Roundup: More Classless Comments From Another Defensive Leader

by Nestor on Oct 4, 2007 4:41 AM PDT in Football Comment 30 comments

I will began this Thursday roundup with an unpleasant note that may not make some people happy. But someone needs to say it. I know there are lot of people out there who like Bruce Davis. I think he is a good player who has one big victory in his entire career. However, that one big victory shouldn’t allow him to make classless and arrogant comments like these:

UCLA linebacker Bruce Davis has never met Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, but he can't wait to greet him Saturday.

"He's a good kid, a good quarterback," Davis said. "But I haven't met a freshman that I wasn't able to get inside their head yet. You should expect the first play of the game - whether it's run, pass, whatever it is - you'll see me in his face. I'm just going to give him a friendly hello and let him know that it's going to be a long day for him. That part of it will be taken care of early. Our defense is going to get there."

Every team that has played the Irish (0-5) has gotten to its quarterbacks.

Notre Dame's offensive line has allowed 29 sacks and paved the way for an embarrassing rushing output of 30.4 yards per game. Both statistics are the worst among the 119 schools in Division I.

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis has said Clausen is the probable starting quarterback if he's healthy. But it might not matter who's behind center, Davis said.

"Jimmy Clausen is one of the better true freshman quarterbacks I've seen the whole time I've been here," Davis said. "Unfortunately, his O-line is just falling apart. They can't block a soul. That's going to hurt your team. That's going to hurt your offense. That's going to get you to 0-5."

Perhaps Bruce ought to call AA and get some lessons on how a championship caliber Bruin talks about his opponent before a game. First Brown insults Notre Dame’s football tradition, and now this from Davis. I don’t think these are isolated incidents. These are coming from two of the marquee players of an over hyped defense which has done absolutely NOTHING this season except to shut down a sh!tty Oregon State offense (which they did last season to start their "three and oh" stretch before collapsing in an embarrassing fashion against a Seminole offense which was a laughing stock in the East Coast).

Someone needs to tell these guys they need to stop this kind of nonsense. At this point they probably do not care about embarrassing the football program. Under their current doofus HC they do that enough on the field, but these kinds of classless comments embarrass the entire university as a whole.

Anyways, on the flip side of bonehead comments from Brown and Davis, there are stories of good kids like Breazell, who is playing like a warrior and not making any excuses. Also on the offensive side of the ball, Dohn has a nice profile of Sutherland, our right guard who is not only aiming for the NFL, but also is thinking about joining the Peace Corps. He sounds more eloquent than his head coach:

In December, Sutherland will graduate with a degree in history, which he could change if he enrolls in the Peace Corps.

"I would like to play after this year, but I'm not the type of person that is thinking that is all I got," Sutherland said.

"Even if I do get a chance, there's no guarantee it will be for long. Every chance I do get to play, it will be a blessing. I'vegot to be able to move on.

"I don't want to sound bad, but I see guys that have been here for three or four years, and they're still working out and not moving on with their lives. I'll play for as long as they let me, but when I'm not able, I've got things I want to do."

Perhaps Noah should share that sage advice with his clueless head coach. The entire UCLA community would be better served if he decided to "move on," because it is not a secret that things haven’t "worked out." Like I said he sounds lot smarter than his head coach. And if he could teach his defensive team-mates on how to sound like a classy Bruin (since it looks like those guys are not getting any instructions from their incompetent coaching staff) in public, that would help too.

GO BRUINS.

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Injuries vs. Trash Talk

IIRC, Dorrell clamped down on the players early this season, perhaps pre-season, and instructed them that they could not speak to the media about their injuries.

But apparently Dorrell has no such rule about letting players run their mouths off with some potential bulletin-board material. Nothing like some good trash talking to fire up the other team.

I don't care what our players say in private. Yap all you want. Just don't fire up the other side.

Is there a captain steering the UCLA ship?

Once again, this is all about coaching.

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 4, 2007 5:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Davis and Brown

sound like Lavin coached athletes who have zero grasp of the big picture and tradition of college football.

by bluestreet on Oct 4, 2007 7:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

he's right

NDs Oline is garbage, and the major reason why the QB is having problems.

I like the fact that our players have some swagger IF THEY BACK IT UP ON SATURDAY!!!

I didn't see anything in either his or Brown's comments that were insulting. ND hasn't been any good since before Brown was in Kindergarden.

If we dominate their Oline, BD was right, if not, he's an idiot.

With KD being the "spokesman" and thanking teams for beating us, Its good to see some of the players actually are competive. I don't think they said anything personal or over the line.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Oct 4, 2007 8:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

he may be right

But there is no need for him to share his thoughts that way to reporters. You don't hear AA talking to Dohn and Painter about how Bruins were going to mandhandle some hapless opponent in first round of March Madness.

To do so this way in public for a player is classless.

And Brown's comment about ND's tradition made him sound like a moron.

by bluestreet on Oct 4, 2007 8:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like when athletes talk off script

nothing is more boring than the soundbite athlete who says how great the oppenent is, how tough it will be to play them, etc, etc. I don't like programmed responses and prefer people to share what they think. This is particulary true when you have a coach like KD who says absolutely nothing interesting.

The question is whether any of this was inappropriate, and I say absolutely not.

What he said, if you read it in context, was actually praising the ND qb, saying he was really good, and the reason he was struggling was the oline play. The oline was brought up to explain the poor play of a player Davis thought was really good. He didn't single them out, other to praise the talents of the ND QB.

And Brown is Brown, he talks all day on the field and has a big personality. Did you take him seriously when he said he was gonna get rid of his money because it was green as part of his same statement about NDs history? He was just having some fun.

I didn't read anything into the comments like most here seem to. I just thought it was fun.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Oct 4, 2007 8:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those comments may not bother you

But you can bet they are getting plastered all over ND message boards. Their team will hear about it.

I believe they were classless and Davis and Brown are not exactly in position to talk such a big game, given they haven't done much during their careers at UCLA. They sound like athletes who played in a BCS bowl game team.

And I'd bet a Howland coached player would never make comments like that in public about an upcoming opponent.

by bluestreet on Oct 4, 2007 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

All this big talk is gonna look

really small and stupid if The "Utah" Bruin team shows up Saturday. It will look equally insipid if ND gets out of its funk and actually plays well, too. This sounds like guys reading press-clippings and odds boards and getting fat-headed.

This is N-O-T evidence of restoring honor, dignity, or whatever-other-positive ethos you wanna throw out that is typically recited among the stated set of accomplishments for Coach Excitement.

The Mad Bruin

by lostnacfgop on Oct 4, 2007 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, but look at Bruce's quote about their O line

"They can't block a soul." What do you bet they suddenly block their asses off, especially when blocking Davis?

I've said it before and I will say it again, just shut up and play.

If you want to bark afterwards ala the upset over SC last year and call out Corso and co., be my guest, but before the game DON'T FIRE UP THE OTHER TEAM, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT HASN"T WON A GAME YET!

by Free the 16 on Oct 4, 2007 9:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Motivation for ND

"Don't fire up the other team, especially one that hasn't won a game yet! 100% agree. What a bonehead comment. If I'm a ND lineman, I'm pissed. If I'm a ND player, I'm pissed. Think about it. Yeah they're 0-5. But what Bruce Davis apparently doesn't understand is that these guys have pride, and aren't going to just lay down. They want to win in a bad way. Message to Davis. Keep your mouth shut if you're going to say something stupid and pop off like that.

by NickBruin on Oct 4, 2007 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pot calling the kettle black

Yeah, maybe Davis is right about ND being horrible.

But given that we haven't exactly looked like world-beaters I'd say popping off like that is a bit bush-league.

In the comments thread to the post about Brown's dissing of ND someone mentioned that cockiness has to be earned. They were totally right. And so far, even though we're 5-1, we haven't earned the right to be cocky at all. Beating teams like OSU while giving up huge yards to powerhouses like Washington and Stanford aren't anything to brag about. Oh, and there was some other game against a horrible opponent this year, and I seem to forget how that turned out.

I'm just waiting to hear what these guys will say before we play Cal, Oregon and ASU.

Seriously, someone needs to teach these guys the two oldest rules in the book:

Act like they've been there before
Don't say anything to fire up the opponent

This just makes us look lame.

Go Bruins!

by babyblue1 on Oct 4, 2007 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lame

Yeah. That's how I read it too.

by bluestreet on Oct 4, 2007 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You've got that right

It's not like UCLA has done anything spectacular, like Cal going into Oregon and beating Oregon, or SC going into Nebraska and beating Nebraska.

The current 4-1 record is like sporting a 100% polyester suit. It may look good from a distance, but close examination reveals shoddy materials and workmanship.

UCLA players would be wise to just STFU, and realize that their coach is a laughingstock as he is busy "disciplining the resources," whatever that means.

by bluegold on Oct 4, 2007 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and KD is the polyester suit's clip-on tie

by bornagainbruin on Oct 4, 2007 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL!

by bluegold on Oct 4, 2007 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't Kick A Dog When He is Down

I like the swagger, but I don't like it directed toward a program that is struggling. Look what Utah did to the Bruins and that don't have a tenth of the pride and tradition of ND. Davis and the rest of the Bruins better realize that ND may be playing like crap right now, but they still recruit well. There is talent on that team. It is sleepwalking through the season right now. Comments like Davis' have the potential to wake them up.

by Bruin77 on Oct 4, 2007 9:14 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If, heaven forbid, we lose this game...

...it'll be due to the trash talk before hand.

And if so, I fully expect to see this on the front page...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-oczo5sTKQ

by Free the 16 on Oct 4, 2007 9:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Davis' comments show a lack of respect

In my view, his statements go well beyond confidence or swagger.

There is a pervasive trend of this football team demonstrating a lack of poise, self-control, and discipline, on the field and off. These are character traits, and the character displayed by the team is a direct reflection of it's leadership.

Just imagine what would happen if one of Coach Howland's charges made similar comments (almost unfathomable that that would even happen, because Coach Howland is foremost a teacher). The player would learn a valuable life lesson. It'd only happen once.

I remember in Coach Howland's first season, we were down in a game and needed something positive to happen, when a player got a steal and broke away for an uncontested slam. But on the way back down the court got in an opposing player's face, just for a second. Luckily the other team called a timeout because Coach Howland was halfway onto the court sending the message that that wasn't the type of enthusiasm he tolerated. Others might have seen it as swagger, tried to ride the momentum. Coach Howland saw the big picture. I was happy with his hiring, but this incident was the first time I had no doubt the program was in good hands, priorities were in line.

These comments will probably not come back to hurt the Davis or the team, which is a shame because nothing will have been learned.

by haywood nighttrain on Oct 4, 2007 10:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

UCLA's comments on ND

Breazell & Sutherland(both sps) are much more indicative of UCLA student-athletes.
WTF did ND do to those guys.
Last years game for ND fans was a classic, yet I don't recall hearing or seeing ND players verbally assaulting UCLA's players, coaching staff, etc.
If anything the visitors from UCLA were treated with typical politeness from everyone associated with the university.
That said I fly out tonight, staying at the Bel Air. Looking forward to a good game between two prestigious academic & athletic universities.
How did ND let not only Warren get away but the greatest sports icon in Hoosier-land.
Mr. John Wooden. BB's coach of the millennium

by jim masterson on Oct 4, 2007 10:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Have a good trip

and best of luck to ND at the game.

I am among those who believe our players just need to shut their mouths.

What's the thinking among ND fans, including yourself, how this game will play out?

by Barnes2JJ on Oct 4, 2007 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for stopping by Jim

Have a safe trip and I hope Bruins treat all Irish fans with the same respect and class, the Irish showed the Bruins last year.

Love reading your comments here on BN. You should stop by hang out with us more specially when we talk about those criminals from South Central.

by bluestreet on Oct 4, 2007 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looking forward to meeting some NDers.

I'll be holding down the fort in Section 22 tomorrow.

The only true ND fan I've met to date, no fooling, has been my priest.

Just based on his abundant goodwill and devotion to Irish ball, I'm inclined to just shake a lot of hands and welcome a whole bunch of Golden Domers to the Rose Bowl.

I still want our team to score a minimum of EIGHT times tomorrow, but that doesn't mean I can't be a good guy to opposing fans tomorrow.

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Oct 4, 2007 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stupid Comments

A lot of you have mentioned that one of Howland's players would never make such a comment. That's absolutely right. All this trash talking going on is the result of an inept coach that apparently does not know how to control his players either. Not to mention that our defense has not earned the right to trash talk after 4 lousy games and 1 good one against a not-so-good offense. All in all though, I think the biggest reason not to trash talk is to not fire up the other team. Do any of you recall what happened last year when some stupid trojan wrote an article about how the UCLA-USC was going to be a walk in the park and how certain it was for them to play in the BCS title game? Our defense came out and played the game of their lives that Saturday. They held the trojans to 9 points, the lowest amount of points they had scored in a LONG time! I don't know, maybe our players didn't learn anything from that win, and apparently, neither did our coach.

by OutOThsWrld on Oct 4, 2007 11:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He's out of line

the buck stops at Dorrell and he should be teaching him and should have explained by now how to restrain yourself when making comments to the media. The problem is Dorrell's pretty clueless when talking to the media.

by bruin95 on Oct 4, 2007 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, this helps in one way...

Take Notre Dame +20 1/2. Ugh.

They'll be fired up now and Im guessing we had the same attitude with the Utah game.

We had best not give them their first win...

by uclalumnus on Oct 4, 2007 1:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don't think . . .

. . . there is any way that we don't beat ND Saturday. I am very pessimistic when it comes to football, in relation to our coaching staff. BUT I don't see them dropping the ball, no pun intended, and letting this game slip away. I think our players will be coached enough to NOT lose this game. KD will win, probably win big.

BUT again . . .

IF WE DO HAPPEN TO . . . UHH . . . LOSE ON SATURDAY . . . I don't think we should let KD out of the RB without turning in his playbook and officially stepping down as the head coach. We prevent him from getting on the bus back to Westwood and make him quit. 'Cause there is no way he could keep ripping off the state of California if this game is lost.

by TheStick on Oct 4, 2007 2:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

UCLA v. ND. Rose Bowl

Charlie Weis' press conference; he's very much enamored with UCLA's defense. He said Utah threw a bunch of gadget plays at UCLA & they are high risk-high reward.
CW & the ND football team & administator's are looking so forward to a return to the Rose Bowl. The first since 1925 Rose Bowl v. Stanford.
My father was a 3 yr. letterman under Rockne in track at ND 24-27 . The reason ND initiated the Bowl ban for 45 years is, it took the football team until the middle of Feb., 6 weeks. to return to campus. That's not the perception the Holy Cross Father's wanted out of ND students.
This is my 2nd favorite blog. BGS is #1, Love the Bruins.
Look forward to seeing alot of Bruin fans this week-end

by jim masterson on Oct 4, 2007 6:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

USC is gay.

Oh by the way USC is gay.
South Park episode.

by jim masterson on Oct 4, 2007 6:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

There is just no way we lose this game

Here are Notre Dame stats. Notre Dame's offense is ranked dead last or near dead last in the country in nearly every single category:

rushing (#119, 30 yards per),
passing (#106, 164 per),
total offense (#118, 194 per),
scoring (#118, 9.2 points per),
passing efficiency (#100, 107.39),
third down conversions (#116),
tackles for loss allowed (#119, 11.2 per)
sacks allowed (#119, 5.8 per, 26.3%)
turnovers lost (#84, 12 total)

They also are horrible with discipline, consistent with their youth and inexperience, netting nearly 8 penalties per game (#84) for about 65 yards and -.6 in turnover margin (#88). And in time of possession they are ranked #113. Oddly, they are among the nations best at 4th down conversions at 8 for 12 (#16).

On defense they are better but still bad:

total defense (#52, 355 per)
rushing defense (#107 , 300+ per)
passing defense (#7, 145 per)
scoring defense (#96, 33.6 per)
passes INT (#74, 4 total)
turnovers gained (#65, 9 total)
pass efficiency defense (#60, 121)
sacks (#98, 6 total, 1.2 per)
tackles for loss (#102, 4.8 per)

There is no way we lose this game!

editor, DumpDorrell.com ... formerly posted as DumpDorrell

by BruinCore on Oct 4, 2007 9:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs