"Huge Wins", the Soul Test and the home-field disadvantage
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 12, 2011 10:15 AM PDT
Email
PrintI am doing a mash-up of a number of comments I was thinking of writing in response to a number of posts. In gbruin's excellent post discussing learned helplessness, I put in a comment about the role we fans may play in the team's low morale. I called this the "home-field disadvantage". Sometimes UCLA fans treat our team worse than our opponents' fans do. Last season Bruin fans booed our team (they did it in 08, too, when Kevin Craft was struggling mightily behind a patch-work OL) - they booed when our lads screwed up on a play, they booed when the coaches called the 'wrong play', or played the 'wrong player'. Last season, it looked like Bruins were just looking for excuses to boo our team! By the end of the season morale was low. Rick Neuheisel looked like he lost the love of his life.
Bluebland wrote a fanpost in which he mentioned the low attendance in the Rose Bowl for the SJSU game - and the low energy level that was there. He mentioned that it was like waiting for a train (or was it a bus?). He coined the term 'the soul test' and I agree that someone failed that test last Saturday ... but I don't think we agree *who* failed it. We cannot blame the coaches, the players or Dan Guerrero for the fact that on a fine summer evening only 42,000 people showed up at the Rose Bowl. Note: the student section looked pretty full - it was fans & alums who didn't show up. That lack of energy at the Rose Bowl - that's on us fans. Energy is contagious and so is the lack of energy - it's like throwing a wet blanket over someone's fire. If the team didn't seem to be electrified, maybe it's because as they walked onto the field they saw the half empty stands and they played in front of quiet fans .. many who left early.
Last night I watched the video wherein the players talked about a "Huge Win" and acknowledge that they had a lot of things to work on but that they were now energized after tasting victory. It seemed to me that they were proud that they didn't throw in the towel. I guess they still remember last season. So they think that this season is going to be different. They want this season to be different. I actually liked their attitude - it more than made up for the frustration of watching all the little things that they could have done better on Saturday. They were proud of winning but also had the humility to recognize that they "aren't there yet" - there's still plenty of room for improvement. If that is how they use this victory - to motivate and energize the team and to renew their dedication - then we may be headed back to the glory days of UCLA football. In that case, we may look back one day and say "Yes. That was a huge win against SJSU. It gave us what we needed to get us back on track." I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. But the lads are happy & motivated and that's a good thing in my book.
The psychology of sports is complicated - and I'm no psychologist so I cannot even begin to say anything about it. But I know from my experience working with youth (as a professor, a scoutmaster, and a mentor) that telling kids that they never measure up isn't the way to get the best out of them. And emphasizing failure is an excellent way to ensure it. (also, amazingly, people cannot hear the word "don't" - as in "Don't push that button!" ;) People rise and sink to expectations - and they respond to feedback: both positive and negative. FYI: having your own fans boo you hinders performance in most athletes (sure there's always the few who thrive on adversity, but a team is more than those few). Having your own fans calling for firing your coach the day after the first game of the season isn't a confidence builder either. It's not like Coach Rick and the players need us to point out mistakes - and it's got to be a morale crusher to have your fans try to take away any sense of accomplishment - even after you won the game!
Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't scrutinize our team every week - of course we should. I think that players & coaches really appreciate fans who take a good look at them, seeing interesting little things. The fact that we spend our time on them shows that we care - time is more precious than money, and we're spending on the UCLA Bruins! So if we want the best for our beloved Bruins we should be generous with our love and support for our team - if we want our post-game analysis to start revealing more good than bad in every game maybe we ought to celebrate the good and offer criticism in a constructive and supportive way. And fer cryin' out loud - stop booing our players and coaches: I don't care what they do wrong - be a little stoic!
Every season our boys in blue suit up and start with a good attitude but by the end of last season it looked like none of them wanted to be there - including Coach Rick! If our team has learned helplessness it is because they have learned that they are helpless in getting support from UCLA fans. If they lose we boo. If they win we complain that isn't a good enough win. If they call the 'wrong' play or play the 'wrong' player we want to fire the coach. No wonder they gave up last season - they'd have to have been super-human to withstand that. Let's teach them that they do have power over the fans - they can make us shower them with praise, love and support!
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.
17 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
KR - thank you for such a well thought out post
However, I have to disagree with wrt blaming our fans. Given what Bruin fans have been subjected to since December 5, 1998, frankly I admire the passion we still see from the diehards about our team.
There were 40,000+ at the Rose Bowl. This is coming off a 4-8 season, a decade without a conference championship and the defensive letdown v. Houston. If anything Bruin fans have been patient and resilient.
I continue to get blown away by how much traffic and energy this little blog generates. This is not due to an uncaring fanbase. We have a great core that remains loyal and resilient even though they are rightfully concerned.
I hope the coaches and players appreciate the urgency of the situation because we have gone out of our way to be fair and supportive of this program and the university in general. It’s upon them to get it done in next few games and revive he good vibes around our program.
Good points
I still can’t help but feel jealous when I see things like Michigan’s home crowd on tv though.
I’m both dreading and looking forward to next week’s crowd. I’m sure there’s going to be way too much orange, but at least I won’t feel like I’m the only one yelling. I think this weekend is when students start moving in, hopefully lots of them are able to make it out on Saturday.
As I mentioned in my grades
I switched over to the Michigan game for a while during ours. I had to do it to keep myself awake and remind myself why I love college football. I wasn’t getting that “feeling” watching ours around midnight in the East Coast.
Hey N.
You are 100% right: the core BNers are true fans and they show it with all the time spent on this site.
But the loyalty and support of some Bruins doesn’t make up for other Bruin fans booing our team. No matter how poorly the players and the coaches perform we should never boo them. No matter how ‘gutless’ a play call we should never boo them. No matter how badly we lose, we should never boo them. Fans should never boo their team … unless they’re the 1919 White Sox.
These are OUR Bruins – win or lose. We don’t boo them – we boo Trojans.
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 12, 2011 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Thank You
I agree with you 100%—to me, there is never a “good enough reason” to boo our team. We are better than that, we are Bruins.
Personally, I feel the same way about leaving a game early. No matter what the score, or how disappointed we may be, I think it’s a sign of tremendous disrespect to our team and our school to walk out of their game while there is still play going on.
Love My Bruins
Good point, N
It may well be that there are only 40,000 UCLA fans able to go to a game. We will never attact any fence sitters or band wagoners with performances like we’ve seen, so maybe Morgan Center is thinking at as long as we can stay above the level of attendance at Rays game, we’re OK.
Yes but why did people start walking out when it was a tied game?
Why were those who did attend act like they were at a tennis match?
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 12, 2011 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Because from what I saw on TV
The game appeared to be more boring than a tennis match. You can’t blame the crowd for feeling deflated and bewildered when we freaking punt on San Jose’s 38 yard line with a 4th and 2.
And you can't blame a team for lacking heart
when their fans walk out on them in a tied game
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 12, 2011 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions
N. I didn't want to start an argument.
Y’all are all 100% correct – UCLA fans have suffered so long we can be excused if some of us don’t keep the faith. The seasons 2003-2007 damaged a lot of Bruins’ spirits and livers – and some our passion buckets just don’t hold as much as they used to. We’ve been down this early season road so many times before we no longer wonder IF but WHEN we’ll get our hearts broken by our Bruins. It is next to impossible to give the benefit of the doubt anymore.
Still, things like walking out on our team and booing them are not helping change the culture of our Football team.
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 12, 2011 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree with you
That we shouldn’t boo our team. I myself was guilty of it during Lavin years. I probably should have not done that. Call it youthful exuberant mistake. However, I can’t fault Bruin fans for being frustrated right now. They have gone through a lot. And I think as a community that is all about UCLA alums, students and fans, we have to appreciate why everyone is feeling the way about this program.
As you know we have always been about giving Rick Neuheisel a fair shot. But at the same time we have to base our takes on reality. We have done this all through the years. This team has a lot of talent (despite what an unsourced and unsubstantiated fanpost that just went up). We have made that point through post after posts, going over various positions not just during this off-season but since we have been around.
It is up to the coaches to put together a team that we can be all proud of. What we saw on Saturday was something very disconcerting. And it was disconcerting from the kickoff. At this point coaches and players need to take in the feedback, and figure out how to get this thing right … in a hurry.
I have not given up on Rick, just yet. But we will need to see discernible results very soon.
From a guy who did exactly that
(walked out with game tied) I’ll tell you that between my concern about traffic or winning this game, the traffic concern won out. And that’s from a guy who loves UCLA…..one who donates not huge money, but enough to sit across the aisle from the $25k donor section. One who attends as many practices as he can and thinks about ways to structure a work day to get out to Westwood for 3:00 pm practice. One who has recorded many of the games from his DVR, to his computer and ultimately to DVD for future reference.
I’m tired. 10 years of false hopes. A single year of double-digit wins with one of the great NFL players in our recent history marred by two BLOW OUT losses to our rival (admittedly cheating) and a no-name Arizona team. Random wins against great teams that mean nothing because the following week is a loss to a crap team. I might as well take up craps because randomness rules UCLA football. There is no cohesive identity like Stanford has right now (blue collar, punch you in the mouth). No, there is only Rick’s incessantly empty rhetoric. And I feel absolutely horrible; horrible, for the players. Great players with great potential let down by the men responsible for turning them into better/great football players.
Something’s got to change. And I am now convinced that change starts with Dan Guerrero and CRN. There is no way to get that message across except for attendance records like we saw at SJSU and the letter detailing the discontinuation of my donation to the athletic department that I am already formulating in my head…..until such time as Guerrero and CRN are gone…..or Guerrero hires a serious coach with a serious track record. I will always love UCLA and will always watch every game….unfortunately, until our Athletic Dept is overhauled, it will be from my living room or a local pub….
flash back to postgame comments after the Stanford game last year.
I was there. I wanted to cheer. And when the score was still 0-0; I cheered alot. But, there was very little to cheer about after that.
It’s a good post, Knudsen. But, in this case the team does in fact shoulder the blame. (And, by team I mean Coaches and Players) All we ask is a team that plays with a chip on it’s shoulder. A team that plays to win. That’s not we are getting. Not when our ‘coach’ calls for a punt on 4th and 1 in the opponents side of the field. Not when our much bigger line is getting pushed around by smaller guys.
Sorry. Those are the facts.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
UCLA Players and Coaches are prohibited from reading this comment
In fact, the moderators should just delete it right now.
It would not be unfair to say, “UCLA Football is where talent and dreams go to die.” In fact, today’s UCLA undergrads cannot recall a time where UCLA had a football team you could really believe in – one that made you look forward to Saturday like it was Christmas instead of like it was a colonoscopy (No Polyps! It’s ugly but it’s a win!)
Pete Carroll famously accused UCLA of having no heart – OK even the devil tells the truth sometimes. Somewhere around 1998 something happened. For over a decade now UCLA Football has not believed in itself and it has showed. There were games that they didn’t think they could win so they lost. Then there were games that they didn’t think they deserved to win and they lost heartbreakingly. The past dozen seasons is a history of UCLA beating itself in game after game.
The fans tried to keep the faith but season after season of broken dreams takes a toll on a people: UCLA has fans now that boo their team and walk out on them when the game is tied. They treat their team like an ex-wife. (Back in the 80’s when I was an undergrad, my Bruin pals & I would get angry at UCLA Fans who’d leave early just because we were ahead by several touchdowns. We thought that was the height of fair-weather fandom. Well, they don’t call youth ‘callow’ for nothing ;).
You may say “So the fans are frustrated and they express their frustration. So what?”
So this: UCLA Football still has no heart. The team does not believe in itself.
CRN calls for a punt on 4th & 2 on SJSU’s 37. He does not believe.
They don’t wake up & play until the second half. They. Do. Not. Believe.
They don’t concentrate and so make stupid mistakes. They. Do. Not. Believe.
They don’t apply themselves in practice. They. Do. Not. Believe.
They don’t stick with their assignments. They. Do. Not. Believe.
They try. They want to believe but … They. Do. Not.
But, now, they are excited about this victory. They called it ‘Huge’ even though it was San Jose State. Huge? Really? My fatherly instincts make me want to smile and let them believe that it was huge. Well, it was huge … for them.
Maybe my instincts aren’t wrong. Maybe we fans should lie to the team. Yes, lie.
Let’s tell the Bruins that this victory really was something to brag about. That this UCLA team has finally arrived and they really are all that. They’ve turned the corner. This is the first season of a team like your grand-daddy’s Bruins… but guttier, bigger and badder. And if they continue with the hard work all that ugliness is behind them and nothing but championships are in their future. They are the UCLA Bruins – champions.
Yes. I’d lie. If I had a magic wand that would make every single UCLA fan and sportswriter join me in this lie, I’d wave it in a heart beat. They don’t believe in themselves but if they believed that we believed in them … maybe they’d start to believe. And that’s all they need. To believe – and to work – and eventually they’ll be the UCLA Bruins – champions.
What the hell – it’d be worth a shot. Booing them off the field and walking out on them doesn’t seem to be working.
Playing Devil's advocate.....
I didn’t get a chance to see the game Saturday night. I haven’t seen the replay so I have no idea what the team looked like except for comments here on BN. But I do have a few comments based on my years as a soccer, baseball and hockey coach.
The thing I found most frustrating as a coach was when we practiced something all week and then the kids went out on the field or rink and went brain dead and forgot everything we practiced.
I would scream about it till one day my son said to me, " Dad, things look different when you are on the field." He is a sports writer and has covered many a college and pro game. He said if you every watch the coaches in the boxes, they are all looking at different things in a matter of seconds. They get whatever time the play clock gives them to analyse things and call plays.
the game that we as fans and TV viewers see is different from what they see or the players see on the field. We have the benifit of watching replays and slo-mo and other technical things. That’s why coaches always defer making comments til after they view game film.
The bigger problem is something that has surfaced here on BN from time to time and that is the issue of “Softness” It’s something my son always talks about. He grew up in section 28 of the Rose Bowl watching UCLA football. He has covered prep sports in the Bay Area and now Los Vegas and writes for MaxPrepSports.com He will tell you that UCLA players are soft! He says that something happens when they get to Westwood or they are that way when they are recruited.
There have been references to the Miami game and how UCLA football died that day. Arm band rebellion and humors of game fixing aside, what died was that people didn’t like what a successful program looked like. Special treatment for athletes, DUI’s and the like are what a winning program faces on a regular basis. Being the un-USC program has been hard. We have bred a culture that leads to softness and games like the SJS game.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bruins Nation
Related FanShots on Bruins Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
