Tightwad Hill

5 QUESTIONS WITH THE BRUINS NATION

Bruins Nation is one of the best CFB blogs anywhere - comprehensive and intelligent. It's also become the Lord of the Flies of the CFB blogosphere since Karl Dorrell assumed command of the Bruins program and, in their eyes, engineered its systematic collapse. To borrow a different literary metaphor, I prefer to think of them as CFB's Don Quixote, tilting at the remaining windmills of indifference that surround the UCLA football program and urging decisive action from typically indecisive university bureaucrats. God bless them - it's refreshing to find such passion on the left coast.

The good folks at BN exchanged questions with us this week regarding this Saturday's game. Our answers will be posted on their site at some point along with those of Tedford is God, here are theirs:

1) What advice do you think Ben Olson would have for Nate Longshore, who is apparently contemplating taking his Mormon mission at some point in the near future? (Question from TedfordisGod - By the way, he's not. God wouldn't have kicked to Drew.)
BN: Not really sure. From what we have heard from Olson he has nothing but positive things to say about his two year mission. He is truly a remarkable guy. And I don't think his mission hampered his ability to develop as a blue chip quarterback. He looked just fine when he started that first game of this season. His numbers went down after Dorrell and co. put the shackles on with very predictable, dull, and boring offensive game plans. So I am not sure Olson will have anything but positive feedback when it comes to giving advice to other athletes who are contemplating taking his or her Mormon missions.

2) What makes you think Dan Guerrero will pull the trigger on Karl Dorrell, given the time left on his contract and the prospect of better talent in 2007?
BN: Steve Lavin also had "time left on his contract," when Dan Guerrero booted him out of Westwood. So did Bob Toledo as well as other incompetent head coaches who routinely get fired from high profile programs around the country when they are not getting the job done.

If Dorrell continues to underachieve in Westwood maintaining the trend of meltdown during second halves of our seasons, he is not going to be in line of landing better talent in 2007 when UCLA will have more 25 scholarship rides to give out.

Right now we have no idea what Dan Guerrero is going to do. No one does. But we do know if the UCLA football programs continue to collapse through rest of this season, Dorrell is going to be in huge trouble (if he is not already). The outcry from Bruin alums, students, and season ticket holders will increase exponentially with every loss from here on out.

3) Which was the worst moment of the Dorrell Era so far: The last-minute loss to Notre Dame two weeks ago or losing to Wyoming in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl? (from TisG)
BN: As alums who originally started blogging over here , the worst moment in the Dorrell era was neither the disgraceful loss against Wyoming nor the last minute choke against Notre Dame. The worst moment during the Dorrell era came after a close loss against Southern California in 2004, when we saw tons of Bruin fans celebrating a moral victory as a sign of turnaround in the Dorrell era. Those reactions to us summed up what was going so horribly wrong under the failed experiment we now know as Dorrell.

Sure Notre Dame was a devastating loss stemming not just but from that last drive by Brady Quinn, but also due to botched clock and game mismanagement. It was an epiphany for lot of folks in the traditional media, but we caught on to the real story long time ago.

4) Do you think Dorrell and Svoboda will open things up a bit on Saturday? If so, will Cowan be up to the task?
BN: Every week we have been hearing from Dorrell and Svoboda how our offense has been "growing" and how they are working out their "issues." Every week we have gotten our hopes up this season perhaps this will be the week when the offense shows some sign of life since the opening game Utah. Except it hasn't happen. You can only cry wolf so many times.

Perhaps Dorrell's much hyped West Coast offense will finally open up this Saturday. However, we are not holding our breath.

5) Can you confirm that Maurice Drew is no longer returning punts for UCLA?
BN: Ask Jeff Tedford and his special teams coach. I am sure they are on top of this.

Thanks again for the questions guys. Good luck in the rest of your season, especially against Pom Pom Carroll. GO BRUINS.

And thanks to Bruins Nation once again for their participation, and for their perpetually entertaining site.

posted by Tightwad @ 3:47 PM