My letter to Dan Guerrero and Chancellor Gene Block

by MexiBruin on Dec 17, 2007 3:26 PM PST Comment 35 comments

Bumped. A classic example on what you can email to Dan Guerrero or Chancellor Block. Again if you haven’t done it, please email Dan Guerrero at dguerrero@athletics.ucla.edu and Chancellor Gene Block at chancellor@conet.ucla.edu, and let them know respectfully and politely that neither CHOKER (Chow + Walker) nor Walker will be acceptable at UCLA. If you are an alum or student, please make sure to indicate your graduating class in your emails. As always feel free to post your email in the comment thread to share with rest of BN. GO BRUINS. -N

Subject line: Coaching Search

Dear Sirs,

It is with much dismay that I greet a new day of UCLA Football. I have read the news of Michigan's hiring of Rich Rodriquez, a pioneer of the spread offense at West Virginia; and it sickens me that my own school cannot show an equal measure of `outside the box' thinking. I use a word like "sicken" not to exaggerate the way I feel or to make a point with the blunt force of a hammer blow; but because I literally feel ill when contemplating the state of my beloved UCLA Football Program.

Perhaps I should explain to you the nature of my devotion. I came to UCLA in 1997 as a 27 year old transfer student. I the 9 years after I graduated from high school I suffered the loss of my mother to a debilitating stroke. To be accurate, she lived but has lived in a vegetative state ever since. I went from a care-free teenager to a young man that had to work to support his family, cook to make sure everyone had eaten, and maintain the house itself. It was a transformative period to be sure, but it was only the beginning. In 1996 I was diagnosed with cancer: carcinoma teratoma. I was disabled briefly, when I felt my family needed me the most. At one point during my recovery I lay in a bed just 15 feet from my bedridden mother. I vowed to defeat death and live life to it's fullest or die trying.(pun intended) I had given up my studies in order to work to support my family, but after my brush with death I resolved to return to my pursuit of a higher education.

When I entered UCLA, I was one of very few people to raise their GPAs while transitioning from Community College to University studies. In fact, my counselor had said she had never seen it done or even heard of it being done. I made dean's list in my first quarter at UCLA. At the end of winter quarter in '97-'98 I walked to my dorm room after acing another exam when I passed by a sidewalk sale at the LuValle commons. Among the items for sale I found a discontinued Football Jersey made by Champion the sporting apparel company. It was on sale for only $20 but it was still a large price for this starving student. I bought the jersey anyway. I felt I deserved it. I had aced my exams, I had heard John Wooden speak about the commitment to excellence, Film School was on the horizon, and Westwood was in my blood. I have worn that jersey every single game day since whether at the Rose Bowl or at home watching the game on TV.

UCLA means more to me than a simple period in my life when I got a away from the parents, or got to behave as an adult, or even pledged for some Greek organization. My time there was a physical, mental and spiritual renovation that transcends the usual association with college life. It was also a period when UCLA won 20 consecutive games, beat USC 8 straight years, and came within one score of playing for a national championship. Whatever came of the program before or after that glorious period I will always measure UCLA football by that standard. Much like the children of divorced parents that choose to only remember the golden time before the split, I choose to ignore the ignominious past of UCLA Football under Donahue, Toledo, or Dorrell. And that is why I read with dismay and trepidation the reports that DeWayne Walker is the De Facto arbiter of who will coach at UCLA next year. It is inconceivable to me how a multi-million dollar corporation would allow a middle manager at best to make a decision that should sit in the hands of the CEO. I cannot comprehend how an institution as rich in tradition and historic achievements can allow itself to be held hostage over a matter as simple as losing a few recruits. I for one, and I believe I speak for many Bruins here, say I would rather lose a few recruits and have to rebuild the program under the stewardship of a man like Mike Leach of Texas Tech, or Paul Johnson of Navy, than make the same mistake we have made in the past by hiring Toledo, and Dorrell.

I implore you to reopen negotiations with Mike Leach, consequences be damned. I encourage you to remember the success we had when hiring Ben Howland. We went through two losing seasons and two years when we not only failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, we failed to qualify for the NIT consolation tournament. However, under the capable hands of an experienced head coach, he not only restored the quality of recruits coming to UCLA, he returned us to the rarified atmosphere of back to back Final Fours.

In closing, I wish to inform you that should you hire a coach with no head coaching experience, or hire a coach simply because DeWayne Walker approves of him. I will return my jersey to you. I will consider your decision as complete a betrayal as infidelity to a married couple. I will furthermore pledge to never donate so much as a dime to the university or any of its fine programs; a professional goal of mine since I graduated. Conversely, I have already mobilized a large group of classmates to buy season tickets the moment we receive good news from Westwood: the hiring of a suitable head coach with a proven track record and an innovative football mind.

I enclose a picture of myself in my jersey at the Rose Bowl, December 2, 2006; the one game that garnered any national attention in the 7 years since I have graduated.

Sincerely,

Hector Miranda

Film & Television; Class of 2000

Summa Cum Laude

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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You said "damn"

Someone get Bob Field his smelling salts!

by njbruin on Dec 17, 2007 3:30 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Great Post

Congrats on your achievements . . . lets hope your letter has the effect on DG and GB that it had on this reader. By the way, what number is on the jersey? I hope you where it proudly to your season seats next year . . . and be sure to visit the 17th row of tunnel 3.

by charnaw on Dec 17, 2007 3:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

where = wear

by charnaw on Dec 17, 2007 3:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wear #9

And I wore it a year before Ricky Manning came to Westwood and forever made it his number in my mind.

I will most definitely look for you at a home game next year. This actually gives me the idea that we at BN should try and get a town hall type meeting where we can meet each other, network, and discuss our university and how we as a group can best shape its future.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Dec 17, 2007 7:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The last sentence was the bullet:

I enclose a picture of myself in my jersey at the Rose Bowl, December 2, 2006; the one game that garnered any national attention in the 7 years since I have graduated.

Damn, that's gotta hurt.

by Ajax on Dec 17, 2007 4:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Great letter, but...

Howland's only losing season was his first year. We made the tournament the next year, but lost to Texas Tech in the first round.

by bruinbabe2000 on Dec 17, 2007 4:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Congratualtions on your achievements

and courage in the midst of extremely difficult circumstatnces. UCLA's perpetual commitment to medicority concerning football is incredibly counfounding. I live and breath all things UCLA as so many others do. My comtempt for the Morgan Center admin only grows with each new era. I have spent so much energy, emotion and money trying to support this program. Giving up on anything associated with UCLA is a very disturbing thought. However, if a lower-tier coach is hired, I most assuredly will become indifferent. I'm tired of hearing about the potential of the program and the excuses as to why we can't get a good coach and become a top 10 program. This is such a critical hire of monumental importance. I'm holding out hope that DG is working the back channels and diligently contacting the best candidates available. Bruin Blue is correct in the previous post when he states the problems are endemic and deeply ingrained. We need a stong-willed, experience coach who will take full control of the program and work with DG and others to apply pressure and try to force changes. No easy task, but things will never change otherwise. Great passion on this board, Morgan Center needs to keep hearing about the angst and frustration. DG knows how important this hire is, and I hope he can free himself of the admin constraints enough to bring the long overdue change and commitment to the program.

by Bruins095 on Dec 17, 2007 4:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Great story

Thanks for sharing that with us.

Hopefully Morgan Center has its ears open ...

by Dante on Dec 17, 2007 4:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

What a courageous young man..

Thank you for taking the time and effort to send the letter. Hope you get to keep your jersey, Hector. Look forward to seeing you at some of the home games. With your determination and your ganas, I know we will be hearing from you in your chosen line of work.

Siempre tiene ud buenas suerte!

by whp68 on Dec 17, 2007 5:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

My Letter to the AD

Mr. Guerrero,

I have been a Bruin fan since I was an 8 year old kid growing up in Brooklyn, NY. My family relocated to Los Angeles, CA when I was 12 years old making it much easier to follow the Bruins. I purchased season tickets in 1980 and although I moved to the Fresno area in 2003 I have still kept my tickets and now drive 3.5 hours each way to the home games. I write this to give you an idea that I am not some "fly by night" fan of UCLA or an instigator. I want what is best for the school that boasts 100 championships and was the first to reach that mark.

I am very concerned about the direction we seem to be heading in with the football coaching search.. I have been through the conservatism of Terry Donahue, the no defense period of Bob Toledo and of course the well documented failed "experiment" with Karl Dorrell (five of the toughest years a fan has had to endure with the product that was put on the field.) Have enough years not gone by to stop with the promotion of non-qualified assistants or wannabees to the HC position for UCLA football. You have done very well with your hires of Howland for basketball & Savage for baseball, both with previous head coaching experience and of building programs to compete at the top levels.

Why would we not want that same type of qualified individual for our football program??

As many years as I have followed the Bruins I have watched as the Morgan Center administration has only gone after the safest & cheapest choice (Lavin, Toledo, Hazzard, Farmer, Dorrell, etc) to coach our schools main athletic programs. The point I make with this is it seems we are about to do the same thing, promote an unqualified assistant for the wrong reasons (holding on to a recruiting class). Get a great coach with a proven track record and the recruits will more than likely make a decision in favor of UCLA.

Of all the positive things you have done as the AD at UCLA this is the hire that you will be remembered for. That I will remember you for. If we go the "safest & cheapest route again I will know that UCLA does not care about it's football program and I will act accordingly. I will not renew my tickets, not donate to the athletic fund and above all not donate money of any kind to the school that I love.

by artybruin on Dec 17, 2007 5:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for Sharing

It's stories like this that make me proud to call myself a Bruin. I couldn't have said it better myself. Great post.

by OutOThsWrld on Dec 17, 2007 5:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Another letter to the Chancellor - keep them up!

Dear Chancellor,

Let me introduce myself to you. I am a graduate of UCLA's full-time MBA program, class of 1998, and a die-hard fan of the university's athletic programs. My allegiance to UCLA is strong, given that my undergrad alma mater, Johns Hopkins, offered little in the way of school pride or athletic accomplishment (lacrosse program notwithstanding). My loyalties of course remain with the business school (as demonstrated in my service as the Vice President of the alumni board), and with the university at large, mainly as a sports spectator. Between my season ticket investments, donations to the university and the business school, my annual financial contribution back to the school exceeds $5,000, so I would consider myself a vested alum.

Though I have not met you yet, I did meet your predecessor and I am well familiar with your involvement and stake in the UCLA Football program.

I would like to call your attention to the pending coaching search. I understand in this age of free-flowing information on every move an Athletic Director makes, it is necessary for the university to adopt a covert approach to its coaching search strategy. I can only hope that is the case right now with Dan Guerrero, because the news I have received thus far does not appear good. Despite several public declarations of interest by a number of qualified candidates for the position, I understand only our defensive coordinator, DeWayne Walker, and Tennessee Titans Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow have in fact interviewed for the position, neither of whom possess a day of Head Coaching experience. That is of great concern to me. Compare that to other universities going though the same process - Georgia Tech for example just interviewed 8 individuals with Head Coaching experience and named a very qualified new coach in a 13 day period.

As you well know, our currency as a program, both financial and otherwise, is quite strong. We should be able to attract and come to agreement with such qualified candidates as have publicly declared interest including Mike Leach, Rick Neuheisel, June Jones and Steve Mariucci for starters.

If you will review the history of UCLA football, you will see we have a track record of trying to develop our own head coaches, without any prior experience in the head coaching position. This is a failed strategy, as you can see from the recent firing of Karl Dorrell and others going back to Bob Toledo and Terry Donahue, and would be doomed again should we choose to operate with DeWayne Walker or Norm Chow. I should note that the football nation concurs, as no one among these candidates has been interviewed by any other institution for a coaching position of any type this year.

Although my loyalties to the university are strong, and their potential still greater, should UCLA mishandle the current coaching search, wasting time, resources and fan faith on an unqualified candidate, you will see my interest and financial commitment to the University fall considerably.

Please do the right thing as you review a list of candidates and conduct final interviews. Consider your goal of trying to better connect the university to Los Angeles and realize a healthy football program is a key plank in that platform. Make your first major investment decision in the university a good one, and hire experience and charisma.

Looking forward to seeing you at the games next year!

All the best,
John P. Kelly (MBA 98)

by KellyBruin on Dec 17, 2007 8:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Congratulations...

on your achievements. Really, it sounds like you had a rough start to your life and you made something big out of yourself. But when I read what you wrote, it resonated more disloyalty than loyalty to the alma mater you claim to have loved. You wrote that you would never donate a single penny to the institution or ANY of its programs if the football program doesn't hire the coach that you want. Don't get me wrong, I don't think like the direction the football program, has, and is going, but I don't care if they hire Karl Dorrell again, I'm going to always support that school, no matter what Dan Guerrero does. I may write a letter myself after reading some on this blog, but I will never threaten my financial or emotional support to the institution as a whole based on a football coaching hire like you just did.

Maybe that's not the way you wanted it to come out, but when you write "I will furthermore pledge to never donate so much as a dime to the university or any of its fine programs; a professional goal of mine since I graduated", you had me scratching my head. I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure that football program had nothing to do with your professional success.

Good luck with whatever you're doing and I honestly hope I misinterpreted what you were trying to say because it seems like you're a great success that UCLA could be proud of.

Class of 2005.

by imagex on Dec 17, 2007 8:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I Must Concur ....

Whomever Dan Guerrero hires, whether or not I agree with the choice, I will remain a Bruin and support our team. That's what true Bruins do. That's why we are called fans.

If your support is contingent on UCLA winning, you are a "fair-weather" fan. We could do with a few less fair-weather fans.

I recognize that the last several years have been frustrating for Bruin football fans. Nobody has been more frustrated than myself. But I am heartened that throughout this down period, our program remained committed to its tradition of integrity and fair play. I am confident that Dan Guerrero will hire a coach that not only will remain committed to this tradition, but will also bring back the excitement of innovative football to our program. When that happens, the best recruits will flock to UCLA and winning will take care of itself.

Please give DG and our next coach, whoever it is, the benefit of the doubt. Support our team!

Go Bruins!!!

by snorkeldorf on Dec 17, 2007 9:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Can the BS

No one here needs a lecture on what being a "true Bruin" is. This assumption that you two have written the book on fanhood is presumptuous and arrogant. You're trying to throw this in the face of a guy who has overcome incredible adversity and not only beat cancer but used his ordeal as a reason to pursue higher education? That's as Bruin a story as I've ever heard.

He, like most of us, is expressing a promise to not enable the mediocre status quo that is deeply ingrained into Morgan Center when it comes to Football. DG and our next coach WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT be given the benefit of the doubt if he fails here. No more blank checks from this portion of the fanbase. The time for charity is over. Demand better or get out of the way.

by Tydides on Dec 17, 2007 10:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Please...

read what I wrote. I wasn't accusing anyone of being a fairweather fan and I wasn't defining what a "true Bruin" is. Obviously, you didn't read what I wrote. I was defending the SCHOOL, not just the football program. In fact, what I wrote had very little to do with FANhood but rather support for the SCHOOL. In case you forgot, UCLA is a UNIVERSITY that gives its students much more than great sports. SORRY, that football program had very little to do with making me the person I am today and I am not going to stop supporting that school as a WHOLE just because of the football program's lack of success. You can bash the football program all you want, and I would agree with you probably on everything.

And please, stop protecting him like he's a poor victim that I'm trying to bash cause I'm not. Obviously, as I wrote before, the guy has my respect for what he has gone through but then again, you didn't read what I wrote. I find you bringing up his cancer pretty insulting to tell you the truth, like he's a child that can't take a little bit of criticism. Let him speak for himself.

by imagex on Dec 17, 2007 11:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I deliberated long and hard

before deciding to respond.

I still don't think I should, based purely on the chance that somebody at the Morgan Center is actually reading this.

ImageX please understand that I love my university and I embrace every living student and alumni as family. As a matter of fact one of the first dates with my girlfriend, I took her to UCLA vs Oklahoma at the Rose Bowl. She had never been to a football game much less a college football game. She remarked that it was a lot like family. "It is." I replied. "It's my family."

I want to put this as simply as I can because I want you to understand me, and I want to erase any doubt you may have about my loyalty to any extension of UCLA, whether academic or athletic.

When you go see a car dealer looking for a new car, you never accept the first offer. That is just plain simple business. Furthermore, when negotiations hit the sticking point you have to look the dealer in the eye and tell them you don't like the offer and you are going to walk away from the bargaining table if you don't get a better offer. But, when you make this declaration it is not enough to say it with passion; you must mean what you say. That is the only way you are going to get the best deal you can. And, not settle for less than you want.

I hope I've made myself clear.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Dec 17, 2007 11:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

To Hector, I've read your response and I now know more of what you were getting at. Like I said in my original post, I left it open that I misinterpreted what you really meant. I'm sure you get what I was getting at as well and know my purpose was never to attack you. Honestly, thanks for a mature response and sharing your story and good luck in your future endeavors.

To the other guy, if you want to ban me or whatever your threat about this being my final post was implying, go ahead. I don't think I will be posting anymore anyway. I seriously admire your passion for the school which is what brought me to this site but apparently no one is allowed to have an opinion that differs from yours. My response was for Hector and I don't think he needed your interpretation of what I had written. As one alumni to another though, differences aside, good luck with the site.

by imagex on Dec 18, 2007 11:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Internet Goodbye

Worthless.

Apparently you've changed your definition of an "opinion different from mine" to having free reign to be a judgmental holier-than-thou a-hole in your three posts on this site. You're right, that's not allowed.

You're textbook. Backpedal and then disappear.

by Tydides on Dec 18, 2007 11:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hilarious

I apologize I don't have 1,000,000 posts like you. I truly wish I had a post count like yours. You bring my post count (or lack thereof) up so many times I'm beginning to think my IQ increases with every post. I tried to end it maturely but apparently I must be dealing with an adolescent.

Now what are you going to do, ban me?

by imagex on Dec 19, 2007 10:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why don't you ban yourself

Your comments are just a waste of time, in my opinion. (Your comments about IQ and age are a tipoff that you have yet to finish your second decade. Try the kiddie shows on the other boards. This one is for grown-ups.)

by Fox 71 on Dec 20, 2007 12:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ok...

My comments are a waste of time yet you have the time to respond to them. Makes sense.

by imagex on Dec 21, 2007 2:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not only did you call out the poster

You called out everyone else using the same tactic he is using to make the point that we will not settle for mediocrity this time. You went out of your way to call into question the loyalty of people who you've never met, and then you sought to apply your definition of the word to everyone.

I find your insinuations of disloyalty to many members of this community insulting, and if you do it again, it will be the last time, I promise you that.

"Give the next coach and DG the benefit of the doubt no matter what"
What a load of shit.

by Tydides on Dec 17, 2007 11:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Damn...

Okay, let me brace myself for the forthcoming personal attack, but things are getting too crazy. The threats, the misinterpretations, the exaggerations...folks are just giving their personal opinions on whatever, but they're berated when those don't coincide with what's apparently becoming BN's platform. I come here to get information, hear a fresh perspective, to read what Bruin fans are thinking. I may not agree with some posts, but I don't immediately shoot off an angry, vitriolic response, and then another and then another. There's a way to disagree with class and without offense. I know, some of you are going to tell me to stop coming to BN if I don't like the atmosphere here. It's a statement in itself that I almost anticipate that kind of response (god, I hope not, but whatever). I really, really enjoy everyone's contributions on BN and I hope that you'll read this post exactly for what it is...an OPINION, my own PERSONAL opinion. And for the record, since this is how the whole thing started, I too will give the new FB coach my support and just wait to see what he does with the program. Man, I didn't know hope was such a bad thing.

by bruininthelbc on Dec 18, 2007 1:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't mind

people coming on and disagreeing with the original poster's methods, the merits of which are certainly up for debate. I personally think that it is effective for reasons I've already stated, but I can certainly see the other side of the argument on this issue.

However, I'm not going to sit by and watch sniping with accusations of disloyalty according to some arbitrary set of rules or accusations of being a "fair weather fan" especially given that these were the same deflection tactics used by the Dorrellistas all those years. As I've already said, he could have made his point without calling the poster's integrity into question. He chose not to do so, and that is why we are where we are.

This is not a matter of content, it is a matter of tone (mostly). You should save your little lecture about disagreeing with class for your judgmental buddies.

You can support this team no matter how badly they mess up this search all you want. If the worst happens, and we end up getting a coach with no experience, there will be no leeway, no headroom from here. Coach Howland was given the benefit of the doubt after his 11-18 season because he had an established pattern of winning. Another unproven experiment better win, and win quickly, to show why he was a better candidate than a passed over candidate that had experience. You can hope all you want as well. I hoped KD would become the coach that led us to Pac 10 Championships and BCS bowl appearances. Look where that got us.

by Tydides on Dec 18, 2007 1:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What is your Definition of Failure,

how long does the next coach get to prove himself, and what exactly is your plan if DG's hire fails to meet your immediate expectations?

I don't condone mediocrity in any of our athletic programs and DG's track record suggests that he doesn't either. I sincerely doubt that he needs any external motivation to make the decision he believes is in the best interest of UCLA football and, when he does, I plan to get on board and give it a chance to work.

I suspect that there are many more than two Bruin fans whose thinking more closely resembles mine and that we might even be in the vast majority. I can't prove this, of course, I can only hope it is so.

by snorkeldorf on Dec 18, 2007 12:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope it's not

I hope that the vast majority of fans aren't of the "Give the next coach the benefit of the doubt no matter who he is" mindset, because that's the kind of lowball thinking that gets us five years of Dorrell. If that's the vast majority, then we deserve to be mediocre.

What's the definition of failure? Hiring half of the list we've seen so far would be one definition. Does DG need motivation? I hope not. I don't think so. But just in case, many people are letting him know what the consequences are. The contributors here didn't fight the good fight to get KD ousted only to see us fall for the same trick twice.

Either way, the only reason I'm in this in the first place is the use of the "disloyalty" tag, which I find particularly offensive. You and that other guy could have made your points about donating and all of that without attacking his and many of our contributors' character. "Voting with your wallet" is not a novel concept, and it is one of the few things the common fan has to influence the powers that be.

Do not call out others on self-righteous issues, especially when it's in your first and second posts here on this site (this applies more to the other guy, not to you).

by Tydides on Dec 18, 2007 12:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You miss the point by a mile, snorkel

In fact, you miss the point so much it looks like you deliberately aimed to do so.

We will not know how the next coach does until a year or so from now. The point is the qualities of the coach that is hired. Those will be known immediately. I'm not going to re-hash the debates of the various names which have come up here in the BN. But just about all of the names have been debated, and the pros and cons discussed at some length.

The point, and I believe you realize that this is the point, is that UCLA has had enough experiments. If DG chooses to make another experiment on an unproven head coach, then he is going to take heat from everyone here who has suffered for the past umpteen years, including in all likelihood many years prior to your birth.

One more thing. Your post suggests that your view reflects true Bruin-ness, and anyone with a different or an opposing view is somehow less of a Bruin. You can back off that all you want, but what you said initially carries that impression. Do you really think that the guys who started this blog would have put in the time and effort if they somehow cared less about their alma mater than you do?

It would be wise on your part to think a little more before you post.

by Fox 71 on Dec 18, 2007 4:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Apology to MexiBruin

No I don't and I agree with your suggestion. I made a hasty post in an emotional moment. The point I was focusing on (and still strongly disagree with) regarded withdrawing support for anything to do with UCLA based on whether the new football coach meets certain expectations. Disagreeing was fine, I'm sure, but the rest of my post went way too far.

My comments related to "true Bruins" and "fair-weather" fans were clearly out-of-line and I regret them. MexiBruin's (and others') heartfelt posts, his mere presence in this forum, demonstrate an unquestioned devotion to his alma mater. I apologize to MexiBruin and others here for placing that devotion in question.

by snorkeldorf on Dec 18, 2007 2:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You are not a true bruin

unless you support our team.

Snorkl ... if you bring that faux Bruin loyalty BS here anymore, you will be gone. Please don't lecture anyone here on what being a true Bruin means. Take that cr*p to a blindo board near you and that goes for the newbie in the thread above.

by Nestor on Dec 18, 2007 4:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

May you get the bends, snorkeldork

by charnaw on Dec 18, 2007 12:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mea Culpa

It would be fitting punishment, that's for sure!

by snorkeldorf on Dec 18, 2007 2:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Very moving and well reasoned letters!

IF DG is not favorable influenced by them, nothing will do it.

I am awaiting that puff of white smoke from Morgan Center.

by Offside on Dec 17, 2007 8:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I dunno.....

C/O 2004 here...

I know I definitly don't want any form of Choker, Chow, or Walker coaching my beloved Bruins. I also really don't think DG or the BIG donors want to fork over the $$ to wait for another coach to grow into his position.

What happened to not getting worried because any of the coaches we would want all have Bowl Games to worry about? What if all of this is Walker and his minions going to the local papers and hyping Choker? Is DG really that stupid? When DG was hired I remember the press rattling off his credentials and how he turned around the athletic programs at his previous schools. All DG has stated since he got to UCLA was about putting UCLA back up on its pedestal in athletics. That every sport at UCLA should be in contention for National Championships. So why would he just take ANOTHER chance on a coach that hasn't proven himself, or wanting to keep a defensive coach that couldn't hold off Utah and Notre Dame?

I really do think that Choker is just a bunch of smoke. I am praying that it is just white smoke, PRAYING.

So I'm ambivalent....I don't really know what to feel. I do know that whomever UCLA hires...I will still be in the stands losing my voice while I cheer on my Bruins.

Go Bruins!!

~BruinBabe4ever

by BruinBabe4ever on Dec 17, 2007 8:39 PM PST reply actions 0 recs