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Onward Bruins Nation, Onward: Reflections from Over Six Years

Achilles

In life, you never really know where the road is going to take you. Almost six-and-a-half years ago, I began working on this project here at Bruins Nation. And while that doesn't necessarily feel like a long time to many, it was a very different time - Rick Neuheisel was the man folks had hoped could turn around our football program, Ben Howland still looked like "the guy" to lead our hoops program to our twelfth national championship, Twitter was still a relatively unknown application, Instagram did not yet exist, and Bruins Nation was a much different platform than it is now. Likewise, for me, personally and professionally, it was also a very different time.

Much has changed in those six-and-a-half years - both in the wider world and well as in my personal and professional life. If you had asked me to picture where my life would be when I began this project, I do not think I could have ever predicted the wonderful road I have been blessed to take so far. For those of you who personally know me, you know it has been a very exciting year in both my personal and professional life - and while there have been many changes, all very positive, it also means my commitments must change as well. So, as you can probably guess from this introduction, like my very good friend Nestor did, I'm helping hand over the reins here at Bruins Nation and taking a step away from the day-to-day management of this wonderful community.

Much like at Disneyland, there is a lot that happens behind-the-scenes here at Bruins Nation to keep the ship going - planning coverage, coordinating a daily schedule, figuring out which writers will be covering which posts, the administrative disciplinary matters (Trojans, trolls, racists, and other ne'er-do-wells who try to ruin it for everyone else), not to mention trying to continue to write on a regular basis - the reason I joined after all, was to write, not manage a community. At the end, as of today, I have 682 posts in my time here (approximately 110 posts per year), all while handling a host of administrative tasks. In many ways, keeping this community moving forward is a second job - one that all of us on the editorial board willingly do on a volunteer basis out of our love for UCLA and our desire to push UCLA to being the best it can be. Sadly, there are only so many hours per day, and with new priorities at home and at work, it's time for me to take a step away. As you can imagine, this is probably the most difficult post I have ever had to write here at Bruins Nation - if I could stay, if there were more hours in the day, if there was just more time - I would, believe me, I would.

It was more fun than I could have ever imagined, writing here and helping run this community - while the administrative tasks, managing the schedule, and figuring out coverage was never much fun, it was fantastic being a part of some great teams at Bruins Nation. When I started, the crew running this place was much different - in fact, at present, I am the most senior regular contributor - but as others left, new faces joined, and I am very blessed to have worked with all of them on this project. All of them have become more than fellow Bruins - they have become very dear friends. Of course, more than anyone else, I have to give a heartfelt thank you to my good friend Nestor - who recruited me to join the ranks of contributors to Bruins Nation, who provided me a lot of thoughtful advice throughout the years, and who, more than anyone else, is responsible for building this great community into what it is today.

Don't worry - this is not a goodbye or a farewell. I will still be around, commenting in posts, talking with the front-page crew about things behind-the-scenes, and, if time permits and the mood strikes, I'll have an occasional post. I will be a Bruin for life, so there really is no way to truly walk away from UCLA - and that's what this community and this project has always been about for us - advocating for what we believe is best for UCLA. No one likes or enjoys being the hatchet man - calling for the firing of Rick Neuheisel, or Ben Howland, or Dan Guerrero - but sadly, it needs to be done because that is what was - and in the case of Guerrero, is - in the best interest of our beloved university.

Bruins Nation is in great hands - after all, Nestor recruited every person on the front-page crew - and I expect it will continue to be the standard-bearer in pushing for excellence in everything that UCLA does - to ensure that our university lives up to the high standards set by the great Bruins who came before us - people like Arthur Ashe, Jackie Robinson, and of course, John Wooden.

Onward Bruins Nation, onward.

GO BRUINS

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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