Going Through the (Dreadful) Motions …
by Nestor on Nov 19, 2010 5:38 AM PST
in Football
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PrintStrong safety Tony Dye sat crying, seemingly oblivious to Neuheisel, who poked his head around the corner and said, "Got to keep your head up," to the players in that corner of the locker room.
And the LA Daily News:
UCLA freshman defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa sat on the team bench with just minutes to play, eyes bulging, tears streaming down his face, screaming at his teammates.
"I refuse to give up!" Odighizuwa said. "I refuse to give up. This isn't over! It is not over!"
Just three weeks ago in this space I wrote about "eternal optimism around UCLA football." As difficult as this morning is and as hopeless as the situation is around our program, I guess many here will still somehow muster up the will power again to watch this team get humiliated against Arizona State in a week. There is no rational explanation behind why many of us will continue to arrange our Saturdays (I guess now it's also Thursdays and Fridays resulting in constant humiliation) to watch our souls getting crushed week after week, season after season.
In the back of my mind, I always keep saying it to myself, it can't get any worse. This is ultimate rock bottom and this baby is going to turn (with or without the current head coach) leading to explosion of joy and euphoria we all were fortunate to experience during more than a decade ago. Yet time after time we keep ending in the same place after one ugly performance after another wondering what the heck we are all doing, investing so much emotion in UCLA athletics.
When the year started we thought we were going to have a football team that would win somewhere in the range of 5-7 games and more importantly compete and fight hard in ever contest. We expected a team that would show discernible progress with improved production on both sides of the field and put itself in position to contend for a Pac-10 title heading into Rick Neuheisel's 4th season in Westwood.
There are still 2 games left in this season. On paper, going through general rational analysis Bruins will be heavy underdogs in both of these contests. So we can project them to finish with a record of 4-8, that would constitute a clear regression from last season and a big step back for Neuheisel. There is some merit to the arguments about the need for new direction (although I don't agree with all of them). However, we are still going to wait until the Bruins are technically eliminated from bowl contention and/or seeing how they perform in that last regular season game of the year (which is a must win game for Neuheisel).
As for the game last night, we have had discussions in post game thread whether the game was lost when Richard Brehaut left the game with a concussion in the second half. On the scoreboard the Bruins were just down by 3 points and still getting all kinds of breaks from Steve Sarkisian's sloppy and ugly offense (Sarkisian learned really well from Norm Chow I guess). Yet while there was a flicker of hope for the Bruins, the fact was our offense had become a sad joke following its 92 yard drive generating only 33 yards rushing after the first quarter.
I don't know whether we would have won or gotten a "moral victory" (LOL at the thought of taking "comfort" from a "moral victory" against the Huskies) if Brehaut never had that concussion. What I do believe - very strongly - is that we surrendered all our momentum and changed the complexion of the game, when we pathetically failed to take the advantage of a Locker gift in first quarter up 7-0. Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow had the chances to step on the Huskies throat early. Yet they played it safe, essentially calling the same plays, settling for a FG attempt, and blowing the golden opportunity to take control of the game.
Our grievances with Chuck Bullough's defense have been well chronicled. Last night they were not very good and the stat lines against a terrible Husky offense are misleading given all the penalties that stalled one Husky drive after another. Still the main culprit of last night's debacle was an extremely poorly coached, unwatchable and putrid UCLA offense that once again handcuffed any opportunity to win showing lack of imagination, creativity and courage. Sure players do deserve part of the blame for failing to execute. Brehaut missed open receivers, receivers once again showed total incompetence and lack of willpower (Bruin WRs have no concept of how to attack the ball), and our OL couldn't really pass protect.
However, the question we have is why do our team - despite having a serious amount of talent scouted by our coaches and also pursued by other solid coaches in this conference - look so poorly prepared and fundamentally clueless week after week? The question we have is why UCLA offense keeps running what seems to be same set of 5 offensive plays week after week. We all had to laugh when Chow actually called a screen pass in second half (resulting in 7 yard gain). UCLA offense is so freaking boring and pathetic right now that a screen pass comes across as some kind of extra-ordinary, out of the box, crazy call. Most of our pass plays are high school level simple calls and are called in obvious 3rd and long situation, when the defense is jacked up to stop the air game.
Washington made clear adjustments after that 92 yard stacking the box and daring UCLA to throw the ball. We all saw the Huskies load up to stop the run, yet Chow still called two consecutive running plays (one was a QB keeper) after Bruins got the ball on Washington 31 following Locker's Q1 interception. Huskies were prepared and went on to throttle the Bruins easily. They kept it up all night with run blitzes stuffing the Bruins time after time on first and second downs.
Again Brehaut didn't have a good game. The receivers were terrible. However, it doesn't help when the coaches keep dialing up the same nonsense that high school coaches would have no problem preparing their team for in less than 2 days. Devising a competent and effective offensive strategy has to incorporate the element of making adjustments, anticipating opponents adjustments, and deploying plays that a defense hasn't seen with elements of surprise. That would entail not waiting till second half to pipe in with screen play. That would entail using the hyped F-Back position with pass plays (we actually had a nice completion to Barr in that 92 yard drive). Yet we have seen nothing creative or imaginative from Norm Chow, who seems to have been going through motion and living off his reputation since his arrival at UCLA.
Honestly, not sure where we go from here. I guess I will wait to see how next weekend's game against ASU turns out and whether coaches and players show pride in and respect for the four letters on December 4th. Till then all of this basically feels like going through dreadful motions. I don't feel any incentive to get emotionally invested in this program any more. Of course we are not going to stop watching our games and stop following the team day to day. We will be here I guess, anticipating the games with dread just like we used to during the days of Karl Dorrell and Steve Lavin. It is too bad it feels this way. However, we are not the ones who have been going through motions on Saturdays (and Thursdays/Fridays) time and again for last twelve seasons. Just don't have any answers today.
GO BRUINS.
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Seeing Bell play
made me wish we still had Kevin Craft…
It is inconceivable how we can have a very long successful drive with some imaginative calls and then go brain dead for the remainder of the game. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would wonder if Chow is a mole for Fig Tech.
And why do they even bother sending Stonehands Harkey out on a pass play?
At least now I understand why Embree is the sole punt return….um, catcher.
by BruinFanGA on Nov 19, 2010 6:10 AM PST via mobile reply actions
worse than a hangover
Last nite, my kid and I sat on the couch, he with a laptop, finger poised over the “send” button on his UC application. He’s done everything “right” top flight grades and test scores, all kinds of outside activities and community services, and wants to be a Bruin in the worst way (like his parents – only with far better credentials), and instead of it being a happy occasion, watching the continued resurgence of a program struggling to break out of a long period of dormancy, we got “that” instead. It didn’t help that ESPN was pimping crummy Big 10 football all night long – yes, we could schedule Ball State and Bowling Green, too, instead of Big 12 schools – might even be “bowl eligible” right now if we had. But bad is bad, and this geezer feels like the crazy old grampa nobody wants to talk to at Thanksgiving now, as I continue to tell the kid tales from the 80s – when the football program was winning Rose Bowls and regularly beating the Spoiled Children across town. Kid is starting to look at me like I’m delusional. Thank Gawd for You Tube, where archival proof of the once proud program is still available at the click of a mouse or two.
Norm has to go. Bullough needs more imagination in schemes, or he gets stapled to Norm. And Skippy, you have 2 games to prove you deserve next year, or you ought to step down, too.
The Mad Bruin
Hey, a bright spot this morning
Nothing to do with football, but best if luck to your son! With his credentials, sounds like he’ll be very successful.
greg in denver - UCLA guy for life
Your defense didn’t lose this game. They played more than well enough to win. What lost the game is a one dimensional offense and the lack of competent talent at quarterback.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 8:15 AM PST up reply actions
He will not be let go based on this game
But on almost two full seasons of his crap. I’ve seen enough. He is dead to me.
Rebuilding the foundation of a football team sucks
It is really hard to be patient because all of us have been conditioned to giving a new staff only three years to get it done.
I think the reality these days that unless the cupboard is full when a new staff arrives is that it takes 4-5 years. That time period coincides with the time it takes to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines.
I thought it was remarkable that UCLA went to a bowl game last season. You can chalk that up to a lot of smoke and mirrors created by the coaching staff.
Rick’s biggest problem is he hasn’t recruited and developed an elite QB. I don’t see any of the guys on the current roster including Prince becoming that guy. Hundley will make or break Neu’s tenure at UCLA.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 8:30 AM PST up reply actions
The defense was handed over in far better shape than the offense
But inexplicably poor performance despite that talent gap has become typical. Some games they’ll come out inspired and actually play a good game, but all that does is highlight the fact that the talent is there and someone, namely CB, is failing at putting them in a position to succeed on a consistent basis.
Rebuilding
I think the reality these days that unless the cupboard is full when a new staff arrives is that it takes 4-5 years.
I appreciate all of your friendly posts in this thread, but I disagree with this. Outside of Zona which has had some marginal success sticking with Stoops. The top coaches figure it out in a much quicker time frame.
UCLA like Washington had to rebuild their lines and that simply takes time, recruiting, and development. UCLA and Washington also have to rebuild without the reliance of JUCO players because of the tough admission standards. You have had some bad luck with attrition and that one really talented kid leaving for his mission.
All that being said I can’t explain why the Bruins don’t have a legit D-1 QB on the roster. That makes this team look a lot worse than it really is.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 10:00 AM PST up reply actions
DL
Our OL was in dire straights no doubt, our DL was in good shape the past two years, this year we had a gap through BP departing and a strong senior group moving on. I really am looking forward to seeing the DL with Owa, Datone, and Marsh as they get older.
There are not too many coaches out there that needed five years to get the program ranked on a consistent basis. I think CRN is underperforming with what he has to work with.
Our defense was awful
John, I’m sure we appreciate your analysis, but we’ve been watching the same movie all year.
Especially in the 2nd half, our defense gave up huge chunks of yardage and completely lacked aggression. We let your offense impose its will on us. Only the worst officiating crew in the country with their yellow hankies kept us from getting blown out.
(That and some equally unimaginative play calling by your coaching staff on 3rd downs).
I think a big part of it was they were gassed. You need to get some first downs to keep them rested. As the game went on they wore down which is typical of a young team that doesn’t have enough experienced depth.
We have been watching the same movie up in Seattle too and it is frustrating.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 8:51 AM PST up reply actions
Except...
I think a big part of it was they were gassed.
Certainly that could be the case in the 4th quarter. But remember UW marched right down the field on them on the 1st possession of the 2nd half.
We saw that at K-State.
We saw that against Wazzu.
Against Arizona, we stopped counting missed tackles after about 30.
I can’t believe they were “gassed” after halftime.
Of course we know Texas isn’t “Texas” this year, but our defense was absolutely flying around in Austin. I think many of us are asking why we don’t play with the same aggressiveness as we did that weekend.
Injuries may be part of it. But I hate excuses.
Thanks Nigel
Took the words right out of my mouth. Just because we got lucky against UW with them shooting themselves in the foot on drives doesn’t mean we forgot about all the big plays they had called back. And it’s not like most of those plays were instrumental in breaking the play open, we were just fortunate.
I’ve used the “tired” excuse in the past. Then I realized that we were almost as incompetent in the first quarter than in the fourth. That’s got nothing to do with being “gassed”.
I noticed a change of intensity after the first quarter. The air noticeably went out of the balloon when you didn’t convert on that interception while up 7-0. It looked like a UCLA rout was about to begin…but for some reason it just didn’t happen. Before that you had some great blitz packages going on and the defense was pretty disruptive.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 9:16 AM PST up reply actions
I saw it too...
Great point John.
So I guess we’d all like to ask Chucky the D-Cor why we dialed it back after that.
I remember the announcers praising a corner blitz in the 3rd quarter on a 3rd down and long…clearly they were thinking we’d be in a “prevent” in that situation.
Funny…we played most of the 2nd half in that prevent…on 1st down.
I can tell you why they dialed it back…Washington started running the ball with success at the end of the second quarter and only passed the ball five times in the second half. The running game took the blitz out of the picture.
If UCLA goes up 14-0 early like they should have Washington would have been forced to throw the ball to get back into the game. If that had happened I think UCLA wins.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 9:41 AM PST up reply actions
I applaud your effort in an impossible task
But really, doesn’t the fact that you can only point to 3 minutes here, a 3rd down play there, as examples of a good defensive coordinating job say it all?
You watched a different game than I did
UW ran the ball at will on the Bruins. Their penalities held them back, not our defense.
by Bruin Dad and Grad on Nov 19, 2010 9:38 AM PST up reply actions
I had hope in the Dorrel years
because i hoped once he was fired, and we got the coach we wanted, things would be fine. I can honestly and painfully say i don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. This coaching staff hasn’t developed the talent we have and hasn’t developed a true identity.
We are the door mat of the PAC ten and it hurts more than i can describe!
I just cancelled my trip to AZ St. and the sad thing is my kids were happy when i informed them we would be staying home.
Pathetic!
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that count's" - John Wooden.
Excellent Article Nestor
UCLA football is starting to feel like UCLA basketball did when I was a student and we had to watch Lavin embarrass the four letters week in and week out.
Um. I don't know.
Lavin was bad, but I don’t remember him ever embarrassing the Four Letters as often and as consistently as the current and past regime have.
With Lavin you could count on him losing to the big teams, but we beat some big teams as well. Mostly you could count on him losing in the Elite Eight.
Even in our victories, (Texas, Tennessee, Houston) those teams later prove to be very flawed and no big victory after all.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Huh?
Lavin went to one Elite Eight, his first year, with Harrick’s recruits.
All you could count on Lavin for was him not being a real coach.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
My bad. I meant to say lose before the elite eight.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
I am personally looking forward to
Chow’s many quotes this week throwing the kids under a bus. It’s all about “execution”, isn’t it?
by Nocal Bruin on Nov 19, 2010 6:58 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Totally agree
I totally agree with Nestor. I have lost interest in our football program, yet I’m in front of the T.V. expecting something different. I look at our roster and see plenty of talent. When compared to other Pac 10 team we have equal or better talent. The question then becomes, why can’t we develop our talent? The only answer is coaching. Norm Chow’s play calling is simply awful. How about actually throwing a pass on 1st down. I never see crossing patterns, TE down the seam, or combination routes by the receivers. If anyone watches Stanford’s offense, they run power on one play, outside on another, and a imaginative passing game. They have basically three different offenses, we have the run up the middle. So frustrating. Hopefully CRN comes to his senses and fires Chow.
We actually threw plenty of passes on first down
Go through the drive logs if you don’t believe me. Sure it was the same crap over and over, but they were simple routes that were in fact working. At the end of the play all we needed to do was complete a pass to a relatively open receiver and either Brehaut threw a crappy ball or the receiver lets the defense back into the play to break it up. That’s why I say trying to separate blame here is a useless exercise. Blame goes to coaching for not giving RB an even easier route to throw, because clearly a 8 yard pass was too much for him to handle last night.
+1
Can’t call complex plays if can’t perform simple plays.
And, calling for more throws to the TE’s assumes we have TE’s who can both block and catch. Harkey can block. Fauria can catch. Neither is a complete player, yet.
sjh
Way too many drops!
The receivers aren’t doing the QB’s any favors. Eliminate those drops and you would have created enough balance to keep Washington from stacking the box.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 8:33 AM PST up reply actions
Not enough fighting for the ball either
I don’t mind a drop if a receiver is fighting off a defensive player to get it. I’ve bagged on our receivers in the past as well for dropping the ball and will continue to do so as long as they keep failing at their primary job, but some of the balls thrown their way were flat out uncatchable.
True...
…and our receivers run lazy routes. Our “out” patterns are rounded off. Our WRs don’t “dig” on dig routes. The don’t come back hard for the ball when it’s thrown to them…they wait for the ball to arrive.
Need a coaching change there, badly.
by Nigel on Nov 19, 2010 9:28 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
There were also a few times
where RB had locked onto a receiver, which essentially allowed their DBs to cover more than one receiver on the play. Our wideouts had single coverage all night. It shouldn’t have been too hard to get them open. Pretty much a breakdown on every level.
"I don't forget very much" Rick Neuheisel, 11/28/09
I'm still going to ASU and, of course, SUC
It’s all about the four letters, win or lose.
I have been critical of all the coaches for some time, but now that we are in the middle of what feels like a total collapse of the program, I feel no joy. It’s easy for me as a fan to spout off, but I take no relish in the failures of another man who is clearly dedicated to our school, yes, our school that we all love, including him. Who among us has not failed?
The next two games are huge, duh. I will be screaming in the stands for our team, as usual. What happens at the end of the season will largely be dictated by how our team responds to the coaches, especially now. After that, we have plenty of time to talk amongst ourselves.
GO BRUINS!
Bless you for your support
i wish the team could offer you some optimism to go with it.
greg in denver - UCLA guy for life
Chow might be touted as a brilliant tactician
but it seems pretty obvious that he has no rapport or relationship with his players (except for his lovefest with KP). If that is true, it’s an absolute deal-breaker for me… without relationship, there is usually a lack of discipline, which is what this team sorely needs right now. I would be happy to hear that Chow is getting cut after this season, but not exactly hopeful that we will pick up a good OC to replace him.
CRN doesn’t really inspire me much in terms of discipline either. It’s the head coach’s job to bear responsibility for all of the team’s deficiencies, and when he goes about chewing out all of our QBs on TV, I get a feeling that his style of discipline is not really effective for our players. Lack of discipline is apparent on both sides of the ball for us as our defenders, esp. Sean Westgate, need to tone it down and stop acting like they scored a TD every time they make a play. That kind of penalty-less excessive celebration realllly reminds me of another team across town.
I think it took most of 3 seasons for me to come to the sinking realization that our team lacks discipline and attentiveness to details, but now that it has, I can’t help but dread all of our upcoming games. I do not think this undisciplined culture around UCLA football will ever change unless we have a regime change at the top. Won’t somebody come and save UCLA football?
I Agree with Where the Game was Lost
I totally agree with Nestor on that. The opp to seal the game and take momentum was lost when we didn’t aggressively go for 6 with the TO deep in UW terr. I would have called a PA pass into the endzone or bootleg roll out the same.They expected the run so go PA. When a team loses the ball on a TO, there is a psycho letdown that can be taken adv of on the 1st play.Chow did NOT. Same vanilla crap we all have seen, and the other team too. I think NC is unhappy at UCLA. He needs to find his home somewhere else. Too crusty in his stiff approach. Time for a fresh approach with DC and OC. We are stuck with NC now. I have also lost interest in the team because of their lack of basic skills on the field. My fear is that this hurts recruiting like Hundley, who UW wants also. This was a bad time to look so bad.
The take from the UW Dawg Pound
I didn’t see any quit in your team. They kept battling to the end of the game. I think they can bounce back and play well against ASU and USC. The game was up for grabs until the middle of the fourth quarter.
UCLA is a young team that has had way too many injuries and attrition to stay competitive this season. The addition of Brett Hundley at QB is going to change how this team plays next season.
Give your staff two more seasons and you will be competing for championships.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
Respectfully
It is a 10-7 game with 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter. the team that makes the first crucial error was going to lose. It just happened to be the bruins last night.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 8:38 AM PST up reply actions
Our D stopped pursuing and tackling
before the “critical” mistake.
Even Rahim didn’t look like he was going all out. There was a play where he was chasing from behind and it was clear he was not going all out.
Only some penalties kept the D from being completely exposed.
I think that’s the reason for the tears from some of our most committed players.
sjh
No disrespect intended
But many of us here are talking up Lane Kiffin as a great coach with an elite staff that $c should keep around as well…
by britishbruin on Nov 19, 2010 8:28 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Ha Ha...I get it
No…I am not using that tact…I like Rick as a person and a coach. He can motivate his kids to run through brick walls. We are pretty much in the same boat right now. Depending on the outcome each week there are a lot of people who would like to fire Sark and Holt.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 8:36 AM PST up reply actions
Fair Analysis DAWG
That said…Chow has got to go…cant believe I am saying it, but it is true.
Losing is tough enough, but when you look boring as all hell doing it, that just cant fly in L.A.
Some respect for Sark (turning down athe Crazy Man in Oakland), but Holt is a world class AHOLE and he is a disgrace to any university that employs him….well except his last job where he fit right in….
by WestlakeVillage Bruin on Nov 19, 2010 8:51 AM PST up reply actions
It is really hard to believe that this is the best that Chow and Neuheisel can come up with. I guess it all comes back to having some talent at QB and in year three that is on the shoulders of the coaches. You have to believe that these guys can recruit and develop an elite QB.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 9:10 AM PST up reply actions
Have to?
We have waited and we are regressing as Nestor has pointed out. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Time to change.
by Waitingfornumber12 on Nov 19, 2010 9:54 AM PST up reply actions
My gut says give this staff two more years because if you start over now you dig yourself a bigger hole. Rick can recruit…so if he doesn’t win after two more years at least the guy that takes over has a solid nucleus to work with.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 10:05 AM PST up reply actions
I think there is alot of us that agree with you there John
but Chucky has to go and I really dont see the point of keeping Chow around. CRN is too valuable in the aspect of bringing in talent. But I would say (along with I am guessing most of Bruin fans) if next year is like this year, he probably wont be back
CRN and complete overhaul...
Major changes, at this point maybe even CRN. DG get off your ass and bring down the hammer as needed.
Brehaut took a big step back last night
Regardless of the Receiver/TE play, he did a worse job last night than in his previous 4 starts. I am a firm believer that he has good tools, and should be getting better. The question will be is this two steps forward and one step back or the start of a trend? To date, he has improved in each start, but not this time.
You expect some struggles from a guy starting his 5th game, but that was too big of a drop off not to question if something was fundamentally wrong.
by silverlakebruin on Nov 19, 2010 8:50 AM PST reply actions
Not even sure where to start
Dumb penalties.
Dropped passes.
Missed blocks.
Poor quarterback decisions.
I felt sick last night that the ESPN announcers kept making excuses for us. I don’t want to be THAT program.
One thing was all too apparent. We don’t have a Division 1 quarterback on our roster. We may have Division 1 TALENT, but all three quarterbacks who played last night looked terrible. Brehaut was the most mechanically sound, but that isn’t saying much and his decisions with the football were terrible.
Bell looked like Peyton Manning. Well, until the ball was snapped anyway. Was he actually changing plays, or was he just making sure everyone (including the UW defense) knew the snap count? Once the ball was in his hands, it was a trainwreck.
And Tunney’s 5-step drop made him look like his pants were on fire.
Can someone remind me…who coaches our quarterbacks again?
Norm Chow
CRN coaches the F-Back…doesn’t look that good for him either since we haven’t gotten anything out of that position all year.
Barr had
two TERRIBLE drops. Why is he out there catching? The kid should be playing linebacker, not freaking Sean Westgate, aka Mr. “i made one big play all night but the rest of the night was getting run over by linemen”.
by OswegoBruin on Nov 19, 2010 11:55 AM PST up reply actions
heard the final score on the radio, but then watched it on TIVO anyway...
…and it was even worse. everyone here has pointed out the headlines, so I’ll just concur: no decent QB play, no effective offensive game plan, no tackling technique, no heart, no win.
I’m a fan Rick, and you’re making it really hard to stay that way.
Props to you, I think
Knowing the final score, then watching the TiVo anyway either makes you a great fan or glutton for self mutilation, or both. I agree with your feelings on CRN, but his staff is killing him (and us) and he’s going to go down with them if he doesn’t make some changes.
greg in denver - UCLA guy for life
die hard, suit up and show up, never give up fan...
… whose faith in this team is nearly broken. but yeah, like a lot of folks here, I wil always show up. Like I tell my son – if you stick with your team through the lean (very lean) times, when they eventually get it together and start winning, we’ll enjoy it that much more because we were there through the dark times. At least that’s what I tell him…
I wish more fans were like you
Hard to blame them, I guess, but you got it just right.
greg in denver - UCLA guy for life
The worst part for me....
I’m starting not to care anymore. I feel awful for our players, but years of starting with high expectations and then having the reality of mediocrity set in has just worn me down. I am beyond frustrated, as I know many of you are as well. I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know if a regime change will help. I thought it would when CRN came on board, but obviously it hasn’t. I’ve said it time and time again, why do other teams in conference change coaches and improve but we don’t?
Don’t get me wrong, I am still a die-hard Bruin (I’ve been one for 30 years now), I’m just tired of putting all my hopes into this team and being let down.
I may work with the Waves, but I'm still a Bruin!
(Formerly "HoozierDaddy")
"Going through the motions" is a perfect description.
The game started well enough. We scored an early touchdown. Then Dye dropped an easy pick, followed by Hester’s interception. I actually thought to myself, “We look GOOD”. The was the last time during the night where the game was interesting.
I can’t blame Chow for this loss. I can’t blame Bullough. I can’t blame CRN. I can’t blame conservative playcalling, and I can’t blame lack of talent. Plain and simple, UW wanted the game more. They played harder, they hit harder, and they wanted to win the game more than our guys did.
Last night was the first time I turned a game off early all year. I watched to the end of the Stanford and Oregon debacles. I missed the Cal game for a funeral, but I would have watched it to the end. Last night I turned the game off. It takes a lot for me to get to this point.
by AllHailMightyBruins on Nov 19, 2010 9:22 AM PST reply actions
You don't blame anyone, eh?
So your assessment of this performance was “they just wanted it more”?
When did you turn off this game? The middle of the 2nd quarter?
This game wasn’t a battle of wills. It was just plain ugly, simple as that. If no one can be held accountable for such a lousy performance, I’m not sure when they ever can be.
"I don't forget very much" Rick Neuheisel, 11/28/09
I blame the effort.
My honest evaluation is that the team fizzled. I think we were more talented than UW. I think we had advantages on the offensive line. I thought Chow and Bullough both did a better job than they have in prior losses. I turned the game off when Bell threw that ridiculous interception. And yes, my assessment is that UW wanted to win more than we did.
This was a different type of loss. I am not saying that I don’t hold anyone accountable. To be honest, this loss was worst than the others, IMO. I am not going to say the team quit, because I think it takes more than one week to make that assessment, but I don’t believe they were ready to play, or even wanted to play. Everyone made mistakes. I saw bad QB play, bad blocking, bad route running, bad tackling, bad decisions, bad kicking, and an overall lack of effort. While I don’t blame Chow, Bullough, or CRN individually, I do blame the program collectively, which is a much bigger indictment. This is the first time that I’ve felt that way since CRN arrived.
by AllHailMightyBruins on Nov 19, 2010 10:44 AM PST up reply actions
I think it is fair to say that UCLA has more talent on their roster than Washington and in year three they should be farther ahead in the rebuilding process than the Huskies.
Did UW want to win more? Well that keeps coming up in player interviews from both teams so there has to be some credibility in that assumption.
I think UCLA was ready to play. Your offensive line was just knocking the snot out of us on that 92 yard TD drive. UCLA dominated the first quarter…but the tide turned on the missed FG and the interception which led to a TD that tied the game.
Things just didn’t click after that.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 10:52 AM PST up reply actions
We do not have more talent at QB
We don’t have equal talent. We have much less talent at QB than most of the teams we have played. Our QB’s are stellar human beings and represent UCLA very well. But, they are not Div 1 QBs — yet; I hope they show that level of talent, soon.
sjh
Sorry 66
You can’t respond that as “we.” As we have discussed it’s not clear at whether it’s the issue of “talent” at QB. There are legit concerns about whether Brehaut has been coached and developed properly by Norm Chow. So don’t make the talent excuse. It has gotten old. Thanks.
Do you really believe that any QB on our roster =s Locker?
Has the raw talent of Locker?
Do you think that any of them, if coached by any other QB coach, would equal Locker?
He is a first round draft choice and an exceptional player.
Look at my comment in context. I was responding to John who said we have more talent than UW. We may at other positions but we clearly do not at the QB — and that is an essential position.
sjh
Strawman
I don’t really care about having a QB like Jake Locker. We had enough talent on our roster to have a competent QB like Wayne Cook.
As I learned in Law School -- Context is Everything
I don’t challenge that we have had “serviceable” QB’s. That’s not what this thread is about. John said we have better talent. I disagree. That’s the context.
To say we have better talent, and to not face the discrepancy in our QB talent against theirs, is not completely accurate. That’s all I was saying.
sjh
Right
John did say UCLA has better talent on its roster and he is accurate. If you do an analysis of the talent level between the two programs at all facets Bruins are better than the Huskies. We should have overwhelmed their D line and their O line. We should have imposed our will on that team. It wasn’t just about Jake Locker, who BTW had a pretty mediocre game.
So the excuse about UCLA not having a QB just doesn’t fly when you take everything in context.
I'm completely
emotionally drained. I keep putting so much time, money and energy into supporting this team that it just takes everything out of me when I have to sit through these embarassing losses. I have no affiliation to UCLA, no UCLA parents, no UCLA relatives, no friends that are Bruins. I mean, it isn’t easy when everybody i know is a $C fan and I’m the only freakin one wearing my “true blue”, playing Mighty Bruins whenever a relative thinks its okay to get in my car wearing that ugly ketchup and mustard. I’m sorry to rant like this…I’m just kind of out of it right now. I want things to change so bad but i feel like that day won’t come. Either way, I’ll continue to bleed Blue and Gold and I will never stop rooting for my Buins. It’s just a whole lot tougher on days like this.
I feel your pain...
I’ve got cousins who are die-hard SC fans and I’ve taken a lot of crap from them over the years.
I am totally with you, especially your last sentence.
I may work with the Waves, but I'm still a Bruin!
(Formerly "HoozierDaddy")
Thanks to the Dawg Pounder
for pointing out that it was a close game for a long time, but in fact, that is not much comfort, since UDub is not all that good, and we seem to ourselves to have regressed. Even if we had won somehow, the criticisms we are reading on BN would still be valid. I have said that I think CRN will get his 5 years, and Chow probably the same, but that play calling after the interception, when we had such a great opportunity, seems definitive to me. I now hope that we will have another OC next year. Bullough, it seems to me, has actually done better lately, not that he couldn’t be easily replaced. But you wonder what the loss of continuity might mean in the development of this group of players. Still, we looked sooo bad. I am willing to say that Brehaut had a bad game, and that he will do better against ASU and that other school. But there is so much that needs “fixing,” to use a common Bruin post-game expression, that, while I still have hope, I have very little belief. However, maybe somebody will step up and actually “fix” something, instead of just talking about it. Currently, I am deliberately NOT thinking about what it is going to be like being in the Rose Bowl December 4.
New OC and DC
BTW, why do we have a special teams coach and still suck on special teams? How can we not find ONE guy that can field punts? We’ve got a guy that was the top return guy in the Big 12 but he’s not good enough for UCLA.
Your welcome
To be honest the Huskies suck. We aren’t a very good football team. I think UCLA and Washington are pretty similar in a lot of respects. Both teams are waiting for the depth garnered in some very good recruiting classes to mature and blossom.
I agree….I think CRN gets his five years. He is recruiting extremely well. I don’t think you lose much by investing two more years into Rick. I do know that if you bring in a new staff you will take a couple of steps backwards. This isn’t a Ty Willingham type of train wreck.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 9:51 AM PST up reply actions
Steve Lavin has #2 Recruiting Class in College Basketball
Nestor, you are such a chicken shit asshole. You’re just jealous that Lavin has the #2 recruiting class in the country and has raised over $2 million for the St. John’s basketball program. If Howland is so great, why doesn’t UCLA’s recruiting class for next year rank even in the top 25? Moreover, your current pot-bellied, not dapper, coach has two losing seasons while Lavin only had one. Most knowledgeable fans know that it was a personality clash that caused his departure and that he’s one of two coaches who took his team to the Sweet 16 in as many successive seasons. Did Lavin bitch slap you or something when he was there? Get over it, shithead, and move on. It’s been over seven years.
I am going to leave this post up here because it is pretty epic
and provides a classic example of what we want to stay away from here on BN.
But obviously you are not going to post here again.
I would absolutely ban the guy. That is so mean spirited and out of line….not to mention it high jacks a pretty good conversation.
UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle
by John Berkowitz on Nov 19, 2010 10:55 AM PST up reply actions
Well
It’s hard to gin up that kind of anger at the mentally challenged like walktoschool. They don’t know any better, and just like St. John’s, which wasn’t smart enough to do its homework or research on why Lavin was fired, they’ll have their rude awakening, and they’ll wonder why no one pities or sympathizes with them.
DID
STEVE LAVIN JUST POST ON BRUINSNATION???
by OswegoBruin on Nov 19, 2010 11:58 AM PST up reply actions
Well, at least we can be sure...
that “Walkstoschool” isn’t an $C player, they all have cars :)
I may work with the Waves, but I'm still a Bruin!
(Formerly "HoozierDaddy")
He walks to school
but takes a detour at the crack house.
Yes, actually, Lavin did bitch slap Nestor, as well as the rest of the UCLA fans, with his “coaching”.
I will take Ben Howland and our three final fours over Lavin any day of the week.
Enjoy the crack.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Just wait, jerk...
Watch Stevie recruit these touted players…and then watch as none of them get any better.
Watch as recruits begin to remember that Lavin-coached teams and players don’t get better and their chances to get to the NBA are better with other programs (like…uh…UCLA’s).
Watch on Feb. 5th as Lavin’s undisciplined, disorganized oafs waste possession after possession throwing the ball into the bleachers against a dedicated, hard-nosed defense.
Nestor, save this tools info so we can throw it all back in his face in February…
If Lavin bitch slapped Nestor
then Lavin must have sucked you off. That is the only thing I can come up with why someone would give credit to a man who brought down the most storied program in the history of basketball.
I remember the Terry Donahue years...
When we’d get destroyed in early games, and be playing as well as any team in the country by the end of the year, including those Rose Bowl years with CRN at QB. Now, it’s the exact opposite. We steal a “surprise” early season win or two, but by the end, we look and play like one of the worst teams in the conference, if not the country.
I never thought I would look back at the Terry Donahue years as the Golden Years.
I agree with other commenters in that I don’t really know where to look for blame. The problem seems to be top to bottom — administration, coaching, recruiting, lack of execution.
It is enervating.
Hey, don't use big words like "Enervating"
That’s confusing to the trolls visiting from St. John’s…try to use easier descriptors like “sad” “mad” “bad”…max 3 letters, max 1 vowel…
I can’t pretend to be objective. But I can’t see how any impartial observer could look at this program under RN and believe that it’s improving, or more concerning, will improve next yr.
The best talent (Ayers/Moore) is on defense and will be in the NFL next yr.
Next yrs recruiting class is below average (already one decommit yesterday).
Are these players going to improve and develop under this coaching staff?
What’s going to change?
BTW-the receivers coach is getting off easy-R. Moore will be coaching high school next yr.
many of us identified Moore as a problem before the season even started
his biggest acheivement: Friend of Rick
by silverlakebruin on Nov 19, 2010 11:06 AM PST up reply actions
Who is the decommit?
I must be blind I cant find it…
The LA Times
Referenced the “decommitment” of Darryl Jackson, an OL project who had initially committed to SMU last year but couldn’t qualify academically. Then he was going to come into UCLA as a “gray shirt” but now he is going to Oregon State. Whatever. No one to lose sleep over.
See, you still care
That was the saddest part of this whole conversation… seeing you and others say that you no longer had emotional energy to invest in caring about UCLA football. A victory over Sc would go a long way to reviving Bruin nation (and Bruin Nation). Come spring we’ll all be looking at depth charts and speculating what could happen. Personally I’d like to see those depth chart developed by Brady Hoke and his (entirely new) coaching staff. Ah, the life of a fanatic and unrelieved notion that spring will come, and with it hope.
by harry bruin on Nov 19, 2010 11:25 AM PST up reply actions
What has Rahim done w/o
BP, a 2nd round pick and ATV who is doing well in the NFL? 1 interception off of a deflected pass.
by Bruins#1 on Nov 19, 2010 12:04 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Darryl Jackson-Mayfair HS.
Oregon area papers reporting that the OT has given verbal to Ore. St.
This actually reminds me of an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"...
Yep, I’m serious.
One year, the title heroine was raised from the dead. (Stay with me, people….)
After being sucked back from a well-earned trip to heaven, she felt disoriented, distant, and horribly disappointed in the real world around her.
So, when a musically-inspired demon came to town (trust me, folks, there’s a payoff here), the Slayer was compelled to sing this song, entitled (ironically enough) "Going Through the Motions":
"Every single night the same arrangement
I go out and fight the fight.
Still I always feel the strange estrangement
Nothing here is real, nothing here is right.
I’ve been making shows of trading blows
Just hoping no one knows
That I’ve been going through the motions
Walking through the part.
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart
I was always brave and kind of rightous,
Now I find I’m wavering.
Crawl out of your grave you’ll find this fight, just
Doesn’t mean a thing.
(Bad Guys: She ain’t got that swing)
Thanks for noticing….
She does pretty well with beings from hell
But lately we can tell she’s been going through the motions.
Faking it somehow.
She’s not even half the girl she….ow
Will I stay this way forever?
Sleep walk through my life’s endeavor.
(Victim She Rescues: How can I repay…?)
Whatever
I don’t want to be…
Going through the motions
Losing all my drive
I can’t even see, if this is really me
and I just want to be….
Alive…"
(HT to Joss Whedon)
If our guys are crying after losses like this, I don’t think they’re going through the motions. But at this point, even I have to question the coaching staff.
These kids sound desperate for answers… desperate for some luck… desperate for some tools to build with… desperate for weapons to go into a fight with…
… desperate for LEADERSHIP.
Owa looks like he fervently wants to fill the role, but even he may realize he can’t do that… not yet.
WHO WILL?
WHO WILL?
"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008
by Meriones on Nov 19, 2010 11:22 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
I'm recommending this
I’m not sure if it’s because SMG was hot, or that the show title always made me think of Seasons In The Abyss, or that M is old-school enough that he went to such trouble to type out all those lyrics from a time before Glee made such stuff trendy, or that I just want to laugh at something – anything – today, and walktoschool’s idiocy only sufficed for a half a minute.
greg in denver - UCLA guy for life
by gbruin on Nov 19, 2010 12:41 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
LOL. Actually, the lyrics were cut and pasted...
… but point taken.
M
"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008
To see our players cry
Especially Owa, a true FRESHMAN, well, let’s just say it really breaks my heart =( Really it does. These are just kids man. Many of them are just 18, 19, and 20 years old. Just reading that is really heartbreaking. I’m really praying that a miracle will happen to our football program.
Also, Glen Goth responded to my email!
“Recommendations noted – thanks for the opinion and input. Glenn Toth”
Not much of a response, but at least he read my email. Does he normally respond? I know DG never responds to my mails.
The Worst
Somehow it was easier to comment last night when I could at least ride on the energy of my frustration. Now it has really sunk in. These players really need some signs of hope and I’m not seeing it. Somehow, we always expected that when our backs were against the wall, we would show our potential. Sorry. I’m just not feeling it.
I have been reflecting on where this program has gone and remembering our past frustrations with Karl Dorrell, I began questioning whether it was really this bad back then.
Simply, it wasn’t. Yes, I remember all of the criticisms, the lack of focus, poor play calling, etc. In the end, however, (I think it was Bill Parcells who said) you are who your record says you are. And with that standard, we have moved backwards. I do get it that we have suffered terrible injuries and we are a young team, but we are who our record says we are.
I couldn’t believe I was thinking this, so I looked up KD on Wikipedia. Granted, the article does not address the ongoing problems with those teams, but reading the basic history of each season is a depressing exercise when compared to now. It was better than today.
I feel like I should be apologizing for saying that, but the evidence seems to back it up. And we are always talking about the talent upgrade under CRN. Really? I can remember some pretty good talent on those teams and the drop off at QB has never been this bad. Ever.
I am truly not criticizing the players themselves. I think we have some talent that can be developed, but where is the development? This is just sad. I will continue to watch and support the team, but this has got to be the worst ever. Truly, when you get hammered by a Stanford, you can at least say, “Look how good they are”. There is no refuge in this one. Can’t even begin to think about next year.
For all those who wanted Bell...
I don’t think I’ve seen it mentioned in this thread, but I think there’s at least a good chance Brehaut will not be available for ASU. If he can’t remember plays after the cheap shot he took, perhaps he shouldn’t be available for ASU, and maybe beyond to $c. I guess we’ll see what Bell can do with a week of reps – or maybe Tunney.
Roses are red, violets are blue...f*** $C.
QBs
Some have mentioned that DB was our third string and Tunney our 4th string. No mention of Nick Crissman – who I believe is…..injured.
Can someone please clarify whether we are down to our 3rd and 4th or 4th and 5th string in Bell and Tunney?
This is really, really important…..
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