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LAT's "UCLA" Blogger Writing Like Trev Alberts

By Nestor

So the Trojan Times rolled out a little blog to cover the UCLA beat (no doubt realizing its coverage was getting embarrassed by Dohn's diligent reporting day after day). I haven't put it up on our blogroll yet because I am not sure exactly how legit this Rich Perleman guy is going to be. But judging from his early work it seems like just like his colleagues who cover the UCLA beat, he is pretty much clueless.

He has written up a piece which is basically a boilerplate excuse post on behalf of Karl Dorrell rolling out the old budget excuse, off-field issues, and performance. Wrt to lowering the bar and budget excuses we have disposed of that argument numerous times here on BN, which included this response to Trev Albert's pathetic effort (in defending KD).

But the key point from Perlman's post (as noted by Dump Dorrell) was his attempt to set the baseline expectations at 9 regular season wins. Here is DD's rapid response on disposing Perlman's pathetic argument:

The problem with 9 wins is that we and Dorrell are stuck. Dorrell has often stated publicly that he wishes to coach in the NFL. 9 wins, as we have said, will not get NFL teams to come calling, unless miraculously the losses are close and one of the wins comes against title-bound undefeated SuC at the Coliseum in spectacular fashion. With 10 wins Dorrell may not win the conference title, or beat SuC, or go to a BCS bowl game, but he could be hired away to the NFL. That is a good scenario in our opinion. 8 wins and Guerrero has grounds to fire Dorrell straight up.

But is Perelman’s assertion that ‘08 is the litmus test correct?? We think not. As we have also pointed out numerous times, ‘08 will be an excuse year for Dorrellistas. It will be a rebuilding year. We will lose 20 seniors, 17 starters to graduation. We will also have a tougher schedule with games AT Cal, Oregon, and ASU, and games against Tennessee, and an experienced BYU. No doubt Dorrell will have a hard time reaching .500, and his apologists will be out in full force explaining his mediocrity away. "Just wait until the recruiting classes come of age for next year … next year is really the year Dorrell will have to prove himself." We will hear the same crap over and over and over again.

As you all know, THIS year is the year Dorrell has everything stacked in his favor to win … 20 returning starters, 17 of those seniors, a soft schedule, and two experienced QBs. If he can’t do it now then when will he ever do it??
Yeap.

If Dorrell is allowed to coast after a 9 win season, what is going to be happen in his 6th season when he produces another underachieving, "rebuilding" season of 6-7 wins. This guys Perleman doesn't seem to understand the game of college football. Otherwise, he wouldn't be making the pathetic argument (as implied in his post) that somehow the recruiting class this year will be making a difference immediately in its first season.

A great response to Perleman's drivel in his comment thread:
They say that sometimes the best prayers are the ones that go unanswered. In the case of last years "SC" game it could not have been more apropos. By winning the "big game" we lost the big picture. Under Dorrell, the UCLA program has been without vision, focus or continuity. It feels like each year we begin at ground zero and are told by the AD and the media that the program is a year away. Well, needless to say there are programs across the nation which has proven what a capable coach can. Regardless if you are in a powerhouse conference such as the situation Urban Meyers entered or have to prove the national media wrong as with Boise State it is clear the coach can make a difference.
Amen.

No matter how much these shills in the local traditional media try to make excuses for Dorrell or try to lower expectations on his behalf, the simple question really is if not now when (because it is not going to be 2008)?

GO BRUINS.

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