Spaulding Roundup - Monday as Thursday, Hello, Goodbye.

Welcome to the week of our first football game. Can you feel the excitement?

Coach Mora however is keeping things nice and mellow, and short. With restrictions on what the beat writers can report from practice, notes are limited. Today Mora noted today is a typical "Thursday" in terms of preparation. Officials were out on the field today to bring in more of a game day atmosphere, apparently also working on substitutions. No more penalties for too many men on the field after a timeout this year, please.

Mora has also noticed in college, every game counts, which may be difficult for him.

"It's a little strange for me going into this week," Mora said. "I'm not used to this. It's an adjustment. At the same time, it's fun. There is nothing like jumping right in and seeing what we have."

What won't be difficult? The anticipated rain or weather.

You don't worry about rain. I grew up in Seattle. That's the last thing I worry about.

Of course, our players aren't from Seattle, so hopefully they can handle the possibly wet conditions.

In team related news, Jacob Seydel has left the team. He joined the team right before training camp and even saw some time with the second unit. We did not receive any details as to why he left the team, but he will not count against our scholarship limits for the year since he left before classes started.

Monday featured another scuffle at practice, which means the boys are anxious to get this season started. Ellis McCarthy and Carl Hulick, two guys I would not dare break up in a fight, went at it twice. The third biggest guy on the team, Cassius Marsh, broke it up.

In general news, apparently that other SChool has put up billboards all over LA promoting their football program, and one of them is near Westwood. Blasphemy. Click to see the picture at your own risk.

Also, check out the Daily News' football preview, which asks many of the same questions and makes the points we've made here at BN. Great job by the new beat writer, Miguel Melendez, although we do not agree "if UCLA can finish at least .500 this year, then that's a start." We are looking for much, much, more.

Two days more!