USC linebacker coach Ken Norton lashed out at UCLA in today's paper, saying the Bruins are using his his name to lure recruits to Westwood. Bruin Coach Rick Neuheisel issued the following statement:
"In response to comments made by USC assistant football coach Ken Norton, let me say that I have an outstanding defensive coordinator in DeWayne Walker. He has done a great job for us and I hope he stays at UCLA for many years. However, if he has the opportunity to become a head coach, I know he would do a fine job and I would support him in any way possible.
"That being said, I was sorry to read the comments Kenny made in the Los Angeles Times. I have not told any recruits that if DeWayne left, Kenny would be the defensive coordinator at UCLA and neither have my assistant coaches. Despite the fact that Kenny is a great Bruin, we have more than enough positives at UCLA to interest recruits and convince them that this is the school at which they can flourish both academically and athletically.
"There has been a lot of speculation about Kenny’s return to UCLA in the media and on the internet, and perhaps that has confused people about who has said what. If DeWayne leaves, I would consider several candidates for the defensive coordinator job. Kenny probably would have been among those considered, with no guarantees. However, his quotes in the paper say he is staying at USC, so we wish him well."
UCLA's 2008 football season was one of its worst in recent memory. The Bruins failed to qualify for a bowl game for just the second time in 12 years. The offense, of course, was offensive.
Despite all of their shortcomings, the Bruins were still better than expected.
Based on a formula discussed in another post about basketball, UCLA was tied for the best record in the conference when it came to upsets. Allotting each team a point for winning a game it was expected to lose, and subtracting a point for losing a game it was supposed to win, here's how the Pac-10 stacked up:
UCLA (+2, 2-0)
Stanford (+2, 3-1)
Washington State (+1, 1-0)
Oregon State (0, 2-2)
Oregon (0, 1-1)
USC (-1, 0-1)
Arizona State (-1, 0-1)
Washington (-1, 0-1)
Cal (-2, 0-2)
Arizona (-2, 1-3)
The first number is cumulative score and the second stat is the ratio of upset wins to upset loses. Much like turnover ratio is a good indicator of whether a team will win or lose, upset ratio is a good indicator of how fans will (or should) feel about the season.
Lee Corso is the clown prince of college football.
Seeing him today on ESPN's "Game Day", you would never suspect that he was one of the many foot soldiers who helped to racially integrate the sport.
HBO's new documentary, "Breaking the Huddle", examines this powerful issue in a game deeply ingrained in American culture — especially in the South.
What sets the hourlong program apart is how it explores race in a way that's easy to relate to. Everybody's understanding of racial issues is deeply personal. I'm a white 20-something who grew up in a hippy-dippy enclave of Northern California. One of my childhood friends had a racial rainbow of adopted siblings. Another was raised by two moms. To me, the whole concept of discrimination was not only wrong, but a bit foreign — if not absurd.
Like many of my peers, I take the gospel of Martin Luther King Jr. as, well, gospel. I'm always afraid of being self-righteous and terrified of being naive. I even wonder if I should feel guilty for "not getting it." Like all people in my generation, I read the history books. I celebrated King Jr. in the classroom and I saw pictures of the abuse. But it was remote, and sometimes desensitizing.
For me, "Breaking the Huddle" helps break through that wall. It shows the day-to-day wrongdoing that went well beyond the iconic lunch counter. Maybe it's seeing a black man hit in the face by a white police officer's rifle butt. Maybe it's learning that Corso, of all people, recruited the first African American to play in the South. Maybe it's watching the old game footage that makes you want to jump on your feet and cheer for the pioneers of integration. Forget the passion of rooting against your rival — this is a chance to root against evil itself.
Covering this topic requires a delicate touch, and I was honestly surprised by how effectively HBO was able to present this story in just 60 minutes. I'm sure a lot of important film hit the cutting room floor, but what made it into the documentary will benefit all who watch. At times, your blood will boil. At others, you'll laugh out loud. Throughout, you'll be exposed to emotions ranging from pride and joy to hate and fear.
The timing of this project, released weeks after the election of our first African American president and days after a racially charged hiring debate at the University of Auburn, couldn't be any better. Our society continues to grow and improve our understanding of race. This documentary can help my generation comprehend what it was like during some of our nation's most shameful days.
After falling to USC in the Rose Bowl to end Rick Neuheisel's first season as UCLA's coach, the Bruins' leader took to the microphone and, as has become his tradition, addressed the crowd. Here's the 30-second speech:
It wasn't exactly an easy season for Neuheisel, but it wasn't the worst way to start his career back at UCLA. Here's how Bruin coaches fared in their first year since the school became part of the Pac-8 in 1968 (expanded to the Pac-10 in 1978):
Rick Neuheisel, 2008: 4-8 (3-6)
Karl Dorrell, 2003: 6-7 (4-4)
Bob Toledo, 1996: 5-6 (4-4)
Terry Donahue, 1976: 9-2-1 (6-1-0)
Dick Vermeil, 1974: 6-3-2 (4-2-1)
Pepper Rodgers, 1971: 2-7-1 (2-4-1)
If next year's Bruins need inspiration, they'll be glad to know that Rodgers started off with just two wins and was able to turn things around. He followed up the 1971 campaign with consecutive second-place finishes in the conference and a final AP ranking of 15th in 1972 and 12th in 1973 (9th by UPI).
Neuheisel is the only coach on that list to win his first ever game on UCLA's sideline, except for Donahue — who has the most victories in school history.
UCLA wideout and return man Terrence Austin piled up a lot of yards in 2008 — more than any other Bruin in a single year.
Capping things off against USC with 43 yards on a pair of kick returns and 33 on four receptions, he edged past Maurice Jones-Drew on the single season all-purpose yardage list. "That tells me I accomplished something," Austin told Times reporter Mark Medina. "A guy like him is big time."
Terrence Austin (junior, 2008) — 1,878
Maurice Jones-Drew (junior, 2005) — 1,863
Theotis Brown (senior, 1978) — 1,804
Karim Abdul-Jabbar (junior, 1995) — 1,759
Skip Hicks (senior, 1997) — 1,671
Maurice Jones-Drew (sophomore, 2004) — 1,606
Freeman McNeil (junior, 1979) — 1,536
Freddie Mitchell (junior, 2000) — 1,493
Gaston Green (junior, 1986) — 1,475
Kermit Johnson (senior, 1973) — 1,446
Austin also moved past Kevin Jordan into 22nd on the career all-purpose yardage list with 2,607. It might be a stretch to reach Jones-Drew's career record (4,688), but another solid year could easily vault him into the career top 10 list. Abdul-Jabbar is currently 10th with 3,522.
Asked if the satisfaction of the record was diminished because of the loss, Austin said, "Nah.
I was happy to break it. I wished we could’ve won. I can’t say I’d
rather have won the game rather than breaking the record. But I wished
we won the game and I broke the record."
Defensive tackle Brigham Harwell was named an All-Pac-10 player by Phil Steele even before he played his final game in the Rose Bowl. It's been a solid run for the senior captain, who will be entering the NFL draft in a few months.
Harwell finished with 145 career tackles, with 26.5 going for a loss and six recorded sacks. Although solid numbers for his position, they don't necessarily reflect how important he was for UCLA. As a rock on the line, he led the team in tackles for a loss and was second in sacks this year while clogging up the middle to take pressure off of other defensive units.
After the game, he talked about a couple of his highlights over the last few years and had some words for the Bruin faithful who helped make it a great experience.
When it comes to fight or flight, these colors don't run.
UCLA and USC clashed on the the gridiron Saturday in more ways
than one. Restoring their tradition of having both teams wear their
home jerseys was merely symbolic, but neither team hesitated to take
action.
From the sideline, the first quarter appeared to have an elevated
intensity, with extra pushing and shoving after a several of plays. The
small scraps were reminiscent of some UCLA practices this year.
Tensions came close to boiling over just before the second half. After
returning from the locker rooms, both teams cleared their benches and
got in each other's faces. Referees and coaches struggled to separate
the players, who weren't eager to back down. The Rose Bowl is the
Bruins' home field, and the Trojans seem to feel it's theirs.
A similar moment occurred in 2006, when UCLA knocked USC out the BCS
National Championship Game with a huge upset. That game's score, 13-9, has become a school rallying cry of sorts for the Bruins. With
six minutes left in the contest and UCLA smelling an upset, both teams
came onto the field and started jumping around. The crowd was whipped
into a frenzy. A few minutes later, the Trojans were whipped.
From the outset, this game had a lot in common with the 2006 version — right down to a brutal sideline shot by USC linebacker Rey Maualuga on UCLA's quarterback. That year it was Patrick Cowan who surprised spectators by popping right back up. This year it was Kevin Craft,
who was hit so hard that he quivered on the ground and almost lost his
mouthguard. Showing the same grit he has all season, Craft bounced up
and made it clear to referees that he felt it was a cheap shot.
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez didn't escape the rough play,
either, being crunched so hard that he had to leave the game for one play
while equipment managers tried to fix his equipment.
Those who scoff underestimate the powerful symbolism of the act.
A brief history lesson: The Tournament of Roses was founded in 1890 by the Pasadena Hunt Club,
a civic group that recognized just how sweet they had it. "In New York,
people are buried in snow," said Charles F. Holder, one of those early
members. "Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise."
More than a century later, we enjoy a parade and a bowl game every New
Year's Day. We don't always realize that the pageantry of the events helped
to glamorize Southern California, encourage people to move here, and
contributed to an economic tidal wave that, decades later, is the
reason we have such a large and diverse population.
When America goes through good and bad times, it seems that lalaland
always has it pretty good. There's the glitz of Hollywood, the ability
to go surfing and snowboarding on the same day, the opportunity to
interact with a diverse and global metropolis flung across a desert
oasis in Southern California, and a whole lot more.
As left coasters, we like to tease our East Coast friends about what
a great place this is to live. To top it off, Los Angeles boasts two of
the finest academic and athletic institutions in the world. It never
hurts to celebrate and promote that — and be thankful.
Congrats to the Bruins and Trojans — particularly Rick Neuheisel and Pete Carroll — for honoring the past. They got a well deserved
standing ovation when USC was penalized and UCLA burned a timeout to
even things out.
OK, it's not the same as beating the Trojans today, but on some level it's almost as much of an upset over the nation's top defense.
Football analyst Phil Steele's 2008 All-Pac-10 team features five Bruins on the first team, two on the second and two on the third. The five first-team honorees is more than any other school in the conference, and the way special teams are included UCLA has four of the league's top defensive players to USC's two.
Friday morning is your last chance of the year to experience breakfast with the Westwood Bruin Touchdown Club. Heading into the big rivalry weekend, a big slate of coaches and players is expected to be there.
One of those RSVPs is Brigham Harwell, who always seems to have good luck after meeting with the club. Earlier this year, he was on hand the day before the Bruins upset Tennessee to start the season. Two years ago, he attended before UCLA shocked USC and kept the Trojans out of the national championship game. He hopes for more of that luck as he gets ready for his final game in true blue.
Who: Brigham Harwell, Aaron Perez, Kai Forbath, Kahlil Bell, receivers coach Reggie More, linebackers coach Chuck Bullough, the Spirit Squad and you! What: Event includes buffet breakfast and parking. When: 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5 Where: Olympic Collection, 11301 W. Olympic Blvd. (at Sawtelle Boulevard), Los Angeles
The
cost is $28 per person for breakfast and program. For
information, call (310) 348-UCLA or e-mail claudia4UCLA@yahoo.com.
Adam Rose grew up in a house divided between UCLA and USC ... now he's writing about both. He served as Sports Editor for LAist (covering a wide range of local action) and is also a regular on KNBC 4's News Raw. Adam manages special events in the sports community when he isn't participating himself (he staggered through the LA Marathon and can often be found on local soccer fields). If you have a question about the Bruins, Trojans, or just want to give him a piece of your mind, email: adam@laist.com.
USC linebacker coach Ken Norton lashed out at UCLA in today's paper, saying the Bruins are using his his name to lure recruits to Westwood. Bruin Coach Rick Neuheisel issued the following statement:
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