Re. Kai Maiava: Closing Ranks & Rallying Our Bruins
by Nestor on Aug 23, 2010 6:10 AM PDT
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Predictably the beat writers in Los Angeles covering UCLA have been going a little crazy (some almost sound a little giddy) over the injury of Kai Maiava during Saturday's scrimmage. Most of these guys quit on the Bruins a long time ago not giving us much of a chance despite showing clear signs of improvement during the closing weeks of this past season. If you have been closely following their "coverage" of UCLA in recent years, you'd know by now they are just pouncing on any opportunity to weave the storyline of a "doomsday" scenario around Coach Rick Neuheisel's program.
So it's not a surprise to see these guys hyperventilate over Kai's injury in their effort to push the narrative that the season is over even before it begins for Rick Neuheisel's Bruins. Fortunately for us we do have a head coach who has been through his share of adversity and one of the most experienced offensive coaches in the entire game, who has seen it all.
The loss of Kai is no doubt disheartening. Put it simply, it sucks for everyone who loves the blue and gold and follow this program on a day by basis (sometimes on an hourly basis) as we do. I got the news from reading the comment threads while on vacation. My heart sank immediately for Kai who has had his share of adversities in recent months, looking to bounce back from academic issues and other nagging injuries this season. Yet from what I have learned about this guy by reading about him over the years, I have a feeling he is not going to let his team-mates get down. I am sure he is going to do his part to close ranks and rally his guys, so that they are ready to come out and give their best shot on September 4.
With loss of Kai, it appears that we will essentially go into KSU with our second team OL from last season without Jeff Baca (who is out with stress reaction to his foot and academic issues), XSF (mission), and Mike Harris (one game suspension). Eddie Williams should come back from his concussion this week. When Eddie returns, Ryan Taylor will step up at C, Darius Savage will move over to LG and our rotation will look like this:
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Sean Sheller (6-5, 300, Sr.**) | Darius Savage (6-4,330, Sr) | Ryan Taylor (6-3, 298, Sr.**) (2 at RG) | Eddie Williams (6-1, 329, Sr.) (6) | Micah Kia (6-5, 321, Sr.) |
| Brett Downey (6-7, 302, So.**) | Chris Ward (6-4, 318, Fr.) | Greg Capella (6-4, 320, Fr.**) | Wade Yandall (6-4, 329, Fr.) | Kody Innes (6-4, 279, Fr.) |
| Jeff Baca (6-4, 305, Jr.)(13) | Kai Maiava (6-1, 298, Jr.**) (12) | Casey Griffiths (6-4, 280, Jr) | Mike Harris (6-5, 319, Jr.**) (13) |
() game started
** indicates redshirt season
Italic indicates player who are currently suspended, questionable for season opener or out for the season.
Note I have Casey Griffith at RG. It is possible that Coach Palcic might try him out at center position as well. Coach Ryan Taylor didn't practice at center during camp last few weeks but he did step up and did well when called upon to replaced injured starter last year. Williams is expected back this week.
Of course this situation is not ideal, yet I am sure coaches like Bob Palcic and Norm Chow, under CRN's leadership are not going to wallow over it. They are going to do everything they can to get these guys ready for Wildcats and rest of the season. One of the interesting storylines of this pre-season camp has been the development of Richard Brehaut, who has taken advantage of additional reps due to Prince's injury. While there is a good chance that Prince will ultimately start in the first game, I think our OL should take their cue from the effort we have seen from Brehaut last couple of weeks.
Brehaut clearly took advantage of his opportunity and stepped up in a big way, coming up with his best performance in a Bruin scrimmage. If the whole offense takes on that attitude, I think our guys will have a decent shot in rallying and building on the positive results from this past season, despite being surrounded by a toxically cynical media hovering around them every day.
GO BRUINS.
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on the positive side...
it is heartening to see a line of seniors at the front. Those guys have been with Palcic the longest, have lived through some embarrassing times and are pulling together for their last shot at redemption.
However, our youth in the 2-deep is scary, particularly up the middle. Not sure how Griffith would stack up at C compared with Capella, but that is a tough position for a frosh. I hope Taylor can be an ironman and hold it down while the other OL rotate in.
Any thoughts on how the (ongoing) OL attrition might affect CRN/CNC’s offensive strategy? It seems like a lack of OL depth would make it more difficult to sustain long methodical drives up the field, making it more attractive to take a more quick-strike approach down the field…. and also would make it more attractive to take long field goals if they are on offer, rather than gamble on making a risky play and then being able to convert the redzone opportunity into touchdowns. But that is just my speculation, curious if anyone else has some insight into this issue.
Griffith is not a "frosh"
He is a JUCO transfer. I am pretty sure there will be no shift in primary “zone blocking” schemes in revolver formation. You van read up on it. We have discussed it before on BN.
by Nestor on Aug 23, 2010 8:03 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
right
sorry for the confusion, I mean it would be good to have Griffith there instead of Capella who is a (RS) frosh.
by britishbruin on Aug 23, 2010 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah
After I wrote my comment I kind of realized that is what you were saying. Still there is a big difference between a RS frosh and a frosh (unless the frosh is a uber stud in the mold of XSF). For us is right now is just make it through Kansas State game healthy and get back Mike Harris in the mix.
yup
and a RS frosh with plenty of reps at center might work out better than some other options.
And +1000 on getting through KSU healthy.
by britishbruin on Aug 23, 2010 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Also
Capella is a red shirt freshman. There is a difference between RS and true frosh. We are not the only school in country having to use RS frosh in two deep. So I hope people don’t sound like bunch of babies about it. There is Chris Foster’s comment thread for that in LAT which I am sure will make him tickle.
by Nestor on Aug 23, 2010 8:06 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
interestingly
Leaving last season it was possible that the starting 5 up front would’ve included no seniors (XSF, Baca, Kai, Hasiak, Harris). Now it looks like we’ll be starting 5 seniors in the opener. Wow.
It's time for the OL to say
“F%CK YOU JOBU, I DO IT MYSELF!”
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
by tasser10 on Aug 23, 2010 10:16 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
I wish there was a like button for BN
Because this comment is awesome.
“Yo bartender, Jobu needs a refill!”
by Bellerophon on Aug 23, 2010 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions
Thanks B...
I would have gone with the marbles but that seems a bit whimpy for football :)
UP YOURS, JOBU!
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Per Jon Gold
Kai Maiava could return this season according to CRN, possibly by late October. Link
good to hear
I urge the rest of you to tell Jobu to go f$^k himself.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Here's a fact Jack!
(I realize your name is Chris, not Jack, but it has an emphatic ring to it.)
The press ringing of hands over Kai ‘s injury and breathing heavily while opining the season is on the edge before it gets started is sloppy journalism. Prognosticating about how long it will take to recover from an injury before all of the examination and treatment decisions have been made and then forming views about how Kai’s owi-e-e-e will affect the season is not solid reporting . (Kai, we know its more than boo-boo and we love you because you are True Blue and will be back to, within the rules and in an athletically fair manner, knock over opposing players; i.e. play some football!) Relying on coaches, school PR flaks and trainers is risky business. It takes time for an accurate diagnosis by skilled physicians to be made. And the time it takes for a 20-something highly conditioned athlete to recover is dramatically different from how long it would take most bloggers to get back to 4.4 speed. I have no problem with reporting what CRN says about an injury. But it is an entirely different matter then to speculate how the season will be affected before a complete diagnosis is made and treatment plan developed.
The simple truth is a journalist sometimes wants to insert drama and pathos into a story about of all things—a football scrimage. Other times, an alleged journalist has a preconceived narrative that she or he wants to see play out or even be upset by a later display of true grit by a team coming back from season ending injuries to its best players.
As Joe Friday would say—just the facts—those are the most compelling stories. And if a journalist wants pathos and drama and can’t find it in the truth about UCLA football—then go write novels. But please stay away from our games.
the facts
we won’t know until after they have happened… we will not know how long Kai really will be out until he returns; we will not know how it will affect our season until our season is over.
Any forward-thinking and speculation is by its nature uncertain; the line as to when one has enough facts to be allowed to consider possible future impacts of current events seems quite grey. In the 24-hour news cycle, there is the pressure to be first, but there is also the ability to update and correct as more information becomes available. The task of judging the reliability of the information and prognostication now falls to the intelligent reader.
Your overall sentiment seems right – that some people (including yours truly, but I don’t get paid for it…) make too much out of too little information – but I dispute how clear the boundary is, and whether we would really be better off with the most restrictively consistent line. To misparaphrase Fox: if what they are writing annoys you, don’t read it!
by britishbruin on Aug 23, 2010 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions
God Save The Queen And britishbruin
You are right—there is some legitimate forward looking analysis going on. But Nestor’s criticism is some of this is rather shallow breathless yellow journalism designed to fit into a preconceived storyline about how the Bruins are finished, ruined, kaput, washed up and dead on arrival. Some premature reporting by lazy reporters failed to take into account what turns out to be later assessments by skilled physicians as to when Kai will return. To opine someone will be out all season (rather than merely report that is what a coach or a press spokesdude is saying) just to fit into a story line gets a failing grade even using Senora Ross’s rigorous academic standards.
Last point about 24-hour news cycles—you are also right. I am empathetic to the pressure on a journalist created by the Net and 24-hours around the clock cable coverage. But that does not change a writer’s obligation to be right and to put news in its proper context. IMHO, and my opinions have much to be humble about, believe me, a reporter should avoid preconceived narratives, assumptions and the like and the 24-hours news cycle changes nothing in that regard.
What if a reporter wrote Saturday night that coaches or a trainer report that Kai could be lost for the season but that nothing is definite until he is examined and a treatment plan is developed. Today, that same reporter could write that the coaches’ fears appear not to have come to pass as Kai may be able to play in October and in key PAC-9 games down the stretch. What would that be—in my view it is the truth and I think a really swell story. When it comes to the truth, the 24-hours news cycle is no justification for printing speculative opining, even by sources, and not correctly reporting injury news.
I realize I am taking a hard line, but it is only line I know how to take.
Go Kai and go Bruins!
Gold's comment seems accurate (if somewhat sensationalist); Foster is less nuanced and consequently wrong
Kai’s season is in jeopardy; his return is in question. We hope to get him back, but if he doesn’t recover fully quickly it may not make sense for him or the team for him to play this season.
He is not, however, definitively “done for the season”.
Unsurprisingly Gold > Foster.
by britishbruin on Aug 23, 2010 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree with your sentiment
and I wasn’t trying to spread the faux-drama that some local reporters have been creating, but I would hope that Gold is reporting the fact that CRN did say these things.
I think Chris thinks being snippy is his way of being cool and fitting in!
Seriously, I think the dude needs some buddies. Any of you guys ready to step up?
Go Bruins!
what the heck?
I don’t think I was attacking anyone or being rude. As I stated above, I do agree with peggysue69’s comment, I just didn’t see how it applied to bringing attention to things actually said by CRN, I wasn’t proliferating some trash piece by foster aimed at concern trolling or anything like that.
No...not you.
Chris from the fishwrap who’s articles we are talking about. Foster’s first name. So sorry that you thought I meant you…god no.
Go Bruins!
LOL phew!
It seems so obvious now, kind of embarrassed that didn’t click when I read it. Pretty sure if my last name was Foster I’d have to change it.
Yah, but if your ego could handle it,
we could get the People’s Republic of Hackers to work on it.
Go Bruins!
LOL
We knew it. You are Chris Foster! J/k. :) While I generally agree w Peggy, always appreciate sharing info. to keep us all updated. It was obvious to everyone that you just wanted to keep us all plugged in w latest info. We need more of it from everyone to keep us collectively as the most informed Bruin athletics community online. Keep it coming.
by Nestor on Aug 23, 2010 6:06 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Fully agree
Kudos to Chris for the great news on Kai. My beef is with the “concern” writers who you have exposed with your insouciant reasoned analysis.
by peggysue69 on Aug 23, 2010 6:15 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
and kudos to the aforementioned Jon Gold for giving the news to Chris
clarification: I am not Jon Gold
by britishbruin on Aug 23, 2010 7:50 PM PDT up reply actions
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