Spaulding Roundup: Redemption, "I said that? When?" and Other UCLA Notes

Bumped. - BN

We're almost there guys. We're under 3 days away from the day of redemption from last year's debacle, that ended with the ringing chorus of "We are SC" as time expired. Sheldon Price is disgusted, still:

They threw that last pass and I remember them dancing on the field. It left a bad taste in my mouth."

It lingered. Whenever Price was channel surfing at home and came across a replay of that game, he would quickly move on.

"I don't need to watch it," he said. "I lived it every waking moment."

As for what will be different this season, Price said, "When they start to come at you, you got to make plays. I have to be physical and send a message.

The players should be disgusted, both physically (in the sense that they got torched on that play) and mentally (in the sense that their rivals are a bunch of classless jerks by acting as if they won the national championship after running up the score). This season is over, there is nothing left to do but win. They should be looking to send a message early and often. More after the jump.

As for the physical game though, things got a whole lot tougher when Lane lied to the press:

Early Tuesday, Kiffin told Times columnist T.J. Simers that despite Barkley's slight limp, he would play against the Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

"He will play," Kiffin said. "Notice I didn't say, like I normally do, 'I hope he'll play.'"

Shortly after, when asked about Barkley playing on Saturday, he said:

"Hopefully," Kiffin said.

When reminded that he earlier had said Barkley definitely would play, Kiffin's tone turned mischievous.

"I said he is? I said that? When?" Kiffin asked, adding, "I said I hope he's going to play. Or maybe I said I think he's going to play. So, I hope he's going to play and I think he's going to play. But I don't know for sure [that] he'll play."

LOL! I'll leave it at that.

As expected, Coach Palcic will give his 4 year senior, Micah Kia, the nod on Saturday.

Micah Kia will start at left tackle for UCLA in his last game as a Bruin.

"This is a tremendous opportunity and I don't intend to squander it," Kia said.

Kia got his first taste of USC when he played in '06:

It was the game that really made me buy in as a Bruin," Kia said. "I remember running onto the field, and having a full house and the place is roaring. Coach [Karl] Dorrell came up to me and said, 'This is what you came to college for, for these games.' It would be awesome to go out with another victory."

We've gone over how much this game means to our team, and how much it means to Rick Neuheisel's future at UCLA, and there is definitely pressure on UCLA to win this game for their coaches sake. But more importantly, the game means a lot to the Seniors (who are some of the only people left who lived through the Dorrell days) and it would mean a lot to their legacy to "go out with another victory."

Perhaps just as important, though, is how the Freshman will handle this game emotionally. On that note, CRN offered an update on Marsh's concussion:

Defensive tackle Cassius Marsh sat out practice with a concussion. Neuheisel said Marsh passed a concussion exertion test Tuesday and "he'll be back out here tomorrow."

Here's to a speedy recovery, he will be missed if he can't suit up on Saturday.

GO BRUINS, beat SC