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A sad and sorry joke

It was just a matter of time. LA Times has huge puff piece on Karl Dorrell this morning which does nothing to address his record on the field after his arrival in Westwood, and instead focuses on his style as a head coach:

"If UCLA was winning national championships, people would look at Karl Dorrell as this extremely disciplined, poised coach," says Michael Young, a supporter and former college teammate. "But when you're not winning, it looks like you don't care."

A major college coach who doesn't care? Dorrell shakes his head at that one.

People close to him insist there is a side of his personality -- intense, competitive, even loud -- that reveals itself mostly in private. Players point to their Thursday night meetings, such as the one before the Cal game, as an example.

"He talks when he needs to," center Robert Chai says. "He gets worked up and you can see the fire in his eyes."

That, apparently, is the paradox of the man. What you see and what you don't.
Uh whatever. The article which calls Karl "the thinker" is filled with testimonials from his former team-mates and even his wife (kind of like how Laura Bush has been trotted up at various rallies during last few weeks) talks about how Dorrell is intense and focused on practice. Yet nowhere it addresses the central problem of this program, which is eerily similar to another program (in our this year's schedule) was experiencing few years ago (emphasis mine):
White (ND Athletic Director -Ed.) praised Willingham's handling of the team, especially the Irish's strong academic record.

"From Sunday through Friday our football program has exceeded all expectations, in every way," he said. "But on Saturday, we struggled. We've been up and down and sideways a little bit."
In other words it is nice Dorrell has brought back discipline and focus back into practice from Sunday through Friday, but nothing has been really working for UCLA under KD on Saturdays.

The puff piece which is basically a rewrite of Plaschke's idiotic M&M article from last season, does nothing to address the concern of overwhelming majority of UCLA alums, students, and season ticket holders, who are sick and tired of Dorrell leading like a clueless head coach on Saturdays, with his idiotic clock management,  mind-boggling conservative game management with no signs of in game adjustments, and embarrassing and disgraceful losses to opponents with inferior talent, who we have no business losing to.

The puff piece does nothing to address the concern how Dorrell hasn't done much to close the talent gap in recruiting with Southern California and, under him, UCLA has fallen behind Cal.

The article indirectly implies how UCLA fans are being unreasonable with a head coach by expecting him to win national championships every year.  Nowhere in the article it mentions how under Dorrell, there hasn't been any improvement in UCLA's on field performance compared to Bob Toledo. Dorrell is still winless against Southern California, and winless against teams with over .500 records on the road. Nowhere in the article mentions how UCLA fans are just hungry for a football team which can revive the football traditions this program has built up over the years based on Rose Bowl victories, conference championships, regular top-15 finishes, and even a national championship.

The article doesn't mention how UCLA fans are sick and tired of Dorrell producing underachieving football teams year after year which has come nowhere close to matching his own expectations.  And it doesn't mention how at this point everyone has tuned out the sorry, tired, and stale spin of a "growing" and young football team coming out of Dorrell and his minions after every humiliating and disappointing losses every year.

In other words just like many other profile pieces in the LA Times the article is all style over substance and has absolutely nothing do with the heart of matter of what is wrong with Bruin football.

It's an embarrassment and no wonder this once respected newspaper has lost all its marbles. It has become a sad and sorry joke - just like Karl Dorrell.

GO BRUINS.

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It Doesn't Surprise Me
The L.A. Times is to USC, what Fox News is to the Bush administration.

by mcbruin on Nov 8, 2006 7:33 AM PST   0 recs

Do you blame them?
I mean, exactly why would they support a mediocre underachieving team when they have one that has been in the hunt for the national championship for the last four years? I don't think UCLA has given them much ammunition to be flattering. They used to, in the 90's. But those days are gone...

by tasser10 on Nov 8, 2006 7:52 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

It's not even a matter of having success
If UCLA isn't doing well, then where are the pieces that address our concerns, the articles that call out KD? I don't read the news for feel good articles, I want the truth, which unfortunately is not the Times' strength.

But even football notwithstanding, what about basketball season last year? Where they dedicated so much space to an ultimately mediocre southern cal squad, while virtually ignoring the eventual Pac 10 regular season and tournament champions?

I can honestly say that yes, I do blame them. They do an awful job, and they should all be fired.

by Tydides on Nov 8, 2006 12:26 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Newspapers stink...
I see what you mean. I don't read the print version as I am on the east coast, but I read the online version...which you can filter for UCLA news only. Needless to say I never read the USC garbage. Well, all of this is just another indictment of the poor PR job done by our athletic department...

by tasser10 on Nov 8, 2006 2:18 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Why is Cowan
starting if Ben is healthy? Cowan sucks something else. I really want Ben back in the lineup.

by UCLAFreak88 on Nov 8, 2006 8:33 AM PST   0 recs

Typical spin doctoring
from the morons of the LAT who would like nothing better than to maintain the "status quo" of collegiate athletics in Los Angeles: Support USC in football, and UCLA in basketball. This article clearly was written to draw empathy towards a pathetic coach who FINALLY is getting exposed for what he is in the MSM and FINALLY starting to get the heat he deserves. Perfect timing!!! The comparisons to Prothro were ridiculous. The criticisms of Dorrell's style are in light of his FUTILITY and FAILURES as a coach...nowhere in the article brings clarity to this or provides any objective, fact based analysis of his performance. Ahhh... but at least his pants are pressed neatly!!! Tea and crumpets, anyone? DILWEEDS!!!!

by godblesstyus95 on Nov 8, 2006 8:50 AM PST   0 recs

Bring the Fig Newtons too!
I would love to hear what the players have to say. Off the record, of course. I don't care about any of the crap about his style, his clothes or how many times he foldS TP to wipe his butt. It's all about what happens on the field. One winning year out of four. ONE!!! WHERE ARE MY F$%KIN' FIG NEWTONS??!!!

by tasser10 on Nov 8, 2006 2:26 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

L.A. Times
Otherwise know as the Daily Trojan Graduate Paper
Bob O. (Signholder #3)

by TuneMan7 on Nov 8, 2006 9:57 AM PST   0 recs

This article is a major indictment on KD as HC
We all know the traditional media is biased to be positive to the KD's of the world for access to interviews, locker rooms, etc.  

So what does a traditional media company like the LA Times do when a coach is so obviously in over his head?
1) Talk about what a great guy he is OFF the field while ignoring ON the field issues,
and
2) write the occasional jab about poor coaching because 1)it is just too damn obvious, AND 2) they want to be perceived by readers as being objective.

This is exactly what the LA Times is doing regarding KD.  Maybe those guys at the LA Times are so stupid afterall?

by bornagainbruin on Nov 8, 2006 11:58 AM PST   0 recs

Most objectionable ...
... was the relentless focus on KD's "style." If you take BruinsNation.com as representative of his critics, I'll bet fewer than 10 percent of the posts/discussions are about his style. The vast majority have to do with his competence and, for that, the record speaks for itself.

And most of the style points posts have to do with his leadership, or lack thereof. It doesn't matter whether the guy's a screamer or a mute, one need only watch him on the sideline and you realize he doesn't belong in the position. He's an assistant coach, not a head coach.

by wmacfadyen on Nov 8, 2006 2:58 PM PST   0 recs

I have been banned by BRO!
For speaking the truth about CKD.  BRO  has given in to the loyalist-blues and given a blue board.  Thus, the bro board is now the new Blue & Gold.  Boring!!!

by buzzbruin on Nov 8, 2006 9:28 PM PST   0 recs

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