Tuesday Morning Roundup

by Nestor on Jan 23, 2007 5:22 AM PST in News

Little bit of mixed bag of Bruin roundup on this Tuesday morning.

There is a nice article on AA2 in a local Massachusetts paper. AA2 played prep ball in near by New Hampshire (Tilton School). They took note of AA2's contributions against Arizona. More on AA2's game against Zona from the Arizona Daily Star:

With his team's best rebounder out for probably another week, Alfred Aboya made his first start of the year and third in his two-year career against the Wildcats on Saturday. You could tell.

"The adrenaline got to him," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "I thought he was a little out of gas after four minutes."

So Howland took Aboya out of the game. He calmed down and finished with 11 rebounds and made two of the most important free throws of his career.

After the Wildcats narrowed UCLA's lead to 70-67 with 17 seconds left, Aboya — a 54 percent free-throw shooter this year — stepped to the line and made both. He finished with four points, all from the stripe.

"All I was thinking about was, 'In practice I made my foul shots,'" Aboya said. "Why not here? It's the same floor, the same basket and the same goal."

Hmm. Perhaps AA2 and Mata should be room-mates so they can talk about FTs? lol

Anyways again it's kind of pathetic that we are having to look in local New England (or opponent's home team) papers to read articles on Ben Ball, while the Trojans Times "UCLA Section" is featuring this.

On the football front the Raiders hired Southern Cal offensive guru (who couldn't put up points against Dorrell's Bruins) Lane Kiffin. Here is an amusing reaction at SBN's Raider blog: Silver and Black Pride. He is actually fawning over the Southern Cal genius duo of Kiffin and Sarakasian. LOL It's just too bad Dorrell angled for this gig last year not this year. Looks like Lord Al was desperate to hire anyone as his latest "yes-man." And given Dorrell's record he would have been perfect for the job. May be next year. More on this from Dump Dorrell.

Also on the coaching front there have been rumors about Lions looking into hiring Jim Colletto as their OL coach. Here is the reactions from SB Nation Lion's blog - Pride of Detroit - which is dreading the possibility of Lions being saddled with another mediocre coach.

Lastly, sticking with pro/college football note Dohn points out there are three Bruin players and a former coach involved in this year's super bowl. Although in my book a thug like Ricky Manning doesn't deserved to be called a Bruin. I certainly don't consider him as a respected member of Bruins Nation. However, that still leaves with two Bruins - LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (Bears) and TE Bryan Fletcher (Colts) - representing the blue and gold in Super Bowl. That's two more than the Trojies, whose classy superstar - Reggie "House" Bush - is still prancing around some end zone.

Are you watching the game? Who are you rooting for? Anyone but Manning (Payton) for me.

GO BRUINS.

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offensive coordinator

The Bruins should take a look at NIU's Offensive Coordinator, John Bond. Everywhere he's been his offense has broken records. He may not be a big name coach, but he's full of fire which is exactly what we need.

by private on Jan 23, 2007 8:01 AM PST reply actions

usc Wins Another Head to Head Battle Against Us

Curse you Al Davis -- you Trojan loving tool.

With both schools trying to pawn off coaches to the Raiders, sc won.

Kiffin, who lost the respect of many tojams when he couldn't put points on the board against UCLA, took the job that many of us hoped would be the stepping stone to greatness (and away from UCLA) for our own Karl Dorrell.

To make matters worse, it does not apper that KD was given a fair shot at the job. I've not seen anything that indicates that KD was even given an interview -- which under the NFL guidelines is an insult.

Had he been interviewed, KD would surely have gotten the job. He has a great suit and gives good interview.

You won't see me in Oakland watching that team. Our loss is also yours, Al.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Jan 23, 2007 8:52 AM PST reply actions

BTW -- It's Jim Colletto

It's Jim Colletto, not "Ned".

I think he did a good job.

The line did a good job protecting our quarterbacks. The line cannot be faulted for the lack of a running game. When you run almost all of your plays up the middle, and when the other team stacks the middle and you do nothing to make them spread out, you cannot expect the linemen to clear out holes.

In the nut bowl, the line was creating huge gaps. So, we abandoned the running game.

That's not the fault of the offensive line coach.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Jan 23, 2007 8:56 AM PST reply actions

I detect the aroma of a little bias here

(Read this understanding that I am doing my best Jim Healy imitation)

IS IT TRUE that BN blogger and now Colletto sympathizer sjh was actually a pal of this same Colletto (either Jim or Ned) when they were in college together?

(Who goofed, I've got to know.)

Actually, I have to go along with sjh on this one. When there are nine in the box, the O Line coach can't be faulted when plays up the middle don't work. I only fault one coach in this debacle of a program, and that is the man at the top. We blame the coaches for not putting the players in situations in which they can win. Well, when the head coach doesn't put the assistant coaches in a position where then can win, that is the fault of the head coach.

by Fox 71 on Jan 23, 2007 10:21 AM PST up reply actions

Not Bias, Familiarity

Yes, you're right. I've never hidden the fact that I knew Jim when he was in school and saw him coach a game at Brown when I was teaching at Boston College.

My first post on BN was about how pleased I was that Jim was coming back home. I got flamed and roasted.

I think Jim is a good coach. I can understand that he is a part of an underachieving team of coaches, but I do think our O line is better.

If I were a head coach wanting to run the shotgun -- and I had a center who couldn't handle it, I'd change the center.

And, don't forget I've been one of the most consistent and strident voices calling for a change in the coaching staff -- which in all likelihood will bring in a new OL coach.

KD has a way of making all of his coaches look bad. The successes are his the failures belong to others.

I've not been able to really analyze the play of the O line with sufficient scrutiny to determine whether or not Jim has done a good job. But, I do know that we have called plays in circumstances in which no offensive line could shine.

I take you post with the sense of gentle ribbing that I'm sure you intended. You, too, are an old fart.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Jan 23, 2007 11:21 AM PST up reply actions

Now wait a second --

I'm not that old.

by Fox 71 on Jan 23, 2007 12:35 PM PST up reply actions

Thanks

fixed the mistake. And I will just have to disagree about the effectiveness of Colletto.

I heard from a friend that apparently we didn't use shot gun formation the whole season (after hearing about it during all off season last year) because apparenly Chai didn't know how to snap out of shot gun formation. That's just part of the story that tells me what I need to do know about an OL coach who seems like a retread from another era with nothing new to offer, no imagination, and not a lot of ability to teach today's kids. Just my impression of course.

by Nestor on Jan 23, 2007 10:27 AM PST up reply actions

SI Truth & Rumours

There is a blurb that says Jim Colletto has a good shot at getting the O-line position with the Detroit Lions.

Has anyone heard about this???

by artybruin on Jan 23, 2007 12:56 PM PST reply actions

Go Bears!

As for the question about who we are rooting for in the super bowl...i am rooting for Da Bears. I was at UCLA while Bruin Special Teamer Brendan Ayanbendejo was a linebacker there. He was a ball hawk then and he is a ball hawk now. I'm happy for him now that he is a pro bowler and gets the opportunity to play for a super bowl ring. He hung out with one of my roommates at UCLA and was always a very down to earth person.

Good Luck, Brendan. You deserve it. Represent the Bruin Nation.

by campos on Jan 23, 2007 6:21 PM PST reply actions