Monday Morning Roundup

by Nestor on Apr 23, 2007 4:44 AM PDT in News

Before we get to this morning's mixed roundup of few Bruin related news item I want to officially share some very cool news related to BN. We have a brand new front page blogger. And it may not be a surprise to you at all given the kind of contribution he has made to BN ever since he started posting here. MIMBruin is now officially "Meriones." He is now our latest frontpager to grace Bruins Nation. We are stoked to have him as the latest member of this team. On to Monday's news.

Missed this really cool story from the Daily News involving our football team. Bunch of players participated in the Greater Los Angeles 5K Walk, benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, at the Rose Bowl in honor of Robert Kibble. From Jill Painter in the DN:

Kibble came to UCLA from Houston as a promising defensive back. He learned he had the disease before his senior year at Westfield High and figured he could cope and still play football. He played on special teams his freshman year for the Bruins, but frequent episodes that landed him in the hospital were too much to overcome and in November, Kibble had to retire from football.

Still, he's very much a part of the Bruins.

"It means a lot to me," Kibble said of his teammates' support. "I wasn't sure if they were going to go for it. A lot of people don't know about the disease, but seeing me in the hospital, I feel like they're a little more in touch now with the disease."

Kibble's doctors have tried a combination of medications to battle the incurable disease, one of which - at least for Kibble - is chemo-therapy. It seems to be working well. He underwent chemo-therapy Friday and has just one more session. Provided he's feeling up to it, he plans to be in Pasadena.

"Maybe they can find a cure for this disease," said Gary DeLoach, UCLA's safeties coach. "With stem-cell research, California seems like the place to be. He's still fighting this."

While the former star from Houston continues to be an inspiration to the kids in our football program, lot of folks around the recruiting circle are buzzing about another prep star from Houston, who just committed to UCLA little more than a week ago. Here is a highlight video of Aundre Dean, the RB from Houston, who just committed to UCLA:

Pretty impressive. As some of you know Dean had committed to Texas A&M before committing to UCLA. Surpisingly I didn't see any reaction from the folks over at the12thManChild, the TA&M blog for SBN. I do have to give credit Seth over at Double-T Nation who tipped me off about Dean in an email he sent to BN on February 22nd, by pointing to this post in the Dallas Morning News.

Moving on to other sports baseball team finished off sweeping CSUN on Sunday. The official site has the recap on BLUE HOT BRUINS:

Left fielder Will Penniall hit 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI as the No. 24 UCLA baseball team defeated Cal State Northridge, 12-8, and sweep the three-game series at Jackie Robinson Stadium Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Brant Rustich (3-1) limited the visiting Matadors to three hits in 3.1 scoreless innings of relief and tallied four strikeouts to earn the victory.

With Sunday's 12-8 win, UCLA (22-16) has now won 14 of its last 16 games, including eight of its last 10 home contests. The Bruins have swept three teams (at Stanford, at USC and Cal State Northridge) over the course of the last four weekends. The 16-game span is UCLA's most successful stretch since 1997, the last season in which the Bruins earned a trip to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Savage (and ryebreadaz) is rapidly turning many of us here on BN to college baseball fans.

Lastly, I watched Lakers-Suns yesterday and realized why I hate watching one one one NBA jungle ball. It was typical horrific display of one man game, which turned me off the NBA a while. But FWIW Farmar had a pretty good game, and former Bruin Baron Davis ("Boom Dizzle, B Diddy, MVP") had an explosive game in their first game against the Mavericks. Good for them. Not sure if I am going to follow these playoffs closely though. I just didn't find them all that fantastic.

GO BRUINS.

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Comments

I know this isn't a Lakers blog but

my God, how pathetic was that 4th quarter? After following the Bruins and their trademark defense still fresh in my mind, I couldn't believe all the uncontested jump shots and drives to the basket the Lakers D was allowing. And then there's Kobe taking on double teams and throwing up bricks during crunch time....pathetic. Reminded me of Lavin ball....

I know there was some small discussion here a few months ago about Phil Jackson being the best NBA coach of all time, but after watching that, I would have to disagree. But then again, you could argue that it's just the NBA in general and their style, and well, I can't argue that.

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 23, 2007 6:59 AM PDT reply actions

kobe was terrible

very very selfish in the last 5 minutes. he'd rather shoot double-teamed fadeaways than pass to farmar or odom or walton. i could help but laugh. when are laker fans going to call for kobe's departure.

by stephons on Apr 23, 2007 8:11 AM PDT reply actions

Hey Stephons

can I get you a drink man?

by Tydides on Apr 23, 2007 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions

the thing i hate about the nba

is the officiating. I watched parts of a few of the games, and I couldn't believe how inconsistant the refs are, and how the announcers agree with the refs that different players should have different rules. Its ridiculous that some players are allowed to travel, some aren't, some are allowed to take charges, some aren't, some are allowed to hand check, some aren't, etc etc.

Baron Davis looked good, and I will always give him props after setting up the website and drawing attention to the diminishing number of African Americans at UCLA.

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

by silverlakebruin on Apr 23, 2007 9:02 AM PDT reply actions

Couple Of Things

What the heck does FWIW mean?
I've been so spoiled with Ben Ball that Laker games are almost unbearable to watch. Ben has all the fundamentals down and the Lakers play some type of jungle ball. I love my Lakers, But Ben is making me loath them.

by BruinFan1 on Apr 23, 2007 11:25 AM PDT reply actions

1) "FWIW" = for what it's worth...

2) I know what you mean -- going from watching a team that wants to and knows how to play solid D to a team that seems disorganized at best, and clueelss and apathetic at worst, on D is pretty jarring... and I've been a Laker fan since 1986.

MIM

And we will have our vengeance, in this game and the next.

by Meriones on Apr 23, 2007 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Meriones

What's with the name change?
Sometimes I feel like this is Resivior Dogs with the screen names. If you haven't seen that movie, everybody has a code name of some sort but nobody within the inner circle knows anybody's real name.
I've been a Laker fan since '95 when they picked up Eddie Jones. I was very upset when they traded him in '99. Terrible decision, but it had to be done to get rid of Chunky Elden Campbell.

by BruinFan1 on Apr 23, 2007 11:48 AM PDT reply actions

Read up on your Greek history

You'll get it then

by sausmaf on Apr 23, 2007 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Specifically

History of Trojan Killers.

by Nestor on Apr 23, 2007 6:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Great game for former Bruins Barnes

Matt Barnes also had a GREAT game for the Warriors and made some great plays. A few that stuck out were a pair of needle threading passes in the paint, a clutch three he nailed in the first half, two free throws after a tough foul and a offensive board over Dirk off a free thrown in the first half. A great game for former Bruins Barnes and Davis.

by sfatoo on Apr 23, 2007 1:30 PM PDT reply actions