Are you f***ing kidding me?

We interrupt your current ongoing great feelings brought on by Coach Mick Cronin who, unlike some coaches in Westwood, is exceeding all expectations with the Bruins Men's Basketball team, to bring you this unfortunate announcement: Jerry Azzinaro, the "defensive coordinator" who piloted the Bruin defense to a 112 ranking (out of 130 - suck it, Middle Tennessee St at 113!) in 2019 is not only keeping his job at U.C.L.A., he's getting a raise.

You know that terribly annoying buzzing sound that comes on the TV before an emergency broadcast notice? Turn that thing up to 11. I guess the financial state of our athletic department isn't so bad that we can still afford to pay $700K to someone who sucks at his job.

Unlike the many here who have made great arguments for canning this whole football coaching regime (insert hyperlinks to 10+ BN articles here) I have been willing to give Chip Kelly another year to see if he can make some progress with this program. I do this despite a growing sense of doom that is probably based on the fading hope (correct, not a strategy) that his run at Oregon wasn't just him walking into a ready built and talent-loaded system created by his predecessors, let alone the financial issues that go with firing a fourth football coach in 13 years. But it was also based on the idea that Kelly would clearly see the obvious and make the hard decisions that are necessary to get this team to the next level. You know, like fielding a defense that ranks in double digits in the NCAA.

Even if you have your head in your ass and choose to ignore the "irrational" (which doesn't inherently mean we're wrong) fanbase, ala our anemic "Athletic Director" Dan Guerrero, it's hard to overlook the issue of how bad Azzinaro is as a DC when even that powderpuff of football analysis LA Times calls out Azzinaro for being horrible at his job. That outlet typically makes grandmothers look harsh and overly demanding, but Ben Bolch dared question Azzinaro's (in)ability as a defensive coordinator early last season. And that was 3 days before WSU put up 63 on our D. He hasn't been good before, and I surely don't see how he's going to be $50K better next season.

Get ready for another year of poor tackling technique, 10 yard cushions on 3rd and 7, getting outschemed by offensive juggernauts like Oregon State, and opponents averaging over 30 points a game. Get ready for more unnecessary losses and an embarrassingly empty Rose Bowl.

I just don't get it. Coaching is a performance driven job. Tell me how Azzinaro's performance merits retention, let alone a pay raise. If Kelly wants to tie himself to an anchor like Azzinaro, that's his choice and his career. It's just a damned shame that he's taking U.C.L.A. football and its long-suffering fans down with his ship.