I love our team, Henry. Their spirit and intensity and love for each other and Coach Fos is the 'it' factor that has led to never giving up! We have talent, not only in the players who we knew were talented but in players like Shlesinger who was literally a walk-on and had two interceptions and is playing at such a high level.
Like you and I have said, Coach Fos is developing and becoming a very good Coach - I think he will be a truly great Coach given time and he will be at UCLA for many years!
Think about ole Chipster Alfraud and what a disastrous first season he had, and the dumpster fire he created. What a breath of fresh Bruin air to see the stark contrast between Coach Fos and CA...
All bundled up, we attended the game in person for the first time since three years ago. Fall temperature at the Rose Bowl can be gripping cold because of its wide open foothill location, more so than the surrounding community itself. Being neighborhood residents for years, we normally stayed back, watched the game on TV to better withstand the Kelly malaise that seemed to permeate the stadium, the dwindling fans during his miserable tenure at Westwood. But the raucous atmosphere last night, especially when we surged past Iowa, told me the bruins are back once more. Deshawn Foster is indeed on the right track, the right path, the right journey to reviving a moribund team left abandoned by a con artist coach. UCLA fight ! Fight ! Fight !!!!!!!!
This was posted elsewhere, but the penalties called on our opponents are unbelievably lopsided (2-20, 2-15, 3-25, 4-21, 2-20). Last night’s phantom calls against us were insane. Sure, some of our penalties are deserved, but it’s been noted that BIG officials might be playing favorites. There’s much smarter football folks on this board who perhaps can share thoughts…
LB, it’s always hard to look objectively at the teams we root for, but I have to agree to a certain point - the Bruins do seem to get a lot of borderline calls that it feels as though the ref can just say “settle down, number 2” in a stern voice and then let the players play. And I’m a little leery of conspiracy theories, although I know for a fact that many midwesterners perceive most Californians as crazies who spend most of our time gobbling drugs on the beach. But the best response is to cut out the clowning and not give the refs a chance to call them at all; pretty sure officials talk about things among themselves, and if a team has a rep for knucklehead plays, you’ll probably lose the benefit of the doubt. Pretty sure a lot of Pop Warner players watching the game turned to their dads after the Addison penalty and said “ I know that’s a penalty, and he’s been in college seven years ?”…
It’s up to Foster and the coaches to drive this home, but I can understand his anger at last evening’s “two #17s” snafu… dumb penalties are one thing, but he doesn’t need the refs making up phantom penalties as well !
I'm a DeShaun skeptic, but nine games in I have to tip my hat to him and the team. Four of our five losses were always going to be L's (Indiana, Oregon, at PSU, at LSU), so to be 4-1 in the other games is quite impressive. Plus, they are getting better, not folding when things don't go their way initially, etc.
I'm still not sold on him being the answer, but this year was always going to be a mess and its been much better than expected. Hopefully this solution is the correct one and I'll think "boy, I called that hire wrong".
This is the kind of improvement we hoped would happen over the course of Kelly’s tenure.
Playcalling improved, focus and energy improved. And so far, we’ve really only have one meh loss - MN was a winnable game but they’re not pushovers, and the other 4 teams that we lost to are all have a shot at the playoff. UW will be tough as playing in Seattle has always been hard but I’m more optimistic about our team and coaching staff now!
In short, everything is improving, on the upswing. If this keeps up, then the light will soon appear at the end of the tunnel. Let's figure out where is that individual and the rationale behind his infamous question as to whether the UCLA fan base is sorry Kelly left. Hello, do you see what we see now ?
From being so disappointed at the Rose Bowl after the finish of the Minnesota game... what a difference a month makes!
It wasn't exactly a work of art, but still beautiful - racking up 211 yards rushing against a top 20 run defense while holding a soon-to-be All American to 100 yards under his average and closing the game out with a successful 4 minute offense after forcing a 3-and-out after taking the lead late... no one can deny there's been progress and an impressive development of resilience - how many among us would have believed even a few weeks ago that we'd turn the ball over on each of the first two drives against a B1G team that was already bowl-eligible in the 1st week of November and still win the game?
Clearly the "Discipline" pillar still needs work and clearly there's more room for growth but it sure is nice to see a team improve and grow and learn how to win as the season advances!
Congratulations to Coach DSF for (finally!) achieving his 1st home victory against a Big-18 opponent and eclipsing the embarrassing 3-win total during his predecessor's forgettable Year-1 season back in 2018. I too initially didn't expect much from this year's team and thought they would be at, or very near, the bottom of the conference, but maybe those games against better/ranked teams earlier in the season made them look so totally hopeless. Winning out and becoming bowl-eligible now seems a possibility, but even if that doesn't happen, I'm hoping for another "perfect day" against U$C on Nov. 23.
Garbs takes too long to get his motor running. Those two early Ints were cringe worthy. We did produce an running game, thanks to our O-line. I went to bed with the game tied, knowing we could play this team. Happy to see the W in the morning. Go Bruins!
I was also at the RB on Friday night. As Henry noted, it was quite chilly. However, the crowd was enlivened and invigorated, which warmed the atmosphere. Heading into the game, I told my seat-mate and best friend (we've had season tickets for over 15 years) that I was more optimistic going into a coach DSF game than I ever was going in into a coach CK Fraudster game, even though on paper I shouldn't be, since the chicken left the cupboard bare.
On that note, it seems that a tremendous amount of credit needs to be given to this coaching staff for the results we're seeing in the recent games, with the limited resources they have. Medrano and Oladejo are beasts, but the defensive performance by the rest of the crew, outside of the penalties, is astounding. Schwesinger is the epitome of maximumly enthusiastic just freakin' "happy to be playing the game" college football player. So fun to watch!
Regarding the penalties, as an on-site observer, they were 100% lopsided. The stats say 2-20 vs 9-84. That seems about right, except that 2 of those 9 came at crucial junctures. From the stands, everyone could see that Iowa was holding on EVERY. SINGLE. PLAY. And, I believe they only got called once.
At one point, probably sometime during the 2nd quarter, the line judge on the opposite (Iowa) side threw a flag. After the play was done, he looked up and down the field all around to see if anybody else threw a flag. When he saw that no one else had, he picked his up and put it back in his waistband. I guess that can happen sometimes, but in this case it sure seemed shady.
The gentleman in front of us saw the exact same thing, and turned around to all of us and said "what in the world was that?". Post-game, I did some internet research on the B1G referees. Seems like they're as bad, if not worse, than the SPTRs.
Long story short - I'm looking forward to our upcoming games, whether we win or lose, which is 180° from my perspective for the last 5 years.
It's unfortunate SPTRs have been replaced with SBTRs. At least we rid ourselves of the stupid Pac-12 Network and now have the BTN channel to watch many more Bruin games on TV.
Hope the mens basketball team can bounce back with a much better performance tonight. That UNM game should have been scheduled after the matches against these upcoming winless teams to allow more time to jell. I thought I was watching last year's team playing against UNM--that was a pretty awful effort against a good team.
Where is whatyoumightcallit, the Kelly apologist ? In the fox hole these days ? Stay back there if I were him.
I love our team, Henry. Their spirit and intensity and love for each other and Coach Fos is the 'it' factor that has led to never giving up! We have talent, not only in the players who we knew were talented but in players like Shlesinger who was literally a walk-on and had two interceptions and is playing at such a high level.
Like you and I have said, Coach Fos is developing and becoming a very good Coach - I think he will be a truly great Coach given time and he will be at UCLA for many years!
Think about ole Chipster Alfraud and what a disastrous first season he had, and the dumpster fire he created. What a breath of fresh Bruin air to see the stark contrast between Coach Fos and CA...
💙💛💙💛
You are damn right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, Tamara, sorry I missed you!
Hi Jim! 💙💛
All bundled up, we attended the game in person for the first time since three years ago. Fall temperature at the Rose Bowl can be gripping cold because of its wide open foothill location, more so than the surrounding community itself. Being neighborhood residents for years, we normally stayed back, watched the game on TV to better withstand the Kelly malaise that seemed to permeate the stadium, the dwindling fans during his miserable tenure at Westwood. But the raucous atmosphere last night, especially when we surged past Iowa, told me the bruins are back once more. Deshawn Foster is indeed on the right track, the right path, the right journey to reviving a moribund team left abandoned by a con artist coach. UCLA fight ! Fight ! Fight !!!!!!!!
This was posted elsewhere, but the penalties called on our opponents are unbelievably lopsided (2-20, 2-15, 3-25, 4-21, 2-20). Last night’s phantom calls against us were insane. Sure, some of our penalties are deserved, but it’s been noted that BIG officials might be playing favorites. There’s much smarter football folks on this board who perhaps can share thoughts…
LB, it’s always hard to look objectively at the teams we root for, but I have to agree to a certain point - the Bruins do seem to get a lot of borderline calls that it feels as though the ref can just say “settle down, number 2” in a stern voice and then let the players play. And I’m a little leery of conspiracy theories, although I know for a fact that many midwesterners perceive most Californians as crazies who spend most of our time gobbling drugs on the beach. But the best response is to cut out the clowning and not give the refs a chance to call them at all; pretty sure officials talk about things among themselves, and if a team has a rep for knucklehead plays, you’ll probably lose the benefit of the doubt. Pretty sure a lot of Pop Warner players watching the game turned to their dads after the Addison penalty and said “ I know that’s a penalty, and he’s been in college seven years ?”…
It’s up to Foster and the coaches to drive this home, but I can understand his anger at last evening’s “two #17s” snafu… dumb penalties are one thing, but he doesn’t need the refs making up phantom penalties as well !
I'm a DeShaun skeptic, but nine games in I have to tip my hat to him and the team. Four of our five losses were always going to be L's (Indiana, Oregon, at PSU, at LSU), so to be 4-1 in the other games is quite impressive. Plus, they are getting better, not folding when things don't go their way initially, etc.
I'm still not sold on him being the answer, but this year was always going to be a mess and its been much better than expected. Hopefully this solution is the correct one and I'll think "boy, I called that hire wrong".
Go Bruins!
This is the kind of improvement we hoped would happen over the course of Kelly’s tenure.
Playcalling improved, focus and energy improved. And so far, we’ve really only have one meh loss - MN was a winnable game but they’re not pushovers, and the other 4 teams that we lost to are all have a shot at the playoff. UW will be tough as playing in Seattle has always been hard but I’m more optimistic about our team and coaching staff now!
In short, everything is improving, on the upswing. If this keeps up, then the light will soon appear at the end of the tunnel. Let's figure out where is that individual and the rationale behind his infamous question as to whether the UCLA fan base is sorry Kelly left. Hello, do you see what we see now ?
From being so disappointed at the Rose Bowl after the finish of the Minnesota game... what a difference a month makes!
It wasn't exactly a work of art, but still beautiful - racking up 211 yards rushing against a top 20 run defense while holding a soon-to-be All American to 100 yards under his average and closing the game out with a successful 4 minute offense after forcing a 3-and-out after taking the lead late... no one can deny there's been progress and an impressive development of resilience - how many among us would have believed even a few weeks ago that we'd turn the ball over on each of the first two drives against a B1G team that was already bowl-eligible in the 1st week of November and still win the game?
Clearly the "Discipline" pillar still needs work and clearly there's more room for growth but it sure is nice to see a team improve and grow and learn how to win as the season advances!
And, I'd add, especially live in person,
the throwbacks look sweet! 😎
Congratulations to Coach DSF for (finally!) achieving his 1st home victory against a Big-18 opponent and eclipsing the embarrassing 3-win total during his predecessor's forgettable Year-1 season back in 2018. I too initially didn't expect much from this year's team and thought they would be at, or very near, the bottom of the conference, but maybe those games against better/ranked teams earlier in the season made them look so totally hopeless. Winning out and becoming bowl-eligible now seems a possibility, but even if that doesn't happen, I'm hoping for another "perfect day" against U$C on Nov. 23.
Go Bruins!
Garbs takes too long to get his motor running. Those two early Ints were cringe worthy. We did produce an running game, thanks to our O-line. I went to bed with the game tied, knowing we could play this team. Happy to see the W in the morning. Go Bruins!
I was also at the RB on Friday night. As Henry noted, it was quite chilly. However, the crowd was enlivened and invigorated, which warmed the atmosphere. Heading into the game, I told my seat-mate and best friend (we've had season tickets for over 15 years) that I was more optimistic going into a coach DSF game than I ever was going in into a coach CK Fraudster game, even though on paper I shouldn't be, since the chicken left the cupboard bare.
On that note, it seems that a tremendous amount of credit needs to be given to this coaching staff for the results we're seeing in the recent games, with the limited resources they have. Medrano and Oladejo are beasts, but the defensive performance by the rest of the crew, outside of the penalties, is astounding. Schwesinger is the epitome of maximumly enthusiastic just freakin' "happy to be playing the game" college football player. So fun to watch!
Regarding the penalties, as an on-site observer, they were 100% lopsided. The stats say 2-20 vs 9-84. That seems about right, except that 2 of those 9 came at crucial junctures. From the stands, everyone could see that Iowa was holding on EVERY. SINGLE. PLAY. And, I believe they only got called once.
At one point, probably sometime during the 2nd quarter, the line judge on the opposite (Iowa) side threw a flag. After the play was done, he looked up and down the field all around to see if anybody else threw a flag. When he saw that no one else had, he picked his up and put it back in his waistband. I guess that can happen sometimes, but in this case it sure seemed shady.
The gentleman in front of us saw the exact same thing, and turned around to all of us and said "what in the world was that?". Post-game, I did some internet research on the B1G referees. Seems like they're as bad, if not worse, than the SPTRs.
Long story short - I'm looking forward to our upcoming games, whether we win or lose, which is 180° from my perspective for the last 5 years.
Go Bruins!!!
It's unfortunate SPTRs have been replaced with SBTRs. At least we rid ourselves of the stupid Pac-12 Network and now have the BTN channel to watch many more Bruin games on TV.
Hope the mens basketball team can bounce back with a much better performance tonight. That UNM game should have been scheduled after the matches against these upcoming winless teams to allow more time to jell. I thought I was watching last year's team playing against UNM--that was a pretty awful effort against a good team.
Go Bruins!