LA Times Channels "Bruin nation"

by Nestor on Nov 28, 2006 6:10 AM PST in Football Comment 16 comments

You don't think Guerrerro is hearing us? Check this out from Diane Pucin's article on Ben Ball warriors being ranked number 1 (emphasis mine throughout):

"We arguably believe we have the best inclusive athletic program in the country," UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said. "It's what we do and how we do it. As athletic director of this program, I could not be more proud of the UCLA brand."

Guerrero said he knew the "Bruin nation" was buzzing about UCLA basketball returning to the top and didn't skip a beat when it was mentioned some in the "Bruin nation" were not as enamored of the 6-5 football team.

"We want highly ranked programs across the board," Guerrero said. "We expect to win and when that doesn't happen, we expect to hear from fans. But we have a plan. The plan is to move forward and we need to do that in sports that aren't performing as well."

Now isn't that interesting? Pucin made sure to put "Bruin nation" in close quotes.

Also even more interesting how DG again given a chance to give Dorrell an express vote of confidence when served up with a softball from Pucin, remained vague by making some cryptic references to a "plan".

And another interesting note. Check out this quote in the same article from soccer coach Jorge Salcedo who channels Bruins Nation:

UCLA men's soccer Coach Jorge Salcedo said after his team's trip to Duke that "100% of what's happening in athletics at UCLA doesn't get enough credit. To take a phrase out of the Oakland Raiders book, we have a commitment to excellence here. Hopefully that can carry over to football this weekend."

Oh, that.

The Trojans and Bruins play at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. At stake? A national championship game appearance for USC. A chance to deny that to USC is the best UCLA can hope for.

Seems to me Jorge (and I can call him Jorge considering he was one of our classmates whooping it up in all those of Westwood parties back in the day) is channelling the sentiments from our posts in "Other Sports," in which we are constantly making the point why doesn't the football team the same committment to excellence we see in our other sports.

Now that should put to rest any doubt on whether our words, discussions backed up facts and powered by Bruin passion make a difference on the broader conversation going on in the UCLA community. So let's keep it going.

I have said this numerous times before on BN: we are not living in Donahue era anymore when no one had an outlet to get the voices of silent majority out except through the limited spaces of local papers Letter to the Editor section. Times have changed. We do have a way of making an impact in the broader narrative concerning UCLA athletics. Today's Pucin article is just another example of power of community building effort going through via Bruins Nation. So let's not feel sorry for ourselves over the underachievements of our football program and keep the conversation going on what is our broader vision of UCLA athletics backed up by reason, facts, and just common sense. Sooner or later our thoughts will be part of the broader conventional wisdom. It's not going to happen over night. We have to keep at it.

GO BRUINS.

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Well, what do you know...

... word IS getting around!

My jaw hit the floor when I read the article a few minutes ago, and I had to boot up the computer.

Normally, I'm not keen on Diane Pucin's writing style -- sometimes a little TOO touchy-feely and personal-journal sounding versus reporting -- but I definitely appreciate her noting how UCLA got swept to the side just because USC signed a touted HS player.

This is basketball, and we're UCLA, damn it.

Arron has the attitude exactly right: "Being ranked No. 1, that's not our goal. Our goal is to be No. 1, and we do that by winning the national championship. Still, this is good."

Go get 'em, Bruins.

MIM

by Meriones on Nov 28, 2006 6:17 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

interesting

"We want highly ranked programs across the board," Guerrero said. "We expect to win and when that doesn't happen, we expect to hear from fans. But we have a plan. The plan is to move forward and we need to do that in sports that aren't performing as well."

That is very interesting to me. Does the plan include dumping dorrell? What other sports aren't performing? I guess track is often somewhat of a disappointment, they finished something like 23rd at the NCAA tournament recently. Hmmm... nope nothing else, just football. Very interesting.

by ranelar on Nov 28, 2006 7:50 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

No kidding

If KD had DG's unabashed and unquestioned support he could have said something like, "we believe in Coach Dorrell," or "Coach Dorrell is building a great program in Westwood," or even "we have confidence in Karl."

But nothing like that.

That choice of "plan" is just interesting.

If I were Dorrell I'd pull out all the stops to win the game this Sat. He may not get a second shot.

by bluestreet on Nov 28, 2006 7:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

"But we have a plan."

When I read that, I thought for sure that DG was referring to KD's so called "plan" to make Bruin football a contender. However, once you read the next sentence, it's clear that he isn't talking about KD's "plan" at all. So it must be his own plan. And DG's "plan" (according to the last sentence) is to move forward and change coaches in "sports that aren't performing as well." Maybe I'm reading too much into it (pretty sure I am), but it sounds more like an AD that is getting ready to fire a coach.

Dear Dan, please have the "plan" for our football program!!

by bornagainbruin on Nov 28, 2006 8:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunately

I dont have any faith in Guerrero's "plan". while he's dicking around, other schools are making moves and hiring a lot of the coaches I would have liked to see at UCLA

by BillyZoom on Nov 28, 2006 9:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

umm

It would be ridiculous and idiotic beyond measure to fire KD a week or two weeks before the USC game.

by njbruin on Nov 28, 2006 9:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dan Guerrero

Could it be that DG is letting BN know that he does read, is aware of what the issues are, and is in control? Time, like after Saturday, will tell....

BillSouthBay

by BillSouthBay on Nov 28, 2006 10:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Plenty of evidence to suggest

that we need to keep at it, because people are taking notice.

How sad is that when AA has to turn to southern cal football to see a decent local football team? Thanks a lot KD.

by Tydides on Nov 28, 2006 11:04 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

The AA comment

I sure hope Coach Howland will tell him that comment was not kosher. But you are right this is all happening because of KD.

by Nestor on Nov 28, 2006 11:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think AA meant that he watches for motivation...

...that watching $C do well just makes him want to push even harder to make UCLA the best it can be in hoops.

At least, that's how I read it.

MIM

by Meriones on Nov 28, 2006 11:17 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I saw it that way too

but my gripe is that he should be able to compete with our OWN football team for attention from UCLA fans.

by Tydides on Nov 28, 2006 12:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This is brilliant!

We have been working on other projects and missed this ... thank you for putting this up Nestor.

DG is speaking our language!! This is huge!! DG is making it clear and public that he wants excellence 'across the board.' There is abosultely no ambiguity there. You know what this means? DG knows that he is going to be held accountable to his public statement. He knows this BEFORE he made the statement.

So, now that he has established goals for the program when he hired KD and those goals haven't been met in 4 long years, AND, now that DG is confirming loud and clear that he expects excellence "across the board" it is much much harder to defend KD and bring him back, given his record.

We think this is a big plus for all of us who KNOW that we can re-establish a winning football. Now, lets beat SuC!!

I truly hope for a great season, but if we dont have one we must dumpdorrell.com

by DumpDorrell on Nov 28, 2006 12:49 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Haven't paid much attention to DG comments

I don't have much time to read the local sports sections, so I rely on this site and Papa BB for info. According to Papa BB, DG gave KD a vote of confidence after the ND disaster, and was still giving him one. Is this true? Are the threats of cancelled football season tickets and no monatary support for a Pauley renovation motivating DG?

by bruinbabe2000 on Nov 28, 2006 2:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

"vote of confidence"

No one really knows BB.

Some folks (mostly Dorrell supporters like Matt Stevens and site administrators on paid sites who depend on access to Morgan Ctr) have been saying KD will be back for one more year at least.

But to date I have not seen a single news report which clearly signals DG giving a strong "vote of confidence" to KD. DG has been sticking to vague, general adminspeak. which is pretty interesting.

by bluestreet on Nov 28, 2006 2:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

DAN GUERRERO'S LATEST COMMENT

Did you pick up Dan Guerrero's latest statement from the wire?

Fellow Bruins--

Our goal is mediocrity and we will jump any ant hill to achieve it. We look forward to a nothing-nothing tie with SC on Saturday, and anything less is just not acceptable.

To our loyal fans, do not lose hope! Buy tickets and keep sending us those cards and letters.

Fight on (opps), err--we will keep fighting and accepting applications for season tickets no matter how badly SC kicks our butts.

Dan Guerrero

by uclagradscdad on Nov 28, 2006 3:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs