Top 5 Plays in Bruins History
by 75NatChamps on May 13, 2010 1:06 PM PDT
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My Top 5 Plays in Bruins History are:
1. Tyus Edney's dash that dashed Missouri.
2. Jordan Farmar's steal vs. Gonzaga and Luc's finish. [This is not the best video, but it comes from the Band section, and adds celebration by the Bruin faithful.]
3. Barnes to Stokes to beat USC. (Barnes or Dow as the greatest replacement QB in Bruins history, you make the call.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JhlDp2MZJ8
4. Freeman McNeil's tipped pass to beat USC.
I could not find a video of this one. However, I do have Freeman's description of the play from a Sports Illustrated article.
McNeil had been projected as a high draft pick all along, possibly even a first-rounder, but the pro scouts wanted to know if he could catch the ball. The question was answered in the USC game, the next to last of the season. Third and long, UCLA trailing 17-13 with a little over two minutes to play, ball on the UCLA 42. Jay Schroeder, the quarterback, was flushed out of the pocket and he threw to McNeil, running down the left sideline, but he didn't get much on the ball, and Jeff Fisher, the USC cornerback, stepped up to go for the interception.
"People have written that the ball bounced off Fisher's pads," McNeil says. "Anyway, that's what he told everybody. But I'd like to get the record straight. He had intercepted the pass, and I tipped it out of his hands. Dennis Smith, their free safety, dove for the ball; Ronnie Lott, the roverback, was coming from the other side. He'd come clear across the field. I tipped the ball from my left hand to my right and kept going."
Fifty-eight yards for the winning touchdown. It was one of those plays that will live forever in scouting lore, a little triangle of extreme talent battling for a football, three first-round draft choices—Smith (Broncos), Lott (49ers) and McNeil (Jets)—in one frozen tableau. McNeil won, and in their little notebooks the scouts wrote, "Has hands. Feet. Ball adjustment. Concentration."
"That play," says the Patriots' director of player development, Dick Steinberg, "was probably worth $300,000 to McNeil." Instead of a first-round draft he was now a high first-rounder, very high. The Jets chose him No. 3, after New Orleans had taken Rogers and the Giants Lawrence Taylor. Most scouts had McNeil rated higher than Rogers on speed and pass-catching.
5. Wendell Tyler's touchdown run to beat Ohio State in 1976 Rose Bowl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x8YZNKFf0M
1976 Rose Bowl (via
What are yours?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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The Shipp Shot comes to mind
I don’t think I’ve ever heard Pauley as loud as when the behind the backboard shot went in.
It was there. I was also there for Westbrook's dunk at Cal.
Both were regular season games and not against USC. Both make my top ten.
Also a top ten moment.
Pat Cowen was the big hero of that game, IMHO. The interception locked up the miracle. I was given my tickets by a USC alum, and sat in the Troggie section. How sweet it was!
Awesome!
I’d add the 1967 game against Tennessee, the first game of the season and my first as a UCLA student (juco transfer). On 4th down and long, behind 16-13 late in the 4th quarter, Gary Beban ran the ball 30 or so yards for the winning score, 20-16. Bedlam. I was hooked forever.
by TriedandTrueBruin on May 13, 2010 1:51 PM PDT reply actions
Beban was before my time, but I tried to get a game changing video
for him, because after all he is our lone Heisman winner. He was a real scholar athlete as well.
Small world
In the summer of 1967, I ran into Gary Beban in a campground in Paris. In those days, future Heisman trophy winners did the same thing we did, hang with your buddies and camp out in Europe in the summer.
by Arturo del Mundo on May 14, 2010 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions
If you listen to the Wendell Tyler video
Curt Gowdy says, Tyler replaces Ayers. That was Eddie Ayers, who a believe is Akeem’s dad.
Two that epitomized our football dominance circa '97-98
On the first drive of the first game of the seaon (against Texas) Cade got us past the 50 in no time. Then on the first play after they crossed mid-field (as was scripted prior o the game) Cade handed off to Freddie Mitchel who hit Brian Poli-Dixon on a perfect 30+ yard touchdown pass. I believe we scored touchdowns on five of our first six possessions that game and went into halftime up 32. Could have been another 66-3 but Texas didn’t commit as many turnovers as the year before and we let up in the second half. Midway through our 20-game win streak we could do no wrong.
Eighteen games into that streak we had our backs against the wall up in Corvalis. The Beavers tied the game up with about 30 seconds left on the clock and threatened to take us to OT. Of course, 30 seconds was way too much time to give Cade. He only needed ten seconds to hit Brad Melsby for a 69 yard game-winning TD. Afterward Mike Riley said, “I bet this was a fun game to watch”. He was right.
If you're talking "signifcant" plays
Id go with:
1. Tyus 4.8 – Nothing more need be said
2. Bob Stiles & Co. rising up at the goal line, stopping Bob Apisa of MSU from tying the score in the 1966 Rose Bowl – our first Rose Bowl win after decades of futility -started a string of 5 staright wins in the Rose Bowl game
3. Richard Washington hits baseline jumper at the buzzer to beat Louisville in the semis in 1975 – otherwise Coach Wooden doesn’t end his career with a NC
4. The McPick – Eric McNeal seals the deal against suc
5. Freeman McNeil catchiung the tip in the Probation Bowl and taking it to the house (the only one of these I personally witnessed) – ended a bad streak against suc, and ushered in a prosperous couple of decades against the trogans.
Non-FB and BB:
Andy Burke’s goal in the 8th overtime against American to give UCLA its forst soccer championship
Willie Banks’ winning triple jump on his last try to beat the trogans in track in 1975.
Courtney Mathewson’s goal with one second to play to beat trogans in women’s water polo in 2006.
Toria Auelua’s eight-hopper thru the infield for the run that gave Big Game Kiera Goerl the 1-0 win, and no-hitter against Cal to win softball in 2004.
I’d add one momumental play significant for all the wrong reasons – The horrifically blown call on the Melsby “fumble” against Miami – when both his knees were down, then he caught a late hit from behind, and then the ball popped out 2 seconds after the tackle – if instant replay were in effect, we would have had a decent shot at outscoring Tennessee for the BCS championship and changing the tenor of UCLA football for at least the next decade.
The Win in 1976 Was Gigantic
Ucla had suffered an early season loss to Ohio State 42-20. Ohio State was undefeated and came into the game ranked number one in the nation. It was Woody Hayes last appearance at the Rose Bowl and it ended with a loss. It launched Dick Vermeil into the pro ranks, leading to his Super Bowl Victory with the Eagles. Bishop Amat’s John Sciarra was UCLA’s quarterback, and the game MVP, who three two touchdown passes to wideout Wally Henry. That season Vermeil also retired John McKay, beating the Troggies 25-22.
Yeah, I think blogged about it before
Just wish Vermeil stayed in Westwood few more years. I don’t think Vermeil won’t the Super Bowl with Eagles. He did it with the Rams.
Darn you Nestor, always being right.
“The …victory over Landry’s Cowboys was the 1980 NFC Championship game that featured a great performance from RB Wilbert Montgomery and the Eagles defense, led by Bill Bergey, John Bunting, and Frank LeMaster. It put the Eagles into the first Super Bowl in franchise history. Even though the Eagles eventually lost the Super Bowl that season, (to Oakland, 27–10), Vermeil had taken the Eagles franchise to heights few had ever dreamed possible when he was first hired in 1976.”
I remember Vermeil crying in the Philly uniform, which must have happened after they beat the Cowboys. I was certain Philadelphia had won the Superbowl, and I was wrong.
by 75NatChamps on May 17, 2010 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
1976 ROSE BOWL...i was there!
I had season tickets that year and was in the ROSE BOWL with my friend and we sat in the SOUTH end-zone where TYLER ran to in scoring that touchdown shown on the video…BRINGS BACK WONDERFUL MEMORIES…beating #1 OHIO STATE…
by bruincheerleader on May 16, 2010 11:52 AM PDT reply actions
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