That's right folks: we're already half-way to the weekend: don't you just love these four day work weeks?  Anyway, since we last checked in, Patroclus broke down the boldness of new defensive coordinator Joe Tresey's hiring and defensive schemes, hosted another installment of AllHailMightyBruins' name association game (this time for the dozen schools calling themselves the Big-10), picked up an important football commitment, discussed UCLA's prospects for maintaining its position as the top university in NCAA championships, checked in for the results of the seventh round of the SBN Conference Re-Draft (our conference picked up Clemson), and told petulant spoiled brat Jrudas Jrue Holiday to take his bitter hatred and sniping at Ben Howland somewhere else.  Most importantly, we took some time to reflect on the meaning and importance of our great republic on Independence Day.

With that, here's your bits and pieces of news from around the UCLA-iverse:

• Beginning with football, Johnathan Franklin has been named to the Maxwell Award watch-list.  Given annually to the best football player in the United States (as determined by a panel of journalists, coaches, and Maxwell Club members), last year's winner was Cash Cam Newton.  Think of it as the Heisman Light. 
• Sticking with watch-lists, starting safety Tony Dye has been named to the watch-list for the Benarik Award, given each year to the best defensive player in American college football.
• On the recruiting front, as we've noted before Neuheisel has been on a recruiting tear as of late.  Sticking with the Hawaiian pipeline, UCLA has offered Punahou stand-out defensive end DeForest Buckner.  That said, numerous other schools are in the hunt for the Punahou product, including Notre Dame, Cal, and Oregon. Reeling this kid in will be a true test of Neuheisel's skill, as right now, it appears UCLA is an afterthought behind Cal and Oregon.
• In basketball news, Coach Howland wrapped up his annual youth summer camp at Palisades High School this week.  If you want to get a quick run-down of how the camp progressed and the final day festivities, read on here.
• Over the Independence Day weekend, UCLA track-and-field assistant coach Forest Braden ran in the 57th annual Independence Day Semana Nautica 15K race.  Competing against Braden was incoming UCLA freshman track-and-field recruit Sergey Sushchikh.  Unfortunately for Sergey, his coach got the better of him, with Braden capturing first place with Sergey approx. 1 minute behind.
• In more somber news, the California budget crisis continues to threaten UCLA's ability to remain as an affordable, accessible public university for California's best and brightest students.  In another blow to students already reeling from high educational costs, the UC President is going to recommend tuition increases to close the budget shortfall caused by dwindling state monetary support.
• Finally, spurred by the financial doldrums, UCLA has been recruiting and enrolling more out-of-state students, in large part, to receive the higher tuition check that comes from out-of-state residency.  The downside, of course, is that it makes UCLA, one of the universities originally designed to educate future generations of Californians, in a precarious position in terms of admissions numbers re: in-state versus out-of-state students.
  

And that wraps up your mid-week round-up of Bruin Bites from around the UCLA-iverse.  Fire away with your comments, tidbits of news, and thoughts.

GO BRUINS