. Obviously the message was not sent to them loud and clear that the jumping over the wall incident would not be tolerated. However, now that it is over, the only thing I can think of as a coach is how to make sure it doesn’t happen again and how I can keep control of my program.
Here is what I would do. First, each player that jumped over that wall would be running their tails off. Second, none of the seniors that jumped over that wall would start the bowl game. They would be out the first series they have to play, both offensively and defensively. In no way can you hold any of the underclassmen guilty of anything. If they don’t jump over the wall, they are subjected to so much pressure from their peers that it isn’t fair to expect them to go against it.
Third, I would hold a meeting with the entire team and read to them various quotes from newspapers, blogs, etc…….and let them look at how the “jumping over the wall” stunt is viewed around the country as a joke and makes them look like they are part of a joke program. All those players need to be awakened to the fact that they are viewed as a bunch of lazy losers when they pull that stunt, and that no self-respecting program would ever approve or let that type of stunt happen. Lastly, I would let each and every player know, in as stern a way as I could, that if they ever pull that stunt again, they will be suspended from the program for any amount of games that the coaches feel fit, whetehr it be 1 game or the entire season. They need to understand that the coaches do no approve and that their will be severe consequences if it ever happens again. If it happens before a bowl game……then so be it, there season is over. If the entire team decides to do it, then the school will opt out of the bowl game and the program and it’s players will really look like a joke.
That is how it needs to be dealt with if you really want to stop it. The reason it didn’t stop is because it wasn’t dealt with effectively. If CRN really wants to stop it, he can. He has just chosen not to. Believe me, if a Head Coach really doesn’t want something to happen, and he has control, it won’t happen. End of story.
If CRN really wants his program to be taken serious nationally and locally, he needs to take the proper steps to make that happen. Ending that stupid tradition will be a big first step. He is an incredible recruiter and has done an outstanding job. He is positve, uplifting, and an incredible ambassador for UCLA. There is more work to do obviously, and getting a little tougher in these types of situations would be a big deal.
maybe other coaches
will do the same when recruits CRN is after visit their schools. Specially pointing articlles and posts where the fan base basically turns their back on players because of a small judgement error.
I stated in the other thread...
and I’ll restate here. This is not that big of a deal. This is a college program, these are 18-22 year old kids. It’s winter break. I’m not saying this is necessarily the right choice, but I mean, come on. It’s a bit of fun. As others have said: if neuheisel feels the need for more practice, there are open days to replace this one. Hopefully they won’t need it because the next few days will be solid practices where all the required work gets done. It’s like taking vacation from work; you come back energized and ready to go. If not, add more practice. We have the time over the next two weeks.
Some other thoughts, though. Maybe Neuheisel is looking for someone on the team to step up and shut this down in the future. It certainly seems like he wants his players to do the leading, and I don’t think that is a terrible idea. If this was lead by the Dorrell seniors, well, they will be gone and somebody new will step up. I certainly don’t get the feeling that Rahim Moore would lead this. I just don’t see Neuheisel as the dominating coach who disciplines every aspect of the team, and I don’t think he needs to be to win. He coaches in Los Angeles, not Alabama or Florida.
by Captain Leebeard on Dec 16, 2009 3:08 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
+1
Neuheisel had already been saying that the first week or so of practices was more about having fun than preparing for Temple. All along he has said that he wants the practices leading up to the game and the bowl game to be a fun reward for the kids. Letting them have their fun and skip a practice is not going to kill this team.
Temple picked to win over UCLA
Chris Dufresne predictions on the bowl season.
Discuss….
These Jon Gold podcasts are very revealing
Check out Ben Olsen today. “Not a big deal…just one practice…this is not the NFL…stress.”
Gold is sounding pathetic defending this.
These guys have 15 practices in Spring. Another 15 in summer. Then basically three per week during the season. For this bowl game, we have 12 practices, after two weeks of nothing. Is that such a freakin burden?
if you were
so concerned about missing a freaking practice you should have been up in arms when CRN cancelled two practices due to drizzle.
I have a hard time
getting worked up about this. As someone said earlier: “blowing it of proportion”. I say wait for the Bowl game, see how they perform, and they come down on them if warranted. In the meantime, I’d like to see the basketball team crawl back to .500. And while we’re at it, the State budget fiasco is much more of a problem to the legacy of the Blue and Gold than anything dumb our athletes might do. I say its the dummies in Sacramento who “went over the wall”.
WERD
Let’s hope that the PAC 10 is truly weak as everyone as saying and we may have a shot at getting back to .500. As for the state budget fiasco, just wait for the next round of tax increases. The Republicans will waffle again and we will soon be the highest taxed state in the union. Someone start up a “CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS GET SCREWED” thread. I can go all day on this stuff.
I never had a state rep or a state senator who was worth one of CTS's "movements"
I don’t think anyone I ever voted for got elected.
I took the coward’s way out, and now live in a state with no income tax. There are lots of good things about California. Traffic and politicians at all levels are not part of the good things, in my opinion.
Let's keep politics out please
Bruins come from all walks of life, with very different political views. BN isn’t the place to discuss the two topics that polite folks know to never bring up at dinner: religion or politics.
by Bellerophon on Dec 16, 2009 10:37 PM PST up reply actions
What would John Wooden do?
So what would Coach Wooden have done if one his basketball squads decided to take a powder for an afternoon? And what would Coach Howland do?
That being said, if today’s blue slackards who lost six games this year win in D.C.—all will be forgotten and forgiven and everybody who is upset will say they were trying to fire up the Bruins—which is to a degree true.
Go Bruins
by peggysue69 on Dec 16, 2009 9:38 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Last add--what would John Wooden do?
God help us—if we win in D.C., then this cockamammy over the wall insanity will really become a tradition. Ugh!
by peggysue69 on Dec 16, 2009 9:43 PM PST via mobile reply actions
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