Once again, it's Friday morning, and how awesome is this: the long work week is almost done, the weekend is almost here, and August (and the return of college football) is just on the horizon. So, with the weekend about to get underway, let's get straight to the various bits and pieces of news floating around the UCLA-iverse:

• Let's start with something other than football for once. UCLA senior David Goeser has been missing since this past Sunday. Goeser suddenly disappeared, leaving behind his ID, cell phone, and other personal items, and has not been heard of since. On Wednesday, LAPD recovered his car in Pacific Palisades, but as of now, the young Bruin has yet to be found. Anyone with any information that will lead to his safe return, please contact the Los Angeles Police Department at 213-996-1800.
• Turning to football, ICYMI, Coach Jim Mora is pushing the "toughen up" mantra at UCLA, explaining that he wants to turn the Bruins into the kind of team that opponents don't want to line up against: that the Bruins will be the more physical, tougher, meaner team on the field. Mora went on to explain that part of the appeal of taking the Bruins out to San Bernardino was to isolate the team from distractions, like guys going to get yogurt with their girlfriend after practice (which doesn't sound very manly, now does it?).
  

• In hoops news, the Bruins will face the Georgetown Hoyas as part of the Legends Classic college basketball "tournament" at the new Barclay's Center in New York in November. It'll give Howland a chance to showcase his top recruiting class (and hopefully a line-up based on talent and work-ethic, rather than favoritism) on a national broadcast against a marquee opponent in something resembling a tournament (doesn't really count when the regional host can lose out in the opening round and regardless gets to play in the semi-final).
• Finally, California Watch, which claims to be an independent, non-partisan investigative journalism site, has brought up some legitimate criticisms the Luskin hotel and conference center, also known as Gene Block's newest fair-haired project, which makes it look like, once again, Gene Block and his incompetent administration, have failed to do their due diligence in pushing for this project to go forward. But then again, this is the same chancellor who sees no problem in paying Chianti Dan the highest salary of any athletic director in the Pac-12 and who cluelessly pumps up mediocre wins over a mediocre Cal program as an accomplishment. Talk about being a tonedeaf tool.

Alright folks, those are your Bruin Bites to end the week with. Fire away with your thoughts, takes, and additions in the comments thread. And enjoy the sunny weekend!

GO BRUINS