Patting ourselves on the back is not the purpose of this blog, but too bad, here we go. And before you go thinking we're immodest, there's a method to the madness.
The bottom line is, this site took a lot of crap for its hard line stance on Coach Karl Dorrell. The site was branded as a shrill, one-topic blog and its writers were called all manner of names by fellow bloggers and fellow Bruins. (My personal favorite was "jihadists.")
So, it's nice to get a modicum of respect from those who do what we do elsewhere.
First, from T Kyle King at Dawg Sports
Here, too, it seemed crystal-clear which was the most worthy nominee. I take nothing away from the fine community interaction evident at each of the weblogs included in this category, but Bruins Nation proved to be a more articulate, research-based "FireRonZook.com," but also so much more than that. (Anyone who thinks Nestor and his numerous contributors are single-issue Karl Dorrell-bashers has not followed Bruins Nation's consistently excellent hoops coverage.)
During U.C.L.A.'s roller-coaster ride of a 2007 season, Nestor moderated an ongoing conversation by the myriad of impassioned Bruins fans who hashed out the minutiae in painstaking detail, rebutted every effort to defend the doomed football coach, and analyzed exactingly the pros and cons of every possible successor who might be brought in to guide the program back to prominence. While Nestor and I take somewhat different approaches, and while I have many more misgivings about Rick Neuheisel than do the U.C.L.A. faithful, I cannot deny Bruins Nation its rightful status as the most active and invigorating on-line community in the intercollegiate athletics blogosphere.
Then, this came in a note from California Golden Blogs
Let me first apoligize to you for all of my sins towards you regarding the Dorrell situation. For all of my thoughts that might have been false or unjust or unclean about UCLA. For every word spoken that ought not to have been spoken about Dorrell's never-ending tenure. For all the slander and the backbiting about Coach Karl. And especially this post.
Because now we know the pain of the Guest Who Will Never Leave. The coach who does just enough to keep his job and not enough to deserve it. The coach who probably should have gone 3 years ago, but, like the undead, he just keeps coming back. Every season of unyielding mediocrity has just enough for the coach's boosters (Braunistas, to use your delightful terminology, I personally prefer Braunamaniacs, but that's cool, that's cool) to point to. Who could forget this gem (I'm sure you can't)? Or just earlier this year, we were showcased this amazing shock.
But see, facing your own Braun, you guys fought for freedom, change, and awareness of environmental hazards!
We saw what you did: billboards, and website registration, and driving your armored jeeps aimlessly through the streets of Westwood, gunning down Dorrellistas in fierce house to house ground battles. Unfortunately, all of our street violence is being readied for local tree-hippies and members of the Berkeley City Council. We need new plans. New ideas!
Please write back with thoughts on how we can adopt your grassroots methods for some positive regime change in Berkeley. We can even do it Berkeley-style with a hunger strike or a "Be In." Hopefully, we can "Be In" the tournament next year.
HALP!
Very Truly Yours,
T. N. Hook
And finally, this artist's rendition from California Golden Blogs of Nestor and the Bruins Nation Crew:
Thanks guys ...