LAT's Lead College Football Writer Takes A Pathetic & Ignorant Cheap Shot At UCLA
by Nestor on Jun 29, 2010 1:20 PM PDT
in Football
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PrintIf there is any doubt left about the utter ignorance, stupidity, and the Trogan slant of the Los Angeles Times' pathetic sports section, this should erase it. Chris Dufresne, the hack who took a despicable and tasteless shot against Coach Wooden within 72 hours of his passing, just posted perhaps something dumber than what usually comes out Bill Plaschke's mouth:
So Chris Dufresne the lead college football "reporter" for the LA Times is arguing that Trogans don't break laws. Really? I mean really:
- On July 19, 2003, USC Sophomore OT Winston Justice pleaded no contest to solicitation of a prostitute in Long Beach on June 24. Winston was put on 3 years probation and fined $300 for the offense.
- In early April 2005, USC tight end Dominique Bird fractured his jaw during an alleged altercation with receiver Steve Smith. Bird, Smith and Carroll reportedly refused to comment on the incident, and no disciplinary action was taken.
- In August 2005, USC defensive end Frostee Rucker allegedly got into a fight with his girlfriend at a party he was hosting in Los Angeles. In June 2006, Rucker was charged with two misdemeanor counts of spousal battery and two counts of vandalism and was scheduled to be arraigned on August 11, 2006. Despite the incident, Rucker did not face any discipline from USC, and didn't miss a game. In May 2007, Rucker pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and vandalism charges stemming from the 2005 incident. As part of a plea agreement, the prosecutors dropped a charge of spousal battery and Rucker was sentenced to three years of probation. Prior to transferring to USC, in April of 2002, Rucker was charged in Colorado with sexual assault and indecent exposure. Rucker reportedly eventually accepted a one-year deferred sentence on a misdemeanor harassment charge.
- On November 2, 2005, USC linebacker Rey Maualuga was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor battery after punching a man at an off-campus Halloween party (twice, without provocation). A witness at the scene reportedly quoted Maualuga as stating "I own the police." Carroll took no disciplinary action, and Maualuga played the following weekend against Stanford. One USC pundit observed at the time that "discipline is Coach Carroll's number one weakness." On November 22, 2005, the city attorney's office declined to file charges. Maualuga was defended at the court hearing by controversial and well-connected USC alumni attorney Carmen "Nooch" Trutanich, who has a long history with USC and previously represented both Wright and Dennis.
- On August 28, 2007, a contributor to Bruinsnation.com unearthed a report from April 1996 that USC running backs coach Todd McNair was arrested and charged with 81 offenses involving the mistreatment of 22 pit bulls being trained on his property for dogfights while a running back for the Houston Oilers. In light of recent press relating to NFL quarterback Michael Vick, the report unleashed a firestorm, with numerous acts of alleged animal cruelty being uncovered in McNair's past, including multiple misdemeanors convictions (via plea bargain) regarding animal cruelty and failure to license, and "all indications" that McNair was involved in dog flighting. McNair, who was previously implicated in Reggie Bush scandal, having allegedly known about Bush's involvement with the New Era venture before USC national championship game against Texas, faced no discipline from USC.
There is of course so much more.
The question now becomes whether UCLA AD should continue to credential this kind of moron and hack to their weekly press conferences and school events. Given his recent actions, seems pretty clear that this clown should not be allowed anywhere near our official events. Does anyone disagree?
GO BRUINS.
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Any idea if there is a best way to contact the times about chris' clear bias.
It’s not even subtle this time. (By that I mean any moron should be able to see it, even the times.)
Go Bruins!
Don't email these bastards
They are going to be out of their jobs anyway. The best way to get back at them is to spread our post around via twitter, facebook and adding your commentary around it.
I'm still waiting for Rick Reilly
to give Chris a fist right in the jaw
RESCUING DANCE MUSIC FROM THE BLAHS
I'd be happy to help if Rick Reilly is not available.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
His Threat --- Just a Frat Party Bitch Slap
If Reilly was serious he’d have one of his many interns scour the Intnet for articles claiming that Wooden knowing allowed Gilbert to ‘gift’ his players, then out them and challenge them to some silly ‘fight’ that ESPN can videotape and make into one of their patented WTF self-agrandizing commercials.
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 29, 2010 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Freaking tool
The ignorance level he assumes of his readers that is necessary for this s#!t to fly is beyond insulting. $uc gets hammered for lack of institutional control while UCLA swiftly and appropriately deals with its players’ transgressions and he’s insinuating $uc behaved more appropriately?
That’s like saying Enron and Arthur Andersen were clean because an employee at PWC stole a coworker’s wallet.
I responded right away
with the same list you brought up, probably the stupidest and most naive comment I’ve ever heard a reporter make
u$c players and coaches
have broken the law far more than any other school I can possibly think of. We have an extremely small incident involving incoming recruits who aren’t even really on the team yet (did they even attend ONE practice?) and they are immediately removed not only from the program, but the SCHOOL! Wasn’t Josh Shirley a u$c target as well?
Douchefresne is a complete tool. He can’t even figure out how to make a cheap shot without revealing his incompetence.
Sheesh
Sanchez’s rape charge, Byrd getting into fights all over the place, Suge Knight and OJ on the sidelines, Fili Moala’s resisting and obstructing an officer, and Maurice Simmon’s robbery at gunpoint (though he did lose his scholarship) and he wants to give UCLA a hard time because incoming recruits stole a backpack with a laptop in it and were promptly kicked off the team and out of school.
Wow…just…wow.
Now lets not forget
Florida. I think they lead the arrest count.
RESCUING DANCE MUSIC FROM THE BLAHS
Actually I'd suggest U of Miami
Couldn’t tell if the "documentary’ on the ‘great’ UofM teams was on ESPN or the one that gives us “Bad Boys” or "Cops’ or whatever the name of the freakin’ show is.
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 29, 2010 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions
I meant in current times
but if we wanna go back then Convict U takes the cake.
RESCUING DANCE MUSIC FROM THE BLAHS
And their Alum...
…are so proud of their “boyz”
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 30, 2010 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I did email Dufresne
I have had several exchanges with LA Times reporters on different topics, from Sports to Politics to Food Recipes.
However, I stopped reading the Times about 2 years ago…their anti-UCLA bias being a chief reason.
I did not insult Dufresne in my email, I simply asked him to defend his tweet or apologize. I asked permission to post any response here in the comments section or on another blog I write for.
Granted, I don’t want to “feed the ignoramus” per Nestor’s request, but Dufresne went way too far with that tweet. Let’s see what happens…
Interesting that we can lambast Opinion Writers...
…in the LA Times, but not the sports ‘commentators."
The Boston Gliobe allows for threads after commentators’ articles, which allows the public to expose the ‘facts’ and baseless opinions of the writer.
The Times has become a second rate paper of prima dona pussies.
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 29, 2010 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Does Anyone Actually
care what this fool “tweets?”
Seriously, this piece of crap can’t write—or reason—his way out of a wet paper bag, and it’s hard to believe there is really anyone left listening to his drivel.
Let’s get him banned from our events just because he is just too stupid to be out in public.
Love My Bruins
I don't care what he tweets
However, I do care if the garbage he tweets has some kind of influence on the perception set around UCLA football. You can chose to be ignorant or you can do something about it. If you want to do something about then instead of sending him an email or sending his boss an email, get the word out on what a douchebag he is by tweeting and facebooking through your own account. This has always been a proactive blog and we will continue to be that way whenever we see an opportunity to get our message across. This is one of those moments.
Not Sure I Think
I’m being “ignorant.”
I understand your position, and I had already retweeted this post. I just happen to think there are more and more folks out there that are completely cognizant of what a total hack this guy is every time he produces something so inane.
Love My Bruins
Sure, those in the know understand,
but how many people are we talking about, really? He has a job, so obviously he still has some readers, and perception is reality. If we allow him to spread trash like this and smear our school’s name like this, then there are issues. Its fine if you choose not to pay attention to him, but do understand that there are many out there who do pay attention. And this attention being paid can affect our recruiting in the future and the perception of our University as a whole.
formerly Westwood78
by PhoenixBruin on Jun 29, 2010 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions
bad word choice on my part
Sorry about that. What I am trying to say is that this is one of those instances when we can’t ignore a stupid and ignorant observation like this. Chris D is the lead cfb writer for the LAT. So his tweets are followed by other influentials. So when we push back so hard via our blog, twitter and facebook accounts we have an opportunity to dent his influence and also expose him as a lying toolbag.
by Nestor on Jun 29, 2010 2:32 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Even the cleanest programs have problems,
The key is the way you handle it:
Carroll took no disciplinary action, and Maualuga played the following weekend against Stanford. One USC pundit observed at the time that “discipline is Coach Carroll’s number one weakness.”
CRN responded promptly and appropriately to a problem.
Defurense is an ignorant clown at best and a pro-USC hack at worst if he does not realize this.
Now that I think about it
is anyone surprised he’s admitting $uc broke rules?
Have to wonder how much UCLA Sports Info
Communicates with these “sports writers” on stuff like this.
No credential
That’s the way to go. If a writer for the American Nazi News wrote racist, anti-Semitic and anti-whatever else columns, the school would revoke his credential in a heartbeat. What’s the difference here?
He can write whatever he wants, of course, and the only people who can stop him are his employers. But if UCLA’s athletic administration gives him a credential, and give him access to the locker rooms and to the athletes and to the press-box feeding trough, we are just enabling him. Let hiim write what he wants, but let him buy a ticket like anyone else. I’ve never been in the locker room. Why should he be allowed in?
Agreed -- if he's writing vile fiction...
…while having access, just shut him off and the lies couldn’t be any more outrageous.
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 29, 2010 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Douchefresne
I can’t even dignify this BS with a long response. This tweet is ignorant and ridiculous. Wake up you ass clown!
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
I did in fact receive a response from Dufresne
And it’s not surprising.
For some context, here is my original email:
Chris,
I was surprised and disappointed at your Twitter post which seems to take a shot at UCLA athletics while defending the “integrity” of USC athletics.
The UCLA football program dismissed the Richardson cousins and Josh Shirley within 72 hours of their alleged theft. Note…they have not been convicted of any crime, yet UCLA football and Coach Neuheisel do not wish to taint the program with any impropriety, choosing to hold their players to a higher standard of being above reproach.
USC? Your archives at the Times should easily provide you with enough police blotter information on Rey Maualuga and Frostee Rucker and how the Trojan football program handled their situations.
Do you honestly believe the USC football program is “cleaner” than UCLA’s? I’d be interested in your response, and in fact would like your permission to share your thoughts on a UCLA Bruin fansite. I’d also be interested in an “apology tweet” for that crack if you feel one is warranted.
“Nigel” (I used my real name, not my screen name)
UCLA ’91
Here were his responses (he responded twice):
no, no, no…you bruins are so sensitive…
…i was merely pointing out a fact that gets lost in ncaa sanctions and vilification of schools….that rules are different than laws…..
USC broke rules, not laws… (now, the IRS vs. Reggie Bush is a separate matter, not pertaining to what the NCAA did to USC)..
is felony theft worse than a guy’s parents taking money from an agent? money the player is going to get in six months 10-fold?
not to say USC doesn’t deseve what it got…but let’s make distinctions between criminals from rule breakers. there is a difference no matter what the school or the player.
chew on that one awhile….im taking no official posiiton…
And:
UCLA obviously knows the difference between rules and laws because it hired Rick Neuheisel, involved in more than 50 ncaa violations while at colorado.
had rick been convicted or accused of a felony you think he’d have been hired?
rules are different than laws, back to my main point…
rick deserved a chance to coach at UCLA even though he had run afoul of ncaa, right?
I’m going to go “chew on this” for a while. He didn’t bother to address Maualuga or Rucker.
Because I disclosed that I would be sharing his response here, I don’t have any trouble reposting it. Nestor , if you think that is inappropriate, feel free to kill this comment….I’d understand (I guess).
we will leave it up here
It makes him sound even dumber and less informed bc he doesn’t touch all the criminal activities that has taken place at Southern Cal.
by Nestor on Jun 29, 2010 3:11 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
btw
The jackhole brings up the question whether ucla would have hired crn if he had a criminal record, yet nothing about the Trogans hiring a dogfighter w crim record who has now also proven to be a cheater and liard by the ncaa.
by Nestor on Jun 29, 2010 3:14 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Right
I mean HELLO?! Of course we all know the difference between crimes and rule breaking. The fact is, that trOJan football has been involed in BOTH of these wrongdoings for ages. If actual CRIMES were punishable by the NCAA, u$c would have been given the death penalty a long time ago!
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
It's good we established
that the trogans were breaking rules rather than cheating. According to them there’s a big difference.
RESCUING DANCE MUSIC FROM THE BLAHS
Dufresne is sticking to his message, no matter what you ask.
He essentially disregards your question with a canned response. The problem is, his canned point does not make the least bit of sense.
Yes, USC was sanctioned for NCAA violations. This is true. Yes, three UCLA student athletes allegedly broke laws. This is also true. However, there is absolutely no logical connection between the two events. None. In fact, Nigel tried to bring up an event that logically related to UCLA’s three athlete’s being charged, ie USC’s list of Student Felon Athletes, but Dufresne wanted no part of the discussion. He might as well tweet about a traffic jam and compare it to SUC’s “unfair” penalty.
Dufresne’s mission is clear: paint a sympathetic portrait of SUC and sell it to his audience. We are clearly not his audience, which Dufresne highlighted by referring to Nigel as “you bruins”. His position does not need to be official for it to be obvious. I suggest those who still subscribe to the Times to drop the subscription and let the editor know why- the wrap is biased.
I think Nestor did a good job outlining a sample of SUC’s athlete’s illegal behavior as well as SUC’s response. CRN responded properly and should be respected for doing so.
by AllHailMightyBruins on Jun 29, 2010 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Exactly this.
I tried to put this exact thought process into words but became too frustrated by the stupidity of dufresne’s comments. Well said.
AHMB
If you can you should thread Duff’s incoherent emails (which we can use here) and your comment together in a separate fanpost. Shred him into pieces in whole another post.
by Nestor on Jun 29, 2010 3:39 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I'll try.
I’m pretty bad with the controls, but I’ll give it a go.
by AllHailMightyBruins on Jun 29, 2010 3:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Please delineate the 50 violations DBfresne...
…e-mailing the day before it was legal to do so?
Ate the soup that a recrute’s grandmother had prepared for the visit?
I have for years heard these accusations, which is expected by the public, but then are parroted by an alleged reporter, but are never actually shown.
I’m sorry to be so Old School Journalism, but we were taught never to take another news item as fact, assume it is a pile of lies and do your own research. Today,. every deadbeat beatoff ‘reporter’ quotes some other “misremembered” fact of another primadona and accepts it as fact.
I don’t think CRN is a sqeaky clean saint, but his ‘violations’ are in a whole other universe compared to 21st centuiry violations.
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 29, 2010 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Is there a list of them
anywhere. I’ve heard most of them are pretty outlandish.
RESCUING DANCE MUSIC FROM THE BLAHS
It's urban legend...
As have I, and tell you the truth, I’d love to see them so I can make my own evaluation.
Also, it seems to have continued to escalate since this name was floated for HC. “Neuheisel has 35; no, 40; no 50 NCAA violations…” While the one hurling the allegation cites no source, or even a recap of the “10 Worst RN Violations”
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 30, 2010 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Dufresne could not help it
His orders from tarnished heritage hall" told him what to say like they always do. UCLA did the right thing in keeping with the memory of Coach and his values fresh in our minds. Put him and Skilee Smith in the same boat and sink it but that would be pollution. No credentials, no access, and hang their pictures up all over campus. If you see these people arrest them for trespassing as they can only claim fiction mongers
Didn’t Leinart get suspended for soliciting a prostitute?
Don't look those hoodie-clad Huskies in the eyes. They'll give you lupus.
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Jun 29, 2010 3:29 PM PDT reply actions
Not sure...But Kiffy solicited a golddigger...
by AllHailMightyBruins on Jun 29, 2010 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Nope, that was Justice (Again)
I was going to note anyways that N actually missed Winston Justice’s second conviction for soliciting prostitution (yes, he got busted twice!). The fact that the second offense occurred while he was on probation for the first just makes it all the better.
Petey did suspend him for a year after the second conviction, but the house arrest sentence and ankle bracelet might have contributed to petey’s sudden disciplinary bend.
formerly bruinhoo
Correction - second crime was not prostitution-related
The year after his guilty plea to soliciting a prostitute, he pulled a fake gun on another usc student. the initial charge of assault with a deadly weapon was bargained down to mulltiple misdemeanor counts, to which he pled no contest. That led to his suspension.
Just came across this facebook group dedicated to ’$c, which might be worth a look.
formerly bruinhoo
It has been said a few times now
But his name is now douchefresne or some derivation.
Continue…
I think it's time for Bruins everywhere to say "NO" to the fishwrap.
I am as hypocritical as the next guy, but no on this point. I cancelled my subscription to the ‘wrap before most of you folks were born. Jim Murray was still writing, but that didn’t offset the rest of the ’wrap. I have never put one nickel into the slot to buy that piece of crap.
I call on all Bruins to do the same. Cancel your subscriptions. Don’t go to the ’wrap’s website. Don’t engage in any activities that would cause any meters anywhere to click over. If you learn who is advertising in the ’wrap, contact them and tell them that you will not purchase any of their products as long as they advertise in the ’wrap. There are other newspapers in Los Angeles. Build them up. That will help put the ’wrap in the ground where it belongs.
I also call on the Athletic Department to stop issuing credentials to these guys until they demonstrate that they can write an unbiased article. This douchefresne article, for example, purports to state facts, but then the editorial slant of somehow arguing that UCLA is as bad as just$c* is not factual and makes no logical sense. Our Athletic Department is not doing its job if it keeps letting these guys run amok using our credential to do so.
I concede that we need one person with a strong stomach to act as a bull%&*# detector, and call out the ’wrap writers when necessary. Nestor is a logical choice because he already does it and does a great job doing it.
Treat the fishwrap as it should be treated. Frankly, there aren’t enough trogans who can read who can offset the action that Bruins take on this issue.
here here!!!
LMAO at the trojams who can read comment…
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that count's"
John Wooden.....
Took Fox 71's advice
I’m not quite there on turning off the sound, however after 30 years(starting in Dykstra, with 3 years off for the Seattle Times) I did cancel the fishwrap.
Geezer in training.
As Reputable Bruins, I'm ashamed of you...
How can you suggest that fish should be denigrated in such a way? You’d condemn them in their last moments of herking and jerking to be “embalmed” in such an inferior product!
I realize we’re not all PETA people, but think about the cruelty to animals (if fish are of that taxonomic system) you are suggesting???
by C.T. in Boston on Jun 30, 2010 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't even get how you compare an institution with individuals.
Individuals at ucla broke the law. The institution acted.
The institution at that other place broke the rules. And when individuals broke the laws…?
Go Bruins!
He was my favorite reporter until his recent article on Sam Gilbert hours after Coach passed, and now this garbage
I miss Jim Murray
I miss
the examiner damn i’m old…
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that count's"
John Wooden.....
Im 39 and I miss the Examiner too
or even the Times back when it was a newspaper
by silverlakebruin on Jun 29, 2010 5:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Now, kids....
It’s okay to cheat/break rules (and get in trouble with the law as long as your team doesn’t discipline you), but not okay to get kicked off the team because you broke the law….
Great message to send out to kids.
My dad always talks about how sports has gone away from the Wooden philosophy of doing your best and playing the right way to the mentality that you have to win, whatever the cost. This is another perfect example of what some people think nowadays.
"The true athlete should have character, not be a character."- John Wooden
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