Gameday Roundup: Its All In Those Wristbands

by Nestor on Oct 20, 2007 7:39 AM PDT in Football Comment 5 comments

I imagine lot of folks are already out at the golf course setting up early Saturday tailgates w mimosas and bloody marrys. For the rest of us we get to read more clichés and feel good spin coming out of a program (and the reporters who cover them) in total denial.

Dohn reports on how coaches have hammered home point that they are three and oh in the conference, and how they are expecting a Pac-10 championship, because (drumroll please) its all written in their wristbands:

"We're 3-0 in the Pac-10, so we're in the driver's seat," Bell said. "We're 3-0, and I firmly believe we can win this conference. Everybody on this team feels we have just as good a shot as anybody else to win this conference."

The Bruins are a half-game behind Arizona State (7-0, 4-0), but many of their toughest opponents remain on the schedule.

Bell said the players knew they were undefeated in league play, even after the horrific defeat to the Irish, but it wasn't until the coaching staff hammered the point home that total belief took effect.

"Coach put up some numbers, and we actually got to see it physically instead of just hearing it, and we kind of shook (the loss to Notre Dame) off," Bell said.

"It's a nonconference game. I know it sucks to say that, and great teams have to be ready and come out every week to play a championship game ... but it meant absolutely nothing to the Pac-10 race.

"And we all have these wristbands on that say, `Finish Pac-10 championship.' Everybody on this team believes we can win a Pac-10 championship.

Of course Kahlil. I am sure that ND game was some silly nonconference game and it meant nothing to at least 6 close (alum) friends I know, who had planned out that Saturday trip years earlier, and forked up gobbles of cash in terms of plane ticket, game ticket, hotel costs. I am sure it meant nothing to them that you and your team-mates (I am not going to bother mentioning your incompetent coaching staff) disgraced the name of our alma mater infront of the nation. Yeah, it meant nothing.

I am sure it's all about the wristbands man. And we are fully expecting those wristbands do their magic and propel us to a win at the Rose Bowl.

Meanwhile, Kahlil's team-mate Trey as usual is talking again about how he has put an embarrassing lost behind him:

"If you dwell in the past, it affects what you do in the future," cornerback Trey Brown said. "What we have ahead of us is the Cal Bears.

"We're undefeated in the Pac-10 and we have another Pac-10 opponent right in our backyard. You just have to take what you learned from those previous games."

So if Trey is going to walk the walk today, I would expect he and his team-mates will dominate the Cal offense and hold them under 14 points. Right?

Meanwhile, Dohn also gives us the spin on how there is no rift between the offense and defense:

It was the type of game that can cause a rift between offense and defense, but players say that did not happen.

"We lost, but, hey, we're still a team, we're still a family," UCLA senior defensive end Bruce Davis said. "It's the same if my little brother came out and started acting the fool. I'm going to say my words to him. I might rough him up a little bit, but the next day, it's like, hey, we're still part of the same tree, still part of the same family.

"It's just important we stay together, and we've done a good job of that."

Thanks for those comforting thoughts Bruce. Again it must be all about the wrist bands.

Lastly, I will end this game day round up with unintended comedy from OC Register's Kuwada. Kuwada has this note on today's coaching matchup:

COACHING

Jeff Tedford has done an excellent job bringing Cal to prominence, but his questionable in-game decisions have cost the Bears games in the past. Remember the last time Cal played at UCLA in 2005? The Bears went away from the run in the first half when leading 14-0 and also punted twice to Maurice Drew, who scored once and set up another TD with a big return. Edge: UCLA.

If you still care to read rest of his report after that graf go here.

Game day thread will go up in a bit. No fear ladies and gents.

We are going to win today.

After all it's all in the wristbands.

GO BRUINS.

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Gee, I wonder why KD did not

have 13-0, BCS Championship on those wristbands, if it's that simple.

Could it be...dare I say...such a feat would also require a sorely missing component like TOP NOTCH COACHING that KD himself knows UCLA doesn't have?

by bluegold on Oct 20, 2007 7:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Kuwada should stick to math...

... and not reading comprehension.

I am grateful for all his stats in yesterday's writeup. REALLY significant stats re: our offensive misfires.

But to say that a CTS-led staff has the edge on coaching over a Tedford staff?

There simply aren't enough walls for me to bang my head against.

"Because I'm tired of it. Year after year after year after year having to choose between the lesser of 'Who cares?'"

by Meriones on Oct 20, 2007 8:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Edge: UCLA?

As a UCLA beat writer not wanting to piss off the team, I'd understand him making the coaching edge even. I wouldn't like it, but I'd understand it.

But giving the coaching edge to UCLA? Are you kidding me?

by gilbert on Oct 20, 2007 10:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This really exposes Dohn

Giving UCLA the edge in coaching shows one of two things. Either Mr. Dohn has lost his mind entirely, or he has sold out to the team he is supposed to be covering. I would be very interested in hearing Mr. Dohn's explanation for this conclusion. It certainly cannot be proven true by any objective set of criteria.

by Fox 71 on Oct 20, 2007 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs