Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N
Per request, I'm re-purposing some comments I made in another thread.
When I put up my first "generation gap" post, I expressed my concern that we seemed miles apart because we don't have a sense of "shared values" -- a common understanding of what it means to be a Bruin -- to bind us together at times of respectful disagreement.
In this post, I'm going to try to start that dialogue by setting forth some of the values that I think bind many of the Geezers on this board.
My hope is that young and old will both comment and share the values that they think help define Bruindom.
1. The one word label "Coach" can be applied to but one man -- John Wooden.
All others, who coach our athletes should be called "Coach Howland", "Coach Neuheisel" (or CTS and lizard for those of you who cannot use the word "coach" in proximity to their names.) John Wooden is our unique treasure -- the only man for whose name the word Coach is synonymous. More on the other side.
2. It is imperative that we all know, respect and honor UCLA's traditions -- for it is these traditions that are the ties that bind us together.
I have written, extensively on BN, about my distress with the destruction of UCLA's signature yell -- the 8 Clap.
Traditions should not be be changed by sloth, convenience, or a sense that the new way is better. It is not the prerogative of one class of students to change those things that have been passed down to them for generations.
That is not to say that all things must stay static.
Want something new -- create it.
Afters years of living away, I returned to California and lived there from 1991 - 2002; during that entire time, I had season tickets to both the football and basketball games.
One of my great delights was to discover the new tradition at Pauley "Is this a basketball ....". I always made sure to be in my seat to participate.
There is room for the new. There is a need to respect the old.
3. Please, do not say “We have never been a football school” for we have been. Saying that, because your sense of history does not go back to the 50’s and 60’s does not make it so. And, it rankles those of us who were there when we were winning Rose Bowls in football and National Championships in basketball during the same year. One of the reasons us Geezers are so offended when people say "we are a basketball school" is that we believe they are needlessly narrowing their horizons. We wish for you what we had -- success on both fronts. Rick Neuheisel might have something o say about this:
Also, see BN posts on this topic here, here, here, here and here.
4. Please, do not use the words "gutty little Bruins" in a negative, facetious, or derogatory way.
These words pay honor to a group of Bruin players who though small, played with passion and heart. Under Coach Tommy Prothro, they overcame the odds of size and sportswriter expectations to beat a "more talented" and bigger sc team and then the #1 team in the country in the Rose Bowl.
The Gutty Little Bruins were people like defensive lineman Terry Donahue. They were people like Jim Colletto who played on both sides of the ball (and is also in the UCLA Baseball Hall of Fame.)
Perhaps, you will understand how we Geezers feel about the term Gutty Little Bruins if we compare that emotion to the way we all feel about our "Ben Ball Warriors" people like LRM, AA, and PAA -- guys who brought it every day, lunch pail guys who played us into greatness.
The term Gutty Little Bruins has great meaning to us. Read about the Apisa moment previously posted on BN:
Photo Source: My Favorite Bowls
I hope now that you know its history you will use it correctly.
5. Never step on the library seal.
Ok, so there are some of the things that I hold dear -- the things that help define me as a Bruin.
What are yours?
