Karl Dorrell continues to humiliate himself and UCLA in public leading up to tomorrow's big game. As antipimp noted in the diaries Karl Dorrell - like a coward - did not bother to show up at last night's "bonfire" (while across town the Humantiarian was firing up his devotees at the Trojan bonfire). Not only that, per DD the Thinker has been all but waving the white flag (at least in public) going into tomorrow's game:
Perhaps the most stunning news today came before the rally at a Rotary Club event for the `rivalry' in the morning. According to television report by Eyewitness News, Dorrell addressed the Bruin-Trojan audience by saying something to the effect of "we hope to give them a game." WTF?? Did anyone see the news reports and get the exact wording? Please send it in. The news report, apparently (we did not see it, it was reported to us), mocked Dorrell for basically conceding we did not have a chance against such a superior team. The report also stated that Pete Carroll followed with comments to the effect of "he's selling his team short!" WTF? Is this some tricky mind-game the Thinker is playing or is this real?! It's definitely not on, and it's not on that Eyewitness News is mocking him and, by extension, us.
Again we are going to do everything we can (at least on the homepage here on BN) to bite our lips till this game is over. I am not sure if we can make it clearer that we are not going accept nothing less than a victory at the Rose Bowl tomorrow afternoon. If Bruins lose a close game tomorrow and if any surrender monkey comes on here to glorify a true moral victory or wax poetic about a good game, then his or her account will get instantly banned.This is a sacred game for Bruins Nation. And for those who haven't yet tasted a Bruin victory in this game, you may want to read this article from Bill Witz, DN's former Bruin beat writer on the 1996 game, in which the Bruins rallied from a 17 pt 4th Quarter deficit to pull out an incredible win. Here is Witz on this sacred game:
It's been 10 years since that day, when R. Jay Soward was every bit as electric as Reggie Bush, when Koffler looked as if he'd be USC's answer to Norm Dow and John Barnes, and when the Bruins were the first to discover a left-handed quarterback who would own the town.
It's a day that will still cause Trojan fans to gnash their teeth at the mention of LaVale Woods and Adam Abrams, and Bruin fans to raise their glasses to Kusanti Abdul Salaam and Rodney Lee.
Mostly, though, it's a day that serves as a reminder of when USC and UCLA was really a rivalry.
Nowadays, USC has been so dominant, there isn't much sport in it.
The 1996 game concluded a 10-year span when the games were decided by a total of 49 points or two more than the Trojans won by last year, 66-19. Since Pete Carroll arrived six years ago, the Bruins' 29-24 loss in 2005 is the only time they've lost by less than 25.
"The only thing I can hang my hat on is at least we were close," said Koffler, who lost to UCLA all five years he was in school.
As good as USC has been, it used to be that in this rivalry you could throw the records out. Three times the Bruins beat Rose Bowl-bound USC teams and on another occasion tied them.
"They've had all the Heisman Trophy winners, but they've always had those names," said Lee, a reserve receiver whose diving, 23-yard catch set up the touchdown that forced overtime in 1996. "They had Keyshawn Johnson, who was the best player in the country and they were going to the Rose Bowl - in 1995 - but we weren't going to lose because of him. It didn't matter who had the better talent, it was who had more desire. We were the underdog, but we never heard it. I don't see that now."
Lee is a good example of the type of stories that have been missing for much of this decade.
Where ever you are LaVale Woods - you are still my hero.It's a day that will still cause Trojan fans to gnash their teeth at the mention of LaVale Woods and Adam Abrams, and Bruin fans to raise their glasses to Kusanti Abdul Salaam and Rodney Lee.
Mostly, though, it's a day that serves as a reminder of when USC and UCLA was really a rivalry.
Nowadays, USC has been so dominant, there isn't much sport in it.
The 1996 game concluded a 10-year span when the games were decided by a total of 49 points or two more than the Trojans won by last year, 66-19. Since Pete Carroll arrived six years ago, the Bruins' 29-24 loss in 2005 is the only time they've lost by less than 25.
"The only thing I can hang my hat on is at least we were close," said Koffler, who lost to UCLA all five years he was in school.
As good as USC has been, it used to be that in this rivalry you could throw the records out. Three times the Bruins beat Rose Bowl-bound USC teams and on another occasion tied them.
"They've had all the Heisman Trophy winners, but they've always had those names," said Lee, a reserve receiver whose diving, 23-yard catch set up the touchdown that forced overtime in 1996. "They had Keyshawn Johnson, who was the best player in the country and they were going to the Rose Bowl - in 1995 - but we weren't going to lose because of him. It didn't matter who had the better talent, it was who had more desire. We were the underdog, but we never heard it. I don't see that now."
Lee is a good example of the type of stories that have been missing for much of this decade.
Anyways the subliminal message that article is sending, tracks closely with the brutally honest article from the Daily Trojan two days ago, which calls out Karl Dorrell for sullying this rivalry. Karl Dorrell has not only sullied the tradition of UCLA football by driving down the expectations and standard for this program to unfathomable lows, he has also played a huge part in sullying this sacred game by leading like a total coward and reducing it to a "second-rate rivalry". He ought to be ashamed of himself for his behavior during this week.
Who knows perhaps he is playing some kind of glorious mind game? Let's hope he is. However, because of his own shortcomings he has boxed himself into a corner, and if he wants to leave (majority of us want him gone even after we win tomorrow afternoon) Westwood with dignity than he needs to win tomorrow's game.
He has no other options.
More roundups (game/personnel notes) on this sacred game from the LA Times, the OC Register, and Dump Dorrell.
GO BRUINS.