6-8 UCLA’s (0-50 losers v 'SC) Starting TE Joe Fauria Tries to Chump 13-1 LSU
by Achilles on Jan 10, 2012 10:52 AM PST
Email
PrintWell Jim Mora started his first day at UCLA by sending a signal towards "culture change." It looks like he may have more changing to do to turn around the mindset of UCLA football program. Check out what Joe Fauria just tweetd:
That would be the same Fauria whose team got blanked 0-50 by Southern Cal and put together an embarrassing and impotent offensive performance against Illinois in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. That would be the same Fauria running smack against 13-1 program, coming from a team that has not come close to sniffing a BCS bowl game in 10+ years.
To say that this is embarrassing is an understatement. This is not the first time Fauria has made himself look silly and embarrassed UCLA on Twitter. Remember Mora apparently talked to players about tweeting in his first day on campus back in December. If Mora really means business in terms of instituting a culture of discipline in the UCLA football program, perhaps he ought to have a talk with his starting TE to make sure our players do not embarrass themselves and the school this way.
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.
84 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Culture change
isn’t going to happen overnight. By the end of spring training, I think we’ll see clear signs the culture shift is taking place.
I think it's pretty funny...
seems to be his nature. I wouldn’t take too much from this.
I agree
I mean, is it better or worse coming from a D-1 athlete, or coming from me? I might have made the same comment, and I’m not even good enough to be on a 0-12 D-3 team…
Plus, I’m all for criticizing that non-spectacle of college football. A month to prepare and Les didn’t come up with a single thing to throw Alabama off?
by VeniceBruin on Jan 10, 2012 11:26 AM PST up reply actions
meh
For the most part, I think something is funny based on whether it’s funny. Of course, LSU players have every right to fire back and have plenty of ammunition to do so, if they cared.
Since Mora officially started, we’re 0-0 and LSU is 0-1. I don’t think we need to hold over an inferiority complex from the failed Neuheisel regime, or be reverent towards a 13-1 LSU team just because we sucked last year. But to each his own. I can see your perspective, and it also may not reflect well on the program (or Mora’s control of the situation) depending on how you read his statements about not tweeting about the program. This didn’t bother me personally.
by VeniceBruin on Jan 10, 2012 11:50 AM PST up reply actions
Spot on Nestor
This reason this tweet is annoying is because it’s a clear indication that Fauria (i) has low expectations for himself and for UCLA football and as a result (ii) lacks the proper shame that would keep him from tweeting this.
Mora’s true challenge is not to stop players from tweeting; it’s to raise the collective expectation level of what players expect from themselves and their teammates.
Your points (i) and (ii) truly don't make sense to me...
and that may be why we have a different opinion on this matter. I really would like to see how that tweet constitutes “Low expectations” and is “Shameful”.I must be missing something. Sorry, but I just don’t see the connectivety. I mean no offense i really am just perplexed by this whole post.
by GogetemBruins on Jan 10, 2012 12:14 PM PST up reply actions
I use the word "shame" as the opposite of proud
If I’m a UCLA football player and lost to SC 0-50, yes, I would feel ashamed of my team’s performance. If I didn’t feel such shame, the only explanation would be that I have low expectations for our team. Not sure what’s so hard to understand here.
He could also just be poking fun
at LSU for only crossing mid-field one time last night.
Seriously, we need to draw a line here. We can’t just allow everything a kid posts or says to be over analyzed. It just seems like at some point a kid is going to post that he’s at taco bell and every bruin fan will jump on message boards to complain about the kid not being committed to his nutrition and blast him for not being dedicated after 50-0.
Go Bruins!
What would Coach say about publicly making fun of people who are hurting?
The twitterverse is not a locker room.
by Seth Chandler on Jan 10, 2012 2:53 PM PST up reply actions
That's pretty funny, IMO
Plus, he’s not breaking any rules. Mora said no more tweeting about the program. Pretty sure it was directed at all the tweets about hungry Bruins during the whole bowl check fiasco.
Go Bruins!
Meh
I wouldn’t read too much into it. The guy is a joker and just having some fun. Cut the kid some slack. At least he actually went out there every game and have a damn and played his heart out. I would be more pissed if it was embree posting.
by UCL@ on Jan 10, 2012 12:05 PM PST via mobile reply actions
You are right
The “best” player of this program is “a joker.” It tells us all we need to know about the state of UCLA football.
Once again
Reading too far into it. Let the kid be a kid.
by UCL@ on Jan 10, 2012 1:39 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
It's a matter of attitude
And anyone who truly cares about winning and truly feels the pain of being embarrassed like that would never tweet that. If he thinks it’s funny that LSU only crossed midfield once, his feelings about the U$C game are probably not far off.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Publicly ridiculing people who are hurting is OK with you?
It isn’t with me.
by Seth Chandler on Jan 10, 2012 2:55 PM PST up reply actions
really seth?
lets not get hypersensitive here…This is no different than one of the late night hosts cracking a joke, and I find it hard to believe anyone would really get offended by that.
Not quite
This is more like Jeremy Shockey making fun of the Steelers for getting punked by Tebow.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
and
i still don’t see whats wrong with that? Is nobody except the previous national champion or superbowl champion in your example allowed to make a comment? Jermichael Finley making fun of the Steelers for getting punked by Tebow is alright but Shockey cant? Really….?
by uclabruin34 on Jan 11, 2012 12:04 PM PST up reply actions
Come on guys
You can’t possibly be that dense.
Shockey played for the Panthers. Did you see them in the playoffs?
Jermichael Finley is with the Packers, defending champions, who have only lost one game.
Clearly, you do not see the context, and you do not see why some are in a position to make “jokes” and others aren’t.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
thanks for that roster update
but I already knew that. And yes I a disagree with you on a fundamental level who is “allowed” to make jokes and who isn’t apparently.
Even though you seem to think otherwise, I do in fact understand the context, very well I might add. I know who Fauria is, i understand that our program is nowhere near LSU, and that is equally as frustrating to me as it is to you. In context of that game LSU could not cross midfield and he made a joke on twitter about it… just like thousands of others. Whoopty doo!
To sit there and rile on a kid for posting a joke on twitter, the same joke btw that was made originally by a comedic twitter account and RT by many is ridiculous. Although some of you disagree, it does not reflect some big picture problems with the football team.
From MJD’s twitter last year when talking about Cutler in the playoffs: “Hey I think the urban meyer rule is effect right now… When the going gets tough……..QUIT..”
Why is it that nobody gets on MJD’s case about those comments on Cutler? Cutler took his team to the NFC Championship game and was in the playoffs, MJD and the Jags did not even make the playoffs. How dare he make fun of the Bears and Cutler!
In fact not only did he poke fun at Cutler, he also dissed 2 time championship winning coach Urban Meyer! How classless! Where was the uproar then?
by uclabruin34 on Jan 11, 2012 12:24 PM PST up reply actions
Are you kidding?
Tons of people got on MJD’s case for the Cutler comment.
But you know, if you can’t make the distinction, then this conversation is over.
The fact that it wasn’t even Fauria’s joke makes it worse, not better.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
i might be mistaken
but i dont remember seeing any posts with 60+ comments calling it classless. If there was then i stand corrected obviously but the backlash if IIRC was nowhere near this
MJD's comments against Culter was classless
However, we didn’t discuss it here with as much intensity here because MJD didn’t make the comment as a member of the UCLA football team. However, he was shredded in the NFL circuit for good reason. If MJD ever made this kind of comment as a member of the UCLA team, you’d bet we discuss it with the same intensity. It is amusing how invested you are in defending a stupid and classless comment from one of our key players, who may take the role as a team leader next season. It is telling.
what is telling
is the fact that some of you get so up in arms over a joke. Its a joke. Meant for comedic relief. Laugh, you’ll enjoy life more i promise.
Like someone else has posted I care more about what he’s doing right now to get better for next year more than what he posts on his own twitter account.
You can try and turn this on me or anyone that disagrees with you by saying our comments are telling (of our personalities presumably) but the fact remains it was a joke, a harmless one at that.
Then the joke is on him
and on you for thinking it’s funny.
It’s called hypocrisy. You don’t make fun of someone when you are worse than they are at the same thing.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
As Jethro Tull states...
I must be “Thick as a Brick”. I will leave it at that. Sorry T-10 istill see no “connective tissue”as it were to the offensive nature to what big Joe tweeted.
Evidently what is being offered to support the accusation doesn’t impress me as well. Too much is being made over far too little.
We will have to agree to dissagree with no hard feelings! This horse has been beaten enough already!
by GogetemBruins on Jan 11, 2012 1:40 PM PST up reply actions
I can think of one horse that needs to be beaten more
I would insert Traveller’s picture here, but I don’t want to bother.
(to the PETA folks I offended before, this is a joke)
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Your actions have to match your smack
If I make fun of someone for running a mile in 10 minutes, but it takes me 15 minutes to huff and puff my way through it, I look like an idiot.
Fauria trying to poke fun at a 13-1 program that struggled against one of the best defenses in the past decade (damn ’Bama’s linebackers are scary). It looks ridiculous given the year UCLA had, including the many drubbings this team gave up this year.
If he really wants to make the joke, keep it in house with friends, don’t broadcast that bullcrap to the public. That’s part of being a team leader, you don’t get to say whatever you want whenever you want to.
also just noticed his twitter biography
Crespi Alumn. Notre Dame Suspendee. UCLA Tight End. I have passion for everything I do! FOLLOW MY PURSUIT…
wait, why is being a Notre Dame suspendee something to broadcast??
Relax everyone
I think he’s just repeating a joke made elsewhere.
I think less of him for making the joke if it's just a repeat
if it was his own thing it would at least demonstrate wit.
Kids, especially testosterone fueled,
coddled athletes are prone to do and say ill-advised things. I just don’t see that you can reasonably extrapolate much beyond a youth having a knucklehead moment. My best guess is he and other players of his bent won’t be so apt to repeat such a mistake, after Coach Mora has had time to lay down his expectations. Examples are going to be made for those slow on the uptake, to be sure.
This is not his first knucklehead comments on Twitter
This is his third time (they have all been archived here). A UCLA football player simply shouldn’t be talking so much smack (even if its done in a joking manner) given the state of our program. The joke right now is on us.
Look for Tweeting to be banned
Urban Meyer banned it:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/sports/010312-urban-meyer-bans-buckeyes-from-using-twitter
A “The” OSU player even said it was probably for the better.
And look for Fauria to sit a couple games.
Actually, it appears this "ban" was quickly disputed or disproved
OSU Ban up in the air
>>
http://www.thelantern.com/campus/osu-football-twitter-ban-up-in-the-air-1.2737710#.TwYJVzUS1oU
<<
+1 on Banning all Twitter activity
I think that is a great idea and Mora should consider it. If the players cannot figure out what to tweet and what not to tweet, and do not have the maturity to discern that once you use social media it instantly becomes public media, not just a comment between friends, then ban the tweets! I would suspect, seeing the amount of negative tweeting we have seen out of this group over the last few years, that should Mora do as he has indicated and drive culture change, (still remains to be seen if he actions that statement) that this will not be the last time, minus a total ban, that we see this type of inability to keep opinions in house. Usually when change happens someone always is bent out of shape.
Why not save the headache and ban it now?
Maybe he has made other knucklehead
comments under Coach Neu’s watch, but he hasn’t yet been shown the way it’s going to be by Coach Mora. He will “get it” or ride the pine; maybe worse.
Probably not something Fauria intended to be seen as a jab at LSU, he's a goof.
But all this talk about banning social media will never hold up.
I understand why it seems like a good idea, to fans and people that invest emotion in this athletic program that is in shambles.
It is really easy to say, “Shut up about teams that would wipe the floor with you and have actually accomplished something. Go run some routes, get in your playbook and lift.”
But there is no precedent for a coach being able to do this. You’re potentially violating a kid’s right to free speech with stuff like that. It comes across bad. Not the “I’m a hardass and the culture is going to change right now” good type of coming across bad.
It comes across to as, “You guys are out of control and I already have no trust in you even though I don’t know most of you.”
As a player, you definitely have to earn a coaches trust. But a coach has to have the same responsibility. You can’t start off your tenure with something like this. If a team’s first impression is that you don’t trust them, why would that kid work his ass off for you?
Holding kids to a higher standard, I 100% love it. Great.
Sending a strong message right away about violating team rules. Fine, needs to be done.
Banning kids from using social media before they’ve done anything wrong under your tenure. Not cool with it.
I expect this to be disagreed with. But it sets a bad precedent if you punish a player/s for Tweeting before you’ve made any rules.
Right way to go about this, in my opinion:
Set up some ground rules about social media with the players.
Have a meeting set up with a guy who works with social media restrictions in corporations or someone like that.
Let the kids know that what they say online is a representation of UCLA, their alma-mater and their families.
Let them know that there are consequences for saying outlandish things online.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
Very sensible response
Banning social media outright makes it seem as though the coach is scared of what the players will say or is out of touch. Neither looks good.
I would also add that players on both LSU and Alabama use social media and it doesn’t hurt them. If a control freak like Saban can find a way to live with it, I am sure there is a way to make it work.
The thing that I would tell the players about twitter is that it is very hard to look intellegent or thoughtful in 140 characters but it is really easy to look like an idiot in even less than 140 characters.
That last sentence is dead-on.
Just a thought:
If Fauria somehow had an account on here and was in the LSU-Bama game thread talking with us, and he dropped in that comment, not one person would criticize him.
Somehow Twitter is different.
It would still be just as stupid and short-sighted of a comment. Interesting, I think.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
Well yes
there’s a difference between chit-chat in a community and shouting from the rooftops.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
That's the problem with many of my generation.
(Well, I’m claiming it as my generation; I’m still in my 20s.)
They don’t seem to realize that posting on social media is akin to shouting your conversation in a filled room. I just don’t understand this constant need to air everything publicly.
I’m going to the gym… everybody must know! I’m making food… everybody must know!
/rant
by Kenneth Powers on Jan 10, 2012 6:19 PM PST up reply actions
Do us all a favor, KP
stop going to the gym to make your food. I really don’t want to know what you use for a strainer. And, by all means, do not tell us about it. :-)
IE and JB sure summed it up nicely, didn’t they?
Let them know that there are consequences for saying outlandish things online.
The thing that I would tell the players about twitter is that it is very hard to look intellegent or thoughtful in 140 characters but it is really easy to look like an idiot in even less than 140 characters.
This seems reasonable to me
I don’t think you can outright ban social media banter. However, setting grounds rules – reasonable and clear ones – should be a good way to go.
by Nestor on Jan 10, 2012 4:20 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I also don't think banning
all social media outlets would be a good idea. It’s just the general attitude of our entire program (from Guerrero down to each player) seems to be lacking focus. When everything looks foolish, from on the field performance to silly tweets by players, things just all look worse.
Speaking of attitudes of programs, I’d be willing to bet no LSU players are going to respond to this tweet with one of their own, even though they have mountains of ammo to use against Fauria and our football program.
by SonOfWestwood93 on Jan 10, 2012 6:00 PM PST reply actions
Cmon guys
i really don’t see this as a huge deal…you’re telling me a college aged kid who can get his voice heard on the internet telling a joke and making his friends (and a bunch of people he’s never met that follow him) should not do so because of 50-0 and a losing season?
Should any team be able to talk in that case besides Alabama? We all do this, and it has nothing to do with a “culture change” nor is it evidence of a corrupt mindset. Maybe you guys have forgotten what its like to be 19 or 20 but ANYONE that age would take the opportunity to do the same, heck as an arsenal fan i still do it! Anytime i can rag on ManU Man City or any of the other EPL teams that suffer an embarrassing loss I’m taking my shots. I guarantee most of you do the same, if not with UCLA with another team you support.
100% right...
season is OVER! How Big Joe’s comment relates to 50-0 or UCLA FB at all…i just don’t get it. If Joe’s comments offend you…so be it.Tempest in a tea pot to me. Where i draw the line is if Joe or any other BRUIN FB player tweets about internal matters that should just be “In House” such as disagreements with coaches or dicipline matters regarding other FB players…that is not proper.
You are a voice of sanity 34. Believe it don’t doubt it.
by GogetemBruins on Jan 11, 2012 6:26 AM PST up reply actions
Awesome
The classiness of some Bruin fans never ceases to amaze me. Whether it’s a big deal or not, it’s just not classy. Everyone keeps bringing up Wooden’s standards…well how do you like dem apples?
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
not classy
is Suh stomping on another player.
Not classy is Cheat Carroll dialing up that bomb in the 4th quarter in ’09.
Not classy is jumping over the wall to avoid practice
Not classy is James Harrison posing with guns in a magazine.
Making a joke does not constitute “not classy” IMO, and is nowhere nearly as egregious as those other examples.
by uclabruin34 on Jan 11, 2012 12:29 PM PST up reply actions
You clearly have lower standards
and keep defending them. It’s ok. That’s the distinction in our opinions.
And for the record, your other examples are
- disgusting
- unsportsmanlike
- lazy
- dumb
Class means not making fun of someone who has lost (unless it is U$C). Not when you know how bad it feels.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Uhh
The season is never over on BN or in college football world. Programs that make commitment to excellence do not let up. It is ridiculous that you and others are defending this kind of stuff from our players when our program has been the ultimate underachievers in the world of college football. The fact that few of you don’t get how the optics of this look so bad and tondeaf is perhaps explains how this fanbase has been so freaking sedated and chumped by a complacent regime for last 10+ years. Truly pathetic.
My views
on this have NOTHING to do with UCLA as a program. Like I said he made a joke that was specific to the game and the fact that LSU couldn’t cross the 50 yard line.
If he would have gone and said something about LSU being a joke of a program, I can see the outrage, but in the context of the game LSU could not cross the 50 yard line and he pointed that out by making a joke.
Please dont try and take my viewpoint or others that disagree with you on this and use it as an example of the fanbase being sedated and chumped…I have agreed with a lot of what you have posted on here so I don’t think that is a fair statement
by uclabruin34 on Jan 11, 2012 12:10 PM PST up reply actions
The mindset of making excuses
… is a sign of being tolerant of behavior not consistent with an great program. What Fauria did here was dumb and there was no place for it from a UCLA program in its current sorry shape. If you and others keep digging in and keep making pathetic excuses for Fauria’s not so classy actions, don’t whine about being called out for it. We’d suggest you move on to another topic.
At least he spelled "buses" correctly.
The “Busses Only” sign in front of my kids’ (former) elementary school couldn’t manage that.
While I think Fauria was sincerely just goofing, as that seems to be his nature, I think the perception and attitude that our players need to present is the big deal. Right now, we are in no place to be clowning anyone or anything. Well, except Cal. But I think that all our players, esp a potential senior leader and great talent like Fauria need to channel their energies into something that is more positive for the program. Publicly clowning a 13-1 BCS finalist just doesn’t look very good, and I think Fauria needs to recognize that and not go there. It’s part of the maturation and leadership process that the Bruins desperately need from someone of his stature.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Busses
It’s not common, but there are some dictionaries that recognize it as a valid alternative.
by Westwood Wizard on Jan 11, 2012 2:45 PM PST up reply actions
The real question is
does it work on Words With Friends?
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
And it's dictionaries like those that tolerate the culture of spelling mediocrity.
Wekl, maybe that’s for another blog.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Everyone is right.
His Tweet was not “classy” and not mature, and he’s a goof and probably doesn’t care. He’s not John Wooden and doesn’t claim to be.
As long as he’s working his ass off trying to be the best football player he can be to help UCLA win, I don’t mind the tweet. That’s my opinion.
Fauria posted his thoughts on this article.
BigJoeFauria
“I never tweet swear words or about too many of my ‘extracurricular’ activities off the field. But dudes get mad about My Humor? C’MON!”
13 minutes ago via web
“If you don’t like what I say. UNFOLLOW. My Personality makes me the person/player I am!”
12 minutes ago via web
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
LOL!
“If you don’t like what I say, UNFOLLOW!”
No son, when you make public comments, you get to be criticized or praised over it. That’s the nature of Twitter. Live with it, or STOP TWEETING!
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Now I'm curious about the 'extracurricular' activities.
I do miss college sometimes. ;-)
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
The entire university. He is a representative of the program…a public face. What he says, does, tweets reflects back on the university. That’s why the good coaches I’ve had and heard about always said to represent the team well. My 8th grade basketball coach made us wear a coat and tie to all of our games. I guarantee you we were the only 8th grade team we came across doing that. It set a tone of class, dignity and professionalism that put us in the proper mindset.
If we could represent like that in 8th grade, I’m sure Fauria and the rest of the team can step it up a little bit.
Joe, I saw the little video piece of you riding the scooter around and liked it.
You seem to have a fun personality.
But, come on, bro. Punking LSU (aka “piling on”) is low and I believe you are better than that.
Keep the personality. Ditch the punk-ass behavior. Kick some ass on the field and let that do the talking for you.
Yes, it’s a little thing, but it’s the little things that separate the champions from the also-rans.
Which do you want to be?
by Geronimo21 on Jan 11, 2012 9:53 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
