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The Magic Number = Four

I am not going to the insult the intelligence of all the long time BN bloggers and readers who have been with Odysseus, Ajax, Menelaus, Tydides, Achilles, Meriones and yours truly ever since we launched this tiny blog back in June of 2005, by going over all the coaching screwups from last night. There is no real point to it. I did go ahead and bumped couple of posts earlier this year when one of the worst football coaches in America brought in more retread mediocre assistants scapegoats in a last ditch desperate attempt to inject some life into his worthless, joke offense.

Obviously the convenient excuse for our shameless sleeping beauty and his cultists and moronic supporters (unbelievably there were some Bruin alums still supporting this fraud last night at the bar I was watching the game) is that there is nothing he could do about last night given the injury to his starting QB.:

"What happened in the game is something you don't anticipate happening, and it did," Dorrell said. "Given the circumstances we've had with the quarterbacks and injuries, it's been a difficult, difficult season so far."
Yet, for folks like us who follow this game day to day and are connected to other junkies across the country via the interwebs, the failure of our joke offensive line (which looked like it couldn't "block a soul") was not a surprise.

One more note before I get into the big picture. Apparently our Sleeping Beauty will now consider putting back Osaar Rasshan back at QB:
Rasshan, who moved to receiver in the offseason, said he was told by Dorrell after UCLA's 20-6 loss Saturday to Notre Dame he would return to quarterback during practice and could be the starter when the Bruins return from a bye and host California on Oct. 20.

It became an issue after starter Ben Olson was knocked out in the first quarter, forcing red-shirt freshman walk-on McLeod Bethel-Thompson into action.

"I talked to coach Dorrell and he said he didn't put me in the game because I didn't get any (practice) snaps," Rasshan said. "(Dorrell) said we'll go in and get a blue print and see how everything is going. I think I have the most experience at quarterback, so I definitely think I can help the team there."

Dorrell said the availability of Olson, who has a left knee injury, and Patrick Cowan (knee) will be assessed. Using Bethel-Thompson, true freshman Chris Forcier and Rasshan are also options.

"I don't have all the answers today, so don't ask me today," Dorrell said. "But those are the things we'll have to consider over this weekend and move forward."
Gosh darn it. It's too bad none of us here have a clue about `Football 101'. I am sure none of us here discussed how it might make sense to have an athlete who played QB in high school and who has been in Dorrell's program for 2+ years, as the 3rd/emergency option at QB. I mean shoot. We are all so dumb. How could we have foreseen that a QB like OR would have been the perfect answer in an emergency situation last night, who could have kept a horrible ND rushing defense on their toes, and give our anemic offense a chance in 4th and 1. But then again forgive us.

Yeah, none one us have any idea about this game, and none of us have any clue when it comes to Football 101. Silly us.

Anyways, let's think about the big picture shall we?

We all knew (despite the loud protests from all the cultists who went after us for being so hard on this joker during the off-season) that Dorrell is a fraud.

And last night told us nothing new and honestly I don't care about affirmations from the Simers to feel good about being right.

We have known this for years even during the fraudlent "10 win" season that our program was being short-circuited by an inexperienced, overmatched, coach in name only idiot. The only identity the idiot's team has established in last 4+ years is the one of most inconsistent program in the NCAA, featured by constant underachievement, let down wins, systematic lack of fundamental and discipline (the ultimate anti-Howland in the lexicon of UCLA sports), establishing itself as the Lavin program of college football.

All these humiliations have taken place despite UCLA giving Dorrell every chance to succeed. It has markedly improved all the facilities during his tenure. It has let him liberally hire and fire mediocre assistant coaches (paying them at a handsome level unprecedented in UCLA AD's penny pinching history), and it has even let him get away even after shaming the program by having character with criminal past o the program.

And now deep into his 5th season, we are at a point when it is clear to anyone with a functioning sports brain that Dorrell is a failure.

At this point there is not much point to discuss about strategies, schemes of individual games. It is pointless.

All that is left now is for all of us to go through the motions rest of this season, and find out whether this clown will pull out a Lavin like a miracle by winning 8-9 games heading into the Southern Cal game, and then save his rear end by beating up Pom Pom, who after all these years is himself being exposed as nothing but a glorified sub from South Central.

I think right now if you are a UCLA fan, my hunch is our magic number is 4.

If Dorrell loses 4 more games, he is done, which means this joke needs to go 3-3 with a victory over Southern Cal rest of the way, before getting canned at the end of next season.

That's all there is left to it. Fortunately for the Idiot he gets his toughest opponents - Cal, ASU and Oregon - at home.

I'd caution against celebrating early thinking it is all but a done deal and that our program will just free fall down the stretch.  College football (athletics in general is a crazy game).

I will not be surprised at all is somehow Cowan or Olson gets healthy and we get Markey back heading into the Cal game, and then Dorrell finds a way to win the game against a Tedford coached squad with a suspect defense. It will be an easy narrative for Dorrell and his minions to cast about how their backs are against the wall, and how its them against the world blah blah blah, and get bunch of college kids to come out and play the game of their lives. It got them 13-9 and it could give them another huge win against Cal, only of course to stumble against either Arizona or Wazzu on the road. We have seen that act all too many times.

So what we can do for now is to keep the chatter going?

There is one thing we can do that can be extremely effectively.  And my appeal goes out to the students who read this blog or DumpDorrell.com.  Please consider organizing yourself in a methodical, systematic, and deliberate manner operating within all campus rules and regulations, and start voicing your concerns straight to the Chancellor and the Athletic Director in a way, that is visible to us (so we can amplify it here) and to the traditional media. Again one of the reason Notre Dame officials moved fast on Willingham was when they heard students were organizing demonstrations on campus. It got their attention. And it will get their attention in Westwood.

I will leave you this quote from Shannon Tevaga in the Daily News re the call on 4th and 1:
"I thought we were going to run it there," Tevaga said. "That's the coaches' call."
I can only imagine what some of these kids are thinking inside that they can't share in the MSM. Dorrell and his clowns are destroying the careers of all these kids (costing them millions) right in front of our eyes. The question is just how long the UCLA Administration will sit idle and do nothing about it?

If Dorrell somehow gets lucky that enables the Athletic Department to attempt an argument that he deserves one more year, it will be up to all of us, generate all out pressure on Murphy Hall and Morgan Center, and shame them to make the right decision and save our football program.

However, for now I believe our magic number at this point is 4.

4 more losses and it will probably the clinch the end of Dorrell era in Westwood. I am not saying we have to root for or against our Bruins. I am just telling you what situation the worst coach in the history of UCLA football has put us all in after 4+ miserable years in Westwood.

GO BRUINS.

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BRAVO.
That nails it all for me.

M

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Oct 7, 2007 10:45 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

It is what it is...
Imagine you are the CEO of a company.  The stock has crashed every quarter for three years.  Your shareholders need to know what's happening, and you say "It is what is is."  

Hey, shit happens.  The most important man in the program, the one that everybody looks to for guidance and leadership, basically shrugs his shoulders and says "Hey, whatcha gonna do?  Shit happens!"

Coach Howland would never say that.  Dick Vermeil would never say that.  No true leader would ever say that.  

by Sweetbreads Bailey on Oct 7, 2007 10:45 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Vermeil was a notorious workaholic.
At Philadelphia, anyway, he even had a cot in his office he slept on during the season. Howland stays up all night watching film of teams that have beaten us.

Dorrell says he sleeps well at night.

by Chandler on Oct 7, 2007 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Similarities
Apparently, Jeff Tedford also spends many nights in his office during the season, and sees his family after the games on Saturday and Sundays.

Oh, by the way, Cal is now ranked #2 in the country, and seems poised to win not only the Pac-10, but also play for the championship.

Meanwhile, our fearless leader thumbs through his Football 101 manual for a few moments and complains about being underpaid, before settling in for a long, peaceful slumber.

I wonder if there's any connection between Cal's performance and ours?

Go Bruins!

by babyblue1 on Oct 7, 2007 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Didn't you hear?
Dorrell "owns" Tedford, according to those who post on Bruinzone

by BillyZoom on Oct 7, 2007 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Can the players put pressure on...
Murphy Hall and Morgan Center? I would think they'd have the most credibility. Maybe they should have a no-confidence vote.

by Chandler on Oct 7, 2007 10:54 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Rumors
swirling in other boards that players have lost confidence in the staff. I think the Tevaga quote was telling.

by Nestor on Oct 7, 2007 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oh, and Bruce Davis...
Talk more shit.  Really.  Run your mouth.  Please.  This team is sufficiently embarrassing.  I need you to complete the insanity.  Be more arrogant.    

And nice facemask penalty, jerkoff.

by Sweetbreads Bailey on Oct 7, 2007 10:57 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Remember, folks...
... that while we may not always like how our PLAYERS perform on the field, we have to be sure we realize when it's the COACHES who put the players in bad situations with horrible playcalling, poor game planning, and abd tactical decisions.

The PLAYERS should be held accountable for their actions when appropriate, but we can't lose sight of what poor teaching, poor leadership, poor discipline, and poor decision-making by the staff can do.

M

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Oct 7, 2007 11:07 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Agreed
The players played bad, but at this level, the coaching staff is the group that saw them in high school, felt that they wanted them on their team and recruited and "coached" them.

It's all on Dorrell and his gang of idiots. This douchebag needs to get the hell out of here not tomorrow, not next week, not at the end of the season, but today.

by sfatoo on Oct 7, 2007 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

the best comeback (I'm being sarcastic)
in Dorrell's postgame press conference was printed in the Los Angeles Times this morning: "The defense played lights out," Dorrell said.  "The offense made too many mistakes.  We're in pretty good shape in conference."

WOW.

by hawk on Oct 7, 2007 11:36 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

shirts
what is the status of the BN t-shirts?

by uclaw1 on Oct 7, 2007 11:42 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Working on it
It's a slow process, I'm afraid, and the technical guy I've been dealing with has a backlog.

by Menelaus on Oct 8, 2007 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm sending the e-mails
I've sent e-mails to everyone on DD's contact list (although I saw no point in writing to Bob Field, the idiot who put us in this position.)

Sure, all the e-mails might be ignored.  But they might not be.  Los Angeles is noted for its apathy.  If the BN sends an e-mail to all the administrators and all the MSM and non-MSM reporters it might just make a difference.  Some of the idiots who asked only softball questions seem to be getting more pointed.

And let's not forget what is at stake.  Those "verbal commit" recruits are verbal only.  Do you think that coaches elsewhere aren't still making calls?  If the recruit was wavering to start with, how does he react to a call from someone who asks just one question.  "Hey, Mr. High School star, will CTS put you in the NFL?"  

I think it's important to fire Mr. Dorrell now.  (It was important to fire him last week, and the week before that, etc.)  Every day he is in command is another day the football program slides further into the toilet.

by Fox 71 on Oct 7, 2007 11:46 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Put a voice to your rants!
I posted this in the diaries, but call (310) 933-6277 and leave up to a 3 minute voice mail.  The Bruin Show this week will be dedicated to nothing but fan voice mail.  We are also going to send a CD to Danny G.

by BobTheBruin on Oct 7, 2007 12:24 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Want to record a prepared statement?
Feel free to use mine!  Change as appropriate:

I'm a second generation Bruin.  Ten of my immediate relatives are Bruins as well.  We answer the phone when the Annual Fund calls.  We're members of the Chancellor's Club and of the Alumni Association.  We have season tickets.  We buy merchandise.  I give kids from my hometown personal tours of UCLA and Westwood every year in hopes that they will someday become Bruins.  

We are appalled at the direction of the football team.  There is a culture of failure, ineptitude, and inconsistency like I haven't seen in 30 years.  This attitude comes from the top down, and Karl Dorrell needs to be let go.  Here's an abridged list from yesterday's failure:

  1. Failure to give a backup quarterback enough reps during the week, after we've had to go to backup quarterbacks 4 times in 5 games.
  2.  Once the unproven quarterback is in the game and obviously struggling, calling a higher percentage of passing plays than we had called in the previous 4 weeks, instead of focusing on the running game.
  3.  Calling complicated passing plays requiring timing when our quarterback had already shown that he could not complete simple 5-yard out patterns.
  4. Calling a shotgun/passing play on 4th and 1.  Subsequently, Notre Dame had a similar situation on their next drive, and snuck it for the first down, like any intelligent coach would do.
  5.  Failing to change the game plan after our quarterback was clearly not capable of running the plays as called.
These are not player problems; these are coaching problems.  

That game last night was nationally televised.  How many recruits were watching?  

I await your response, and your action.  Cleaning house is the only acceptable option.

by RedDoor on Oct 7, 2007 2:06 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

RedDoor
There are those of us who believe that firing KD now will do him a favor, be better for any recruits contemplating coming to UCLA, get the program headed in the right direction, and give the football players themselves hope so they won't "mail it in" anymore this season.
Bill
BillSouthBay

by Mensgym on Oct 7, 2007 2:28 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Please explain to me how ADs work
Last week, Guerrero heaped praise on KD for the adjustments made in the 2nd half in the OSU win (which we all know was total BS -- it was OSU self-destructing).

Then over the years there would be periodic positive Guerrero comments regarding the FB program.

Has anyone ever heard anything negative Guerrero comments on KD?  Like after the Utah game.

Yesterday being the worst loss in KD's regime, should we expect DG to remain mum?  Does mum = negative?

Do ADs ever make negative comments in midseason regarding a coach?

by bluegold on Oct 7, 2007 3:16 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Usually
When the AD is being mum that is not a good sign for the HCes. Last year DG was real quiet heading into the SuC game.

Also he was nowhere to be found during Toledo and Lavin's last games.

I rather have DG stay mum next few weeks if there is no immediate firing and let this clown take all the public abuse he deserves.

by Nestor on Oct 7, 2007 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I hope he stays mum AND
is quietly composing a list of possible candidates to interview in December.

by bluegold on Oct 7, 2007 4:28 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

The e-mail I sent asked him
to make his position known.  It's an easy question.  Does he think CTS is doing a good job.  If he does, then he's part of the problem and he needs to go.

I also asked him why he had been so silent about CTS.

I suspect CTS will be fired before I get a response.

by Fox 71 on Oct 7, 2007 5:40 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I only hear from UCLA when
they want money.

I've sent DG emails -- last year and this year.

Never got a response.

It's not like they don't know how to find me. They do when they want money.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Oct 7, 2007 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ditto
"I've brought tradition back to the forefront" -Karl Dorrell

by godblesstyus95 on Oct 7, 2007 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

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