Bruin Bites: Dan Guerrero and Rick Neuheisel Fail Edition

As I discussed earlier, that loss to Texas was flat-out embarrassing. If you want to subject yourselves to more torture (courtesy of this dysfunctional, diseased culture of mediocrity under Dan Guerr-error), you can go through the discussions we've had about how pathetic this UCLA program was yesterday under Dan Guerr-error and Rick No-heisel's Reign of Error here, here, here, and here.

There is no doubt that Dan Guerrero has completely FAILED during his tenure as UCLA's athletic director, just as there is no doubt that, so far, Rick Neuhseisel has completely FAILED during his time as UCLA's head football coach.

If I was a staffer at Morgan Center (read: chumps like proven liar Mark Harlan), I'd be sweating right now. The debacle that is UCLA football is completely unacceptable.  Neuheisel will be the second head coach Guerrero hired who has not panned out.

Simply put, Dan Guerr-error is on the hot seat, and if he and Rick can't turn this thing around fast, when we come after him and his job, I can guarantee that no one in Morgan Center will be safe from criticism. So boys, you better get to work or those sweet, sweet UCLA paychecks won't be coming in much longer. After all guys, you should know you're already on a short leash after your other failed, idiotic boondoogles (or did you forget #SFatPauley, #VetoSeto, and of course, Dump Dorrell).

With that, let's turn to this special edition of your Bruin Bites round-up of bits and pieces of news from around the UCLA-iverse after the jump.

• Starting with our theme, we're going to start with a few internal links: Bruin fans and BN posters are lighting it up, mashing out arguments for why Rick should resign now, why Guerrero needs to be fired, or eviscerating a poor attempt at defending Dan Guerr-error.  Very interesting discussions throughout the Bruin Nation, both here on BN and throughout the interwebs.
• In one of the best pieces I've seen post- Texas, someone from the traditional sports media captured the sentiment around UCLA football perfectly.  Jimmy Bramlett of LAist.com nailed it, noting that UCLA football is a "shame" that makes watching a game at the amazing Rose Bowl unenjoyable. He concludes that Neuheisel is unlikely to survive the season barring a miracle, and picks up on the one common thread in UCLA's culture of mediocrity that has lasted more than a decade:

It is apparent that Neuheisel will not be the head coach in January unless there is a miracle that would even leave the baby Jesus slack-jawed in awe. But what then? Who can Guerrero get to coach this program that isn’t even a shell of what it used to be.

There is something toxic going on in Westwood, something deeper than a mere cosmetic head coaching fix. I don’t know what it is. I can’t put my finger on it. But with a football program that can’t stop tripping over itself with Bob Toledo, Karl Dorrell and Neuheisel, there is one common thread: Dan Guerrero.

• Even a clueless buffoon like Bill Splashme has realized that Neuheisel is on a major hot seat and that yesterday's disaster against Texas is completely unacceptable.  If you want to see a poorly-written group of one sentence paragraphs for why Rick is on the ropes, you can see Plaschke's article in the dying L.A. Times.
• ESPN piles on with Ramona Shelburne questioning if Neuheisel is the only person left at UCLA who believes this program can turn it around, complete with a lot of "I don't know" quotes from players at a UCLA program that sound clueless and without direction.  As Shelburne indicates, we'll find out soon if these players believe in their coach or not: if they come out flat again, then it'll be clear that Rick really has lost this team and perhaps it's time to move on.
• In terms of football news, injuries to the offensive line are a regular occurrence in Westwood, and unfortunately Sean Sheller is once again the victim. ESPN's Peter Yoon reports that Sheller is out indefinitely with a broken right arm that will require surgery.  In all likelihood, this means yesterday is the last time we'll see Sean Sheller, the sixth-year senior who missed two years to injuries, in a UCLA uniform.  Really sad ending for this kid.  Get well soon Sean, you'll be missed.
• The only silver lining to yesteday's thumping at the hands of the Longhorns was that UCLA discovered that punter Jeff Locke is also one hell of a field goal kicker (something I figured out after about 5 minutes of playing NCAA Football 12), after knocking down two field goals, one from 51 yards and another from 49 yards. But since this is a Rick Neuheisel team, he'll go back to a still-injured Kip Smith next week, who will promptly miss two short field goals instead of going with the healthy guy with the big leg.
• Turning to other football news, former Bruin Brian Price is back on the football field after two surgeries to keep his hamstrings properly attached to his pelvis, injuries that threatened not just his football career, but made the former Bruin stand-out wonder if he'd ever walk again.  Great to see Brian is back and you have to love his nasty attitude (something that current UCLA football players are sorely lacking):

"People labeled me as done," he said. "I was like, 'I can't buy into that. I've got to make a comeback. I've got to stay positive.' Nobody really understands, but people are going to understand one day because I'm going to have a voice.

"I'm going to make people feel me. I'm going to make people feel my pain."

• Turning to something other than football, the men's basketball television schedule was announced yesterday, with 22 games being selected for broadcast.
• Finally, turning to a winning program, UCLA's women's soccer team kept their undefeated season alive by taking Loyola Marymount down 3-1, with freshman Kylie McCarthy and Samantha Mewis (2) notching the goals for the Bruins in a second-half comeback victory over the Lady Lions.

With that, try to enjoy the last few hours of the weekend before we get back to the work-week, despite the nasty taste in everyone's mouth following Dan Guerrero and Rick Neuheisel's latest major failure in Westwood.

GO BRUINS