Bill Plaschke Channel's his Inner Bruin
by Paragon SC on Nov 23, 2009 5:10 AM PST
in USC Football
Email
PrintThe angle being taken for this weeks game against ucla is a predictable one.
While USC has struggled of late, ucla is being seen as "surging". While one has seemingly lost its identity the other looks to be finding theirs. I think there some truth to those lines of thought but I would not bet the ranch on it. It doesn't tell the whole story but the press will run with it anyway.
That is fine, depending on what side of the street you are on it makes for great reading.
But there is always an outlier that defies objectivity...
That leads us to Bill Plaschke.
We all remember his "Westwood Ho!'" piece in the L.A. Time back in 2001 where he proclaimed...
"This is a Bruin football town, and has been a Bruin football town, and will continue to be a Bruin football town..."
Right...
I can't seem to find all those National Titles ucla won in football. I see they have one Heisman Trophy winner but they really aren't all that are they? Oh sure, they had a nice run in the 80's and 90's when USC was down...really down, but ucla still couldn't take advantage of their supposed dominance in L.A. to parlay it into something bigger.
Plaschke breathlessly is hoping for a turn in the tide
And, yes, this is still UCLA, seemingly cursed since I wrote that it was a Bruins football town in October 2001.
Since that column, which I'll hear about approximately 1,345 times this week -- heck, every week -- the Bruins have only that 13-9 victory in 2006.
No, I'm not writing about Bruins dominance now. But I do think it's foolish not to believe that, this time, UCLA has a puncher's chance.
"We'll be excited about taking our swings," Neuheisel said.
While Saturday's win, their sixth this season, assures the Bruins of bowl contention, a seventh would make them a virtual lock for a bowl bid, piling motivation on motivation.
"The game is always big, but this year is going to be even more special," Verner said.
You would be crazy not to be worried about next week.
It is not like USC has played with the style that we have been used to seeing. It is hard to read ucla...the only way they could go is up so any positive progress would be seen as a sign of life.
And because Plaschke has had such a hard-on for ucla over the years he now sees an opportunity to jump on the bandwagon...unfortunately, for a myriad of reasons, most bruin fans don't want him. Take it for what you will.
I said last week that the press was going to set the narrative...and they are playing it step by step. You can tell they are looking for a new new story hook their wagon up to. They have seen all they want to from USC...a win by ucla this Saturday gives the press a whole new line of reporting.
I am by no means conceding this game...I have seen enough of ucla this season to know that regardless of their latest "surge" they are keeping more than a few things together with spit and toilet paper. I am not going to get all worked up over the match-ups, but USC has some work to do. Barkley needs to get back where he was in the early part of the season. The defense needs to get back to basics....
There is no question that ucla has some ballers but they have some issues as well. Plaschke can pump up Prince all he wants but he has not been lights out even under the tutelage of Norm Chow. He has had some nice games but he has stunk up the joint too a few times this season. Of course, some of that is because of the supporting cast around Prince but some of it is Prince as well. You can't blame the O line forever...you still have to make plays.
I have no idea how this game will play out...there are some obvious problems with both teams but many are saying that the momentum is leaning ucla's way.
But momentum is a tricky thing...it can be fleeting. Just when you think you have it, it is snatched away from you at the drop of a hat.
The true character of a team is how they react in the face of adversity. USC has not been in this spot in a long long time. You can't teach this, it is learned.
SC has had their teeth kicked in over the past few weeks so the question now is how will they respond?
17 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I thought this would happen
But only after the fact, if UCLA were to beat USC – it does appear Plaschke has hooked his wagon early in this one. I can only imagine his piece if SC were to lose; probably something along the lines of “Neuheisel taking Carroll’s spot as king of LA” or some bullshit like that.
reporters
I remember when after beat USC (13-9), many reporters mentioned “Miami.” They said that SC was over. I was worried about Michigan game. Then… we all know what happened. Last week, they just crowned Andy Luck as the best freshman quarterback, Then, we all know what happened. His article can only be good motivations for SC players. I noticed that reporters enjoy using statistics, and write based on statistics. That is all. They probably cover so many teams, and cannot possibly watch every game. They cannot provide any insightful comments.
And because Plaschke has had such a hard-on for ucla […] bruin fans don’t want him.
I’m assuming you’re referring to the rational and level-headed group over at the cross-town SBN spot.
I think I understand their utter hatred toward Plaschke. See, he’s basically a 7-year old provocatuer. His whole schtick is to try and be as irritating and “controversial” as possible, in order to provoke some sort of reaction. Kind of a low-rent Andy Kaufman. His articles are always pretty sub-par attempts at needling and insulting, and really are mildly amusing. And, really, anyone with even the slightest amount of common sense knows to take anything he writes with a healthy dose of salt and a very jaundiced eye. Only people with fragile egos, inferiority complexes, no objectivity, and somewhat feeble minds take him seriously and fall for his baiting.
So the reaction to him does actually make perfect sense.
Whose Axe?
OUR AXE!
by SoCal Oski on Nov 23, 2009 10:03 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Dead on here...
I don’t disagree with their take…I was just pointing out how desperate he is to jump on their bandwagon…
As a UCLA fan...
I in no way, shape, or form advocate a single positive word that Bill Plaschke has to say about the Bruins. He’s about as fickle as they come, so you can expect an article next week about how Neuheisal should be fired. I’m actually surprised he didn’t write two one sentenced paragraphs about UCLA and then ramble on for the rest of his article about how much he hates Manny Ramirez. Then finish off with about 4 more “poetic” paragraphs about aces.
The best part...
…is that he would write that Neuheisel should be fired if UCLA were to win, because what took him so long?
Exactly what you said DJ01!
Those one-sentenced paragraphs and his fantastic-funness with awesomely articulate alliteration (read: sarcasm) give me the heebie-jeebies. And. . . . .some cats think he’s Pulitzer-worthy? It’s amazing he wins any awards whatsoever! He’s a played-out and laid-out as Paris “Why Am I A Celebrity, Again?” Hilton.
Hope our rivalry game is every bit as fun as it once was this weekend. For what it’s worth, that 13-9 game is still mind-boggling to me- as far as outcome. I’d have that (13-9) etched/branded onto a cowboy belt if I were a bruin myself. But I ain’t . And, if it’s all the same- I think the shirts that some fucla-peeps wear are hilarious though, in a bruin “inferiority-complex” kinda-way. (so, would I actually wear that belt? hell no, not in a million years. it belongs in a closet next to the other clothes and accessories that I never wear, but have access to. so, that’s where I’d also keep that shirt if I had one of those, too)
"As for being a Raiders fan, I wouldn't wish that fucking shit on anybody." [the venerable OTS at Roll Bama Roll}
by BixBeiderbecke on Nov 23, 2009 2:13 PM PST up reply actions
I have to imagine Placshke has one generic article ready to go to press at any time:
[Team Name That Just Won Last Week] is going to take over the city. Mark my words, [coach’s name of team that just won last week] is really starting to get in to the head of [coach’s name of team that just lost last week], and his recruiting success is going to begin paying dividends in the off-season.
[Team Name That Just Lost Last Week]‘s quarterback came in highly heralded, but hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. I’m pretty sure this is because [coach’s name of team that just lost last week] doesn’t know how to properly develop talent.
Guaranteed employment for life! Woo!
Bix...
All 13-9 did was give me bragging rights over my friends for a year. Then throughout all of 2007-08 all I heard was 24-7.
And Jason, you’re forgetting the classic Plaschke form, it would go more of something like this:
The shouts and chants rang through the mountains from Heritage Hall to Morgan Center.
On one sideline, they were dancing. On the other the tunes stabbed like a Thanksgiving knife.
As (winning coach) stood triumphantly, (losing coach) walked with shame to an offseason of questions and what-ifs.
Did I mention that Manny Ramirez took steroids? Oh and the Dodgers need an ace.
Lets not forget That he spits and mumble when talking he so well mannered.
LAVIN IS THE GREATEST AND TROY WILL RISE ON NOV 28
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 23, 2009 7:17 PM PST up reply actions
Cal IS the Axe.
Right now we’re a chain saw with vapor lock.
¡Fusílenlo, después veriguamos! - Pancho Villa
by Locoweed 1.1 on Nov 23, 2009 1:10 PM PST up reply actions
Plaschke is probably the brightest person on this earth, i follow his every word maybe that is why I am getting disoriented.
LAVIN IS THE GREATEST AND TROY WILL RISE ON NOV 28
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 23, 2009 10:12 AM PST reply actions
Plaschke is a tree
Whichever way the wind blows, so goes Plascke. I don’t trust people that talk that fast.
And Wolf is an anchor
no explanation needed.
¡Fusílenlo, después veriguamos! - Pancho Villa
by Locoweed 1.1 on Nov 23, 2009 1:08 PM PST up reply actions
Of course UCLA has a puncher's chance...
remember that the Trojans really haven’t played a complete game since their Oct 3rd victory at Cal.
That is good stuff there, Joey
And it seems, after our 2nd victory over the Irish in South Bend, our boys just haven’t been the same ever since.
"As for being a Raiders fan, I wouldn't wish that fucking shit on anybody." [the venerable OTS at Roll Bama Roll}
by BixBeiderbecke on Nov 25, 2009 8:11 AM PST up reply actions
Actually it seems that they lost their Mojo after the Stafon Johnson tragedy -and the torrent of injuries that happened at about that time. There’s nothing that will freak out a kid more than the realization that he’s not indestructible or immortal, and that the good times can end abruptly.
¡Fusílenlo, después veriguamos! - Pancho Villa
by Locoweed 1.1 on Nov 25, 2009 10:46 AM PST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Conquest Chronicles
Related FanShots on Conquest Chronicles
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
