Only in Westwood would losing two of the top freshman anywhere in the land register on the scale of "wicked", but I'm sitting here wrapping up the week's work bracing myself for the inevitability of a certain press conference that is sure to leave me shaking my head in just under an hour.

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Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

Here are some great and very telling Ben Ball insights and analysis courtesy of Xavier head coach Sean Miller and L.A. Times' Rich Perelman. BTW, is it fair to say at this point in the season that Perelman 'gets' it? I wonder.

So later this week, when all the loose talk and mediaspeak gets going again about UCLA's "tough" / "stout" / "stingy" / "smothering" (insert superlative) defense, it's easy to come away with a one-dimensional picture of what Ben Howland's UCLA Bruins have done/are doing to their opponents - especially in the one-and-done climate this time of year brings.

Listen to Sean Miller give his closing perspectives on Saturday's game vs. UCLA:

"The thing that amazes me about UCLA's defense is they don't foul. I mean, they are physical, they blitz and trap every pick and roll you set, they trap the low post, they pressure the ball, they sometimes have four players on the court who are 6-7 or taller and they don't foul. I'm telling you, if you play as hard as they do and have the size that they do and the strategy and that offensive team can't put fouls on them, it's really, really hard to score."

Right? It's easy to to just SAY "UCLA's defense is tough", but hard to understand what that really means without getting a visual. It's harder still to comprehend the alternating layers of plate steel, rebarb and concrete Ben Howland rivets, wraps and pours between the ball and the opposing rim without having actually played against the Man.

Some can see it with a jog-wheel, a few even claim to be coaching it right now. Personally, I coach at the youth level and have ground the heads and platters of my PVR into metal filings just trying to get a glimpse of Howland's deadly nuances and adjustments and most if it STILL eludes and blows the mind.

But before you take that next swig and/or move on to the other facets of the game in prep for Memphis_II this week -- before you're forced to rebut all the doubting, bracket-toting co-workers and critics whose "buts" will surely be used to make more cases about why we won't beat them this year (forget about Gonzaga, LSU, Memphis_I, Kansas, Indiana, et. al.), please read (and then re-read) these telling excerpts from Sean Miller:

"It will be interesting in San Antonio as the best of the best goes there...[for example,] transition defense, [UCLA] fl[ies] back in transition defense... if you set a ball screen, that 6-9, 270-pound player stops, runs dead opposite to half court and blitzes the ball screen, turns, runs full speed to the hoop and a lot of action is happening and they don't foul.

Wow.

So even if you do have that Howland encounter, it's another thing entirely to muddle through a postmortem and try to make heads or tails out of the scorch and scraps he generally leaves behind. Mostly it seems, Howland's defensive construct is a mathematical impasse that brings the otherwise 'weak' forces of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th dimensions into influence over your game plan. I mean, it must be be some alternate hoops universe that drastically alters the normal behavior of his opponents, because everyone that experiences it knows what they saw (or didn't see) but strangely and predictably swears it was something they did, or didn't do, or couldn't or wouldn't or shouldn't have done to themselves that ultimately brought about the failure.

In fact, the place Howland's Bruins play their game must be a point in space that is either near to or right inside of a black hole; it atomizes your play book, stops time, silences your fans and turns your beaming and once composed starters into flaccid, drooping spaghetti men (oooh, is that why they call it "ugly" dad?) -- or so the footage I have archived will testify to.

Maybe it's that complex, maybe not. Obviously, though, we've got something other teams don't and vaunted squads like the ones we face this week (with the exception Florida) have rather consistently found Howland's sorcery no easier to contend with the second time around than the first.

Indeed, Ben Howland's Special Pressure Soup Mix is a whole order of magnitude harder to detect, sample, hash out, solve, digest and survive than almost any of his peers... and I don't see old Billy Dynoplugs or any of the previous years' tourney mainstays around anywhere to contest the point.

More Sean Miller:

UCLA's defense is obviously outstanding. The team that cracks it will probably be hitting on all cylinders and I would be curious to see if they can put four more fouls on UCLA and get to the foul line more themselves and to me, that's the key against playing their defense because the things that they are able to do without fouling are against all odds."

Yeah, I heard that. But I tell you what I don't want to hear is another group of frustrated players walking off the court muttering about "having a bad game" or how they "didn't execute" or that "the shots wouldn't fall" or whatever other meaningless hoop-concessions these dudes offer after they lose to UCLA.

No sir. The best college basketball coach in America just GAVE you that bad game, but you're welcome anyway.

That said, I am good and ready for Calipari and Memphis. I got my five.

This has undoubtedly been covered on BN before today (no time for research), but I just got a call from a relative that reminded me to pass on an important PR point: For those familiar with text messages and how to fire one off from a mobile phone, let's throw all the Bruin weight we can behind K-Love with plenty of fan votes for his Naismith Trophy run.

Just text the word "VOTE" to 87654 then follow the reply-prompts from there.

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The other night, before the whole Belotti tease reared it's [pretty] head, I had Dream: That in the end, it was Rick. And that, aside from all our initial reservations, He really was The One.

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From the diaries. GO BRUINS. -N

With no new news on the UCLA coaching front for Bruin Fans to head into their weekends with, BruinsNation brings you... Courtesy Chats? Media Fluff? Pure Desperation? Administrative Diversions?

At this point, WHO knows WHAT for certain, but I can betcha Brian "Bart" Dohn ain't got the slightest f$^%*#g clue.  Anyway, Let the Games Begin...

LA TimesDN's Brian Dohn (recently assigned the handle, "Doh!" by BruinsNation bloggers) reports that an entire cast of B and C-list coaching candidates are set to receive their "interviews" by UCLA officials this weekend.  

UCLA will interview former Rose Bowl-winning quarterback Rick Neuheisel and Philadelphia Eagles assistant John Harbaugh, the brother of Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, sources outside the athletic department said Thursday.

The story was picked up on a Fox Sports' "Rumors and Notes" page late Friday but, considering the one and only source to this point (Doh! has been repeatedly called out on his inaccurate and uninformed beat columns, especially where coverage of UCLA Athletics has been concerned), we should be extremely skeptical about the story's merit.

Given the well-deserved professional raking Doh! has received herein, a wise man might well assume Doh!'s story is merely a ragged side of beef thrown to the hungry invertebrates lurking in the frigid, understocked waters of BN.  

Now, the better part of me wanted to look past the whole, rusty beartrap--- that is until I choked up on this (presumably about Rick Neuheisel) jagged little bit:

"He would be the perfect guy," said a former UCLA player, who requested anonymity. "He would love to go against (USC coach) Pete Carroll. He would be the charismatic guy UCLA needs. He would definitely give the program energy." "Awww man see?? Now who the f*** said that? TAYLOR? Nah. VAN? Ehhh. BRUCE??? BRUCE!! Hey, yeah man, look I love you and all, but DAMN!! SHUT! UP!!! Were you even born when Rick was here? SHHHH!!!!

Then Doh! tosses in a little "bet this'll drive them nuts on BruinsNation" sauce -- just for good measure, of course.

Harbaugh, 45, is the secondary coach in Philadelphia. He does not have head coaching experience, but comes from impressive bloodlines. Immmpressive bloodlines! As if a stiff like Brian f'n Doh! could even sit in the same room as someone well trained enough to decode human genes without passing out from confusion. You set it up real nice with that one, B-- Doh!!!

"Then!", said Brian, "Just a sprinkle of doubt, just to throw 'em off the trail."

It was uncertain when Harbaugh's interview would take place. The Eagles play at Dallas on Sunday, and Bruins athletic director Dan Guerrero will be in Kansas City this weekend to interview Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Summing the whole thing up, a buddy of mine had this to say in a late-day email. "...time to start doing your magic with those emails to Dan G and those blogs because the rumor section of FOX Sports has crooked ass Rick N being interviewed along with Jim Harbaugh's brother who is a [weak] ass assistant for the Eagles... should have just kept Karl if we were looking for f*cked up OC’s in the NFL and their assistants." ..really says it all.

But I will add this: If this is really what's going down right now... if there is even one shred of truth to the piece abut Harbaugh--- or who was it? His little brother?!?!? Sound General Quarters: Shallow waters ahead.

A couple posts back, Nestor brought up a hugely important tidbit that needs be recognized, rehashed and respected on this great blog:

In the silent, sterile and hermetically sealed vacuum that is Morgan Center's Football coaching (ahem) "search", BruinsNation.com is one of the only credible sources of fresh information (speculation?) and dialog about our football program and the soap opera that is playing out in the main stream media... Not to mention a favorite bookmark (homepage?) of more than a few influential personalities attached to our cause. With all we've been through and with all that is at stake, we are indeed in a precarious position... a fact that should remind everyone here -- newcomers and vets alike -- how important it is to keep it real, keep it factual and Keep It Sane.

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With the recent change of leadership in UCLA's Football Program, all that any prospective UCLA student-athlete needs to know is this:

"When it comes to NCAA competition, the University of California, Los Angeles is 100% COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE." If the dismissal of Karl Dorrell should signify anything for incoming student-athletes and their parents, it's that UCLA's quest for superior coaching talent is a clear and unmistakable sign of that Commitment."

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is DONE.

Continuing a week of healing and rebuilding on campus, the LAT reports that former (say it with me... ffffforr-- sorry) UCLA Football head coach Karl Dorrell has elected not to lead the Bruins in their December rematch vs. Brigham Young in the 2007 Pioneer Vision Las Vegas bowl... opening the door for defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker's head coaching debut.

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Bumped from the diaries. GO BRUINS. -N

With the potential dawning of Osaar Rasshan, some in the MSM are pondering whether the kid can save Karl Dorrell's job. Anyone taking a serious look at the virtually non-competitive state of UCLA Football, however, knows that the Seventh Seal has already been opened...

Well here's something CTS can print out and curl up with tonight. The Daily News Paul Oberjuerge offers some -- ahem -- hope to Dorrell and his two or three remaining supporters...

"The kid who couldn't escape the lower reaches of the depth chart at either of two positions ...needs to help UCLA engineer an upset of the ninth-ranked Sun Devils to keep Karl Dorrell & Co. from edging even closer to joblessness."

Sorry Paul, I know getting paid to write for a "major" paper doesn't afford you the latitude to write about the REAL truth behind modern social issues but, so as long as you don't mind a hack Bruin blogger walking a mile in those soggy brown loafers of yours, ALLOW ME:

See, this article should have been about how -- whether or not Osaar Rasshan is able to lead UCLA to victory (or a complete turnaround) during the balance of the season, it shouldn't be enough to save his stubborn and ultimately unqualified head coach from his own dogmatic pattern of self-destruction.

This way, fans who are desperately in favor of salvaging some dignity for UCLA Football this season have a way to FULLY support their team (the athletes) and look forward to the End of the Karl Dorrell era. Hell, Oberjuerge, if you could just manage to give us ONE of those things, we might even find a way to take your lousy Sports section on Sundays!

"And here he is. Starting. At quarterback. In a game that could determine his coach's job status - as well as keep alive the Bruins' chances at a Pac-10 championship and Rose Bowl berth."

Come on, Paul... please be nice. Don't tease the animals.  We are a desperate, hungry lot by now and we do tend to BITE.

Dorrell said the offense will be simplified for Rasshan, who has had just two practices as the No. 1 quarterback. "It shrinks down," Dorrell said of the playbook. "You can't give him as much information as if you had an experienced player there."

Now... what's the chance that three guys like Dennis Erickson, Mike Belotti and Pete Carrol are gonna let themselves finish behind a dude who just realized the desperate need to throw his worthless, 100-lb play book overboard? Alas, UCLA and a January Rose Bowl date are about as distant as the galaxies. Your fuzzy-math is just not appreciated.

Anyway, let's get to it:

The First Directive for any football head coach (especially one paid $1M+/year from the State Treasury) is - at the VERY least - to get the Right People on the field at the Right Positions at the Right Time. These things come even before play calling, which we'll get to later.

This article should have helped elucidate the issue that, 3-wins or not, the gross negligence and misuse of Osaar Rashaan's many talents and the public scholarship monies that brought them to UCLA in the first place, should spell an even surer demise for Karl Dorrell.

Bottom line is if Rasshan DOES deliver, it will only underscore Coach Dorrell's incompetence. In the event affairs do turn north for UCLA, supporters should ask ONLY why Rasshan wasn't the automatic #2 behind Ben Olsen vs. Notre Dame last month and WHY he wasn't THE definite #3 behind Cowan before that.

Well in case you missed it, he wasn't... and going into that fateful game, Rasshan didn't take a single f***ing SNAP in practice the week leading up to the Weiss visit. So, injury-prone Olsen goes into one of the highest profile games of the DECADE for UCLA with no one backing him up save a shivering, 4th string, walk-on law student.

But it didn't end there.

Nooooo! Karl Dorrell worked HARD on this loss. On top of throwing in a kid who just got fitted for his uniform, Dorr-Vell (the namesake of the tragically inept offensive duo of Karl Dorrell & Jay Norvell) compounded what was already a total cluster-f*ck by putting in more pass plays than had been called for both the UCLA starter and back up QB's COMBINED... All while Rasshan languished and an entire corps of running backs looked on in disgust.

No, I'm afraid the last thing Osaar Rasshan can do at this point is "save Karl Dorrell". In all respects, that should be an impossibility.

All Rasshan can do is HURT Dorrell by showing what an incomprehensibly immense waste of Time, Talent and Resources he has been for UCLA as a whole. Which may be the true reason why Rasshan's been buried like a State Secret for nearly three seasons.

Writing in his late night journal, the LA Times's Chris Foster bucks up and tells it like it is.  Earth to Brian [Dohn], Earth to JJ [Adande]... do you read?

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