Smith: UCLA? Who are these guys?
August 5th, 2008, 3:09 pm · 33 Comments · posted by masmith
The Orange County Register
LOS ANGELES — At first blush, the UCLA f
ootball team looks like a movie without a leading man.
There’s no big-time, nationally renowned star player, just star coaches in Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow. A handful of players have made the preseason watch lists for national honors, but none is considered a front runner for the award or an established marquee attraction in this showbiz town.
Fall camp opened Tuesday, and this might have been the highpoint of a still undefeated 2008 season.
The starting quarterback is injury prone and one torn hangnail away from the sideline. The starting tailback is coming off rehab. When asked to assess the talent level of his team, one Bruin coach asked, “Is that (tape recorder) on?”
The defensive line appears to be the Bruins’ cornerstone, and the front four already has taken on the Neuheisel nickname of the “B Team.”
“It’s not because we’re second-string,” said sophomore defensive tackle Brian Price. “It’s because we (defensive tackles Price and Brigham Harwell and defensive ends Korey Bosworth 
and Tom Blake) all have names with ‘B’ in them.”
The first day of fall camp on Tuesday felt like the premiere of a B movie. Beyond the coaches, Spaulding Field wasn’t a who’s who but a who’s that?
Look at the front of the new Bruin media guide. It’s No. 93 and No. 86, or – let me dig up my numerical roster - Harwell and tight end Logan Paulsen.
Harwell and Logan are both on preseason watch list for national awards at their respective positions. Harwell, the player Neuheisel (above) brought with him to last month’s Pac-10 media day, has emerged as an early “star” more on his personality than his recent performance. Harwell missed the final 11 games of last season because of a knee injury and received a medical hardship redshirt so that he could return for a fifth year.
Outside of the football team, nobody knows who the Bruins are or how good – if at all – they will be.
“There are a lot of question marks but we think we can win,” said senior center Micah Reed. “We’re hopefully going to surprise some people.”
Like on Halloween, maybe.
Neuheisel has inherited a fairly anonymous and unproven group of players. Five offensive starters, five defensive starters and three specialists return from an unranked team that went 6-7 overall (5-4 Pac-10) last season.
It’s hard to be positive about the season when Neuheisel, at his first press conference on Tuesday, expressed being “most thrilled” about his kicking game. That’s like hearing someone say he loves his car because it has great cupholders.
The star-less quality of the Bruins has forced the upbeat Neuheisel to repeat the phrase “relentlessly positive” at the last team meeting and bust out his “hope meter.”
Without proven star talent, a charming coach with catchy phrases and a hope meter can only go so far.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
“… nobody knows who the Bruins are or how good – if at all – they will be.”
if at all? you’re implying that there’s a possibility that the Bruins won’t be good at all. really.
cute post, try again.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
You are blogging about the Bruins but can’t recognize two proven commodities and senior leaders without referencing their numbers in the media guide? Those pesky helmets, eh…makes it so hard to see the guys.
Regarding your slamming the kicking game…talk to Florida State or Michigan about how important that can be. Or maybe recognize that sometimes special teams is where the young and unproven get their first taste of the game. At first I thought you didn’t know the Bruins, but perhaps you just don’t know football.
At least you are catching up to the LA Times in one department - unqualified and embarassing columnists reporting on a team they obviously do not appreciate, know or even respect. Kudos!
August 6th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Wow…this is supposed to be the UCLA blog? Perhaps you should tone down the sarcasm, Marcia. People who follow the team know what’s going on. Clearly you are not one of those people. Not sure what your point is anyway, other than to make snarky comments about a team that has a very tough road ahead. You are borderline rude and certainly disrespectful. And where were you when Karl Dorrell was bringing the program to this point? Yeah. Thought so. Wake me up when you write something important.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Marcia,
Pretty lame article and blatantly baised given that you pick one defensive lineman’s # and a tight end’s #, the former who IS one of our best players, yet did not get much playing time last year due to injury, and our top tight end, who was not utilized in the vaunted Dorrellian offense last year (both reasons which may account for the lack of awareness of his jersey numbers).
Ask how many USC fans would know players who were injured or not utilized for much of last season by their numbers…
Or perhaps a better question why did you not ask who were #7 (Ben Olson) or #36 (Khalil Bell)? Oh yeah, because most people would know who they were…
BTW, ask how many peopl ever heard of Marcia C. Smith and I guarantee you’ll hear the crickets chirping…
August 6th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
You’re a journalist and not a comedian, right?
Either way, the economy is tough these days.
Please don’t quite your day job.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Smith: UCLA? Who are these guys?
They are the team you are getting paid to cover. How about you do some research, and cut the snark, and maybe you will write something worth reading.
*note to the editors* Please remove this “writer” and replace her with someone willing to cover the team using facts, and not sloppy sarcasm.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Another bad post on what has been a very poor blog.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Marcia,
Although I do appreciate sarcasm when appropriate, your use of it in this article is disrespectful and not funny or witty in any way. Maybe you should stop going after kids like Brigham Harwell (#93) who overcame many obstacles as a young man, but has gone on to be a stellar student-athlete, and if he has a productive senior season, will be drafted into the NFL. Do some research on how remarkable a young man #93 is, and you might change that USC-like tone.
Why are you slamming undeserving kids like #93, who does everything he is told to do and with humility. Instead, come after me. I’m a MAN. I’m 40. Leave Brigham alone and come after me. I’m a MAN!!!!!!!
August 6th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I honestly cannot believe anyone in their right mind would deem to call you a reporter or anything remotely related to the job. This is one of the most slanted, poorly researched, most ill-informed, insulting write ups I have ever seen in my life.
“Spaulding Field wasn’t a who’s who but a who’s that?”
Why not mention the fact that we are returning less than half of our starters and leave it as that rather than bring your anti-UCLA bias to the table. And if you are reporting on the Bruins, its YOUR FREAKIN JOB to know who the players, especially players like Paulsen and Harwell, are. They are on national awards watch list and all you can do is insult them, give some respect you worthless “columnist.”
Does anyone from the Register even proofread this tripe? The editors missed this one, and I know that I would not miss Marcia Smith if she were never published again.
““There are a lot of question marks but we think we can win,” said senior center Micah Reed. “We’re hopefully going to surprise some people.”
Like on Halloween, maybe.”
Completely uncalled for, and inexcusable…
August 6th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Wow….where do I start. I know you need the “hits” to get a paycheck and all but can’t you come up with something a bit more clever to accomplish this? I mean….being that you are a “Journalist” (I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt since I’m such a nice guy), I’m sure you got some sort of higher education, right? This article is so ridiculous I think this was created while you were going through your 3rd slice of chessecake or something. Next time, 1 is enough because 3 obviously warps your mind into believing that you’re some sort of NY Times Best Selling author of sorts. Besides that, didn’t anybody that you came into contact within your life teach you “common sense”? This is a “UCLA Blog” or so I think, right? Way to endear yourself to all us Bruin fans. Maybe this wasn’t the goal you set forth. (I’m really thinking you’re on the chopping block with the economy slowing down) Either way, this is not what “honorable” people do or how they act. If you get a pink slip, you can always go cover Fig Tech because lets get real….that is where you belong and where you long to be. Keep on posing as a Journalist and maybe if you constantly make yourself think that you are, in your mind, you may actually think you are one.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Marcia,
You’re sports acumen and comedy wouldn’t make the “D” team, which stands for dumb and dumber.
BTW: For your information - those 2 middle “B’s” Price and Harwell, are considered by many to be as good or better than any front D-Line in the nation. Do some research before you spout.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:35 am
This is supposed to be a blog run by professional journalists, right? This is horrific on a number of levels. I think Ms. Smith is in the wrong field; she clearly would be better writing scripts for Saturday Night Live. She has simultaneously exposed her lack of football knowledge, poor judgment and complete contempt for anything related to UCLA football.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Let’s see, you don’t know who the players are and you don’t like the Bruins. Shouldn’t you be working for the LA Times? Or did a family member get you this job?
August 7th, 2008 at 8:08 am
You made one good point, although it was only implied. The point is that thankfully there are blogs out there in the internet that are well written, and written by the people that care about UCLA football and UCLA in general. Maybe you could “blog” about manicures or shopping or your favorite TV show. You should clearly never touch on this subject again.
August 7th, 2008 at 9:48 am
While our roster lacks “star quality” (read: takes money from agents) like the Trojans, the Bruins are lunch pail guys who leave it on the field every day. They remind me of the 2007 NY Giants…too bad they weren’t successful last year (I can do sarcasm, too!). Please limit your observations to X’s and O’s, execution on the field, and focus/effort. We don’t need your negativity…please take it somewhere else.
August 7th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Marcia,
Oh dear! Where to start?
Articles like this and your general non-responsiveness to stat-and-analysis-filled e-mails I sent you during the terminus of the clearly somnolent “I will coach harder” Dorrell is one of the reasons I cancelled my subscription to the OCR.
That and the pathetic pseudo-libertarian sourpusses on your political editorial staff, Greenhut and Bock. (What a monumental pauir of losers!) It seems that the whole tenor of the Register has declined violently since the November 2007 purges.
Like the others say, if you are going to cover UCLA, loose the gratuitous sarcasm and attitude and start doing some work.
W. Phinizy
UCLA ‘68
August 7th, 2008 at 11:22 am
This is the “official” OCR UCLA blog? What a disappointment…was hoping to actually learn something about the team…
August 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Marcia,
One should write about a university and a sport they are knowledgeable about. It is self-evident you know little to nothing about UCLA or college football. This article is truly a disappointment; I expected more from OCR.
BruinMD
UCLA ‘80
August 7th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
take off that red shirt! take off that red shirt!
August 7th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
pathetic … just pathetic. I know the newspaper industry is in an incredible downward spiral with continuing massive budge cuts and staffing cuts, but did the OCR have to go and get some 2 bit OMG teen fanzine writer to cover college football?? I know dozens of better writers who are far more knowledgeable about football, although the real test would be to find someone LESS knowledgeable than Ms. Smith, who would write for this blog for free. Just go ahead and scrap your coverage of UCLA football altogether if Ms. Smith is all you can find. Really, what a disgrace.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Marcia, are you getting paid for your work or is this an internship program?
August 8th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Wow. I guess research isn’t a necessary step for blogging…
How lazy can you be?
August 8th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Dear Bruin Galaxy -
Glad to see you so fired up about Bruin football. Thanks for the all the comments. Didn’t know you people were out there…
August 8th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
This is about as good as the attendence post last week.
Can you do some some research before you write?
August 8th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Dear Marcia,
Thank you for your “”response to all the comments on your blog. They were further evidence (as though more were needed) that you have no business writing about UCLA. Your sarcastic “Glad to see you are so fired up about Bruin football” and “Didn’t know you people were out there” comments- instead of an apology and a promise to try to conduct yourself as a professional- show that you are truly an idiot.
Dan
ps- If you did not “know you people are out trhere”…why were you writing this blog..and who were you writing it for- your fellow high school students?
August 8th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
ohh noo! Someone wrote a truthful and not so flattering story regarding the UCLA football team. Name one thing he wrote that isn’t true?? Just because you don’t want to deal with reality doesn’t mean its not the truth. So here is some advice, take off your baby blue and piss yellow glasses and look at the situation from a nuetral perspective.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Marcia - as a columnist for the vaunted OC Register, my guess is you are making a cool $36,000 or so. Please try to earn that money by giving readers some actual information that they’re not getting anywhere else. That’s the purpose of a real-time blog, isn’t it?
August 8th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
The truth hurts, but UCLA fans don’t seem to be used to hearing it. Fight On!
August 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Slick Rick left Washington and Colorado in shambles, he will do the same at UCLA.
August 12th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Peter D, what does your comment have to do with anything written in the article? Besides, Washington and Colorado are programs that should have been able to dust themselves off by now…as if the ghost of Rick Neuheisel still haunts Husky Stadium. Real spooky stuff.
And what is the deal with Trojan fans saying “Fight On!” after everything they say and write.
“Thanks for the Impala and spending money, Rodney….Fight On!”
August 14th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Ok,so obviously this chick works for the Reg-i-turd. My fellow Bruin fans?my name is Jeff and here is some actual news. Ok so our O-line is gonna hurt a little bit but Bob Placic was the Bruins O-line coach in 93′,94′. Coached numerous Outland trophy winners and has been doing so for over 25 yrs. He is an awesome line coach and my fellow Bruins,he is gonna make a huge difference,however,we still need to get good recruits as Dorrell did not and Toledo went 3 yrs. before recruiting a O lineman. Ben Olson,man you gotta feel for the guy,but Norm Chow said “these quarterbacks going on missions,messes everything up for them,their timing,release,mechanics”no wonder Ben has been a bust,but he has also had 4 different offensive coordinators as well. Still he’s made of glass. So its down to Craft or Forcier?? I think I would personally like to see someone like the old number 18,thats right ol’Cade McNown,who was mobile and could throw on the run. Soo far it seems like Craft is a little more ahed than Forcier,but from I have been hearing,Forcier is pretty fast,which might help given our O-line situation. Now I know Kahlil Bell is returning and looks good,but from watching video and people I talked to,Aundre Dean,from Katy,Texas,is the real deal. Already physically ready to play,and the size of recent Ucla linebacker recruits,Dean could end up a freshman all-american and are making people think back when Ucla had Deshon Foster.Milton Knox and Raymond carter are pretty fast as well. Our recievers are looking really good and look for Austin and Dominique Johnson,to have breat out years. Also,true freshman,Moutra,Embree,Rosario,are pushing for serious playing time as well. Tight Ends Logan Paulsen and Moya are solid and expected to see the ball a lot more under Chows sheme. Defensively we should be in the top 30 again. But with some new talent in the secondary,we are going to see how good,or bad they can be this year. DT’s Price and Harwell should be devastating as a tandem(hopefully they stay healthy)
August 14th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Jeff, just curious, did you spend more time coming up with Reg-i-turd or on this comment? Both are equally impressive.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Lol,thnks Adam,any Bruin fans that want up-to-date info on real Ucla coverage,just ask