The countdown clock is now at less than 30 days. And there is some news from Morgan Center (via BRO):
With four weeks until the season opener versus Utah, UCLA is currently 2,500 season tickets ahead of last year's final total.
Nineteen of the 20 incoming scholarship freshmen attended summer school to get a head start on their academic careers.
Three of UCLA's nine scholarship seniors -- center Robert Chai, tight end J.J. Hair and wide receiver Junior Taylor -- are scheduled to graduate at the end of the Fall quarter.
Thirty members of the football team made the Director's Honor Roll (3.00 or better GPA) for the Spring Quarter.
Getting a head start for college, early graduations, honor rolls - quite a contrast from another area college football's team off season consisting of nothing but stories of pushing steroids, allegations of sexual assault, illegal rent payments etc. Speaking of which the Wiz again has an interesting scoop on USC. Wiz has a post on Trojan tailback Desmond Reed who is whining about the grass at South Bend. Apparently Reed is recovering from surgery but here is the kicker:
Nineteen of the 20 incoming scholarship freshmen attended summer school to get a head start on their academic careers.
Three of UCLA's nine scholarship seniors -- center Robert Chai, tight end J.J. Hair and wide receiver Junior Taylor -- are scheduled to graduate at the end of the Fall quarter.
Thirty members of the football team made the Director's Honor Roll (3.00 or better GPA) for the Spring Quarter.
Also of note here is that Reed's surgeon was Arthur Ting, the father of Brandon and Ryan Ting, the twins who quit the USC team last week. It was later revealed that Brandon had tested positive for steroids and that Arthur had been disciplined by the state medical board.
Yeah ... that shouldn't raise any kind of raise flag. lolWell this week has been a blockbuster week in the world of college football in terms of off-field scandals. While we have bee going ting-a-ling discussing the possible implications of Barry Bonds angle to Trojan steroid scandal, Longhorn fans were busy coming up with this (via EDSBS):
Of course predictably some apologists are already out making excuses. Pete Fiutak from college football news has an asine article basically saying kids will be kids. Not only that, but Fiutak also manages to take a shot at Coach Wooden repeating the lies of Dan Wetzel. So, if you have time today, send a polite note note Mr. Fiutak at petef@collegefootballnews.com.
Also, staying on football, Dorrell's recruiting efforts get some attention:
USC is clearly the class of the Pac-10 in recruiting, but UCLA is beginning to distance itself from the rest of the pack as a solid No. 2. Karl Dorrell and staff get it done on the road.
Being second to University of Second Choice should never be accepted and celebrated at UCLA. Morever, I'd like to see on signing day where UCLA is before concluding that we have surpassed Tedford. Because the evidence based on the last few years doesn't back it up. We will wait till after the 2007 signing day to assess whether the talent gap has been decreasing between USC/Cal and USC. Because so far it really hasn't.Lastly, a hoops scheduling note. Maui bracket was announced yesterday. Assuming we win our first game we should be facing off against the boys from Sea of Blue:
NCAA runner-up UCLA will play host Chaminade in the opening round of the 2006 EA Sports Maui Invitational.
The matchups for the eight-team tournament to be held Nov. 20-22 were announced Thursday. The winner of the UCLA-Chaminade game will advance to a semifinal against the winner of the Kentucky-DePaul first-round game.
The other bracket has Oklahoma, under first-year coach Jeff Capel, against Memphis, and Purdue playing Georgia Tech.
More from Bruin Hoop ScoopThe matchups for the eight-team tournament to be held Nov. 20-22 were announced Thursday. The winner of the UCLA-Chaminade game will advance to a semifinal against the winner of the Kentucky-DePaul first-round game.
The other bracket has Oklahoma, under first-year coach Jeff Capel, against Memphis, and Purdue playing Georgia Tech.
If we do get to play Kentucky in the second round that could be an interesting omen for rest of the season. Does anyone remember J. R. draining those two FTs against Pitino's squad in 1994?
GO BRUINS.