Roundup from BN Walk: News & Notes

by Nestor on May 6, 2008 4:01 AM PDT in News

Time for our stroll around the BN walk and we will start with J’Mison Morgan. As I said last night before everyone get’s overly excited keep in mind that we have not seen any confirmed report yet that indicates that LSU has granted his request for a release. From the good guys over at Bruin Basketball Report:

The 6'10 265 lb center reportedly submitted his release papers to LSU over the weekend and is now awaiting to hear back from school administrators on his official release.

LSU is not obligated to release Morgan from his commitment. If LSU does not grant his release, Morgan would have to sit out a year before transferring to another school to play basketball.

So keep your eye on the wires next couple of days if you want to closely track this story. Again I think everyone should temper their excitement before seeing report of LSU granting his request for release.

Anyway, back in Westwood the baseball team will be looking to rebound tonight in what the Daily Bruin has been calling a "disappointing" and "inconsistent" season:

Last weekend, the UCLA baseball team had a chance.

A chance to turn around what thus far has been a disappointing season mired in inconsistency.

A chance to achieve a season-defining series win at home against No. 4 Arizona State, one that could have provided the spark needed to push the Bruins to a postseason berth.

Yet, the chance was erased with two late-game collapses, costing the Bruins a potential series win against Arizona State in disappointing fashion.

Tonight, the Bruins (24-20, 7-8 Pac-10) continue a stretch of games that could potentially make or break their season as they play against the streaking No. 8 San Diego Toreros (37-13, 15-3 West Coast Conference) at newly named Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Following tonight’s game against San Diego, the Bruins travel to face two-time defending national champion Oregon State this weekend. They then travel to play No. 13 UC Irvine next Tuesday, host Washington State in two weeks, and finish the season on the road against No. 12 Cal State Fullerton and No. 16 California.

It will be Garett Claypool (1-2), who will take the mound for Bruins against San Diego. Garett himself will be looking to rebound from his last outing when he got chased by the Waves in Malibu. From the official site:

Right-hander Garett Claypool will make his sixth start of the season, all coming in mid-week contests. Claypool has logged a 1-2 record and 4.25 ERA in 29.1 innings (13 appearances) this spring. The sophoomore from West Hills, Calif., has limited the opposition to a .233 batting average, recording 20 strikeouts and 27 walks. Claypool absorbed the loss in a 6-2 setback at Pepperdine last Tuesday, allowing five runs (four earned), three hits and five walks in 2.1 innings. Two weeks ago, the right-hander hurled a career-high six scoreless innings and did not receive a decision in an 8-7, 11-inning win versus UNLV (April 22).

Here is to Garettt getting back in form tonight.

Meanwhile, over at the football front Ben Olson is having his surgery today. Good luck to Big Ben.

Staying with football, CPBruinFan over at Bruin Roar, has posted capsule reports on each of our opponents spring practices. Here is CPB’s lowdown on the Vols’ spring practice:

The Vols have spent some time retooling their offense as well this April. Like the Bruins, Tennessee heads into the 2008 season with a new coordinator, three other new offensive assistants, a new scheme, new terminology and a new quarterback. Jonathan Crompton, a red-shirt junior, is the likely starter for the fall. He will be out of action for the next month after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow.

There will be more of an emphasis on the running game this time around and the Volunteers have a good one in Arian Foster. The Vols return all five offensive line starters from last season and they will provide a big front for Foster, who's closing in on Tennessee's all-time rushing record.

So Harwell, Price and co. will have their hands full right from the start.

Lastly, an additional note re. our scheduled site upgrade, which is coming on Thursday. Our tech friends at SBN tells us that BN will be migrating to the new site late Thursday night, and if all goes well will be live the next morning (Friday, May 9 in our case). We are looking forward to playing with the new features in SBN.

GO BRUINS.

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Morgan Update from Jill Painter

http://www.insidesocal.com/ucla/2008/05/morgan-for-sure-to-ucla.html

I just spoke with Ronnie Morgan, J'Mison Morgan's brother, and he said "he's planning for sure to attend UCLA next year."

by Tydides on May 6, 2008 11:20 AM PDT reply actions

Good news...

I hope things pan out well with the LOI. I can't even say how excited I am for basketball to start up this year.

by bhbruin on May 6, 2008 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions

WOW. 2 questions, though...

...(1) Is the brother she spoke to a younger brother, or an older one, i.e. an excited kid, or a mature adult who is in a position to speak for the family?

(2) Enroll at UCLA? Great. Get released from LSU? A whole OTHER question.

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on May 6, 2008 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions

First Question:

Ronnie is his older brother.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on May 6, 2008 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions

More Bobo

There is link to a story in the tracking Bobo post. His brother Ronnie is the one that gave him the nickname Bobo. Ronnie is a sophomore at a Texas JC. J'Mison does have a younger brother. The bad news is you will have to wait about 14 years before he can put on a Bruin uniform. The good news is that his mother says the brother is bigger than J'Mison at the same age.

by Gen2Bruin1987 on May 6, 2008 1:16 PM PDT up reply actions

I Linked That

in one of the diaries, I think.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on May 6, 2008 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Ooops, Sorry

Guess not...

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on May 6, 2008 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Just imagine... a Howland REBOOT.

If, if, IF!!! this actually works, and LSU goes gracious and releases young Mr. Morgan, and assuming KL and RW are gone, look at what remains.

In three words -- OH. MY. LORD.

(* -- assuming the player stays)

C --
Morgan (6-10, 265)
*AA2 (6-8, 240)
Gordon (6-8, 235)

PF --
*LMRAM (6-8, 235)
Keefe (6-8, 230)

SF --
*JS (6-5, 225)
Roll (6-5, 215)
*Drago (6-8, 225)

SG --
Holiday (6-3, 180)
Lee (6-4, 170)

PG --
DC (6-0, 165)
Anderson (6-1, 165)

If, if, IF!!!! this is our roster, and everyone stays relatively healthy, this may actually be our most BALANCED team since 2006.

Consider -- the bigs will have as many bodies 2006 (which had Hollins, Mata during the Tournament, and LMRAM and AA2), more scoring than 2007, albeit less offense than 2008.

The perimeter guys will have more bodies (potentially SIX if all froshies show up to practice and play) than even 2006; even more speed than 2007, and far more outside shooting than 2008 (with DC, Roll and even half of Shipp).

We may still be short on athletic interchangeable wing players in the 6-5 to 6-8 size range, BUT, if, if, IF!!! this works... WOW.

Talk about a reboot.

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on May 6, 2008 12:13 PM PDT reply actions

I think Gordon

is a true forward too, so we could see Morgan and Gordon on the court on the same time (If Morgan does end up being able to come to UCLA, and decides to go through with that decision)

O.A.

by Ollie on May 6, 2008 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions