UCLA Embarrassed on National TV by Arizona 48-12
by freesia39 on Oct 20, 2011 9:47 PM PDT
in Football
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October 21, 2010: UCLA goes to Eugene to face Oregon. We lose, 13-60.
November 18, 2019 2010: UCLA goes to Washington, a bowl berth on the line. We lose, 7-24.
October 20, 2011: UCLA heads into Arizona, looking to make statement about making a run in the Pac-12 South. Instead, the defense allows Arizona, the SECOND WORST rushing team in the FBS, to run all over them in the first half, scoring on their first six possessions, and making Nick Foles look like a Heisman candidate.
UCLA and nationally televised ESPN Thursday night games do not mix.
To call that game embarrassing is embarrassing to the word embarrassing. It was sad. It was pathetic. It was difficult to watch. Let me remind you that the LAST TIME Arizona beat a FBS team, it was us.
I think that says everything you need to know about the state of our football program.
Arizona scored first, and for the first time in 312 minutes of football played, Arizona has the lead. Sheldon Price slips, leading to the easy score. Our big response is to go three and out. The Arizona Running Show/Nick Foles Extravaganza continues, and they score again. (This is repeated a few times tonight.)
Our second drive, we actually mount a nice drive, with a nice screen pass to Jonathan Franklin to begin, and ending on a fourth down conversion pass to Jonathan Franklin. That is the ONLY nice part of tonight. As on the next play, Arizona scores again as Juron Criner literally catches a ball OVER Aaron Hester, who didn't turn around to watch the ball. I facepalmed.
Jonathan Franklin and Kevin Prince muff the handoff. Double face palm.
Nelson Rosario gets pickpocketed. BY SHAQ RICHARDSON of all people. Triple Face palm.
Then a streaker runs onto the field, Taylor Embree and Shaq Richardson have a disagreement on the field over their dinner plans that evening, punches are thrown, bodies fly, benches empty, and the UCLA fanbase slides a little lower in their chair, hoping no one noticed that they're in the room.
More, after the jump.
I'm not going to bother recapping the second half. Arizona isn't scoring on every posession, and we've held them to a field goal. Oh wait, they might have just kicked another one. Since their kicking woes are as bad as ours, I don't feel bad about them kicking it - it's hardly running up the score if your kicker isn't automatic, plus it's not like we're going to mount a comeback like the Buffalo Bills. And they were only down 32 points. And they had Jim Kelly.
Also in the second half I was distracted by the second Bay Area earthquake of the day - both centered around Berkeley, on the day of the Earthquake Drill. How's that for coincidences??
We are also not bothering with the eye test, unless I can issue G and H grades. Maybe a Q. What would you do if you received a Q?
My personal highlights:
- Neuheisel screaming at Tresey, just like all of us at home.
- Josh Smith had some decent yardage on kick returns.
- Tyler Gonzalez had his first field goal attempt in his college career, and he pushes it wide right, but it had the distance. He makes his second attempt. YAY!
- That streaker that pretty much caused the melee - that was the most original streaker EVER. I was wondering why the ref had such short pants, and then he takes the ball and he runs off trying to take his shirt off. Watch it.
- Seeing Joe Fauria catch a pass. He does exist! 6'8" tight ends aren't imaginary!
Discuss away. I've written the post game post for six of our seven games this season. This one was the worst. I can't even provide cogent analysis. I have a lot of raw emotion coursing through me.
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Apologies if this is over the line, but...
If Coach Neuheisel can stay on a coaching seat THIS hot, his ass must be made of Ove-Gloves.
Good luck in the future, guys.
NASA should look at what materials his ass is made of
so we can line the space shuttle with it.
WOW
As soon as you think you have hit rock bottom someone hands you another shovel. Cannot believe UCLA football has sunk this low. I have been rooting for RN wanting him to take this program to a solid place but…… It is not going happen. Embarrassing!
Exactly
I would say this is the worst of the worst. Neu should be fired ASAP, the move worked wonders for UA. UCLA just has no passion or pride.
Bruin 1986
Remember when Kansas State, TCU, and Oregon used to be The LA Times perennial Bottom Ten Teams year in and year out... now where are they?
Good Coaching builds winning programs. (P.S. Curt Schilling has been eating too many cheese-steaks).
CRN yelling at CJT
CRN: I can’t believe I hired your sorry ass!
CJT: I can’t believe you did either, you should have hired Seto
CRN: You just got me fired!
CJT: Oh, don’t worry about it, Donut Dan doesn’t have the balls to fire you.
by Trojanswearskirts on Oct 20, 2011 9:55 PM PDT reply actions
GPA 0.00
1) Is our defense prepared for each and every team we play?
F. Needs no explanation (NNE)
2) Do we call offensive plays to catch our opponents off guard?
F. We did go for it on 4th down to score, but considering our offense scored twice against Arizona …
3) Do our players look like they know what they should be doing at all times?
F. NNE
4) Do our players play for 60 G-D minutes every game?
F. Completely sloppy. No real fight in the second half either. Some effort by some players on some plays, but not as a team.
5) Do our players execute?
F. NNE
6) Do we have leaders on the field?
F. NNE
Defense and soccer manager...
almost outscore offense.
Wee need athletes..
…that are strong and quick in the defensive and offensive lines ..not static Goodyear blimp bellies like number 75 etc… As a coach I aso would never recruit a kicker like Smith who looks the same at such a young age.
Sebastian Janikowski isn't exactly super fit looking
And he’s one of the best kickers in the NFL. Kip was a highly regarded recruit when he arrived.
Ok,
Can we start talking about coaching replacements now?
I can’t take much more of this.
I may work with the Waves, but I'm still a Bruin!
(Formerly "HoozierDaddy")
No way Miami's letting go of HIM
Now that the Shapiro is out of the bag….
Buyout must be big this early in the contract
I assume they can’t just leave like that, right?
I've heard that he really wants the PSU job
Once Paterno’s “Weekend at Bernie’s” ends.
We’ll see if Urban Meyer gets there first.
Given the circumstances of the hire - Miami's concealing if not outright lying about NCAA investigation
I am guessing that Golden will be free to go wherever he likes.
formerly bruinhoo
'We lose, 13-60."
Random curiosity: why is that the UCLA score is always listed first on BN? I’ve never seen anyone else put the lower number first, regardless of which team it is, but I see it all the time on here.
It's often sports convention to list your own score first
Well, at least in tennis….
Yeah, I'm not really sure...
but football and tennis are the only sports I know, so…. when you have a hammer everything looks like a nail and all that
and gymnastics
at least we’re good at those sports
Never in American sports media.
And I’m talking about the UCLA score first every time, no matter what.
It's been a continued curiosity, and it was done several times in this post.
Also, to answer your question: YES.
Absent some kinda NCAA scandal, there won't be any mid-season changes here.
The Administration is just not into football that much. We’ll just have to wait til everything plays out. Next up… Big Sister California for Homecoming. Go Bruins.
U-C-L-A Fight, Fight, Fight! Go Bruins!
NBA: Where Greed Happens. RIP 10/10/11.
This program is in desperate need of a visit by
Candy Flannigan
It's the end
For CRN. He has to win out to keep a job now. Ha Ha, that’s rich. Back to square one. Than God we DG a proven D1 athletic director to help us with our coaching search. Oh yeah that sucks too. I heard the big east is going to offer us.
I remember an old ABC Football Promo when UW-Madison was playing like crap and HC Don Morton....
comes out of a coffin just before Halloween in Madison stating, “We may be down, but we are not dead yet” I cannot remember if the Badgers won, but I just have a feeling CRN is in that ’"coffin" but the lid may be shut tight on his future with the Bruins. I wish it would have turned out differently. But when guys like Harbaugh go from USD to Stanford and turn that program around…then to the 9ers….I know it can be done., i.e. turn a team/program around. We need the Dan Gable of IOWA Wrestling as a Head Football Coach! Who is the most promising lower tier HC in the land right now? We need good Football, Head Coaching – Head Hunters and break the current mold that hired Holy Bob, KD and CRN.
No More Bye Weeks in 2011- Thank Goodness- A Little History
Looking at the media guide, here are the results under RN’s watch in games played after a bye week—
2008- lost 59-0 at BYU
lost 34-6 at Oregon St
2009- lost 24-16 at Stanford
2010- lost 60-13 at Oregon
lost 24-7 at Washington
2011- lost 48-12 at Arizona
We can talk about what RN inherited at the beginning, but the fact remains that good coaches presumably use the bye week to correct mistakes and install new wrinkles.
The only wrinkles RN has installed are those on the face of us supporters who have developed deep frown lines, given the demise of a once proud program.
So you're saying
The more time the coach has to prepare, the worse we do. The less time the coach has to prepare, the better we do.
Extrapolating that relationship, we should cut CRN’s time to 0.
+1
RN said when Stoops was fired, that Arizona would be tough, because of playing with emotion.
That can’t be unique to Tucson.
by islandbruin on Oct 20, 2011 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions
losses seem to be a consistent result
regardless of bye week
by bruinhoya on Oct 20, 2011 10:25 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
No Need to Worry About That Stat
There is no longer a RN era after 5 more pathetic games
Chancellor Block was at the game...
…. if our performance in front of him and his family doesn’t turn the heat up on Guerrero and Neuheisel, nothing will.
Block is still trying to figure out how football works
Since he’s soo worried about rankings (not doing a good job), he might think the lower the number, the better.
Knock his block off!
I remember sitting next to him at UCLA a couple years ago, and I asked him then when UCLA football would turn around. He said in a couple of years. I want to knock his and Guerrero’s Block off! This has been too much BS especially after the Texas game when the cow crapped on our field after the F ing game!
This "Coaching Staff" is dysfunctional ...
Normally, I’m pretty optimistic. And I’ve been hoping beyond hope that Rick Neuheisel would find some way to turn this program around, because I think he’s a great Bruin. But I can no longer justify that hope.
My new hope is that we’ll wake up tomorrow morning and Rick Neuheisel will have tendered his resignation for the good of the program and Dan Guerrero will have been handed his walking papers.
This game was a fireable offense. Heads should roll.
Second earthquake in the Bay
Sorry bout that freesia. That was me slamming my TV to the ground after Rosario goes all World Cup and plays the ball off his chest. Glad someone else in the Bay feels my pain.
I just noticed
freesia is pretty! I’m jealous. Building The Dam is all guys plus one member named “litaburger” we assume is a girl :(
I ran into a group of our recruiting hosteses outside the Rose Bowl before the Texas game
Amazing that we lose out on any recruiting battles…
formerly bruinhoo
Same goes at most big-time schools though.
Friend from law school swore that one of her friends (who was an Alabama hostess) took Tebow’s v-card at a recruiting visit.
Sometimes it's okay to just accept a compliment :)
(kicks self for being stuck in Oregon)
How about
a High School coach? I hear some are pretty good.
by TheUniversityOfTheMasses~Reconize! on Oct 20, 2011 10:11 PM PDT reply actions
Gus Malzahn turned out to be a pretty good hire.
Granted, it was for a coordinator position, and only because he was a package deal with Mitch Mustain, but he’s quite the hot item right now in the coaching ranks.
Hugh Freeze too I believe
Gus should get a phone call from us very soon, guy is on his way up the ranks
I Hear De la Salle has a good program...
…and their staff is within our budget if we cut their trainer
CHANGE EVERYTHING!
Im sorry but I think the complete program needs to change everything! From Head coach all the way to new flashy uniforms! A total revamp, hell evrybody else is doin it why shouldnt we! New coaches, new offense sceme, new defense sceme, New crazy uniforms, a whole environmental change cuz this is starting to get depressing!!!!!!!! BUT MY LOYALTY SCREAMS GO BRUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really, flashy uniforms?
by TheUniversityOfTheMasses~Reconize! on Oct 20, 2011 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Yup!
AZ State havin a great year! LOL
by You See L.A.! on Oct 20, 2011 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions
the thing that has consistently bugged me about our team over the last 3+ years
has been the lack of discipline; the stupid penalties and general brain failures of our players at various points of various games. It speaks to the culture of the program.
Tonight’s melee on the field was the icing on the cake. I feel like that is the nail in the coffin, and that an embarrassment of play and conduct that bad on national television might prompt Guerrero to do what I thought was unthinkable before today’s game – actually make a midseason change in leadership for UCLA football.
Sorry Rick. I might have been one of the last people standing who believed you had a chance to turn it around. I just don’t think I can do it any more. Good luck.
Perceptive Post
Rick has lost the team.
Time for Donut Dan to cut his losses and make an immediate change.
I was with you re: Rick
Prior to this game, I could not, no matter how uninspired we were playing, support getting rid of him and throwing in the towel on this season. If we won, we’d move into a 1st place tie in the South, after all.
Now? I’m done. This game broke me. Just pathetic.
I'll stay home next week
My rose bowl visits are done until Rick is fired.
by uclamike on Oct 20, 2011 10:16 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I know the Cal game last year was not at the Rose Bowl.
HOWEVER, after that game I didn’t want to attend another one until RN is gone.
I have Bruin Tatoos....
….anyone know a good doctor to remove them
Dan Guerrero and Gerald Myers (TT AD) are apparently butt buddies
Which prevented DG from even considering Mike Leach in ‘08, even though he badly wanted the job. Imagine where we’d be if he had a brain back then.
If DG will continue to take the Myers political side for gospel, thereby disqualifying Leach as a viable candidate in the coaching search that must begin now, he must not be allowed to even last past this weekend.
It's an interesting note
But remember DG was not enamored with hiring Howland either. He had couple of other options in mind. All the talk about Leach and UCLA not happening is interesting coming from sources who are not affiliated with UCLA.
We will see how it shakes out but keep in mind lot of noise will be coming out in near future.
Of course, things can always change
And the Neuheisal hire was not something anyone thought possibly not too long before it happened. I’m just concerned, given the viciousness and acrimony and ESPN of it, that those TT guys will do everything in their power to smear Leach behind the scenes to anyone stupid enough to listen.
Highlight of the night
The kid in the fake ref costume. Genius.
by bruinhoya on Oct 20, 2011 10:17 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
What happened to that kid?
by TheUniversityOfTheMasses~Reconize! on Oct 20, 2011 10:18 PM PDT up reply actions
He was immediately offered a scholarship...
by CRN…He ran 50 yards with the ball and didn’t fumble.
I may work with the Waves, but I'm still a Bruin!
(Formerly "HoozierDaddy")
by BlueWave on Oct 20, 2011 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
REFEREE
Cmon you gotta admit that the fake ref had us fooled at first glance. lol That shit was hilarious, It kinda made me forget about the embaracement for a minute. Classic!
I think
its exactly what all the bruin fans needed at the time….. lol
by You See L.A.! on Oct 20, 2011 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions
UCLA FOOTBALL
has become a Freak Show.
Can the new Head Coach even LOOK Dan Guerrero in the eye without bustin’ out laughing?
“YOU WANNA HIRE ME? HAAAAH! Why shouldn’t I FIRE you? "
A REAL credibility gap has opened up around the leadership in the UCLA Dept of Athletics and I don’t know if it can be bridged if the guy that hired Karl Dorrell and Rick Neuheisel is anywhere near the hiring of the NEXT UCLA Head Coach.
My Email to Coach Neuheisel
Dear Coach Rick Neuheisel,
I am a 2005 UCLA alumni, who like you, bleed blue and gold. At one point when I was a student at UCLA, a group of my USC student friends came on campus and we were walking from the IM fields towards the Ackerman Union, passing the Bruin Statue. One of them stupidly started saying “Let’s pee on the Bruin.” I immediately snapped and confronted him right on his face “What the f*** did you say?” This is my buddy I’m talking about, and I was ready to smack him on his face because of it. He realized he said something stupid and apologized to me.
Rick, you are a very very smart person, and I have nothing but respect for you. I’m sure like many other Bruins, you and I love our school a lot. For that reason alone, I, along with the many Bruins I know, request, with respect, that you resign as the head football coach of the UCLA Bruins football. I appreciate your contribution to our school, one of them being the MVP of the Rose Bowl game against Illinois at the 1984 Rose Bowl game, among many others. Don’t get me wrong, I was among one of those who applauded and cheered and wanted you to succeed big time as the head football coach of my beloved school when you were hired, but after four years of a record of 18-26, and 3 implosions on national television, the latest being a trashing of 12-48 at Arizona, it’s best for the UCLA Bruins football to head another direction and seek for another head coach to steer the team to its true potential as the nation’s powerhouse football team.
I really hope that you consider this request seriously if you truly bleed blue and gold. I understand the “never give up” mentality of yours, but there has to be a point where one says “enough is enough.” I supported you all the way until this humiliation at Arizona.
Sincerely,
xxx
UCLA Class of ’05
When does Basketball season start?
In all my years as a UCLA fan(I’m 65) this was the most embarrassing game I have ever watched. I am officially off the Neuheisel band wagon!
I can remember saying back in the late 70’s and 80’s, I would like to start a fund to help pay for a team that could beat $UC. Now I’m willing to start a fund to pay for a football coach who can recruit and win games.
It’s not all Rick’s fault. Our players are over rated!
not true,
other coaches do more, with much less.
by TheUniversityOfTheMasses~Reconize! on Oct 20, 2011 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Some Beavers are ready to offer you Mike Riley
No patience these days….
I agree for the most part
It’s Rick’s fault. And Dan’s. I disagree that you think you were wrong thinking he had a chance though. I’m pretty sure many of us here thought he had a pretty damn good chance. I honestly wanted him to succeed and it was just too bad things worked out the way they did. I supported him 100% until this very game. Yes, even after the SJSU game. And the Texas game. Even the OSU and WSU game. But this game…we just didn’t know what we were doing 95% of the time. That 5% came on the 2nd half when the f**king Mildcats didn’t care about it anymore and fielded their 2nd team. I live in the Nor-Cal, and had travel plans arranged for the Oct 29th game against Cal. Boy how I wish I did not make that plan…
I agree, in all my years as a UCLA fan (I’m 74) this was the most embarrassing game I have ever watched.
I too am officially off the Neuheisel band wagon! It happened at the Cal game last year. I thought beating Oregon State and Washington State this year were the ugliest two wins I have ever seen. Now this lost to Arizona is the ugliest lost I can ever remember.
Last June Tasser thought UCLA would lose to Arizona 10 – 24. If not for the safety UCLA would of had 10 and not 12 points. However, Arizona, didn’t win by 24, but twice that at 48 points. Apparently, Tasser might have thought the UCLA defense would have been better.
Occupy West Center
Hey lets form an occupy West Center until Neu and his worthless band of “coaches” are removed. UCLA is in that 1% of irrelevant football programs.
Bruin 1986
Please
I wanna see if guys actually have the balls to occupy Morgan Center. Kudos to you if you do and I hope you do. I know for a fact if I was a current UCLA student my tent would have been up at halftime!
by Trojanswearskirts on Oct 20, 2011 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Let me just say this.
If Stoops had been on the sidelines, does anyone believe this wouldn’t have been a much closer game?
If ya can't get your Dick Enright, get your Dick Harter!
Closer game with Stoops there
Wildcats were playing like a giant 200 pound weight was lifted off their shoulders… Even the kicking game was perfect.
Is it bad that
I saw the score at halftime (42-7) and I wasn’t even surprised?
I’ve stopped caring about this team, and I think that’s probably the most damning thing you can do to a sports team.
That's the worst part for me
The not being surprised part I mean (I still care, I can’t let myself go).
We’re used to crushing, inexplicable losses to bad teams, it’s what the last decade has been all about. These types of losses should be rare, not something that happens multiple times a year.
Before any of you point fingers at Neuheisel, I’d rather point fingers at the guy who hired him.
I disagree...
I disagree
This team has many many good talents across the board. Maybe not enough to challenge for a NC, but good enough to challenge the weak Pac-12 South title. If you expected us to be down 42-7 on halftime, I don’t think you’d even bother to watch the game. I understand that we are all frustrated, but please don’t disrespect this team.
I didn't expect it
I agree with you about the talent this team has.
I wasn’t surprised though. We’ve seen this before. I was expecting a win but after all the bad losses in recent years, can you really say you were surprised by this result?
Yes
I literally downed 4 beers at halftime. Being down at halftime is one thing. 42-7? Sorry to say, that’s just bullshit. I hate calling names, but Tressey is a joke. We’d prolly be better off with NO DC. I still think Rick had a reason behind the whle Seto debacle.
Exactly
How many times has this happened over the years?
I’m sure a lot of geezers here have had some nice fond memories about UCLA football, but these annual let downs are MY nice fond memories. Suffice to say, it’s become expected, at least to me.
Talent’s talent, but I’ve seen students squander away their talent in university, let alone football players. And that’s the misery of what’s occurring here at this school.
by UCantbeatLA on Oct 20, 2011 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Hah
Yeah. And then we do the whole walk down memory road to remind ourselves that we have a storied, tradition rich history. It’s the endless cycle.
At least in a few years, we’ll be telling the story about “how UCLA got this good”, right?
by UCantbeatLA on Oct 20, 2011 11:18 PM PDT up reply actions
I remember a few years ago when Prince was getting rave reviews
We were all pointing to 2011 as being potentially huge for the program. And if we hire the right guy, maybe it will be again.
We will really
Rick is just not the right guy. I support him 100% as our AD replacing Disrespectul Dan.
I like Rick
But since we’re talking about trying to get back to being decent, I’d feel a lot better if they gave the AD position to someone who has a track record of being a good AD. Rick’s a good story, but I’d rather take the highest probable chance of getting back to the top.
Of course, I don’t interact with these people on a daily basis, so I’m just saying things.
by UCantbeatLA on Oct 20, 2011 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Sure
Rick doesn’t have the record of being a successful AD, but he bleeds blue and gold…for that alone I’m willing to give him a chance. But of course if he really does bleed blue and gold, he’d resign as the football coach of the mighty Bruins right about now. I doubt it, but one can dream, right?
On the other hand
He hired Chow, Bullough, and Tresey. Not sure if I trust his football coach choosing abilities :)
Ummm
It’s arguable whether he really did hire Chow. It could be one of those requirements laid out by Dan for the job. Even if it wasn’t, one would argue that it was a good move. I for one thought so. Bullough? He was an unproven and unknown commodity back then, so who knew? Tresey? He had a good track record…I’m seriously puzzled myself why our defense had turned out to be a train wreck under him. Honestly, did you expect our defense to be as bad as we are right now when he was first announced as our D coord?
Tresey too
who knows how much the department held him back in all of his hires, whether it be pressuring him to take a coach (Chow, Walker) or not giving him the resources to go after who he really wanted to.
by SonOfWestwood93 on Oct 20, 2011 11:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Bleeding Blue and Gold
At this point bleeding Blue and Gold should not be a requirement for the job of AD or head football coach. A proven winning record, lack of NCAA investigations, the ability to find talented players and coaches ect. ect………that is what we should look for, other than mustard and ketchup I’m open to any other color scheme
Yep...
And it seems that each time they’re able to surprise me by going a little lower.
by SonOfWestwood93 on Oct 20, 2011 11:53 PM PDT up reply actions
agree and disagree...
these “talents” are the same ones dropping passes (multiple times), muffing punts (multiple times), missing wide open passes, making stupid penalties. and these are the alleged star players. i’ve said from that start that neu wasn’t the man, but players need to be accountable. they aren’t 6th graders anymore. the whole program needs a firesale. the entitlement attitude that’s been a trademark of westwood football needs to go.
He is safe
According to gold on twitter Dan says Rick is safe
by uclamike on Oct 20, 2011 10:53 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
One thing we must admit is that Dan isn’t going to let there be doubt in public. I’m not going to read into any statements like this…I also think that Dan is at least competent enough not to make a snap decision, even if he’s leaning heavily towards it.
I’d be shocked if Rick is our coach 2 days after the SC game…
the exact quote from Gold's FB
No. No, not at all. I don’t know why anyone would think that we would pull the trigger like that. My philosophy on early terminations may be different then some. That’s not to say I disrespect anyone else that makes a decision they have to make. Every situation is a little bit different. In our case, we have a coach who is working hard, assistant coaches who are working hard, kids are doing their best. Obviously we didn’t have the outcome we wanted to day. We got thumped pretty good. We knew we were coming into a stadium that was intense, knew their team was gong to be motivated. We needed to come in and match that and we didn’t do it today. We get a shot next week. I want to see us come out this week and practice hard and have a great game against Cal. I have a lot of respect for the coaching profession, and obviously Rick is a great Bruin. I brought him in here to turn this program around, and obviously we’re still very much a work in progress. But we get another shot next week, and I want to see how we do.
I disagree
This team has many many good talents across the board. Maybe not enough to challenge for a NC, but good enough to challenge the weak Pac-12 South title. If you expected us to be down 42-7 on halftime, I don’t think you’d even bother to watch the game. I understand that we are all frustrated, but please don’t disrespect this team.
No one has to disrespect this team
They’ve disrespected themselves with tonight’s performance. The rest of us are merely stating the obvious. It is because we do have raw talent and see it undeveloped and unfocused that regime change is coming. Given our recent history, if you didn’t think that being down 42-7 at halftime was a possibility, then you just haven’t been paying attention.
Sorry
But I for one, did not think being down 42-7 at halftime was a possibility. Yes, we don’t have a DC. Yes, Brehaut is out. Yes, the coaching staff is awful at best, and we need a change. We have talent though. Even in KD era, we fielded better teams, by talent alone. I tend to think that it was because KD had no clue about football that he left all on-field issue to his coordinators. RN is different that he’s a football guy. I don’t know what his thinking is, but it just doesn’t work. All said, I did not think/expect we were going to be down 42-7 at halftime. We had so much at stakes. We were challenging for the 1st place at the pac-12 south. This is just unacceptable. I lost my trust to Coach Neu. No more. Mike Leach anyone?
totally agree.
this team (players and coaches included) disrespected themselves plenty tonight. they disrespected the gameday crew for having to announce the game, and a national tv audience for having to watch that display. more impressive than the score are the stats.
From Guerror:
“I don’t know why anyone would think that we would pull the trigger like that. My philosophy on early terminations may be different then some”
http://insidesocal.com/ucla/2011/10/guerrero-says-neuheisels-job-i.html
by Objection Penguin on Oct 20, 2011 10:59 PM PDT reply actions
Take a hike DG
That’s the biggest problem with Guerrero, he can’t pull the trigger. Maybe someone should pull the trigger on him and get someone that actually can make some quality decisions!
by Trojanswearskirts on Oct 20, 2011 11:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Sad
Pretty sure this is the lowest I’ve felt about the program since I started as a student at UCLA in 1988. Can anyone think of a time the program’s been worse? My friends and I couldn’t come up with one while watching the game tonight.
It’s been like this for too long. Time and time again I foolishly think the team is going to turn a corner. And for it to be like this tonight…just wow. Can’t even think of what to say. Just so sad…
by SonOfWestwood93 on Oct 20, 2011 11:18 PM PDT reply actions
No doubt
I just know this is the worst I can remember feeling.
by SonOfWestwood93 on Oct 20, 2011 11:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Last year when we got pummeled
it was by a top 5 ranked team. Two years ago we thought that Rick just needed time to turn things around. I’m with SonsOfWestwood93, I can’t think of a more pathetic showing from a Bruin football team considering Arizona’s 1-5 record coming into the game. The loss to Arizona in ’05 might have been more depressing but tonight was more pathetic.
No. That's stretching over 43 years worth
Yes, getting destroyed by Nebraska 2 years in a row in the 80’s was awful. But it was Nebraska.
Yes, losing to $C many times in the 70s – including the 79 blowout (35-zip at halftime) sucked, but it was a vintage Trogan team with a load of talent.
There was the ’89 season which proved no life after Aikman, and ’92 which had a big hole in the middle, framed by 3 game win streaks, including the unforgettable Mr. Barnes.
Rough moments for this team.
None as bad as last night. None as bad as this season. Those 3 wins might as well have come against the Sisters of Mercy and Coleman College. I’d say Truckmaster School of Trucking, but that is a geezer joke, and I suspect that the Truckmaster team would have manhandled last night’s bunch of Bruins. And listening to the Baghdad Bob of Morgan Center, Dan Guerrero try to put frosting on this dog turd and sell it as a cupcake is past old.
The Mad Bruin
Meh...
I don’t think it really matters if he was let go now or at the end of the season. The bigger concern for me is that without some wholesale changes in the department, as in Guerrero and his supporters, I don’t think it matters what they do with Neuheisel.
by SonOfWestwood93 on Oct 20, 2011 11:50 PM PDT up reply actions
CTS didn't deserve a fifth year
Neither does Rick, and our current AD sure as hell doesn’t deserve to pick a third head football coach in under a decade.
Ok bedtime.
Dad says he saw Josh Smith walking around campus today looking much svelter. Basketball!
I'm just sad
and truly stunned. I could see maybe losing a heartbreaker but I really thought we could compete and possibly win this game. I just can’t believe it has gotten this bad. :( :( :(
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
Hey, so here's the real question:
In that guy’s head, do you think he planned the fake referee gag when Arizona was losing every game and thought it would be a fun distraction from his team’s woes?
Ironic.
The Only Thing More Awkward...
…than watching UCLA football is listening to a Thursday Night ESPN crew try to fill 90 minutes of unwatchable football with facts about the desert…and the pistol ‘offense’
Vegas Hates UCLA...
Arizona -3? I’ve come closer to the cover of GQ than they did on that line
Our Image...
If you’re a 17/18 year old all you likely know of UCLA football is 2001 to present, with your Pop Warner and HS years consisting of KD and RN’s tenure. KD and RN have set this program back 15 years, at least, literally. But at least our adminstration is on-board to change things….crickets
My 16 year old asked to watch the Hawks-Avs hockey game instead
Saved me 2+ hours of RN agony.
Go HAWKS!
wanting to be able we certainly wished,
... but being allowed to try we didn`t dare
Some quotes, some questions and some numbers.
This is from the official UCLA website:
“Joe Tresey is in his first season as UCLA’s defensive coordinator, having joined the staff on February 15. Tresey has previously served as defensive coordinator at several schools, including both Cincinnati and South Florida.
‘Joe has had outstanding success at both Cincinnati and South Florida and I know he is going to be successful here at UCLA,’ said UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel at the time of Tresey’s hiring. ‘He has an aggressive style that forces turnovers and negative-yardage plays and I feel our players, especially our youngsters, will benefit greatly from his style of play. He is a fine teacher and I can’t wait for him to get started.’"
CTSS, do you still think any of this is true? How many turnovers do we have so far this year? When I checked this morning, we have 8, which makes us tied for 89th. These stats don’t include last night’s game, so maybe we soared up to a tie for 82nd. That might otherwise be OK, CTSS, but you said “He has an aggressive style that forces turnovers.” How do you reconcile “an aggressive style” with seven yard cushions on the receivers on every play? (Except, of course, last night when our guy was pressing the receiver on the goal line and fell on his rear.) I suppose there is some merit to the notion that his style forces turnovers, i.e., if we have seven defensive guys 10 to 15 yards deep, there’s a chance for a turnover if the QB throws the ball into the 10 to 15 yards deep area, but seriously, CTSS, how often is that going to happen?
Tackles for loss? Well, the same stats show that we come in at number 111 in tackles for loss. So CTSS, do you still think his agressive style forces negative yardage plays?
Let’s not forget the offense, which managed to come up with 10 points on a team which going into the game ranked 117th in the NCAA in scoring defense, 112th (tied with us) in first downs allowed, 100th in rushing defense and 110th in passing defense. And our offense managed to put up 10 points. Here’s another quote from CTSS in the official UCLA website:
“Mike is a great addition to our staff. He has a background with a multitude of offensive schemes, has coached several different positions and has experience in our conference as well as in the National Football League. Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and adds versatility to our offense and I can’t wait to get in the film room and start planning for 2011 and the Pac-12.”
You know what, CTSS? A lot of us haven’t seen any evidence of the “wealth of knowledge” or the “versatility.” We see an offense that managed to get 10 points on one of the worst defenses in the country. And this offense should be quite familiar with playing against horrible defenses, seeing as how you practice against a horrible defense every day.
Here are a few more numbers. Under the CTSS regime, we are now 5-16 in road games, for a .238 percentage. We are 18-26 total, for a .409 winning percentage, which still ranks CTSS as the worst coach since 1919. We are 3-9 against ranked teams. To put CTSS’s record in perspective, Stoops was fired mid-season with .450 winning percentage. Or to put it more into perspective, CTSS now has to go 17-1 to catch CTS, who was drummed out of town because he was a horrible coach.
CTSS has presided over losses by 59 points, 47, 36, 35, 29, 28, 28, 26, 25, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 19, 17, 17, 14, 14, and 14. That’s right, 20 of his 26 losses have been by two touchdowns or more. Our narrowest loss was this year against Houston, by four points. The average margin of defeat is 21.3 points.
Those margins of loss span several seasons and several coordinators and several recruiting classes. There is only one common factor present, and that is the head coach.
So CTSS, here are a couple more questions . Does this body of work warrant your retention as head football coach for the balance of the year? If you think it does, can you explain why without cliches? As a Bruin, are you not embarrassed by what’s happening to our program? As an honorable man, how can you not resign immediately, for the good of the program?
And Doughnut Dan Guerrerror, do you think you should be retained? What have you done for the UCLA football program? I mean that sincerely. Start with the head-in-the-sand support of the coaching staff. You say you want to wait until the end of the season to name a new coach. Suppose the coaching staff just stopped showing up for work. Would you replace them under those circumstances? Well, Doughnut boy, the fact of the matter is that they are NOT showing up for work now.
There are more quotes, and more questions and more numbers, but these will do for starters. Let’s have some answers.
Why is it below the belt?
I can forgive him for looking like Homer Simpson. I look like Homer Simpson. But I don’t forgive him for acting like Homer Simpson while drawing an obscene salary. Until he stops acting like Homer Simpson, he remains Doughnut Dan. That’s the way it is.
Because it makes an otherwise valid complaint look incredibly juvenile.
Much like people calling Obama “Obummer” or “Obozo” or Bush “Shrub” or “Chimp” in political discourse. It’s unnecessary.
It's not necessary
I like alliteration but it’s not necessary to make the point. DG is 100% Bruin but his time has come as well as CRN.
I disagree, brothers
He is in a position of power and authority and earns a substantial amount of money. He was not elected to his position by a majority (plurality? I can never remember the difference), and could only be fired by another elected body. Everyone has a representative or two in that elected body who can and should listen to a al to fire the President.
Our athletic director was appointed by a person who is accountable to no one. There is no process, as far as Iknow, for anyone outside the UCLA administration to terminate him. The only way to effect that change, as far as I can discern, is to put sufficient pressure on the person who appointed him to fire him. Calling him a paragon ov virtue and wisdom, albeit an incompetent one, is unlikely to put any pressure on anyone. On the other hand, holding the Chancellor’s appointment up to ridicule, and doing so constantly with concrete examples of that ridiculousness, makes the Chancellor look foolish by association. If we continuously link Chancellor Block to Doughnut Dan, and constantly expose Doughnut Dan for the inept leader of an out of touch athletic department, then I think there is a likelihood that the Chancellor will tire of the association and will do something about it.
I know not what course others may take, but as for me, I’ll keep calling him Doughnut Dan, unless a more suitable nickname comes up, i.e., something that will heighten the figure of speech.
As to his 100% Bruin-ness, his actions in the next few days will determine that. Would you say that someone is “100%” Bruin if they had denigrated and ridiculed UCLA in the press for the past few years, or if they were in charge of Royce Hall and said nothing as he watched it being demolished? That is exactly what is happening to the UCLA football program that this person was hired to oversee. It is being burned to the ground, Doughnut Dan is holding the fire extinguisher, but he won’t turn it on or let anyone else near it.
BN Expectations
Technically CRN is still alive. A mid season change is fine with me but BN expectations are still in play. The seniors on this team do not lead on the field or the player chemistry is not there and never has been. The intangibles of sport performance are what make teams great. Set aside the coaching for one second and take a look at the players especially the seniors or the redshift juniors. Great or good players adjust and show the way for the younger players. With one or two exceptions the leadership is not there on the field.
But you can't set aside the coaching.
Setting aside the Ponzi business, that Madoff guy wasn’t so bad. (Notice my restraint – no mention of Hitler.)
Ok I'll Go There
Mad off played the Ponzi game like a true veteran. He played with passion and if there was an eye test he would ace it and be given extra credit. He had the intangibles to excel at the game and provided leadership on the fraud field.
Actually, it's not a bad analogy.
When Bernie Neuheisel was hired to manage our football fortunes, he said all the right things, and I (and probably you, too, Born) bought in totally, and committed everything we had to this guy who had already walked the walk and certainly could talk the talk. And the early return? Wow. A win over a perennial SEC powerhouse on the road. Then when we were expecting our next dividend, we went to play BYU, and got handed a check marked BYU 59, UCLA insufficient funds. We got beat 59-zip by BYU, 31-10 in our next game against this same Arizona team, and then 36-31 by Fresno State.
We should have called the police and the SEC (the one in Washington) and everyone else when we had clear evidence showing the Ponzi Scheme, but we all did nothing (or at least I did nothing.) I heard about passion buckets and all the rest, and I knew that there was only one corner left. CTSS has now coached 44 games. We have been beaten by two touchdowns or more in 20 of those 44 games. That should be a felony. The perpetrator of this fraud should be behind bars. But, of course, he’s not playing with our money, just our emotions. And he’s getting One Hundred Thousand Dollars each and every month to do what he does.
Big Time Salary Ponzi Like Results
That sure is a lot of money in this economy. Your right Fox I am a unrepentant Bruin Loyalist and want to believe everything that is put out there by our coaches. It really hurt last night to see a few players playing there hearts out but as a team they gave up. I still say we should call out the seniors and the redshirt juniors.
You're right about calling out the seniors
They should be calling out themselves.
Let’s remember the one bright spot, and that’s Gonzales making a field goal. I felt so bad for the kid when he missed one, and so good for him when he made it.
You'll find that when you get into geezerhood (or further into it)
some things affect you emotionally for no apparent reason. Gonzalez’s miss and his make affected me that way. The usual things do (babies laughing) but sometimes it’s really unusual stuff (a certain part in the last movement of “Pines of Rome,” various parts of “From the Earth to the Moon,” old sentimental movies (try “On Borrowed Time,” but watch it alone while you weep), or when Horatius says “In you straight path a thousand may well be held by three. Now who will stand at either hand and keep the bridge with me.”
When my wife sees me, I tell her its an allergy attack. But you’ll find out, Born. It will happen to you, too.
Great Stuff
My wife thinks I am over the top when it comes to being a Bruin fan. Its an addiction that I was born with and can do nothing about. Keep up the posts Fox I find them provocative and like the one above inspiring.
12pts? And Stoops is canned? Please.
Know this guys and girls….DG is already calling around. Trust me. He finally gets it. Even a husky shortstop can figure this one out. A national TV comedy like that makes HIM look bad. FB Follies.
Coach Leach
One funny aside…..Jessie Palmer kept on bringing up Coach Leach for various vacancies. He did it a few times and talked about his coaching attributes……James was a little quiet and it seemed like a little needling by Palmer.
Our players " DON'T" want to play for this Coaching staff!! They've given up on CRN.
Rick lost this team a loooong time ago!
Now we get to go through the motions. The staff is clearly to blame scheme wise. However,
What bothers me, is that Seniors an Juniors are playing their way OUT of the NFL Draft, and to me, that is career suicide. Regardless if you players don’t want to play for CRN, How bout thinking of your future’s and playing harder anyway.
The weekly Resume is looking less and less NFL worthy for a number of Seniors and Juniors. Guys need to show up! Even if the coaches don’t!!
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