Two Questions: Answer Them To Share Your UCLA Story With Bruins Nation

Sweet thread!

1) BA in History UCLA ‘05. I applied to 4 schools (Berkeley, Stanford, U$C & UCLA). Got into all 4, my choice was obvious (but still, it’s nice to get into your safety schools). Had a blast the entire time I was there. From getting warnings over partying all night in the suites during World Cup ‘02 to midnight In-N-Out runs to the Undie Runs, it was all the best time I could have every hoped for. Being in the Navy, I get around the world a lot, rarely get time in California (much less UCLA), but I always make it a point to visit at least once a year for a UCLA Store run & at LEAST one BB or FB game. This year I’ll be making the trek from South Korea to go see the UCLA v Washington game on Nov 7th. SWEETTTT!

2) I first discovered BN through dumpdorrell.com which I discovered from like bruinville.com or something. That was like in 2005? 2006? Honestly don’t remember. Since then I’ve throughly enjoyed interacting with fans as passionate about UCLA as I feel I am. Sometimes disagree with a few of the posts or commenter, but that’s what a community/family’s all about, right? You’d be surprised at what random place’s you’ll find a fellow alum and how highly regarded the UCLA name is from Mexico to Peru to Japan to Korea to Bahrain to Malaysia to Britain to France.

Thanks to everyone to making BN as strong as it is, especially the moderators who keep it going by feeding our UCLA addiction!

GO BRUINS!!!!

but really I was set up big time when I was about 3 years old. My aunt and uncle have had season tickets at Pauley since forever, and began taking me to games once I was old enough. Before ever deciding to apply, I had probably been to about 30 basketball games. My first distinct memory, however, was in 1999 at Baron Davis’ last home game, when he did a 360 and then was taken out to a loud ovation.

Given all of this brainwashing, it comes as no surprise that my first choice for college suddenly and for no real reason changed from Cal to UCLA right before acceptance letters came out. Needless to say my aunt and uncle were quite happy.

So far my most memorable UCLA moment was one that happened when I wasn’t even a student yet, and that was the Gonzaga game in 06. I was at dinner, but returned home just in time to watch JF & Co. storm back and win the game. My best sports moment as a student would probably have to be the Tennessee victory last year.

Also as a side note, this is my first year on the UCLA Yell Crew, and I know many of the readers here go to the games, so please feel free to say hi (you can’t miss me, I’m the tallest one). I’m sure I’ve already seen many of you and just didn’t realize it. I’ll also be at Tennessee for those of you in exile making the trip, so don’t be a stranger.

I didn’t find BN until I was bored in Atlanta last summer and did a Google search, and it took me another 6 months after that to register and post. I forget what story made me do it, but it involved basketball of course.

Anyways, I’d just like to once again thank the front pagers and everyone else who contributes, because this site is truly a one-stop shop for everything UCLA, and every day there is something new.

And sone of us were finishing grad school in 99.

high school student, so I’m just a huge fan. My connection to UCLA is my grandfather. My grandfather moved to Southern California in the ’50’s and has followed the Bruins ever since. He’s told me hundreds of stories about coming home from work, waiting for what seemed like hours to watch the Bruins on tape delay. I would always go to my grandfather’s house when I was little, and along with my uncle we’d watch the Bruins. They taught me everything I needed to know about the players, coaches and anything else. To this day, we all still gather to watch the games and discuss UCLA athletics.

Prior to 2007, I wasn’t someone who read a ton of blogs. I would religiously read sites such as Yahoo!, ESPN and SI, but had not yet discovered any great blogs. I was incredibly frustrated with how the football program was being run, and I needed a place to vent everyday with people who felt the same way as myself. The day after the terrible home loss to Notre Dame, I typed into Google, “fire Karl Dorrell.” I came upon Dump Dorrell, and read as many posts as I could in one day. In one of the first posts I read, a link appeared to Bruins Nation. The minute I clicked it, I was hooked. Nothing on the internet can compare to the great work of the moderators and the true sense of community here on BN.

1) The short story is I’m an alumni of UCLA’s School of Film and Television. Walked in ’00 with Latin Honors. I became a Bruin my first year at UCLA which was ’97. Went to the Masoleum for the annual City Championship. I had gone to the game against Texas earlier that year and did not feel any different. But, seeing the pageantry, tradition and excitement during Rivalry Week really affected me. I remember thinking, “I wish I were a part of this.” My very next thought was, “I am. I am a UCLA Bruin. These are my colors. This is my team.” We beat South Central and only then did I learn about the history of the rivalry and the fact we had just beat them 7 years running. I was hooked it was in my blood.

2) I was a Karl Dorrell supporter when he was given the job. I really wanted him to succeed. And I was proud a Bruin had been given the job. I didn’t understand the hire, I had never heard of him before, but I will always support a Bruin in their endeavors and the decision had been made. But it seemed that for every great win, there would be a really embarrassing loss. Then we had one great year with Drew Olson that ended with two embarrassing losses followed by a really bad season. Things came to a head, however when we lost to Utah by 40. I had had enough. I actually thought of creating a Fire Karl Dorrell website, I was so livid and ready to do something, anything to help my schoool open it’s eyes. A quick google search revealed that Dump Dorrell already existed. I joined up and began venting. Then I started hearing about this thing called Bruins Nation, and occasionally somebody would put up a link. I had looked into other UCLA message boards, and never found a community that felt as I did or as passionately as I did. When we won our victory, first with the dismissal of KD then with the hiring of CRN and NC, it was clear Dump Dorrell was not going to be around much longer. I began spending more time on BN and realized that everybody around here pretty much felt as i did and as passionately as I did. It was like coming home.

1) I never really had any connection to UCLA before coming here. My family had always been fairweather U$C fans, but made the switch when I became a Bruin (everyone except for my older brother… sigh). My decision to come here really came down to marching band. I was really into band in high school and knew I wanted to continue playing in college. The only schools close by that really had a marching band were UCLA, SC, and San Diego State. I eliminated two pretty quickly. Frankly, I was scared of SC’s band. I had heard stories of rowdy behavior, especially in the drumline, and I didn’t want to deal with that. A former bandmate of mine played at UCLA and gave me the idea to apply. Now, I’m going into my 4th year with the UCLA drumline.

I also am a huge fan of softball, and UCLA just happens to have one of the greatest softball teams in the country. I follow the team verrrry closely and try my best to spread the word across campus and the internet community.

2) I was at the Rose Bowl with the band on December 2, 2006. We all know what happened that day. I searched online that entire night for any article, story, or blog covering the game and I came across BN. I read the site casually from then on until Spring 2008 when I wrote my first fan post about the softball team. I figured someone needed to do it so why not me? Since then I’ve been more involved, but not nearly as much as I should be.

Going to UCLA was the best decision I’ve ever made and has changed my life profoundly. It’s good to know I can share my experiences with so many other great people.

1) Originally I did not want to go to UCLA. I wanted to attend a college that was in a more “college-like” town. My mom made me apply because she thought it would be cool for me to go to a school that had such competitive sports, not to mention academics and location. After I got accepted I toured the campus for the first time…and was sold. I did 5 years of school (much like Nestor I was having too much fun), so I would like to think that I maximized my experience. I’ve always loved sports, but being a Bruin has amplified my passion ten-fold.

2) My sophomore year was when KD was hired, so I had to endure that bozo (and Lavin, ugh) for almost my entire time at school. I stumbled across FireKarlDorrell.com after a friend sent me a funny blog post to read. I then became a regular visitor, but I never contributed. After I graduated I moved to Phoenix and needed to find a community to share my passion for UCLA. Bruinsnation has been that community ever since!

UCLA is home. Its the school that my father attended in the early 70’s. It’s where my sister (and a slew of younger cousins) attended from ‘03 to ’06, and most importantly, its where I met my wife (BS Neurology ’01, MS Physiological Science ’03) on the first day of freshman year in LS 1 lab at 8am. I was there bright and early for lab but she came in late. There were tons of seats to choose from, but she sat next to me b/c she said that I had a friendly face. Then she hit on me giving me a cheesy line, but if you let her tell the story, she was just making friends like she did in every one of her classes. I simply rebutt that by pointing to my wedding ring and reminding her that she didn’t marry any of them! I think I win that arguement! We were friends on and off and then got together in junior year, and the rest was history. We are expecting our first child in January!

I always knew that I was going to go to UCLA. I was so confident about it that I wasn’t applying anywhere else until my big sister made me apply to a few safety schools. I applied to UCI, UCR, and CSUN (local) and got into all three, but it was meaningless because I got that wonderful letter from UCLA as well, so UCLA it was.

Football games were my favorite. The best memory was the season opener of 2000 when Alabama brought their #3 ranking into the Rose Bowl, along with all their fans who traveled all that way to watch the Bruins lay the smack down! It was wonderful because their fans were taunting us all game long, only to have our D handcuff Freddie Milons for 4 quarters en route to a Bruin victory. We talked a little trash back afterwards (mostly smiling widely and thanking them for making the trip all the way out here!) but it was all in good fun. The worst game I attended in person was in South Central in ’99. I still remember Deshaun dropping the pill at the 3 yard line, shutting the door tight on an already dismal game. This time, I was on the losing end of the taunts.

I made it to BN by way of dumpdorrell. On their sign off, they rec’d BN and I’ve been here since. Followed you guys when I was in Philly for 4 years, and now I’m in Phoenix, checking the site 100 times a day when I should be teaching (MS math)! I hope my principal isn’t reading this! Go Bruins!

I’m a class of ‘10. My cousin “A.M.” played on the O-line from ’96-’98 (yes, he blocked for Cade). Have two other cousins and an uncle that graduated from this place as well. However, my older brother is a trOJan, but admits UCLA is better all the time. I’m a north campus guy with only a couple quarters left, Can’t wait for football!!! Oh, and I work in the athletic dept. Best job ever.

I found the site a couple years ago and read every article. I’ve been in the Middle East all summer and this has been a daily read. Thanks for keeping me updated. Be home for Sept. 5th!!!! Go Bruins!!!!

I generally rooted for UCLA sports growing up, and as soon as I entered high school and had to start thinking about colleges, UCLA was always near the top of my list for mostly that reason. I was psyched to find out that its academic reputation was every bit as good as its athletic reputation, but being a diehard sports fan (Kings and Dodgers especially), I knew I’d love that aspect of life on campus. The only school that could’ve changed my mind was Princeton, which I was rejected from (along with Stanford, which was third choice anyway). Deep down, I’m glad I got rejected, because I’m not sure if I would’ve had the guts to pick the school I really wanted over the one with the rep and the future wealth. I’m entering my third year at UCLA, playing trumpet in the band (which has helped me follow UCLA sports as closely as I could ever hope to), and having the time of my life.
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My first real memory of UCLA sports was attending a game at the Rose Bowl in 8th grade. I still have some vivid memories; the concrete in the end zones, the little concession tents, walking around in an oval around the Bowl, and Tyler Ebell rushing over and over to lead the Bruins to victory over Stanford. Since then, I’ve followed UCLA sports much more closely. I remember the exhilirating and disappointment of that unbelievable 2005 season, and I remember guys like Dan Gadzuric and Dijon Thompson from the earlier Lavin era. But I really became a diehard with the arrival of Ben Howland, and my greatest memory is still watching UCLA come back against Gonzaga. I nearly gave up on the Bruins, but watched the game because I wanted to see the end of the season. As the game reached its conclusion, my mom burst into my room, terrified by my loud jumping and screaming. And of course, the victory over USC in ’06…

Since I got to UCLA, I’ve had some great memories firsthand, including a trip to San Antonio for the Final Four, the fireworks that began the Neuheisel era, and emphatic revenge against the Trojans at Pauley last season. After the Notre Dame loss, I heard about Bruins Nation, but I didn’t really read a lot until after Dorrell was fired. I admit I was a little weirded out by the gleeful celebrations I saw, but it didn’t take long to see that we were better off with Neuheisel at the helm. And now, although I don’t post much, this is my go-to source for Bruins coverage.

Psyched for the season… I’ll be in Knoxville, and of course, at every home game. Go Bruins!

UCLA BA Economics 1986. Dad has MS in engineering in 1969. One of his profs was Dr. Boelter and my dad tells me that everyone pronounces Boelter Hall wrong. According to my dad, Dr. Boelter prononced his name Belter, not Bolter. Mom got her teaching credential there too. Her story is that she had a class with Marriet Hartley and my mom had no idea who she was.

1986 was a good year to graduate. For those of us who were there for the four preceding years, we won the Rose Bowl three times and the Fiesta Bowl once. I went to the Rose Bowl with wins over Michigan and Iowa. Michigan fans are the best. Iowa fans were pretty pissed off. Dorrell was in my class and he a very respectable player and student. Too bad not much of a coach. I met CRN a few times at fraternity parties and had a psych class with him. To tell you the truth, I thought he was a bit of a weasel back then. But he was one hell of a QB and I hope he is one hell of a coach. I met Steve Bono a few times since I knew his sister from my dorm (Dykstra). He seemed like a good guy. On my floor in Dykstra was Mike Sherrard (1st round NFL draft pick by Dallas) who was very shy and quiet. He was one hell of a receiver but really light (160 lbs).

I stumbled across BN doing a Google search. I love the updates and inside info. Pretty good stuff. I live out of state and there is pretty much no TV coverage so I have to rely on BN, latimes.com and ESPN, for what they are worth.

Thanks Nestor, this is a GREAT idea. I’ve been a bruin since I was 8 yrs old. I remember sitting and watching UCLA/SUC with my mom and dad. I remember just loving the little bruin bear, the fight song, and OH the 8-clap. It was so much fun, every Saturday to sit and watch them play. MY whole family are actually bruins, (1 sister, 2 brothers, and mom), we have made sure that all of my neices (3) and nephews (4) have all learned what it is to be a bruin. The oldest (18) nephew, was born at the med center, he grew up walking the halls of Morgan/Pauley, he went to his first game at 6 mos and went every home game, until I left in 95, we taught him at 2 the 8 clap and he loved Joe/Josie and the band he loved the band… So much so we spend the 94 season sitting next to them so he could dance when they played. The other’s we have taught the 8 clap too and have taken to games each year, now we have 3 new one’s (2, 19 mos and 6 mos) to teach what it means to be a bruin. Every year we get the kids new matching shirts and take a big grandkid picture all dressed as bruins… its GREAT…I’m also a big fan of Basket Ball, BB Softball… oh all bruin sports… Watch them all the time…

I first really became involved in UCLA Football back in 1989, when I actually attended a baseball game, I came to see a friend play. Thru that friend I met Shawn Wills and we became instant friends, and have been ever since. In Jan 91, his sr yr, he had heard that the football office was looking for student recruiters and thought it would be great if I worked there so we could spend more time hanging out. So I started working for the team. Boy was that the start of a GREAT 5 yrs for me, not only did I get to hang out with my best friend more but I got to meet some really great guys and make lasting friendships (still talk to a lot of them on FB). I had the privledge of working for the team from 91-95. I had the inside track to everything bruin… I was living a dream most people would kill for, being in the office, working with TD, Homer, CRN, Coach K etc. One of my favortie memories during the season, I would get Homer Smith his lunch every day (turkey and provalone on wheat) and we would watch game film and talk football, it was awesome going over plays. Also going to the games, having access to places other’s didn’t. It was very cool. My younger brother’s got to be ball boys from 91-95, living every young boys dream, to get to know the guys, hang out with them, be in the locker room, on the sidelines durring games. They loved it, they still talk about it, and love it when PT shows the old SC games, and they can show their friends them on tv standing next to TD or Tommy/Cade. The highlights of my time with the team were the 8 in a row of South Central, I loved that… going to the Rose Bowl (except for losing to them dam beavers twice), but I still loved being there.

What being a Bruin means to me…

Even after I stopped working for the team in 95, I went back to school to finish my degree (sorry not at UCLA), but it was a pac-10 school, I just wanted the best Comm school out there (#4 in Nation) and WSU (01) had it AND a sport management program, I couldn’t pass up. But being that far away didn’t change that I was a Bruin thru and thru. I watched every game I could get on tv, too bad that was the 2 yrs they didnt’ play each other until after I left ;o( . But I called my sister during the games I couldn’t watch and she gave me play by play over the phone. I also wore my UCLA Football sweat shirts with pride, even though my coug friends teased me all the time, but they respected me…

After I left WSU in 01, and could afford season tickets, we bought tickets, my family has not missed a game in 7 yrs, we have sat in sec 4 row 38, seats 7,8 & 9 since 03. I was such a true blue fan, I drove from Vegas every weekend of home games for 6 yrs, never missing a game, I even ditched my 20 yr HS reunion, because the idiots planned it for Oct 18, 05, and we were having a GREAT undefeated season, and were playing Cal at home, no way I was missing that for rubber chicken and people I really didn’t want to see. Best thing I did was stay for the game and see us come back and beat Cal in OT… WOW…Now that I have moved back home (OC 08), we get to the RB 6 hrs before game time even on early/late games and spend the whole day tailgating… Just living and breathing the great game day experience. There is nothing like it, I don’t know how other’s can not be bruin fans…

When we brought in KD, I was at first excited to have a bruin be the head coach, but of course that lasted ,well not that long, sorry, but after the 8 in a row, I was used to not losing to those criminals. This is when I found BN, I don’t really remember how, but when I did, I couldn’t wait to join and express my opinions, (too bad I’m too busy with work travel to be on here more). But BN is great, we are a great family that loves our bruins, this is a great place where we can express our feelings and catch up on our teams… Thanks to the founding fathers for creating this space for us…

When I heard that KD was being let go… (my oldest nephew couldn’t wait for KD to go… Jordan kept expressing himself at every game…) lol I said right off the bat we needed to bring in Rick, I had known him for a very long time and knew that he had learned from his mistakes and that he would be the one to bring us back to where we belong, restore our glory… So when DG announced it I was jumping off the roof with joy, and even with last season, I knew it was going to be a tough one, but I knew CRN could recruit cheaty peaty under the table (watch out peaty, your time is up…) and he got us some great kids… I’m so excited about the start of the season, I wish it were tomorrow… I know it’s not going to be easy, but we will be back, and to hear PP give us a thumbs up.. was a surprise… I look forward to a GREAT season, lots of excitment and hopefully lots of wins… Go BRUINS!!!!

My grandfather, rest his soul, attended UCLA for a few years beginning in 1928. While he did not graduate he left a lasting love for UCLA to my father who passed it down to me. I’ve been a HUGE UCLA fan since I was young boy and have had season tickets to football for 17 years. I will forever be a UCLA fan and of course ALWAYS HATE those losers from Figueroa Tech…

class of 87- english
Sat on my dad’s lap ( not a bruin , but a Cal Bear) and watched a UCLA / suc football game and remember him rooting for UCLA because they were the under dog and gutty team. Met Coach Wooden when I was 11 and was hooked.
Many great UCLA memories; my picture graced the front of the Daily Bruin in ‘86 when I made some polyster wearing trojan take down his my “my maid is a bruin” banner, the picture was me pointing at a him as he sheepishly pulled the banner from the side of his motor home after we spanked those #@%! ’s 45-25?
I was in the corner of the end zone in 87 , perfect angle to see that Affholter was out of the end zone. I live in the Bay Area now with 5 kids of my own, but still make it to at least two football games a year and at least one basketball game. All my kids learned the 8 clap before they learned thier abc’s.
I found bruinsnation by migrating from dumpdorrell.com after being livid about how our bruins played in the Emerald Bowl against Florida St.
I check the site daily and read it comment to comment on the weekends, I love it! Thanks to all that work to make it a great site

My first UCLA memory is seeing my dad wearing UCLA shirts in the early 1980s and asking him what it meant. He never went to school here, but when he told me that as a kid in the Philippines, he would hand-make his own UCLA shirts as a kid after seeing pictures of Bruin athletes in the American magazines that his aunt would bring him from the U.S. Air Force base that she worked at.

I grew up in Oxnard, so when Simi Valley native Don MacLean signed with the Bruins, it was pretty big news. I became hooked on Bruin basketball after Shon Tarver, and Oxnard native, became a Bruin.

I attended undergrad at a different UC (got a full ride, it was hard to turn down), but I always had an eye on the Bruins. When I was looking at graduate schools, I knew that this was my second chance to attend UCLA, so I didn’t turn it down this time. I graduated from Anderson in 2007, and am currently on staff at UCLA so I have the pleasure of being on campus every day.

UCLA has also given me the opportunity to hone my skills as a photographer. I am the “E. Corpuz” who provides a lot of the photos seen here on BN.

I’m not sure how I found BN. I am a frequest poster on BRO, and I somehow ended up finding BN shortly after.

Alum since 68. I came in as a fresh-faced dweeb, got to witness the advanced sports topics taught by the likes of John R. Wooden, Tommy Prothro, Jim Bush, and Al Scates, and left as a wisened and blessed dweeb. I don’t remember my classes all that well, but I remember 20-16, 14-12, and Gail Goodrich over mighty Michigan like they were yesterday. Then I got to watch Lewis Alcindor and Lucius Allen and Lynn Shackleford and Mike Warren, under masterful guidance, show us what competitiveness and excellence looked like when it was balanced with sportsmanship and humility. In all my sports interests, and they are many, UCLA sits alone at top.

Then, came a dark era. Beyond-embarassing losses in football and basketball. The transformation of Pauley Pavilion from no-one-gets-out-of-here-alive to just another arena. The seeming abject deference to SUC in football recruiting, coaching, and striving for excellence. Like Mexi, I was initially in favor of hiring a Bruin. But, that feeling soured soon enough.

My passion tried to find an outlet. I needed to know that others shared my frustration, and longed to redirect the UCLA ship. I signed up for several UCLA blogs, and begin posting. Some were pretty good, but lacked active participation. Others had much activity, but the tone and tenor of posts were like high school arguments. Other blogs were frequented by SUCsters and flamers as much as by Bruins. In short, the signal-to-noise ratio was poor.

Then, I discovered BN, probably by way of Dump Dorrell. Here, the quality of give and take was, well, adult-like—passionate but respectful, thoughtful and insightful. Nestor didn’t tolerate drive-by’s, thoughtless vitriol, or baseless assertions. I felt comfortable talking frankly with others about what UCLA needed to do, without having to wade through flame wars and childish nonsense.

To this day, BN is a regular stop for my UCLA fix.

1.) I was given tickets to the Rose Bowl when UCLA beat Iowa for my birthday(which is Jan 1st.) Ever since then I was hooked. Didn’t hurt my Dad was with me and he was a USC fan. I had never really watched college sports up to that point. It was my ninth birthday and the atmosphere was amazing. I have been a die-hard ever since. I had a cousin graduate in 97 or 98, but that’s as close as I’ve come to the school. I have been in the Air Force for 14 years niw and my first 5 were at Edwards AFB up in the high desert. For 3 years I was in the south endzone with my buddies or the woman who is now my wife of 10 years. Watching Cade and DeShaun run all ove Ricky Williams and Akili Smith on thier way to the first #1 BCS ranking was amazing. Damn you Edgerrin James!

2.) I found bruin nation through an internet search while I was deployed to Iraq a few years ago while I was looking for info on the upcoming football season. Have been hooked ever since. I don’t post alot, but I really do appreciate all you who do put in the time to give us relocated fans some local input. as it’s been stated nmany a times, the WWL provides a very limited at best coverage of the Pac-10 outside of $UC of course, let alone our Bruins. Again, thank you for the posts and info. I’m now in Tucson and you can bet I’ll be there when we come to town this fall to whoop U of A’s butts. Go Bruins!!!!

1) I was born a Bruin. My parents and our close family have had season tickets since the 80’s at the Rose Bowl, and i was taken to my first game while still in Diapers. My earliest memory, however, was the 1998 Rose Bowl game which we lost to Wisconsin, however my enthusiasm, as my friends endlessly see with my wardrobe daily, was evident and I was hooked from the start (brainwashed too). Now, every year I look forward to tailgating before each game (Recently, the most fun part unfortunately haha), as well as interacting with opposing fans. I’ve found Alabama, Ohio St, and Wisconsin fans of the nicest over the many years I can remember. Also 13-9 was such an awesome memory, especially the next week at school. I’m now a Senior in H.S and will be applying to UCLA, and if not a student next year, I will likely transfer or try to attend for graduate school (Admissions are so tough!!)
2) I heard an Interview on 570 about DumpDorrell.com with their creators (shortly before the 2006 game I believe…or after) and they still wanted Dorrell fired despite the 13-9, which I agreed with, and I went to their site, and somehow ended up at BruinsNation. Been hooked ever since!

1.) I was given tickets to the Rose Bowl when UCLA beat Iowa for my birthday(which is Jan 1st.) Ever since then I was hooked. Didn’t hurt my Dad was with me and he was a USC fan. I had never really watched college sports up to that point. It was my ninth birthday and the atmosphere was amazing. I have been a die-hard ever since. I had a cousin graduate in 97 or 98, but that’s as close as I’ve come to the school. I have been in the Air Force for 14 years niw and my first 5 were at Edwards AFB up in the high desert. For 3 years I was in the south endzone with my buddies or the woman who is now my wife of 10 years. Watching Cade and DeShaun run all ove Ricky Williams and Akili Smith on thier way to the first #1 BCS ranking was amazing. Damn you Edgerrin James!

2.) I found bruin nation through an internet search while I was deployed to Iraq a few years ago while I was looking for info on the upcoming football season. Have been hooked ever since. I don’t post alot, but I really do appreciate all you who do put in the time to give us relocated fans some local input. as it’s been stated nmany a times, the WWL provides a very limited at best coverage of the Pac-10 outside of $UC of course, let alone our Bruins. Again, thank you for the posts and info. I’m now in Tucson and you can bet I’ll be there when we come to town this fall to whoop U of A’s butts. Go Bruins!!!!

or so it seemed. My earliest memories include watching UCLA BB games with my father (a transplanted Californian) during the glory years. Still remember him yelling at the TV, “Go Bibby, baby!” During those telecasts, they would show the red brick buildings of the UCLA Medical Center. Since I wanted to be a doctor, I knew that that was where I wanted to go to Med School.

Years later, when it was time to apply to college, I followed my brother to UCR for one reason. They had a 7 year BS/MD program in conjunction with UCLA Med School. There it was, my ticket to UCLA! I just had to get accepted after my Jr year of undergrad. When I graduated med school, I was sent an offer for discounted football season tickets for new graduates, so my wife and I immediately signed up. Residency took us to NYC for 4 years, but then we moved back to So Cal, where I set up practice in the desert. I rarely miss a game a the Rose Bowl unless ER call dictates. I share season tickets with a colleage who graduated UCLA in the 50’s, and we’re active in the UCLA Club of the Desert.

I am also a Dump Dorrell transplant, and I found that website from none other than TJ Simers’ Page 2 column. I’m more of a lurker and occasional commenter, but I come to this site nightly after the kids are in bed. Now, sometimes I access it from my IPOD. Sadly, my participation will be limited for the next few months as I will have to devote time to study to take the Sleep Medicine Boards in November (I am already board certified in ENT). The timing is poor, but oh well. Thanks to Nestor and all the front-pagers.

I was a soft Trojie fan growing up in the late 60’s early 70’s; we only watched the rose bowl. I became a Bruin in April 1978, when I got my letter from UCLA. I still to this day do not know why I applied to UCLA. In those days you put a primary UC campus on your application, I intended to write “san diego”; I wrote “los angeles”. The first game I watched as a Bruin was UCLA v. UW with my cousin a UW grad, as was my dad and me now. It was fun to be a real Bruin; even though I hadn’t attended at class yet.

Being a season ticket holder for almost 20 years, it’s bet up and down. Down mostly in the Dorell depresson.

I got here through Kos’s site.

I owe my UCLA destiny to my Uncle BB, Class of 1970, and his Rose Bowl parties. My thumbnail is me at his house during the 1983 Rose Bowl. I’m 4 in the picture. I never imagined being anything else in my life. The first time I set foot on campus was when I was 12 for a women’s volleyball game, and I was in heaven. No matter how rough things got in my life, I kept my eye on the prize. I had to be a Bruin. It wasn’t until last year that my mom told me that during my senior year of high school, she and my dad would pray every night that I got that acceptance letter because they didn’t know what I would do if I didn’t.

I don’t remember how I found BN, but it was sometime early 2006. I joined the day of the Gonzaga game, and I remember Ajax putting up a picture of Austin Powers and writing, “We’re going to keep the mojo going.” I thought it was hilarious, so I stayed around. Later that night, I came back from Farmer’s Market after spending time with my best friend from high school who was in town, and celebrated with my new extended family. That December, I cried tears of joy after 13-9, and celebrated here again.

One of the best thing about this site is that it has made me a more informed Bruin fan. It’s a one-stop shop for all things Bruin, and the best part, has showed me what a crappy source the fishwrap is.

The other great thing is that I have been able to express my undying love for my alma mater with people who truly understand what it is to be a Bruin. I can’t imagine another site where I would have shared my wedding pictures, asked for suggestions for my son’s name, and just shared stories with so many great people.

We talk sometime about having a BN reunion of sorts, just so that people can finally meet face to face. I hope next year I will be back in LA or San Diego so that I could partake in such an event, or the very least, take my little guy to football and basketball games so that he can discover his destiny too.

I can page through my old family photo albums and see a little me wearing a UCLA shirt at virtually any age. Going to games at Pauley and the Rose Bowl (I jumped at any chance for tickets and a 40-minute ride to the stadium), touring campus during high school, and learning about the academic standards deepened my loyalty. When it came time for college, I applied to three schools — UCLA, UC Berkeley as a backup, and U$C as a joke (So I could tell Trojans for the rest of my life that I gladly dumped their school). I didn’t bother with Stanford since it was so mild and quiet on the day I visited, it felt like a retirement home. All three offered scholarships, and conversations with alumni of UCLA and Berkeley reinforced my preference for the Bruins. On the Trojan admissions office’s “If you will not be attending U$C, where will you college?” card, I wrote “UCLA!” in huge letters. I had a blast at UCLA and graduated with a BA in Economics/Business in 1993. Since then, I have yelled like a maniac through the streets of downtown LA (After Tyus’s 4.8 and the 1995 basketball championship), evangelized the Bruins to anyone patient enough to listen, and made a habit of speeding by Trojans on the roads to make sure they could see (if not read) my “UCLA Alumni” license plate holder. I even got a wedding ring with a band of sapphires and diamonds encased in gold and silver trim.

I learned about BN through the fishwrap; one article mentioned that it was a focal point for Bruins who were tired of the KD fiasco. Once I started reading BN’s many witty and insightful stories and comments, I got hooked. Living in the Midwest, I am grateful for the chance to experience Westwood vicariously through the posts. Thanks to everyone for making this such a fun and lively online community!

1. UCLA Alum, Political Science, ‘03. I was another one of those "I’m going to law school!" people and pretty much realized by my fourth year, that was so not happening. I chose UCLA because it was pretty much the best school that accepted me. My parents were disappointed I wouldn’t be closeby at Berkeley, but you roll with the punches.

I visited in May, and loved how the campus looked. My cousin was getting his PhD at the time, so he kinda showed us around. I took a tour of the dorms, and said living in the res halls wouldn’t be so bad, it’d be a ton of fun.

When I arrived at orientation and they were teaching us eight-claps and telling us why SC is our mortal enemy, how could I not love the school? Wandering the campus, Westwood, everything. It was beautiful. I was in love.

I met my husband at UCLA, and five years later, he proposed to me at UCLA, in that walkway between Powell and Kinsey, since he didn’t want to make a scene and do it in front of Royce or in the area beteween Royce and Powell. Chicken. Hehe.

I think my devotion grew after graduation, which really helped to have a much better basketball coach, eternal hope even in despair in football, and knowing that I was now an alum of one of the greatest universities in the world… I’ve become a bit of a fanatic.

My sister followed me to UCLA, and my dad proudly wears his UCLA Dad swag. We’re a UC family, as all four of us attended UC’s.

2. I found this blog probably after a devastating football loss. I do recall I was googling for a UCLA sports blog, and I found this place. Now I can’t leave! I check this place a bazillion times a day.

We are going to try to keep this up top through this weekend … taking us into GAME WEEK!

Getting goose bump reading these stories.

1. I have been a Bruins since my birth in 1985. On my first day home from the hospital there is a picture of me with a Bruin pin on my stroller. The first sporting event I can remember was a UCLA-Cal game from I think 1989. I was 5 and I remember crying after the game because the Bruins had lost. Ever since then I have always had a passion for UCLA football. Bruin Basketball has also always played a large part in my fanhood but football is always what I come back to. I spent a year at the University of Colorado in 2003-2004. My first home football game as a freshman was against my childhood favorite Bruins. Sitting in the stands that day was just about the most confusing thing I have ever gone through and something I will never put myself through again. I may have never attended classes at UCLA but I consider it home. I just feel comfortable in Westwood and always will love and adore the Bruins.

2. I found Bruins Nation from Dump Dorrell. Ever since the coaching search after Dorrell was fired and Dump Dorrell was speculating what coach would be coming in I was hooked on getting as much information about the Bruins as I could. Ever since then I have been a long time lurker. I don’t post all that much but Bruins Nation along with the blog Dohn did and Bruin Report Online have made me into a full blown UCLA information addict. I now right for the UCLA Alumni Association in Sacramento covering UCLA football. So Bruins Nation has been a huge resource for those of us who are trying to cover the team from afar. I am happy to be a part of Bruins Nation and happy to be a part of this thread. Well done everyone.

1) I am a current student at UCLA going into my 4th of 5 years studying aerospace engineering. I could have done 4 years but knew right when I committed to UCLA that I would go to every UCLA sporting event imaginable and wouldn’t be able to dedicate myself to an overload of work. I am an avid fan of UCLA sports and will be on the DEN executive board next year. I am always the first student to every BB and FB game so that I front row center for basketball and front row for football (last 2 years). I often do the frisbee cheer before big games and usually start the chants during mens BB offensive possessions.

2) Since 2 years before I came to UCLA, I followed up on BN. It wasn’t until the controversy that emerged regarding the Steve Lavin masks my soph year that I decided to join as a member and blog. I felt that everyone took them the wrong way and thought that the students were praising him on his return to Westwood rather than making fun of him. I needed to join and blog at the moment to back up the students and our decision to make those masks to mock the slob and joke of a coach (and announcer). Since then, I have added comments here and there. I mainly use BN nowadays to get an inside scoop on whats happening in the UCLA sports world do I can educate fellow DEN members.

I love being a Bruin and I love BLEEDING BLUE AND GOLD.

1. I graduated in ‘98 with a BS in Electrical Engineering. I took the 5 year plan because I was not in a hurry to get out. When I received my acceptance letter, it indicated that I was accepted as Undeclared and not EE as I originally applied. I got into the other schools that I applied for except for Cal (Boo!), but I wasn’t going to pass on a UCLA education even if I didn’t get into the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. I eventually got admitted to SEAS and became a EE major, but not after being a Physics and Math major for a few weeks.

I’ll always remember the time I had at UCLA and look back at those 5 years as the best time of my life. I met my girlfriend, now wife, there and made lifelong friendships. I was the 2nd in my entire family, including my extended family, to go to college. My sister was the 1st and she went to Texas A&M, which I never understood since we grew up in Santa Ana, CA and had never once been to Texas. My younger brother also followed me to UCLA and he too met his girlfriend, now wife, at UCLA. So, my family is one big UCLA family.

After graduation, I became involved with some alumni events that were pretty cool. I assisted in selecting Alumni scholarship recipients for Orange County, and also was on the UCLA freshmen/transfer welcoming committee where we’d call incoming freshmen/transfer students and welcome them to UCLA. We were given a list of students to call and one of the students I called was Arron Afflalo. He didn’t answer… But another student I called was Aaron Perez. I didn’t recognize the name at the time but it sounded familiar. When I spoke to him I gave him the welcoming script we had to read and after I was done, he told me that he was very familiar with the campus already. I asked how so, and he told me that he was being recruited by Dorrell to be the punter. I then remembered where I had seen his name before…here on BN in a recruit review. Anyways, he was a good kid to talk to and was very excited in becoming a Bruin. It’s fun being involved with Bruin activities, however work and family life don’t allow much freedom to be involved at the moment, but I’ll get back in later.

2. I first came across BN via dumpdorrell.com. I was tailgating at the Rose Bowl and I saw a few guys wearing the t-shirt and later visited the site afterwards. I really enjoyed the posts and would visit the site multiple times everyday. I didn’t sign up for a while because I just like reading the posts and it seemed like every poster was very knowledgeable of everything UCLA and I wasn’t and I didn’t want to post something lame or not up to par with the current posters and then get reamed.

I love all things Bruin related, but that didn’t happen until after I started classes in ‘93. Prior to that I was a sports fan, but more a pro sports and didn’t really watch college sports. In high school, I had no clue who John Wooden was or about the UCLA dynasty. During orientation, I asked the student in charge of my group, “who’s this John Wooden guy?” and she almost fainted when she realized that I’d never heard of John Wooden. Suffice it to say, I caught on quick…

As far back as elementary school, and all the way through high school, the UCLA/USC football game meant decorating half the family room with ketchup and mustard streamers. The family of my best friend from kindergarten would come over and put up gold and baby blue streamers on the other side of the room. To a seven year old, it seemed more of a family rivalry than even a football one. My younger brother even got a little psycho about being a USC fan. After Marijuanavich lost a game to Notre Dame, my 11ish year old younger brother sent a letter to him at USC telling him what a loser he was. We were Trojans all the way, even though we didn’t have any strong connection to USC.

Anyway, this younger brother of mine followed me to UCSB, where he played football. After a year of football, UCSB cut their team, and he and others were left scrambling to find another school to play at. Fortunately, Terry Donahue wanted my brother. So he, John Barnes, and a third guy transfered to UCLA.

The day before fall camp started, my dad took video of my brother taking off the USC license plate frame and putting on a UCLA one! Within the year, the whole family was converted. My younger sister then followed my brother to UCLA for undergrad, I went to Anderson, and even the next dog was named Bruin-belle. Together, my brother and I have had season tickets since he graduated in 1994, and we tell our SUCster friends we were all converted from the dark side.

Here are my answers:

1) I graduated in – shock – 1984…speaking of old, that’s now 25 years ago. Stupid calendar. (Poli Sci major – all hail Bunche Hall and North Campus!) My love affair with UCLA didn’t start because of sports; it started because it’s where I grew up, where I really started to become the person I am today. I never applied to any other university. I’d been on campus a lot as a high school student, and I just felt that UCLA was where I needed to be.

From the first day of freshman orientation, I was in a new world. Like a lot of people, I grew up in a very closed environment – it was great, but the vast majority of my peers were people just like me. From my first trip up Bruin Walk as a student, I was floored by the diversity – of people, of activities, of viewpoints, of possibilities – that I encountered. What I learned and experienced in my four years on campus continues to inform my view of the world today.

The fact that I love sports immediately turned me into a huge fan. Funny thing compared to the UCLA stereotype, but when I was in school, it was football that was the unquestioned ruler. The basketball team was good, but football…well, we only beat the junior college downtown three out of four years, but my junior and senior years – the first two where we called the Rose Bowl home – we had an extra home game on January 1.

Bonus: I found out we had a radio station on campus and got a job as a sportscaster there. One of my favorite days ever was January 1, 1984 – I was sitting in the press box watching some former walk-on QB lead us to a 45-9 win over Illinois. It doesn’t get much more memorable than that. Getting to do play-by-play from courtside at Pauley – and to play IM games there – was pretty sweet too.

2) One of the things I love about those Rose Bowl Saturdays is the chance to be around the Bruin Nation, to see our colors everywhere and to talk UCLA – sports and whatever else – with other members of the Bruin family. How great then to find an online community to do that in on the web.

One thing from the past that I didn’t like was the dumpdorrell name. KD may have been a failure as our head football coach, but as a Bruin, the man is exactly the kind of person you’d want to represent one of America’s great public universities. As much as I wanted him out, I hated the beating he regularly took online.

I wish I had time to contribute here more often, but I’m glad I can always check in and read the thoughts of fellow Bruins. One thing that sickens me more than just about anything else is that garbage that Cheatey and his entourage like to toss out there about, “You’re a Bruin for four years, but a trOJan for life.”

Nice propoganda, fellas. Just one thing: there’s a difference between doing life, as so many trOJies do, and being part of something for life. Like everyone else here, I’ll bleed blue and gold until the day I die…then they can enbalm me in blue and gold.

’84

1. UCLA was straight up my first choice coming out of high school (along with Stanford) and Cal a close second. From the time I moved to the US (1998) i lived in Palo Alto and was a big Stanford fan. In fact, my first college football game was the 2001 affair between UCLA and Stanford at the old stadium, I personally had a good time at that game (though in retrospect I would have liked things to be different). Senior year I was semi rooting for cal, $c, and uw cause I applied there (and got in to all except cal). The moment I became a Bruin on April 27, 2006 I hated $c, was annoyed at Cal, and realized how great UCLA is. I accepted my admission without stepping a foot on campus. The 2006 $c game, 2007 Cal game, amongst others have helped solidify my love for the school (along with the basketball team, duh) especially being in the band and getting to be so close to the action. My family also became huge UCLA fans and one of my younger brothers is going to start his sophmore year here (he rejected Cal to come here).

2. I started reading BN summer after freshman year because a friend recommend it to me and I became addicted to it in no time. I recently started posting fanshots and commenting every once in a while, but I always read and stay current. This is also a much better blog than any of the other ones I have seen around here.

1. There is no history of bruin pride in my family, no alumni collection. My childhood was spent in Palo Alto, heavily clad in Stanford gear, my dad’s alma mater. Then I got into UCLA, visited, and was hooked forever. I had applied to a lot of schools, many of which lacked strong athletic departments. After I got in to UCLA, I realized that I would be attending a school with a rich and storied athletic tradition, and I poured myself into learning about it, scouring youtube and google. I love everyday of going to school here, and I’m counting down the hours until September 5th.

2. I stumbled into bruins nation after in the summer before my freshman year, but I really came to read the site frequently after UCLA’s win over Tennessee in 2008. That first experience watching UCLA play football, especially in such a thrilling and wonderful football game made me so energetic and fired up as I agonizingly waited for my freshman year to start, that I spent countless hours reading bruins nation and thinking about UCLA football.

As a further point of introduction, it’s worth noting that I am a UCLA campus tour guide, and I get paid to tell kids what a life changing and incredible experience going to UCLA is. Plus, I get to introduce future Bruins to the legacy of John Wooden and Troy Aikman and so many other legendary UCLA figures, not to mention the current glory of the Ben Ball era and the future greatness of CRN’s regime. There’s even a little shout out to our phenomenal girls water polo team. Also, there is like a ten-minute section of the tour explicity dedicated to dumping on USC. Honestly, it’s not very difficult to make kids love UCLA when you have the beautiful campus and global reputation that UCLA has. A national championship in basketball or football couldn’t hurt though.

It’s amazing to read the incredible variety of stories here. I think it’s a real testament to how important Bruins Nation has become to the UCLA community, and I feel very lucky to have this site to share with my exteded family.

I became a Bruin alum in ‘91 with a BS in psychobio, but I became a Bruin before I ever got to Westwood. I spent Christmas 85 at my grandparents’ house in SW Missouri, and so I found myself flying home to CA from Kansas City a couple days before New Year’s with a whole lot of people wearing yellow and black. I sat next one such devout Hawkeye fan who spent much of the flight telling me how bad Iowa was gonna hand it to the silly little Bruins who didn’t deserve to be in the Rose Bowl, much less face the mighty Hawkeyes. This fan also had plenty of opinions about Los Angeles and California in general, too, none of which were very complimentary. I smiled and nodded politely, never mentioning that I had been accepted by UCLA, but inside I was feeling pretty defensive about my state and one of its schools. So it was with a newborn sense of defiance and pride that I watched the Bruins face, and absolutely destroy Iowa, a few days later. I was hooked. I sometimes think about the arrogant Hawkeye and how that flight changed how I looked at my home and my future, and I want to say thanks for helping open my eyes.

I found BN through a net search. The alumni club here in CO had folded, football and basketball were struggling, and I needed a better link back to my school. I lurked here for about a year. It wasn’t until 13-9 that I first posted, just so I could share in the joy with my fellow Bruins (BB2000 was the first to reply).

I’m very grateful for all the thought and work and passion that Nestor and all the front pagers contribute, -thank you all so much! -and for the similar efforts added by the regulars, many of whom I feel like I know as friends. Every single day I think how lucky I am to have spent my college days in Westwood, and Bruins Nation truly helps keep those days much closer than the years inbetween might otherwise suggest.

I think I’m the “strangest” Bruin faithful around here. (Sadly) I’ve no direct connection to UCLA, but being a big sports fan & american sports fan – even if I’m from Italy – I became more and more interested in college sports some years ago. And when you talk about college sports…UCLA is the the best you have! But still…with no direct connection I was not very involved, just a little preference for blue&gold.
Then in september 2006 the turning point: a 3 week trip in the USA’s West. While in LA I couldn’t resist to stay a day on campus…and I was definitely SOLD: I started to bleed blue&gold. And I found BN as soon as I came back home, searching for Bruin news.
Being “a Bruin” – I hope I can define so myself – thousands miles away it’s very difficult (searching for awful streams at 3-4-5 AM to see the games, etc.) but I’m very proud to be – or at least this is what I hope – a very little part of the Bruin Family. And I’m very proud every time I wear those four letters across the chest, even if 99.9% of the people I meet don’t know what they mean; I know, and it’s all that matters.
GO BRUINS!.

I didn’t have the grades to get in, but I’ve been a fan since I was 5 years old. My Dad was a Bruin fan back when we still lived in the Philippines and when we moved to LA he would watch the late night replays on channel 5 with Joe Butita. Man, I was right next to him watching guys like Rod Foster, Roy Hamilton, Lupe Sanchez and Bernard Quarles. From Carson Colts Pop Warner football thru high school I always wore #5 Kenny Easeley or #24 Freeman Mcneil. Now my kids bleed BLUE AND GOLD.

I found the site from reading Brian Dohn’s blog.

So let’s continue the stories over here.