Feeling a little pressure Rick?
by Paragon SC
on Sep 23, 2008 4:11 AM PDT
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Well I guess he has been here long enough so it's Slick Rick's turn in the barrel at the hands of T.J. Simers.
Tough times at UCLA these days. The way the school has it set up, the sports information director can see the media arriving from his window, and so spotting Page 2 on Monday he got up and closed his door.
I thought about waiting for him to open it, but it could be basketball season before he does.
They've got their football schedule posted in the lobby of the Morgan Center, but it's 2007, because who wants to know who is going to beat the stuffing out of UCLA next in 2008?
I thought it was time, though, to give the new UCLA football coach the Page 2 Test on Monday, all newcomers in town getting the same treatment at one time or another.
The results, though, were shocking. Rick Neuheisel came off more uptight than Karl Dullard, and a bigger drip.
OUCH! That's gotta hurt and it doesn't get any easier in the "interview".
Look, I don't think anyone thought this was going to be easy for Slick Rick and most rational people would have been willing to cut him some slack but when you make grandiose statements and buy ads in the paper and then don't produce...well if you stand up high enough people are going to throw rocks at at you. I think the sliding scale of expectations is at an all-time low...
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Conquest Chronicles' writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Conquest Chronicles' writers or editors.
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This Is Hard
I would not wish the current state of UCLA Football on my worst enemy. This is not at all fun, but for some reason, it is far better than watching the Dorrell coached teams. Maybe I take solace in knowing that we’ll lose because of how badly Dorrell mismanaged the program. Conversely, with Dorrell, you never knew what team would show up.
I still don’t think the ad was a bad idea because it was meant for us, the UCLA fan base. Along with changing the culture within the football program, Neu has to change the perception and culture of the UCLA Football fanbase in order for this program to be successful. Again, Dorrell’s mismanagement caused many fans to become disinterested and “numb” to UCLA Football. The ad, from this perspective, was a good thing and it did wonders for my own psyche. It is one of the main reasons why I will still be going to the Rose Bowl this Saturday despite the impending doom about to be handed upon us by Fresno State.
Neu changed my perspective. For that, he has proven himself to be a very good coach as of right now. Until he gets talent, this is the measuring stick I’m forced to use.
by BruinFan1 on
Sep 23, 2008 7:22 AM PDT
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I'm with you in one regard
It’s not that I’m against seeing ucla lose, but the last couple of games were sufficiently painful that I didn’t even watch for schadenfreude reasons. And I watched Notre Dame, cackling, all last season, so it’s not like I’m above it.
Your point that marketing is needed and welcomed is well taken, but while the advert was aimed at the flagging spirits of the bruin faithful, it did trigger a bit of a PR hit for everyone else. Can’t be helped, I suppose, but I can’t imagine that Neuheisel, Walker, and Chow were all that excited about the ad from that standpoint.
by DC Trojan on
Sep 23, 2008 1:55 PM PDT
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I Think We 100% Agree
No matter what ad or advertising UCLA put out for the program, there was bound to be an adverse reaction due to the quality of the football team. UCLA fans and the program just can’t worry about that right now. We have too many other things on the table to worry about such as getting talent and worrying about the fan base. Without the support of the fan base, UCLA football has nothing.
We can deal with outside perceptions later. I know this sounds crazy, but that’s how screwed up things are in Westwood.
by BruinFan1 on
Sep 23, 2008 3:17 PM PDT
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Slick Rick's own impatience ...
… is what will ultimately doom him and ucla football. As he’s admitted previously (and as we know obviously) Slick Rick is a very competitive person with a huge ego, a combination that resulted in his “cutting corners” at Colorado and Washington. Now, add embarrassment (59-0 and the rest of this year’s schedule), ridicule (from Simers and others) and the pending criticism from bruins fans as this season moves along — not to mention recruits like Shaquelle Evans choosing USC over ucla as a direct result of 59-0 — and you’ve got a recipe for the kind of impatience that will result in Slick Rick’s true colors coming out. If he didn’t learn his lesson in Colorado, what makes any reasonable person think he really learned his lesson after doubling up at U-Dub? Slick Rick is what he is …
by Displaced Trojan on
Sep 23, 2008 1:44 PM PDT
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Agree with part of your assesment
Yeah, I think he has the disposition towards “cutting corners”, but I don’t think he will. He’s got to be reeling from such bad showings (Tenn not withstanding) and yes, the loss of Evans has to sting but as for risking losing his dream job anytime soon? I don’t think so. He has to know he has at least 4-5 seasons to turn the team around and would he be willing to put his family through it all again?
by impaulv on
Sep 23, 2008 3:40 PM PDT
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Thanks for the concern
It’s nice to know how much you care about UCLA.
by SuperBruinMan on
Sep 23, 2008 7:22 PM PDT
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Yes TJ was pretty hard on RN
But he has brought all this upon himself at least he is staying clean, but I still think he is just taking the pay ( I mean his statement about JUST STAYING CLOSE UNTIL 4TH QUARTER you have to say every play can score or you have already given in).
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on
Sep 23, 2008 5:20 PM PDT
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TJ is hard on everyone
He lives to get peoples goat. I don’t think Neu is dumb enough to cut corners this time. The Guererro made it very clear what he expects from him in regards to following the rules. As far as the LA times ad is concerned, I don’t agree that it was meant only for bruin fans. It was leveled at Pete Carroll and USC. It was meant to put us on notice. It was about as unsubtle as you can get.
by frak on
Sep 24, 2008 11:11 AM PDT
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But over at B(M)N they are still in the dark ages
They are still talking about Criminal activities at USC, I mean shouldn’t they be more aware of their own problems like tennis player taking room and board and money for tennis lessons.
But really all they want to do is stay close and maybe they can pull a fast one, I guess they will have to give up tennis victories from 08 now
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on
Sep 24, 2008 11:48 AM PDT
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It's not about being dumb
Notice I never mentioned intelligence, or lack there of, with regard to Slick Rick. He is not dumb. He’s a smart football strategist and a proven motivator who can drive his teams to win. He has a history of doing so at Colorado and Washington. However, I did say he is extremely competitive and has a huge ego, which often trumps intelligence in someone like Slick Rick, who also has a proven history of leaving broken D1 football programs in his wake. Why do people in leadership positions do dumb things? Because ambition, greed, ego, etc. get in the way of common sense and/or a fear of getting caught, regardless of whether or not they consciously recognize the ethics and morals involved. It doesn’t matter what Guerrero told Slick Rick or whatever promises were made. Again, Slick Rick is what he is.
by Displaced Trojan on
Sep 24, 2008 1:10 PM PDT
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