[Montana To] Rice: Touchdown UCLA?

by Nestor on Mar 28, 2009 7:00 AM PDT in Football Comment 20 comments

Now I have an excuse to post this video of Flash 80:

Jerry Rice / Simply The Best (via mapache3800)

Menlo School senior football standout Jerry Rice Jr. may be running up and down the field in Stanford Stadium one of these seasons, but he won't be wearing the Cardinal's colors. Instead, it could be UCLA's blue and gold. Rice made it official last week that he's committed to attend UCLA this fall, planning to join the Bruins' football team as a walk-on. Rice made the announcement at the annual Menlo School Benefit, where he and his famous father introduced a golf-themed outing that was up for auction.

If you want to check out video highlights of Jerry Rice Jr. go here, here, and here. From the reels seems like the kid can play a little bit of everything.

Of course no way any of us here will ever impose the expectation on Mr. Rice to live up to those incredible memories (for many of us on BN who are Niner fanatics) from our childhood. But can't tell you how good it is going to feel seeing Jerry Rice on the back of UCLA home jersey.

Now only if we can somehow complete the sentence in our title by somehow getting this kid - Nick Montana - in uniform. For those of you don't know Nick happens to be a highly recruited QB at Oaks Christian, which has gained national attention for this:

Oaks Christian Football ESPN (via jrtm91361)

Nick apparently is a pretty good QB prospect who also has offers from schools like Georgia, Alabama, Stanford, and of course Notre Dame. Now only if Jerry Rice Jr. can some how convince his new coaches to recruit Montana and generate mutual interest the excitement level of thousands of UCLA fans growing up to the tunes of "Montana to Rice" will go up to another level. Another look:

Top Ten Pass Combos: Montana to Rice (via elemed3)

Joe Starky's calls still gives me the chills. I still remember sitting by the radio from Southern California (when we wouldn't get Niners game) and jumping up and down to those Starky calls and then wait for the half time highlights during Rams/Raiders game on the networks or eagerly wait for the NFL show on ESPN (back when I actually used to watch ESPN). Good times.

Anyways, I am excited about Rice Jr. and am realistic to know that Nick Montana to UCLA is a longshot at this snapshot of time. But just imagine those plays few years from now courtesy of the home team at the Rose Bowl and hearing the annoucer screarming, "Montana to Rice!! T-O-U-C-H-D-O-W-N!!! UCLA!!!!".

We can always dream. Right?

GO BRUINS.

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I spent my youth booing Jerry Rice

But I guess I’ll have to give his kid a chance. Anything that ends with “touchdown UCLA” works for me.

by insomniacslounge on Mar 28, 2009 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You HAVE to be kidding me.

N — how long have you been waiting for even a snowball’s chance of this kind of possibility, man?

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

by Meriones on Mar 28, 2009 3:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

It’s not going to happen but it was just fun to think about. I will be shocked if Nick Montana ends up at UCLA. I think he will end up at either Ohio State or Notre Dame.

by Nestor on Mar 29, 2009 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

For you a dream...

for me, a nightmare! Back then, Montana to Rice was painful for a Dolphins fans…so maybe now they can come to UCLA to reverse it!

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

by tasser10 on Mar 28, 2009 4:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

didn't realize

there were so many 9er lovers in the BN… with SF doing so poorly over the last decade, it’s easy to forget about “the vein”.

Anyway.. traveled to Eugene last October for a campus-visit-slash-cheap-excuse-to-see Neu’s Bruins and spotted Saw Joe out front of Autzen. Joe’s was a d*ck about it, but I snapped the damned picture anyway.http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1HuEm8GeNgUjuGoFWSXsPg?feat=directlinkApparently the kid was on Belotti’s short list back then. Who knows where Chip Kelley stands on it.

GO BRUIN BLUE

by logan_5 on Mar 28, 2009 7:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Incredible Coincidence

Would love to have this kid wearing powder keg blue and gold. But I have to admit, Nestor, you sure know how to rub the salt in the wounds with your fond 49er memories of Montana to Rice for this always and forever Los Angeles Rams fan.

Los Angeles Rams and the UCLA Bruins!!!!!

by Minnesota Bruinfan on Mar 28, 2009 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rams-Niners

Some epic battles.

Although I still LOL thinking about Rome calling out “Chris” Everett.

by Nestor on Mar 29, 2009 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha!

That was legendary.

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

by bruin8uclap on Mar 29, 2009 11:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I'm not mistaken,

Rome’s reference to “Chrissie Everett” sent Everett over the table after him.

by Bruinut on Mar 30, 2009 9:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great pic logan

by Nestor on Mar 29, 2009 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep. Shoulda won that game too.

We had built some momentum.. finally had Oregon contained, but after Terrence Austin went down for a very scary 20-mins, that was it. Misoli did us in on his feet.

GREAT POST. Feels So Good.

(Still have no idea what happened to that comment-comment-comment-comment).

GO BRUIN BLUE

by logan_5 on Mar 30, 2009 9:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Excellent!

As a lifelong Niner and Bruin, this is fantastic. In the “Simply the Best” video, check the 2:37 mark where Montana and Rice simply clown Deion.

As for his son, I’m sure Jerry Sr. is reminding Jr. that he also wasn’t highly regarded out of HS (ended up at Miss. Valley St.) and most people thought he was too slow for the NFL (only a 4.6 or 4.7 guy). But Bill Walsh tells the story of how he saw film while scouting for the draft and could see brilliance in the slow, unknown kid from Mississippi.

Easy money and faithless women, red-eye whiskey for the pain...

by rich87 on Mar 28, 2009 10:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Montana to Rice

Fond childhood memories. And then, I remember that flop Alex Smith or some random unknown journeyman from some third-rate college program is at the helm of the Niners and it makes me want to cry.

Say it ain’t so Joe (and Jerry).

But at least if we had Montana-to-Rice II at UCLA, it’d give me something Niners-related to cheer for (since, well, until Smith is gone, the playoffs aren’t happening).

by Bellerophon on Mar 28, 2009 10:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not just Alex Smith

Jim Drunkenmiller, Ken Dorsey .. heck even Rick Mirer … it’s been painful. As for the current guy in charge, I am as excited him as Ryan Walcott running the point for UCLA basketball. Sigh.

by Nestor on Mar 29, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My little boy is a fan of the Niners (for which he will be disinherited, but that's another story)

He had a great line. I heard him discussing pro football with his buddies a few years ago, and it eventually became an argument about strength of schedule. He said the 49ers obviously had the toughest schedule, because everyone in the league was better than they were. I kind of liked that one.

by Fox 71 on Mar 29, 2009 5:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmm, biting smart humor

I wonder where he gets that from.

by bruinbabe2000 on Mar 29, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So Nick Montana's entering his senior year ...

So that means he’s the same class as Brehaut. When we locked up Brehaut I looked up Montana on rivals and scout and could not find even ONE star or a single team interested in recruiting him. I looked him up because he is putting up some pretty good numbers at Oaks Christian and he wins damn near all the time. Now he’s a four star recruit? I hate scouting.

by Seanny Rotten on Mar 29, 2009 7:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

have you ever seen this kid play?

Nick Montana rode the pine at De Le Salle and then transfered to Oaks. He’s got a solid arm but he’ s not Div I material, Brehaut is.

Go Bruins
TRM

by G0Bruins on Mar 29, 2009 11:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes I have.

He just wins. What did everyone say about Joe? “Awful arm”, sat for years at ND, was a 3rd round pick only to win Super Bowl after Super Bowl!

You can’t scout people on raw physical talents only. The most important asset a QB has at any level is what is between his ears. Kyle Boller can throw the ball 200 yds from his knees but he can’t decide who the hell to throw to.

by Seanny Rotten on Mar 30, 2009 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A matter of person pride here..

..Jerry Rice’s son coming to UCLA makes me mist up. He’s got his dad’s “can-do” attitude and is a super guy. He also graduates from the same program I played HS football for: Menlo School. Of course, then, we were the Menlo Acorns (being the HS branch of Menlo College who were the Oaks).

But we were a tough club. Being a small school, we often were short-handed and scrimmaged other non-league schools for practice. Many times we were fodder for the Menlo College football team (o.k., the JVs) and neighboring Sequioa high school who had a pretty fair tailback (they ran single wing) named Beban.

..anyone know what became of that guy?

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by WHP '68 on Mar 29, 2009 3:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs