Chivas ch-ch-chokes (again)

Galaxy advance to play Houston at 8 p.m. Friday in Carson.

Dema Kovalenko made a crude gesture as the final whistle blew toward the Chivas USA bench as if to say, "we screwed you again."

Chivas USA Coach Preki blew his top and tried to get to Kovalenko. That's a league fine for unsportsmanlike conduct, methinks (for Dema, not Preki).

Beckham received a huge ovation as he left the field, BTW. The difference a few months (and wins) make, huh?

More later.

RESULT: UCLA 24, Washington 23
RECORD: 4-5
WEEK 9 GPA: B-

QUARTERBACK
Kevin PrinceCraft combined for 23-of-31 passing for 371 yards and two scores, but also two picks.
B

RUNNING BACKS
Derrick Coleman performed admirably in place of fumble-prone Johnathan Franklin, and Milton Knox was a stud on the Wildcat.
C-

WIDE RECEIVERS
Nelson Rosario is blossoming and Terrence Austin made three fantastic plays that made a difference.
A-

OFFENSIVE LINE
The standards are raising for this unit, which is improving in pass protection by the game.
B+

DEFENSIVE LINE
Better against the run, and Brian Price had one of the nicest sacks I've ever seen.
B-

LINEBACKERS
UCLA's starters combined for only 12 tackles and were brushed away at the second level.
C-

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Sheldon Price learned that he must be more physical, particularly in his game-saving tipped interception to Rahim Moore.
C+

SPECIAL TEAMS
Austin had a fumble in the return game but also broke a 59-yard kick return.
C+

COACHING
Both Norm Chow and Chuck Bullough took off the shackles and it paid off.
B

David Beckham played a huge role in earning this goal for the Galaxy sending a long, gorgeous crossfield pass from the Galaxy's own half to Landon Donovan who crossed it to Mike Magee.

Magee was brought down - speared really by Yamith Cuesta - as he attempted to control the ball and was rewarded with a penalty kick.

Landon Donovan took it as usual and scored his 16th Galaxy playoff goal in 20 games to leave him tied with Carlos Ruiz for the lead in post-season goals for L.A. and the Galaxy ahead of Chivas USA in this playoff game with 17 minutes left.

It was the Galaxy's first PK since May 6.

The Galaxy have had the better of this game so far and by all rights should be leading.

A 25-yard Chris Klein volley from a Landon Donovan cross in the 35th minute was perhaps the best Galaxy chance, requiring as it did an agile punch by Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton to send it over the bar.

David Beckham should have at least got the ball on the frame a minute earlier, but sent his 19-yard shot wastefully over the bar when he was wide open and had plenty of time to set the shot up.

Chivas USA's best scoring opportunity came in the 38th minute when a blistering Sacha Kljestan shot from long range grazed the top of the bar.

How close is the game? Each side has two shots apiece on target, but the Galaxy lead eight to six in shots.

Excellent loud, passionate crowd here tonight with some folks on the berm sitting around a big new sign that reads "Our city our home."

Hmm, think the Galaxy feel a little threatened by Chivas USA?.

Here's the scenario: if the Galaxy win they'll face the Houston Dynamo at home 8 o'clock Friday; if Chivas USA wins they'll travel to Houston for a Sunday game.

There's just one change for the Galaxy today: Chris Birchall has fallen ill (nothing serious I'm told), so Chris Klein replaces him in midfield.

Chivas USA have made two changes from the team that faced the Galaxy last weekend: Shavar Thomas replaces Ante Jazic in defense, while Jesus Padilla replaces Marcelo Saragosa.

Galaxy XI: Ricketts, Franklin, Berhalter, Gonzalez, Dunivant, Klein, Beckham, Kovalenko, Donovan, Buddle, Magee.

Chivas USA XI: Thornton, Talley, Cuesta, Thomas, Bornstein, Lahoud, Nagamura, Padilla, Kljestan, Santos, Braun.

An MRI on Saturday night confirmed the injury that was suffered during practice on Saturday.

President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, key House and Senate Democratic and Republicans, and most importantly the major pharmaceuticals and private insurers know one thing, and they've known it from the start of the health care debate. And that's that the senate not the house will decide what, if any, health care reform plan is finally approved.
The pharmaceuticals and private insurers have repeatedly and forcefully made it clear that they flatly reject a true public option, any enforced restrictions on their right to charge whatever the freight will carry for health care, or dump or summarily exclude anyone who's too sick, poor, or too old from coverage. They also made it abundantly clear that they'll only accept a bill that requires millions to be covered by them at government (taxpayers) expense and that slaps penalties on those who refuse to go along with it.

The full enactment of the main provisions of whatever health care bill is passed won't take place for nearly another decade and that gives private insurers time to hike prices to cover any added costs in policy and coverage changes they must make under reform. They've fielded an army of lobbyists, health insurer flacks, held secret deal cutting meetings at the White House, stuffed millions in the campaign coffers of leading Democratic senators (including one time senator Obama), and poured more millions into ads, mailers, and planted articles to get their way.

The senate, and even more specific, the Senate Finance Committee, has been the target of the insurer's relentless, prolonged, and well-oiled campaign to get the most generous industry health care plan possible, or no plan at all. Their time, effort and money has been well-spent. The finance committee quickly killed the public option, slapped penalties on non-buyers, and imposed no tough and enforced procedures to compel the private insurers to keep their bargain to insure everyone. It did not stamp on tight cost containment measures to insure that private insurers keep their prices down.
Senate leaders did not raise a peep at the crude, naked blackmail threat by America's Health Insurance Plans, the private health insurer's industry group. It publicly waved around a study it commissioned that claimed that private insurers would have to sharply increase the prices families would pay if the house version of the health care reform plan passed.
The actual house vote is far from the great victory that Pelosi and Democratic leaders declared. The Democrats had a crushing majority, had poll after poll that showed the public wants a real public option and full affordable health coverage for all, and no cuts in the Medicare services (the cuts are in the house and senate bills). Yet, the house bill still barely squeaked through and then only after Pelosi and other house liberals shamefully back pedaled and excised abortion coverage from the bill. This all guaranteed that the resistance to the most liberal provisions of the house bill will be even more ferocious in the senate.

Even if none of these factors came into play in the senate, the senate still more often than not has been the graveyard for house passed legislation that the senate considers too liberal, too pro labor, too expansive, too costly, and too non-industry friendly. In the past couple of years the senate has killed house passed legislation on tougher energy standards, scaling back contributions to the IMF, increased education spending, house amendments on Iraq and Afghanistan troop withdrawal and decreased war spending, and immigration and major banking reforms. It bottled up for years the house passed expanded hate crimes bill.

Industry groups dead set against the house bill have one more trump card, and that's the conference committees. The senate can amend, change the language, or red pencil out anything in a house bill it likes. It then tosses it back to the house to amend, change the language or excise things that the senate wants tossed out. The conference committee negotiations on controversial legislation are long, tedious, and drawn out. When or even if agreement is ever reached it then goes back to both the full body of the house and senate for a vote. There's no time frame for completion for any of this. Nor is there any requirement the senate take a final vote. This was the case with other pieces of "landmark" bills the house passed.
The house vote on health care reform was historic only in that one body of congress took the hotly contested first big step toward reform. The senate hasn't spoken. And it, not the house, is the name of the game on health care reform.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His forthcoming book, How Obama Governed: The Year of Crisis and Challenge (Middle Passage Press) will be released in January 2010.

2008: 450
2007: 375
2006: 264
2005: 600
2004: 441
2003: 506
2002: 427
2001: 292

So UCLA '64 had a pretty cool idea, and I thought I'd run with it.

How bout coming up with a name for the Wildcat formation that UCLA runs? Kind of like how Oregon State's "Wildcat" is the "Wild Beaver." Please be more creative than Wild Beaver. There's kids around, come on.

Now this is the tricky part:
I have some UCLA basketball and football cards just lying around. I have a couple of Ben Howland and John Wooden. Some Jordan Farmars, Darren Collisons and Jrue Hollidays. A couple MoJos and a few Marcedes Lewis'.

Would anyone be interested in a package of those or should I come up with something else?

Post your idea for the UCLA Wildcat and your idea for a prize, and I'll try to come up with something.

Looks to be tickets still available at a variety of prices (I just did some cursory checking on Ticketmaster) including $20 spots on the grass berm.

For more on the game read:
* The game preview by Phil Collin.

* More from Saturday.

* About big bucks Becks.

* No one wants PK's to decide this game.

* About the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

* A plea for pretty soccer.

* This column to put the game in context.

As usual, I'll be blogging from the HDC.

Are you more optimistic about the future, or is 4-5 still not enough to get you excited?
Are you confident is and will remain the best option for UCLA at quarterback?
Are you worried about the running back situation?

I think the team showed promise last night, but while more than 400 yards of offense and three touchdowns is impressive, five turnovers is not. I do believe a good offense takes those chances, though, and that the only real troubling signs were the fumbles.

Defensively, while Sheldon Price was great on that last play, I'm simply shocked that Viney hasn't gotten a chance to work back in. I'm not sure he's better, but there are times when he can't be worse than Price.

I was impressed by both coordinators last night. Chow seemed willing to experiment on the fly and called the game with good rhythm. At one point, he called the Wildcat on consecutive plays, and while that isn't unheard of, it shows that he has confidence that his guys can excute complex calls and plays. Bullough called some nasty blitzes and the defensive line pulled off some sound stunting, which confused the Washington offensive line at times.

My report card will come later, and I'd love to get yours.

Thanks
JG

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been escorting his choice for LAPD Chief around town...in a series of public appearances before various groups. Deputy Chief Charlie Beck seems to have support from the City Council which will vote on his confirmation. But Daily News City Hall reporter Rick Orlov tells Ken Jeffries that the Mayor is trying to make sure that Beck has PUBLIC support, too.

PASADENA - Something happened to Kevin Craft on Saturday night, something hard to spot and even harder to define.

With almost no reps with the first- or second-string offense throughout UCLA's weeklong preparation for Washington, Craft entered the Bruins' 24-23 win over the Huskies on Saturday at the Rose Bowl a changed man.

He was looser, feistier, more willing to riff and rock and roll.

After redshirt freshman Kevin Prince went down with a concussion midway through the second quarter and freshman Richard Brehaut fumbled on his lone series, Craft came in and completed 10-of-14 passes for 159 yards and a score.

He had his moments - a flailing interception, kneeling for a two-yard loss because he thought the defense was offsides - but he was a different player than the guy who threw a team-record 20 interceptions last year.

He was loose, he was creative, he was confident.

He was fun.
"Shoot, I'm just going to go out there and play, have fun," Craft said. "Whatever happens, happens. There's no reason to get tight in a situation where it's close like that. You can't play not to lose. You have to play to win."

And the Bruins finally are.

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow opened up the playbook, running the Wildcat formation more than 10 times and constantly calling deep passes, and it paid off.

Of course, it helped that the offensive line had its best protection of the season.

"It's easy to play quarterback when you've got some time and space to throw it," Craft said. "A couple of times, the timing was messed up because I don't get some of the reps. A couple of them, I'm just running around and making plays."

Craft prefers to make something out of nothing, to be able to scramble around the pocket and let his receivers make second and third cuts to get open.

He feels more at ease.

With his offensive line.

With his wideouts.

With himself.

"I feel like I can come in and just play," Craft said. "I came in, I know everything that's happening, I know the offense, I know what I'm doing. Then it's just a matter of things not always happening how you draw them up. If something has got to happen, I'll let guys make plays.
"We have to let the guys on the team who can make plays, make them."

An Impassioned Plea
UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel stepped to the microphone as he does after every home game, and for the first time in weeks, he was welcomed with cheers.

His voice cracked, his hair messed, Neuheisel made a plea to all those who have jumped ship as one loss became five.

"For those of you who jumped off the bandwagon, I understand," Neuheisel yelled to UCLA's embattled fans. "I'm just asking you to get back on."

Stat Tracker
Nelson Rosario (seven catches, 111 yards) has back-to-back 100-yard games, the first Bruin to do so since Marcedes Lewis in 2005. His seven receptions were a career-high. ... Senior fullback Chane Moline's one-yard touchdown run was his first score in more than two years. ... Washington hasn't defeated UCLA at the Rose Bowl since 1995.

Subject: Change to End of Game Ceremony

To the players, parents, and volunteers of AYSO Region 17,

One of the most basic and vital components to the AYSO sportsmanship program is the end of game hand-shake/high five line for the opposing teams and the referees. The Board of Directors of Region 17 also considers the health and safety of all our players and volunteers. We find ourselves now trying to balance these two facets.

The cold and flu season is now upon us. To reduce physical contact, Region 17 will now through the end of the Fall Season change the end of game ceremony to lining up at midfield at the end of the match and clapping for the opposing team and saying "thank you" to the referees.

What if players touch during the game? Quarantine?

PASADENA - UCLA giveth: Against Washington on Saturday at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins committed five turnovers, including a fumble in the red zone.

Washington taketh away: With five minutes, seven seconds left in the second quarter, Husky linebacker Donald Butler cracked starting quarterback Kevin Prince helmet-to-helmet on a scramble, knocking the emerging redshirt freshman out of the game with a concussion.

And yet despite all that, despite a five-game losing streak, a winless October and a bandwagon missing both axles and a steering wheel, UCLA snuck out of the Rose Bowl with a 24-23 win over the Huskies in front of 72,924.

Perhaps snuck out is wrong: the jubilant Bruins sprinted through the tunnel, whooping, wailing and hollering after their first win since Sept. 20.

"It makes you hungry," senior linebacker Reggie Carter said. "You play this game to win, never forget that. Regardless of how well you play as an individual, the objective is to win. We get hungry after every loss to get that nasty taste from our mouths and get this 'W.'"

All it took was a game-saving play by UCLA's man-on-the-scene.

After a Jeff Locke punt gave Washington the ball on the 10-yard line with 4:21 left to play, Husky quarterback Jake Locker went to work. Locker had been steady but unspectacular throughout the day, completing 20-of-37 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Willing to work the clock in what had become a possession game, Locker was efficient on the final drive, hitting 3-of-3 passes for 28 yards as Washington moved the ball to the UCLA 46-yard line.

Efficiency gave way to disaster, though, as Locker forced a pass into Jermaine Kearse, who was tightly guarded by freshman cornerback Sheldon Price. Price popped the ball up, and Bruin sophomore safety Rahim Moore plucked it from the air for his NCAA-leading eighth interception of the season.

"It's called teamwork, man, and teamwork makes the dream work," Moore said. "That two-minute drill, we do that in practice all the time. That's the camaraderie we have with one another. I mean, Sheldon ran up to me and was like, 'I love you, man. I love you, Rahim.' As a team, we've been through so much, to pull out this win is a blessing."

Before the blessing, there was a curse. Or many.

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel stormed the UCLA sideline like a frustrated general, watching his troops cough up turnover after turnover.

Prince was sensational but for one throw before being knocked out with a concussion, completing 13-of-17 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. His lone interception, though, led to three Washington points, as did the team's first turnover, a Terrence Austin fumble on a kickoff return.

Then there were the fumbles by freshman quarterback Richard Brehaut and redshirt freshman running back Johnathan Franklin and an interception by senior quarterback Kevin Craft.

Like Prince, Craft was solid besides his lone gaffe, completing 10-of-14 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown.

"There were some great things today - our throwing game getting the ball down the field and our receivers getting open - but we had far too many turnovers," Neuheisel said. "We finally got one back in the end, a very key play in the game, but we're fortunate to be sitting here with a win."

But a win is a win is a win for a reeling team.

A team now on a one-game winning streak, rather than a five-game skid.

A team now undefeated in November, not winless in October.

It is a new day, a new month, even, and the Bruins are putting the past in the past.

"I told them we were like bums on the street, just thirsty for a meal," Carter said, his smile wide and his eyes gleaming. "We finally got one. We ate today, and it tastes great. But regardless of the taste, I'm full, man. And I'll be hungry again tomorrow."