You’ll Still Hear, From Far and Near, The Mighty Bruin Roar!

As I sit here writing this, I often thought it would be because the demands of motherhood and working full time would get to be too much and writing for Bruins Nation wouldn’t fit in my schedule any more. I never imagined that the California State Legislature would pass a law that would effectively push me out as a regular moderator and staff writer for Bruins Nation.

Some of you may know that I did not attend UCLA. I am a Bruin by marriage, but I attended UC Irvine and have always been a UCLA fan since my alma mater didn’t have a football team. Ultimately, being a Bruin fan proved to be a good choice when, way back in the fall of 2000, I was talking to a guy on the phone and told him I had recently been to the UCLA/Southern Cal football game. He immediately responded, “who did you root for?”. I, of course, said, “UCLA”, which turned out to be the correct response. I married that guy six years later.

I have covered everything from football to beach volleyball and most sports in between, most recently the Olympic Sports. UCLA had so many teams on the way to potential national championships. It saddens me that a global pandemic has ended the athletic calendar and taken away what little UCLA sports coverage I had left. Some people call me a sports nut, but to me, there is so much more to sports than just watching.

I’ve been thinking lately about so many fond UCLA memories, some personal and some shared with the entire fan base. Back in 2010, I felt my oldest daughter kick for the first time on our way home from travelling to UC Berkeley. The football game was terrible but I’ll never forget that ride home. Later that season, Rick Neuheisel challenged the remaining time on the clock when we were playing Oregon State, and was granted one second for a final play. A monster field goal by Kai Forbath gave the Bruins the win, and my baby girl kicked like hell when the crowd went nuts. Fast forward a few years, and baby girl number two took some of her first steps on the field at Drake Stadium after a spring game. Last year, she got to meet Katelyn Ohashi, who she immediately dubbed her best friend.

UCLA sports are so much more than just events we attend, and the memories are even sweeter when you share them with friends and family. My tailgate crew is the best around, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to my husband Herman, my brother in law, Hector, my Aunt Bev, and our dear friend Ace. Mike, Gary, Gabe, Zach, Glenn, Kenton, Flippy, Adi, Ted, J.P., Kent, and Karen only made the events sweeter when they were able to attend. I will be forever grateful that UCLA Athletics gave my family and friends this time together. And, we’ll have it again when the timing is right.

As we are all sitting here in quarantine, adjusting to this “new normal”, the former staff of Bruins Nation will now embark on a new journey, our new normal, if you will. UCLA sports will be back, and so will we. During this break, we will regroup, renew, and channel our passion for UCLA into The Mighty Bruin. There, you will find all the fire and roar that you’re used to seeing on Bruins Nation. Follow us there, and we won’t disappoint.

So, I suppose this isn’t goodbye, but more of a “see you later”. As John Wooden said, “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” And this is what we intend to do.

Go Bruins!!!