In This Corner

For several years ... 10 maybe? ... I did an annual predictions column in the newspaper.

I'm ending that streak this year, mostly because the Lakers' biggest regular-season game of the season was on Dec. 30 (last night), which meant my Dec. 31 column was NOT an assessment of my 2007 predictions ... AND I don't have a column for Jan. 1, which is when I usually predict the next year.

So, I'm using the blog to check up on my 90 (!) specific predictions for 2007.

Right up front: I did about what I usually do -- about half right, half wrong. Actually, a little on the low side, at 46.7 percent correct. (That is, you flip a coin, you probably do better than me; though, in my own defense, some of the picks involve a lot of moving parts.)

But this year the correct predictions don't have many of those "how did he know that?" predix ... while some of the misses were laughably wrong.

Let's start with the good news ... the ones I got right.

1. Auburn over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl.

2. Louisville over Wake Forest in the Orange.

3. LSU over Notre Dame in the Sugar.

4. Chicago in the NFC title game.

5. New Orleans in the NFC title game.

6. Chicago in the Super Bowl.

7. UCLA wins the Pac-10 basketball title.

8. UCLA does NOT go 18-0 in Pac-10 play (15-3)

9. UCLA reaches the Final Four.

10. Florida repeats as NCAA basketball champ.

11. The Lakers make the NBA playoffs.

12. Detroit makes the Eastern Conference finals.

13. San Antonio makes the Western Conference finals.

14. San Antonio wins the NBA Finals.

15. Greg Oden goes No. 1 in the NBA draft.

16. UCLA's Darren Collison stays in school.

17. Ducks make NHL playoffs.

18. Kings don't make NHL playoffs.

19. Dwayne Jarrett declares for NFL draft.

20. Jarrett is taken in the first round of the draft.

21. Barry Bonds breaks Henry Aaron's career home run record.

22. Aaron is not in the stadium when it happens.

23. The Dodgers win more games than the Giants.

24. Dodgers don't make the playoffs.

25. Dodgers sell more than 3.5 million tickets.

26. Angels sell more than 3.5 million tickets.

27. Argentina wins the Copa America soccer tournament.

28. The U.S. doesn't survive the first round of the Copa.

29. Landon Donovan wins the Honda Award (nation's best player).

30. Roger Federer wins at Wimbledon.

31. Lorena Ochoa leads the LPGA in victories.

32. Pete Carroll doesn't jump to the NFL.

33. Ben Olson makes more starts at QB for UCLA than does Patrick Cowan.

34. Ontario breaks ground on an arena.

35. Silverado wins the Desert Sky football title.

36. Colony wins the Mt. Baldy title.

37. Kaisers wins (a share) of Sunkist title.

38. Etiwanda wins (a share) of the Baseline basketball title.

39. Serrano wins the Mojave River.

40. Colony wins Mt. Baldy (hoops here, still).

41. Tiger Woods doesn't win eight tournaments (he won seven).

42. Clippers don't make the NBA playoffs.

Not bad. Forty-two correct predictions.

Now for the bad news.

1. Michigan over USC in the Rose Bowl. (32-18, Trojans)

2. Oklahoma over Boise State in the Fiesta. (43-42 Boise State)

3. Ohio State over Florida in the BCS title game. (Not even!)

4. The Ravens reach the AFC title game.

5. The Chargers reach the AFC title game.

6. Ravens make Super Bowl.

7. Ravens win Super Bowl (by two touchdowns, no less; hah).

8. REV wins CBL basketball title (Redlands won by five games).

9. Silverado wins the Desert Sky title (actually, Silverado finished last; Granite Hills won).

10. San Gorgonio wins SAL title (Arroyo Valley).

11. Damien wins Sierra League (Chino Hills).

12. USC fails to make NCAA tournament (it got to the sweet 16).

13. Cal State San Bernardino wins the CCAA basketball title (Humboldt finished a game ahead).

14. Prentice Harris of Cal State is player of the year (it was a Humboldt kid).

15. Cal State's Jeff Oliver is coach of the year (Humboldt's guy).

16. LeBron James in NBA MVP (Nowitzki).

17. Lakers get to second round of playoffs.

18. Miami in Eastern Conference finals.

19. Dallas reaches Western Conference finals.

20. Detroit reaches NBA Finals.

21. Buffalo wins NHL title (Ducks).

22. Raiders use No. 1 draft pick on Brady Quinn (JaMarcus Russell).

23. Jason Schmidt wins more games for Dodgers than Barry Zito does for Giants (Schmidt barely pitched).

24. The Padres win the NL West (Arizona).

25. Athletics win AL West (Angels).

26. Angels don't make playoffs.

27. Yankees win World Series.

28. Mets play in World Series (it was Boston over Colorado).

29. Mexico wins the Gold Cup soccer tournament (U.S.).

30. Floyd Mayweather knocks out Oscar De La Hoya in their prize fight (it was a decision).

31. USC loses at Notre Dame, in football. (USC hardly lost; Notre Dame hardly won at all)

32. USC loses at California.

33. Cal wins the Pac-10 football title (USC, ASU).

34. USC plays in Holiday Bowl (Rose).

35. UCLA plays in Sun Bowl (Las Vegas).

36. Karl Dorrell isn't fired.

37. Maria Sharapova wins Wimbledon (Venus Williams).

38. McFadden wins Heisman (Tim Tebow; McFadden WAS second).

39. Texas makes BCS title game.

40. Florida State (!) makes BCS title game. ('Noles barely mustered a quorum for their minor bowl)

41. Kurt Busch wins Nextel Cup championship (Jimmie Johnson).

42. Danica Patrica gets first Indy-car win.

43. Rancho Cucamonga wins Baseline football title (Los Osos).

44. Redlands wins CBL football title (REV).

45. Rim of the World wins Mojave River (Serrano).

46. Chino Hills wins Sierra League (Damien).

47. Big Bear wins CIF football title.

48. Tiger Woods wins two Grand Slam events (he won one, the PGA).

I don't know if I'll take a whack at 2008. Maybe, tomorrow, before kickoff at the Rose Bowl. Or maybe I'll just hang up the crystal ball. If you can hang a ball, that is.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Man, that was ugly. And it started so promisingly.

The Lakers never were as sharp as the Boston Celtics, but they were down only eight at the half.

Then the Celtics flipped the "wipeout" switch and left the Lakers in smoldering ruins, 110-91, as the Staples Center crowd headed for the exits.

All that progress the Lakers seemed to be making, this month? Winning 10 of 13 before Sunday's game?

Gone. Poof.

The Celtics seemed to expose them as disorganized children, far from serious consideration among the NBA's elite.

Of course, the Celtics have been doing that to just about everyone. They're 26-3, after all. They already have two more victories than they did all of last season.

The big change is the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

Garnett brings a sort of drill-sergeant intensity to the whole Boston franchise, and Allen gives them another proven scorer and nice all-around player.

Actually, the Celtics have three current superstars (Paul Pierce being the third), and no other team in the league can say that.

The Lakers dissolved in the face of Boston's defense, casting off ridiculous shots almost from the opening tip.

Thanks to some baskets at the end, they "hiked" their shooting percentage to 36.5, when it was over. But Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom were obviously pressing, and they had the shooting numbers (6-for-26 for Kobe, 6-for-17 for Odom) to prove it.

The scary thing for the Lakers -- and for Boston opponents -- is that the Celtics seemed ripe for the picking. The Celts were playing their fourth road game in five nights, starting point guard Rajon Rondo (hamstring) didn't suit up, and the crowd (and Lakers) seemed to be fired up about the game.

Then the Celtics smoked the Lakers in the second half. Ack.

Now Boston goes out to see if it can make a run at the NBA record for victories (72; they're on pace to get there), and then to find out how deep it can get in the playoffs. Boston hasn't won an NBA title since 1986 and was 24-58 just last year.

The Lakers, meanwhile, will try to bounce back, and get back to that learning curve their kids were on. They have to hope Bryant isn't too deflated by this experience ("Hey, trade me to Boston!"), but he tried too hard and got out of his game almost immediately.

The Lakers get winnable home games vs. Philadelphia and Indiana over the next seven days. If they bounce back, this will just be a big green bump in the road. What they can't afford is to let this butt-kicking destroy their confidence.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 9:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lakers are into their third or fourth minute now of a very, very weird collection of players on the court.

And this isn't garbage time against the SuperSonics. This is the second quarter vs. the Boston Celtics.

Here are the Lakers' five: Kwame Brown, Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, Jordan Farmar and Javaris Crittenton.

Huh?

If the Lakers' regulars were having trouble staying with the Celtics, you can imagine how ugly it is with these guys.

Kwame and the rookie, Crittenton, look particularly overmatched.

Kobe just came back into the game, for Crittenton. Not that that's going to change things much because Kobe is 2-for-8 from the floor and losing his cool.

Lamar Odom just put up an airball from 18 feet.

Ack. This is getting out of hand.

Anyway, that long stint with so many backups ... almost makes you wonder if Phil Jackson already has decided this game is lost and doesn't want the starting five to get too wounded in the process.

Boston 45-31.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 7:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We're barely nine minutes in, and already we have short shorts, Lamar Odom and Paul Pierce exchanging elbows everybody but the refs saw -- and three technical fouls.

One each on Kevin Garnett and Trevor Ariza for woofing and shoving after a Garnett basket ... another on Celtics center Kendrick Perkins for crabbing at the refs when he thought he was fouled.

Anyway, this is physical, the fans are into it, and the Lakers are hanging around -- though they are being outplayed by a Boston team playing its fourth road game in five nights. It's 24-19 Boston.

Garnett is the best player on the floor so far. He's scoring points (eight) and dominating the middle.

Celtics fans (and you knew they would show up) are chanting "M-V-P" when Garnett shoots free throws.

Lakers fans shouted them down, when they heard that heresy ... and are chanting "M-V-P!" of their own when Kobe Bryant shoots free throws.

The Lakers are having serious trouble getting (and making) shots. I'm thinking their best hope is that the Celtics tire out late. The way these teams are playing now, Boston clearly is the better team.

Oops! Another technical foul -- this one on Kobe, who just got scored on by Paul Pierce, and fouled him.

Yeah, it's warming up. And the Lakers are losing their cool.

Boston 30-19 all of a sudden.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 7:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lakers and Celtics, right?

Lots of organizational pride/arrogance here.

The Celtics' warmups had their 16 NBA titles emblazoned on the back. Like 16 little championship banners.

But as the Lakers were introduced, Lawrence Tanter reminded fans that the Lakers have won 14 championship "and more games than any team in NBA history."

And the pregame audio-video show I mentioned a few days ago ... focused on the Lakers' first defeat of the Celtics in the NBA Finals, in 1985.

And now there was a serious pre-game buzz when fans realized the Lakers are wearing throwback uniforms ... that are so throwback the shorts are almost really short.

Like the sort all basketball players wore, up till about 1990. When Michigan's Fab Five seemed to popularize the ultra-baggy shorts ("bloomers," as John Wooden has called them) that are still in use.

Anyway, the Lakers' shorts aren't ultra-short, but they are considerably shorter than what you've seen for a decade or two.

Some of the Lakers have reacted with old-fashioned modesty. Concerned their legs are too skinny, I'd guess. Trevor Ariza is wearing undershorts that reach almost to his knees. Same deal with Kobe Bryant.

Derek Fisher is wearing them proudly. And the crowd just buzzed -- if you can imagine this, in L.A. -- at a closeup of Fisher's thighs. As if we were being treated to some sort of peep show.

Very odd.

The Celtics were supposed to be wearing short shorts, too, but they didn't really go all the way. Their uniforms are retro, but their pants are baggy. Still.

Anyway, I now remember how/why it was possible for a female sports writer, 30 years ago, to talk about her "All-Thigh Team" of basketball players. That's when you actually could see guys' thighs. Before we got trendy and then oddly prudish.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 7:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Man, this is an even bigger deal that I anticipated. The Lakers' game at Staples tonight vs. the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics are off to a 25-3 start and look like the team to beat for the NBA title, and the Lakersare 19-10 and surging a bit, themselves.

Anyway, the media crowd here is enormous, for a midseason game, the fans are buzzing and all sorts of random guys are showing up. Rick Fox, for instance, who played for both teams.

And Jerry West, just now introduced as the Lakers' honorary captain for the game.

West got a big ovation. And players from both teams surged forward to shake his hand, to hug the guy. And it strikes me anew just how massively popular West is in this market. I mean, does anybody dislike Jerry West? Anybody?

Anyway, West almost embodies the Lakers-Celtics rivalry. He was the Lakers' best player, along with Elgin Baylor, through the 1960s, when the Lakers and Celtics seemed to play for the NBA title every season -- and the Celtics won Every Single Time.

West got an NBA title in 1972, but it was over the New York Knicks. He never was around for a victory over the Celts.

Turns out the Lakers didn't actually beat the Celtics in a title series until 1985.

When West came out, the crowd went nuts, and Boston's Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce all pushed forward to shake his hand, and Kobe Bryant came over and hugged him, as well. Ol' Jerr. Zeke from Cabin Creek. Mr. Clutch. One of the handful of biggest stars in L.A. sports history, and he's in the house.

Anyway, big game. Great atmosphere. Better even than Christmas Day.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I already know Rick Neuheisel was a guy with baggage. I didn't begin to realize how much baggage until doing research on his history for the column that appeared in this morning's newspapers.

To read that column, click here.

This guy was explaining himself all the time. Like, three weeks into his hiring at Washington. It's really kind of amazing.

What I found is a history of behavior that ought to be scary for UCLA administrators.

My colleague Steve Dilbeck believes the Bruins know who they just hired and will keep him on a tight leash. To read that column, click here.

My take? UCLA shouldn't have hired a guy who needs close supervision.

He could work out. Could. If he manages to keep from tripping over the NCAA rulebook.

Another aspect of the Neuheisel historical record ... is how the programs he has run in the past (Washington, Colorado) did well enough his first two seasons ... then took big steps backward.

That would clearly suggest he is OK coaching other coaches' guys, but not so good at coaching his own -- or even finding them.

I don't like this hire. I believe it will end badly for the Bruins.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

How many times has this happened now? Somebody plays well for a while, we think there's a chance the Patriots might lose, and then the other guys just crumble in the face of the Patriots' relentless competence.

The New York Giants led 28-16 going into the fourth quarter, but New England scored three touchdowns -- including a 65-yard third-down pass to Randy Moss -- in the fourth quarter and won 38-35.

Both teams played their starters all the way, which is a credit to both teams because the game's outcome couldn't effect either team's playoffs standing.

The game turned on that third-and-long bomb to Moss, who was all alone up the sideline ... and then on an Eli Manning interception on New York's next possession.

That enabled the Patriots to take a 38-28 lead. The Giants scored in the final minute, but they were down to one timeout ... and when Mike Vrabel covered the onside kick, that was it.

Curious concept, of course, the way the game was televised on three networks -- the NFL, CBS and NBC. More than one network showing an NFL game ... hadn't happened since Super Bowl I, which even I am barely old enough to remember clearly.

The only downside to the game was Bryant Gumbel doing play-by-play. I don't mind Bryant for most stuff, especially Olympics topics, but he seems out of touch and out of place doing the NFL. He was fairly annoying.

Also annoying ... that the Patriots are 16-0. I don't like Bill Belichick, I don't like the Patriots' dink-and-dunk passing game and I think Boston has had way too much success of late.

But we have to concede that's a pretty special team. To take everybody's best shot, especially late here in the season when they had wrapped up the division title and even the home field, shows great focus and serious talent.

Now, for the playoffs. They need to win the Super Bowl to make their case for Best Team Ever ... but even at 16-0 they already have made history.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 8:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Bruins announced this just a few minutes ago. Onetime UCLA quarterback Rick Neuheisel will take over the football program, taking over for Karl Dorrell, fired back on Dec. 3.

Neuheisel will be part of what figures to be a barbed press conference, at 2 p.m. There will be questions about his ethics, given his shaky history at Colorado and Washington.

Neuheisel won out over current UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker and Philadelphia Eagles assistant John Harbold, best known as Jim Harbaugh's brother.

I liked Walker, from among those three. Neuheisel can mitigate Walker being overlooked by keeping him as defensive coordinator.

Here is the text of the UCLA announcement, received via e-mail:

RICK NEUHEISEL NAMED UCLA HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Rick Neuheisel, who quarterbacked UCLA to victory in the 1984 Rose Bowl and who compiled a record of 66-30 as a collegiate head coach, has been named his alma mater’s 16th head football coach, Bruin athletic director Dan Guerrero announced today.

The energetic and personable Neuheisel returns to the collegiate ranks after spending the past three seasons in the NFL. In his eight years as a college head coach at the University of Colorado and the University of Washington, he fashioned a record of 66-30, winning at least 10 games on three occasions and finishing in the Top 10 on three occasions, and led his teams to seven bowl games. His winning percentage of .688 places him among the top 20 active coaches with at least five years in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He was also recognized as one of the nation’s top recruiters during his college coaching days.

“Rick has enjoyed great success throughout his career and we believe he is the coach who can take our program to the next level,” said Guerrero. “His teams at Colorado and Washington continually challenged for conference championships and national rankings and that is what we are looking to do at UCLA.

“Rick is an outstanding coach and recruiter. He is outgoing and personable and can motivate our players, fans and supporters. We believe he is well equipped to lead the program and attain the success all Bruin fans wish to achieve.”

“I know there are some issues in Rick’s past that concern our constituency. We have discussed those at length with Rick and have investigated those issues with the NCAA. It has been at least five years and, in some cases, more than 10 years since the incidents occurred. We believe Rick has learned from those incidents and that he is more mature and experienced in the areas of compliance.”

“I am thrilled to be returning to my alma mater as its head coach,” said Neuheisel. “UCLA is a special place and I want to thank Dan Guerrero and Chancellor (Gene) Block for the opportunity to come home. We are going to build a program our supporters will be proud of, both on and off the field. I can’t wait to get started. I made some mistakes earlier in my career and I take responsibility for those mistakes. I have learned from that experience and I would never do anything that would reflect negatively on UCLA.”

Neuheisel, 46, spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. He served as quarterbacks coach in 2005 and 2006 and in January of 2007, was promoted to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. With the Ravens, he worked with quarterbacks Kyle Boller, Steve McNair and, most recently, 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.

During his four seasons (1999-2002) as head coach at the University of Washington, Neuheisel led the Huskies to a record of 33-16 (.673) and four bowl games (one Rose Bowl, two Holiday Bowls and one Sun Bowl). His Pac-10 record was 23-9 (.719) and Washington won one league title and finished second twice in those four seasons. The Husky offense averaged over 390 yards per game in each season, topped by 420.7 in 2002 (17th in the nation) and 407.9 in 2000 (35th).

In his final season, the Huskies finished 7-6 and tied for 4th in the Pac-10 while ranking fourth nationally in passing offense (346.2 yards per game) and earning a spot in the Sun Bowl.

In 2001, Washington finished 8-4 overall and second in the Pac-10 with a 6-2 mark, earning a trip to the Holiday Bowl. The Huskies faced five teams ranked in the final AP Poll that season, winning three of those games.

In 2000, Neuheisel led the Huskies to an 11-1 record, a first-place finish in the Pac-10 and a victory in the 2001 Rose Bowl. It was a year of great comebacks as Washington trailed in eight of its 11 wins and recorded five straight fourth-quarter comebacks. It marked the first time Washington had won 10 games since 1991 and the school’s first Rose Bowl title since that same season.

In 1999, his first season in Seattle, Washington finished 7-5 but finished second in the Pac-10, earning a trip to the Holiday Bowl. Neuheisel became the first coach in school history to lead a Husky team to a bowl berth in his first season.

During his four seasons (1995-98) as head coach at the University of Colorado, Neuheisel won 33 of 47 games (.702) and won all three bowl appearances. In his final season, Colorado finished 8-4, including a 51-43 victory over Oregon in the Aloha Bowl, and the Buffaloes ranked 13th nationally in total defense that year. In 1997, Neuheisel suffered his only losing season as a collegiate head coach (5-6) but Colorado still led the Big 12 in passing offense (232.4).

During the 1996 season, Neuheisel recorded his second straight 10-2 season, including a 33-21 victory over Washington in the Holiday Bowl, and finished second in the Big 12 North. The Buffaloes were ranked eighth on both polls and outscored opponents 319-199 while setting a school record by winning 10 consecutive road games. That team produced three All-Americans, including Butkus Award winner LB Matt Russell, and averaged 452.1 yards of offense, including 303.5 in the air, while allowing just 315.5 yards to opponents.

Neuheisel’s 20-4 record in his first two seasons were the fifth most wins at the time for a first-time head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division IA).

In his first season as a head coach (1995), Colorado finished fifth on both major polls. He guided the Buffaloes to a 10-2 record (the best ever by a first-year CU coach) and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl (a 38-6 win over Oregon), becoming the first rookie Colorado coach to take a team to a bowl game.

Neuheisel spent the 1994 season as a Colorado assistant coach under Bill McCartney after going to CU from UCLA.

Neuheisel spent six seasons (1988-93) as an assistant coach at his alma mater. During his final four years he tutored the wide receivers, helping to develop some of UCLA’s all-time great receivers, such as J.J. Stokes, Kevin Jordan and Sean LaChapelle. In 1993, Stokes helped the Bruins reach the Rose Bowl while setting school records with 82 receptions, 1,181 yards (since broken) and 17 touchdowns. LaChapelle made 73 receptions in 1991 and Jordan made 45 as a sophomore in Neuheisel’s last year (1993). In 1990, three Bruins – Scott Miller, Reggie Moore and LaChapelle – all made at least 35 receptions for at least 600 yards.

Neuheisel joined the UCLA staff full-time in 1988 and coached quarterbacks for two seasons, including NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman’s senior year (1988). Aikman earned consensus All-America honors and finished third in the Heisman Trophy race, completing a school record 228 passes (since broken) for 2,771 yards, a .644 percentage and a school record 24 touchdowns (since broken). Aikman was the No. 1 selection in the 1989 NFL Draft.

In 1986, he served as a volunteer coach and his major assignment was to teach the offense to a transfer from Oklahoma who had to sit out the 1986 season – Aikman.

The new Bruin head coach also played some professional football. In 1987, he played in three games with the San Diego Chargers and started twice. He completed 40 of 59 passes for 367 yards and one touchdown and also ran for a score. Against Tampa Bay, he completed 18 of 22 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown, setting a team record for completion percentage in a game (81.8%).

He also spent two seasons (1984 and 1985) in the United States Football League (USFL), playing with the San Antonio Gunslingers. In his rookie season, he completed 211 of 385 passes (.548) for 2,544 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Neuheisel began his collegiate career at UCLA (1979-83) as a walk-on, holding for place kicker John Lee, and earned the starting quarterback job during his senior season (1983). He led the Bruins to the Pac-10 title after a 0-3-1 start, earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors while completing 185 of 267 passes for 2,245 yards and 13 touchdowns. His completion percentage of .693 that season is still a school record. In a classic game against Washington, he completed 25 of 27 passes for a then-NCAA record .926 completion percentage in a 27-24 victory. That mark is still a UCLA record.

In his final game as a Bruin, he overcame food poisoning to lead UCLA to a 45-9 victory against Illinois in the 1984 Rose Bowl. He was named the game’s MVP after throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame for his efforts.

During his career, he completed 198 of 290 passes for 2,480 yards and 15 touchdowns and his completion percentage of .683 is also a school record.

Neuheisel earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 1984. In 1986, while he was tutoring Aikman as a volunteer, he attended law school at USC and earned his degree in May of 1990.

Born February 7, 1961 in Madison, WI, he grew up in Tempe, AZ, attending McClintock High School. He and his wife Susan, a UCLA graduate, have three children, Jerry, Jack and Joe.

Rick Neuheisel’s Head Coaching Record

Year School W L T Pct. Conf. Finish Bowl Rank (AP)
1995 Colorado 10 2 0 .833 T-2nd Cotton 5th
1996 Colorado 10 2 0 .833 2nd North Holiday 8th
1997 Colorado 5 6 0 .455 T-4th North
1998 Colorado 8 4 0 .667 4th North Aloha
1999 Washington 7 5 0 .583 T-2nd Holiday
2000 Washington 11 1 0 .917 T-1st Rose 3rd
2001 Washington 8 4 0 .667 T-2nd Holiday 19th
2002 Washington 7 6 0 .538 T-4th Sun
Eight Years 66 30 0 .688 7 Bowls 3 Top-10

Statement from UCLA Chancellor Gene Block
“I'm pleased to welcome Rick Neuheisal back into the UCLA family as head coach of UCLA football. Rick is a proven talent, and the right person at the right time to lead our program to great success, both on and off the field, which is always our expectation at UCLA. Rick understands what it means to be a Bruin, and I have every confidence that he will maintain a first rate program that continues to bring pride to the entire UCLA family for years to come.”

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING --

Dick Vermeil, Super Bowl and Rose Bowl (UCLA) winning coach:
“Rick is a great hire for UCLA. I feel that way because first, he is a Bruin and he played for and coached with one of the great coaches in Terry Donahue. I had the opportunity to broadcast a number of his games as a head coach and I respected how he handled himself. Being in the NFL for the last three years is like going to grad school and I think that will be a great asset to him as he returns to college. I am very excited about this decision.”

Tom Ramsey, College Football Analyst and former UCLA record-setting quarterback:
“Rick is a former successful head coach in the Pac-10 and Big 12 and he has been a Rose Bowl champion as both a player and head coach. He knows that it takes from top to bottom to be successful at UCLA, having been there as a player, assistant coach and now head coach. He is also well versed in the Pac-10, thanks to his four winning years as head coach at Washington. Rick is a dynamic individual and he will be embraced and supported by the Bruin alumni.”

Terry Donahue, College Football Hall of Fame Head Coach at UCLA:
“I think Rick is a great hire for UCLA. He knows the UCLA situation as well as anybody. Rick is a proven head coach with a very successful record in the Pac-10 and he will be able to compete with any team in the conference. He will do a great job in attracting some of the best football players in the country to Westwood. It’s great that they have kept it in the Bruin Family. A lot of the former players and alumni will be excited about this hire.”

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This isn't how it's supposed to work, for Nick Barnett. The Green Bay Packers middle linebacker generally gets attention for tackling other people ... not being thrown by, of all people, an NFL referee.

But that is how it's turned out.

If you were watching highlights last weekend, you saw Barnett grabbed from behind and almost slung to the ground by official Jim Quirk. The word "takedown" came up a lot.

Quirk was trying to break up a scuffle, but he was a bit more interventionist than your normal peacekeeper.

Odd thing is, Barnett has been a mainstay of the Green Bay defense for years now, but the A.B. Miller alumnus may have gotten more attention for this than anything he did while playing defense.

Find a link to the news story here.

Barnett played on what certainly was the most talented A.B. Miller football team, the 1998 squad that went 9-1 in the regular season, losing only to Fontana. If Eisenhower hadn't been forced to forfeit eight games (which included a victory over Fontana), Miller would won a share of its first Citrus Belt League title. Instead, Fontana won it outright by virtue of its victory over Miller -- and a forfeit win over Ike.

That Miller team had skill all over the field, to the point that Barnett was perhaps the sixth or seventh most-recognized player for the Rebels that year. He played tight end and safety, and was hurt for part of the season, too.

Anyway, I can remember Miller coach John Tyree telling me, a decade ago, that Barnett was the best player on the team, which was hard to grasp, considering how high-profile so many other guys were. But Tyree was correct, of course. Several of those Miller guys had decent college careers, but Barnett was the only one to get to the NFL.

Maybe the Packers can do something in the postseason that will help us forget Barnett being flung to the ground by a guy in a striped shirt.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Somewhere, in one of the L.A. News Group's "platforms" I had the NBA Development League's "Mad Ants" as being a Bakersfield team.

Correction:

The Mad Ants play out of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

And it makes at least a little sense, now. The name. It doesn't have to be about angry emmets.

Remember your American history?

Anthony Wayne was the name of a U.S. general during the Revolutionary War. His nickname was "Mad Anthony" ... apparently because the after-effects of a head wound (a musket ball taken at the Battle of Stony Point, in 1779) caused him to have epileptic seizures.

"Mad Anthony" later led a very successful war against the Indians in Ohio, and grateful residents of a city in next-door Indiana named a city after him. Fort Wayne.

So ... Mad Ants? Mad Anthony, see? "Fort Wayne Mad Ants."

And we thought it was ticked off insects. In Bakersfield.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 8:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Holy mackerel. The search for Karl Dorrell's successor as UCLA coach has turned into a farce.

Here we are, 25 days after Dorrell was dumped, six days after the Bruins played in the Las Vegas Bowl, and UCLA is still mucking around on this.

The latest, according to colleague Brian Dohn:

Rick Neuheisel and DeWayne Walker remain in the running, and UCLA chancellor Gene Block is interviewing John Harbaugh today.

Harbaugh, defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, is best known for being Jim Harbaugh's brother. And the only reason we can imagine why he's getting an interview today ... is the Bruins (or perhaps Block's) disenchantment with both Neuheisel and Walker.

For those not keeping score at home, the Bruins apparently have interviewed (or at least contacted) Steve Mariucci, Mike Bellotti, Chris Petersen (Boise State), Al Golden (Temple), Norm Chow and the three remaining candidates.

Bellotti was just messin' with the Bruins, looking for leverage (for more money/security) at Oregon. Chow and Golden removed themselves from the running when it became clear the Bruins didn't want them ... and Mariucci and Petersen apparently took a phone call and told UCLA not to bother.

Anyway, this has gone on forEVER. And none of the three remaining candidates is exactly perfect. I like DeWayne Walker, but he doesn't have head-coaching experience and Block and athletic director Dan Guerrero will catch heat if they hire him. Rick Neuheisel, former Bruin, has some fairly serious baggage from his days as coach at Washington and Colorado. And then there is The Wrong Harbaugh.

If the Bruins don't make an announcement tomorrow, Saturday, they may as well wait till the middle of next week, because their choice will be ignored amid the rush of sports news.

Or maybe that's how they want it, now that they've made such a mess of things.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sean Rooks, former Lakers and Clippers backup center, has been named interim coach of the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.

Rook takes over, after this weekend, for former UCLA head coach Jim Harrick, who was struggling (3-14) in Bakersfield but insisted he resigned "for personal reasons."

Rooks was a standout center at Fontana High School in the late-1980s, then went to Arizona and played for Lute Olson. As a freshman he was part of a group of reserves who cheered enthusiastically and were known as "The Gumbys."

Rooks was a second-round NBA draft choice but never quite panned out as a top-echelon player.

Not that he didn't make some serious money. He signed a seven-year, $13.4-million contract with the Lakers in the summer of 1996 -- just before the Lakers signed Shaquille O'Neal. Meaning Rooks didn't have to do much heavy lifting, behind Shaq, while making millions per season with the Lakers.

Anyway, I didn't know he was into coaching. To the point that he will be considered as a candidate to keep the Bakersfield job full time.

Following is the release from the D League offices in New York.

NEW YORK, NY -- Dec. 28, 2007 == The Bakersfield Jam today announced that head coach Jim Harrick will be stepping down due to personal reasons following the team's game Dec. 29 against the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

Sean Rooks, the team's assistant coach and a veteran of 12 NBA seasons as a player, will take over the reins as interim head coach. His first test will come on Jan. 4 when the team visits the Utah Flash.

Harrick posted a 19-31 record last season, but the team finished strong, recording a 6-2 mark to close the campaign. This year the Jam currently stand at 3-14.

"It is with great sorrow that I relieve myself of coaching duties with the Bakersfield Jam," said Harrick. "I'd like to thank the ownership group and entire organization for the opportunity to help bring such a high level of basketball to the people of Kern County. Despite our slow start this season, I am confident the team is heading in the right direction and my only regret is not finishing the job I started."

Harrick's distinguished coaching career spans five decades and includes a national championship won at UCLA, a national coach of the year award, three Pac-10 titles, an Atlantic 10 tournament championship and five West Coast Athletic Championships.

The native of Charleston, West Virginia, began his collegiate head coaching career at Pepperdine University in 1979 where he led the school to four NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1988 Harrick replaced Walt Hazzard at UCLA and won the national championship seven seasons later. He then went on to lead Rhode Island from 1997-99 and Georgia from 1999-2003. After his tenure with the Bulldogs he retired from coaching and worked as a college basketball analyst.

"We're sad to see a man with such a great coaching pedigree and ambassador to the sport leave the Jam. Of course, we respect his decision and will provide any support he needs throughout his future endeavors," said Jam majority owner Stan Ellis.

Rooks, 38 began his NBA playing career after starring at Arizona. He was the third selection in the second round of the 1992 draft by the Dallas Mavericks, the team with which he spent his first two seasons. The 6-10 former center also had stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets and Orlando Magic. He posted career averages of 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds.

The Jam has already embarked on a search for Harrick's permanent replacement, with Rooks one of the potential candidates. Harrick has agreed to assist the team in their search in any way needed.

The NBA Development League is the NBA's official minor league, and the first-ever basketball league with direct affiliations to NBA teams. Now in its seventh season the D-League's goals are to provide affordable, NBA-caliber entertainment to fans of its 14 teams, as well as continue to develop players, coaches, referees and front-office personnel for the NBA. As the single source for in-season player "call-ups" to the NBA, fans of the D-League enjoy the highest caliber of basketball played outside the NBA. In fact, former D-League players represented 10 percent of NBA players on 2007-08 opening day rosters, numbering 44 in total. In addition, the D-League has produced 25 percent of current NBA referees and 16 current NBA coaches, including head coach Sam Vincent with the Charlotte Bobcats. The D-League is an innovative and rapidly growing sports property that also serves as an experimental testing ground for new initiatives of the NBA and its teams, provides continuing education and professional development resources for its players, and is committed to serving its local communities through D-LEAGUE CARES and grassroots efforts.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another reason to ignore calls for college football championship tournament:

Bowl games!

The way the bowl schedule is structured now, we get a bowl game nearly every day for three weeks.

It wouldn't work like that, if we had a 16-team playoff. They would all play on weekends, etc.

I like this way. A lot.

Right this minute, Arizona State is playing Texas. Great matchup. I will be watching soon. How good is ASU? Is Texas as down as it seems?

Last night, we could see a fairly exotic matchup -- Purdue and Central Michigan. I mean, don't you want to know what Central Michigan looks like? I do. Honest.

Tomorrow night we have our choice of three games, with three more Saturday, etc.

Before we end this splurge with the BCS title game on Jan. 7 ... we will have had a chance to watch 32 bowls in 19 days -- from Dec. 20-Jan. 7. The only days with no bowls? Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Jan. 4.

Can't beat that with a stick. Good college football games almost every night! I love it.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Doug Stockham is well-known in the Inland Empire as one of the top prep basketball coaches of the past 30-plus years.

He won league titles with Riverside Ramona, Cajon, San Gorgonio and Westminster high schools.

His best teams probably were those he put on the floor at San Gorgonio from 1980 through about 1986. The 1981-82 team was particularly gifted, with Gerry Wright, Darryl Carter, Gilbert Quinbar, Pat Pruitt, Marvin Cash and Dave Sieger off the bench. That team went 29-1 and got to the CIF quarterfinals. The team he had the year before (Mike Jackson, Brad Miller, Vance Amador, Scott Bader, Wright) was 24-5 and also got to the quarterfinals.

Four of the guys off his 1981-82 team played major-college basketball, and Sieger eventually appeared in the NCAA championship game, playing for Oklahoma in its loss to Kansas.

Stockham, 65, has been a bit under the weather. He had heart surgery, twice, in October.

While working today on a piece for the Friday newspapers, I reached him at his mother's house in Fresno, where he is visiting for her 90th birthday.

He said the drive up was his first extended stint behind the wheel since his surgeries. But he's not ready to go back and see some prep basketball just yet.

"I'm not really ready to sit in the stands for two hours," he said. "I had a five-way bypass and I think two of them were probably from all the screaming I did as a coach."

Stockham said he went in for an angiogram at Redlands Community in October ... and before the day was over was in an ambulance to Saint Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, where the operation was performed. He was back in the hospital a few days later with a blood clot caused, he said, by the ends of two wires (used to stitch up his sternum) that were irrititating his heart.

He said can feel improvement now, seven weeks later. Another few weeks, he may be ready for more hoops.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

San Bernardino Valley College has had some top-flight men's basketball teams of late, but the current edition of Wolverines is 3-10.

That doesn't worry coach Gerry Wright, who is in his first full season leading the program.

"We're off to shaky start," Wright said. "Not like last year's team. We'll see who's ready to step up.

"I'm still very optimistic about league. Very optimistic. I really believe we've got guys learning positions and plays day in and day out ..."

SBVC returns only three players from last year, and two are this season's top performers: Johnny Barnes, a 6-6 forward who was first team all-Foothill Conference a year ago and is averaging a double-double (20.9 points, 10.6 rebounds); and shooting guard Louis Leonard who leads the state in scoring at 27.9 points per game.

"I'm relying on other guys to step up and learn the offense," Wright said.

SBVC opens conference play at home vs. formidable Antelope Valley on Jan. 5. "May as well start with the best," Wright said.

SBVC is No. 10 in the state in scoring, at 86 points per game. But keeping the other guys under 86 is proving to be a challenge.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Phil Jackson has never been keen to brag on young players. Actually, he resists it actively. He doesn't even like young guys on his team, typically.

But it's getting harder and harder for him to refuse to compliment Andrew Bynum, his 20-year-old center.

Bynum scored 28 points, a career high, in the Christmas Day victory over the Suns, and added 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.

Still, before and after the game, Phil was unimpressed. And I think it's about his not wanting Bynum to get smug and self-impressed. It wasn't long ago that the kid had trouble getting up and down the court without running out of gas.

Asked about Bynum's upper limits, Phil all but sighed before answering.

"When I was reviewing the tape and I heard (Lakers television announcer) Joel Meyers say, 'Get used to this, he’s going to be a 20 and 10 guy every night,' or something like that. That’s way too much pressure to put on this guy. Twenty and 10 is not even a mark we need to start prepping our audience for. Ten rebounds, yeah. Scoring-wise, he’s going to get points just being around the basket and getting feeds from his teammates. Like he is now.

"As his development comes, offensively, when he starts doing things where he can make moves and get a base and know where the spacing is ... those are all things that are going to come in time. Just have to wait. Right now, we’re pleased with the fact that he’s really a good defender and in the fact that he plugs the lane, does some good things on screen rolls at times and is effective at changing shots ... and the rebounds he gets are a big plus for our team."

Asked about his energy level, Jackson said, "He actually broke out in a run the other night, really, which is
something we’re always prodding him to get up and run. The other thing we’ve been working on is to take a charge. Those little things are developmental features of a player who has to be defensively sound. Get back on defense, gotta change the course of the game ...

"As a defensive center you have to do two things, take a charge and block a shot. And clog the lane. That’s part of it. Andrew is still learning those kinds of things. Those are the things we’re pleased he’s making attempts to do that. ... That was an area where he couldn’t quite break free and get out of the mode that he was in, that loaf that he was in, whatever."

Asked if he's in better shape, and how much impact his work with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has had:

"Andrew’s had a guy in here helping him work out. He’s had an effect on Andrew’s energy, working hard, putting him through paces five hours a day. Skill-wise, I don’t know what effect that guy has had on
him. Kareem, skill-wise ... there are things Andrew is learning from Kareem, but learning it, having to do it, recognizing, that process is slow."

Has he made a breakthrough?

"We just said last year that if he grows as much as he did from the beginning of last year and the end of last year, this season, you know, we can be competitive. We can actually think we can go out and compete and win some playoff games. We’re one third of the way through the season. We’ve still got a ways to go to see where’s he’s gonna be as far as his development. We’re really happy he can play the amount of minutes he can play."

About his lack of consistency:

"Everything has been done to accelerate Andrew’s development, from this organization bending over backwards to accommodate and we’re hopeful it doesn’t change the way he acts as a person. Some people
haven’t responded well because they’re too young and too pampered. Hopefully, Andrew is one of those guys who understand what the processis and grows into it."

Asked if someday the idea of trading Bynum for Jason Kidd would be ludicrous"

"It’s not ludicrous. Jason Kidd is an MVP player, a competitor to the gills. Any time a guy is a competitor to that level, there’s nothing that’s ludicrous about it."

Even after the game, Phil went out of his way to minimize Bynum's contributions.

"At the end of the year, if he is the MVP, then we'll say what a great year he's had."

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni wasn't as circumspect.

"Bynum killed us," he said. "I don't know if he's up and coming ... he's there. The guy scores 28 with 11, 12, 13 rebounds. I don't know. I hope he's not up and coming."

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I wouldn't even mention this, but it's the sort of thing you never see on television. Because the TV guys go straight to tip-off -- if not later.

Anyway, this one cool thing the Lakers have been doing for at least two seasons now ...

They drape enormous sheets of fabric from the overhead scoreboard/video board.

Since the video is a hexagon, the huge white sheets look almost like a movie screen.

And the Lakers project onto the screen ... through some technical magic ... about 4-5 panels of highlights from team history. Jerry West running off the court. Shaq pouring champagne. Derek Fisher's memorable 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds to play, vs. San Antonio.

They do it while the arena is darkened, and it makes for a powerful visual tool.

Anyway, the Miami-Cleveland just ended 10 seconds ago, and that means we're about to tip off here ... and none of you at home saw the pre-game. As per usual.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bill Walton, the chatty know-it-all (and onetime great NBA center) this morning on ABC's pre-game show declared the Lakers to be "the second-best team in the Western Conference. Behind the Spurs, who are the gold-standard."

Before the game, I relayed to Phil what Big Bill said, and asked him how much credibility Bill has.

"None," said Phil, to the laughter of reporters gathered round.

It is a bit difficult to place the Lakers that high, even if Bill is expressing some filial piety here, what with his son Luke playing for the Lakers.

Last time we looked, Phoenix, Dallas, Utah and Houston still play in the Western Conference.

Phil's quick reaction also could be a function of another Walton comment, this morning. When he declared Jackson to be "pompous and arrogant."

Hmm. Don't-invitems?

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If it's Dec. 25, the Lakers are playing.

The past three seasons it was the Lakers and Heat so we could revel in the Kobe-Shaq feud. Which was, in fact, a bit hot for a year there, then went tepid, and then the Heat turned into the Clippers of the Eastern Conference.

But the Lakers are still playing on Christmas Day. Must be Kobe and Phil and the possibility of celebrity sightings that amuses network TV.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, son of a minister, conceded to not being enthused about playing on Christmas. "But once the game gets going, you don't really notice anymore," he said.

The Lakers get the Phoenix Suns this time, and it should be a good barometer on how far the Lakers have come.

They trashed the Suns, in Phoenix, second game of the season, and have been competitive ever since. Be interesting to see if the Suns come out and try to run them into the ground ... or whether the Lakers' big men can slow things down and beat up the Suns down low.

One thing I'm rooting against: Overtime.

Christmas dinner is waiting me, and i plan to write (and file) quickly today.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And a very merry Christmas to you, too.

Every year, some sports organization isn't on board with the whole idea of holiday cheer and doesn't something rude on, generally, Christmas Eve. Like today.

This year, it's the Chicago Bulls and National Football League who get our Grinch awards.

The Bulls fired coach Scott Skiles. Sure, the team is 9-16 and underachieving, but how much of it is about the coach and how much about the early-season Kobe Bryant rumors? You remember that? When the Bulls struggled and fans were chanting "Kobe! Kobe!" I don't think the Bulls ever recovered from that.

To see the news story, click here.

The Bulls couldn't wait till Wednesday to fire the guy? I guess they just enjoyed the idea of letting the man go home and sit around with his family and wonder when he's going to get a job again.

Then we come to the NFL, which has the temerity to schedule a night game ... on Christmas Eve. I'm sure the players, coaches and fans appreciate that. Nothing like sitting in the cold for four hours when you ought to be sitting at home with friends and family. Not exactly a silent night.

The Broncos play the Chargers at San Diego tonight. Every other major-league pro sport is taking today off. The whole day. Which is right.

The NFL believes it is bigger than anyone and everything. Including religion.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For Sunday's newspapers I did a column suggesting/demanding that UCLA hire DeWayne Walker as their next football coach.

The key thing here ... is that the UCLA job is not one heavy-duty candidates want. That's why they have been ignored or spurned by all the folks with really impressive resumes. The Bruins have trouble paying top dollar, they don't pay their assistants particularly well, their facilties are second-tier, their admissions standards are starving them of talent, they play a few miles from the most powerful program in the nation ... and other than that, it's a great job.

So, they're down to three candidates, from what we can tell, and I like DeWayne Walker lots better than the fairly sleazy/cheesy Rick Neuheisel or the utterly anonymous (Temple coach?) Al Golden.

What surprised me is ... that people actually reacted to a column on UCLA football.

The most violent semi-informed reaction I know about ran on dumpdorrell.com ... where the anonymous writer suggested I don't have the journalistic right to make such a declaration. Clearly not understanding that I write columns, which are opinion/analysis pieces and, thus, not subject to the usual journalistic "fairness" concepts.

Anyway, people agitated about the Bruins' next FOOTBALL coach? I didn't know they had it in 'em. But go look at dumpdorrell.com, and you can see some.

The Bruins figure to finally fill this job by the end of the week. I sense Neuheisel is a slight favorite, mostly because I sense UCLA administrators fear the reaction from alums if they hire another guy with no history as a head coach (Walker, after Dorrell). A reaction they feel will be more extreme than if they hire a guy (Neuheisel) who left both Colorado and Washington under clouds of controversy.

Golden ... I don't think he's a real candidates. That would be an even tougher sell, with his 5-19 career record, than Walker or Neuheisel.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Patriots are 15-0 now, and they're going to go 19-0. I know it. It will happen. And it annoys me.

I'm pretty sure it also annoys most football fans. Most? Like, 98 percent of them who don't live in New England.

It ticks off NFL teams, too.

I made reference to this idea a week or so ago, but it hit me again today, and I'm going to suggest it again. Why the Patriots bug the NFL. And me.

The National Football League (and it's true at all levels of football, actually) really respects only those teams that are physically better than everyone else.

It's a physical game. A game of strength and speed and also of courage and recklessness. And if you run into a team that has oodles of that, and they just kick your butt up and down the field, you have to respect that. And football teams always do. "Man, they handled us."

The thing about the Patriots? They are the all-time finesse team.

That's not to say they don't have some tough guys, some people who can impose their will on your, mano a mano.

But what separates these Patriots from just about any team that ever existed is how the Patriots just out-wit you and carve you up with Tom Brady's short-range passing.

It's like being cut to pieces by a skinny little rapier, rather than hacked to death with an ax. Football people can accept the latter; the former enrages them. Death from a thousand cuts is not how they want to go.

Today, the Patriots actually ran for some yards, mostly because the Miami Dolphins are horrible. But even against the worst team in the league, the Patriots came out and passed on their first six, seven, eight plays. Because that's what they do. Pass. Dink. Nibble you to death with 4-yard passes.

It isn't a "manly" way to play the game. And I know, they don't give the Lombardi Trophy to the team that is the roughest and toughest. They give it to the team that scores the most points.

It's just that for nearly all of football's history, the team that scores the most also was the most physically imposing. These Patriots are not that. And it's unnatural. It's wrong. I hate it.

The Patriots defeated Miami 28-7. All that's left between them and a perfect season is the New York Giants. Then the roll through the playoffs, the inevitable rout of the NFC champ in the Super Bowl ... and it's going to bug me for years. If the '72 Dolphins are any indication ... it could be decades before another team is perfect. Ack.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 6:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At least the moon is full. It won't be massively dark out there.

I've made this trip dozens of times. Scores of times, maybe. Come to Vegas, see some significant event, write about it, drive back.

It can be tricky, leaving Las Vegas at 10, 11, maybe even midnight.

But there are good reasons to get outta this town as soon as possible.

First, well, I don't really like Las Vegas. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. I certainly don't want to pay to stay in a hotel, which are tough to get to, in terms of traffic, on a Saturday night, and loud and noisy.

Second, I prefer not to drive the next day. Why ruin TWO days with long commutes?

Third, if you don't get outta Las Vegas by about 10 a.m. on a Sunday, you risk getting stuck in the traffic jams that inevitably pop up on the 15.

There's nothing more frustrating than sitting at a dead stop on the 15 -- in the middle of the desert, with no on- or offramps anywhere to be seen. Just you and a few thousand other cars. Idling.

Flip side: I like driving at night, especially in the desert. It's usually clear, and you can see a million stars all around, as The Eagles would say, and even if the route is getting busier and busier ... there's still something inviting about blowing through Baker at 1 a.m., heading for Barstow and beyond.

And the challenge of "will I stay as wide awake as I need to?" is always interesting. It can be a battle, but I've made it back every time so far. Let's see if I can extend the streak by one more.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UCLA almost won this thing, and I certainly didn't see that coming.

The beaten-down, banged-up Bruins who all but laid down vs. USC ... showed up at the Las Vegas Bowl and played hard and played well, and would have upset the 17th-ranked BYU Cougars had not Kai Forbath's 28-yard field goal attempt as time expired been deflected.

To me, this means one thing:

DeWayne Walker should be the next UCLA coach.

It was Walker who took over as interim coach when Karl Dorrell was fired, and Walker managed to pull together a messed up team and get it to perform at something close to its peak against BYU.

UCLA's defense was daring and imaginative, as it has been all along during Walker's two seasons here.

But his imprint also showed on offense, where the Bruins were careful ... but took chances when they needed to. Such as on their final drive, when McLeod Bethel-Thompson -- the redshirt walk-on freshman last seen giving up four turnovers in the embarrassing loss to Notre Dame -- led the Bruins from their own 2 to the BYU 11 with five seconds to play.

That's when Kai Forbath came on, a guy who already had kicked field goals of 22, 52 and 50 yards, for a 28-yard try that may have been just a smidge low. A BYU defensive lineman stuck his hand in the air, and got just enough of the ball to direct it wide of the goalposts. And there was BYU's narrow victory.

Walker ought to be the next UCLA coach, and he may now have a chance to be it. He is scheduled to meet with UCLA chancellor Gene Block this week, the last step before potentially getting the job.

It appears as if the only candidates now are Rick Neuheisel, UCLA alumnus and former Washington and Colorado coach, and Walker.

Neuheisel is dogged by character issues and a couple of programs that he left worse off than he found them. But he has name recognition ... far more than does Walker.

That doesn't mean Walker shouldn't be the next coach. He should.

What we're about to find out is if Block and athletic director Dan Guerrero have the wit and wisdom to hire the best candidate -- who happens to be right under their noses.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's BYU 17, UCLA 13 at the half, and it shouldn't be this close. But BYU all but gave UCLA a touchdown on the final play of the half.

BYU fielded a punt at the 8, and one play later Harvey Unga fumbled when hit in the backfield by Brian Price. When BYU could have taken a knee at the 4 and killed the half.

The fumble was recovered by UCLA safety Dennis Keyes at the BYU 4.

After an incomplete pass by McLeod Bethel-Thompson, MBT found Brandon Breazell on a crossing pattern in the back of the end zone and threw a very nice ball -- for a touchdown.

I wouldn't expect UCLA to win this thing, because BYU has enormous advantages at quarterback and receiver.

But the Cougars have made enough ball-control errors to give the Bruins 10 points, and they're still hanging around.

And another thing: McLeod Bethel-Thompson isn't the athelte Osaar Rasshan is, but at least he can throw a football where he plans for it to land, and we can't really say that about Osaar.

Look for MBT to play in the second half. All of it.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 6:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BYU just took a 10-3 lead, and you have to wonder if this game is over.

The Bruins offense is a mess. They're interchanging their Nos. 3-4-5 quarterbacks, and Chris Markey is only semi-healthy at QB>

UCLA already got a turnover in BYU territory, and got only three out of it.

And now you have to wonder how the Bruins are going to score any more points.

The running game they used early is being choked off. BYU is daring the Bruins to pass, and Osaar doesn't do that. And nteither, apparently, does Bethel-Thompson McLeod -- who may have the weirdes quarterback name I've ever seen, but I digress.

Barring a special teams big play (always a possibility with Matthew Slater returning kickoffs), or a defensive touchdown, UCLA may be done scoring.

UCLA is taking over at its 24. McLeod Bethel-Thompson is still at QB. He can throw a little, but he has no mobility, and his entire experience is the Notre Dame game, which

We're wondering if Rasshan is hurt. UCLA spent a lot of time getting him ready for the game, and it seems odd they would give up on him so soon ... but who knows. They might have just decided he wasn't going to get it done. It's not like they haven't benched him before. (See: Oregon game.)

Oh, and another three and out, with Dominique Johnson dropping a well-thrown Bethel-Thomspon ball on what would have been a 40-yard gain.

Ack.

When was the last time the UCLA offense was this bad? Ever? Never? Sure, injuries, etc., but even taking that into account, they are seriously inept. To the point that we're almost halfway through the second quarter and UCLA still hasn't comoleted a pass.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With Ben Olson's knee still a mess, and Patrick Cowan out, Osaar Rasshan started for the Bruins at quarterback.

Rasshan is the Pomona Garey alumnus who started the season as a receiver ... after being recruited out of high school as a quarterback.

Rasshan played most of the first quarter, throwing one pass (incomplete) and handing off to Chris Markey well enough that the Bruins got a field goal on their first possession.

UCLA's first play appeared to be indicate they were going to run the spread offense, with Rasshan deep in the backfield, with Markey. But that is the only time the Bruins have been in the formation so far.

The rest of the quarter, Rasshan was lined up under center ... and the Bruins were struggling.

Then, on the last two plays of the first quarter, receiver Brandon Breazell took one snap at quarterback and McLeod Bethel-Thompson took one snap.

Meaning Rasshan may be benched, arleady ... and also meaning UCLA has played FIVE quarterbacks this year. If we count Breazell as the fifth, and we may as well -- he probably throws the ball better than Rasshan, anyway. Maybe Bethel-Thompson, too.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lots of traffic on the way up here. Took me more than four hours to do 230 miles or so, which surprised me a little.

Coming up here for boxing matches, over the years, I pretty much could count on doing it in less than three hours.

But it seems as if tens of thousands of SoCal residents have decided Las Vegas is the perfect place to spend part of the Holiday Weekend. I know because I had them in front of me, behind me, next to me all the way up the I-15.

Traffic was at a dead stop about 30 miles short of Baker. Which always kills me. No on ramps, no way the traffic can get any worse, and we're all stopped? I have trouble with the concept. How does that happen?

Sure, there was a wreck, eventually, but there were other serious slowdowns ... all the way to the Nevada state line, where we regained a third lane.

Anyway, Christmas in Vegas? I don't think so. I'm more of a Silent Night, Holy Night guy, and this is the antithesis of that.

Posted by Paul Oberjuerge at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First time I've ever seen a football game in Las Vegas, which means I'm at San Boyd Stadium.

Place holds about 36,000, and most of the seats seem to be filled, which is something of a surprise, considering it's a game featuring a 6-6 UCLA team.

But BYU always is a big draw here, so we've got some people watching.

Kind of an interesting place. It's nowhere near UNLV or The Strip. In fact, it's on the eastern edge of town, about halfway to Arizona, it would seem.

This is no glamor locale. Smallish, with little or no history. This isn't the Arroyo Seco; it's desert scrub.

But it's probably all Las Vegas really needs. Not prime real estate, so no one ever will covet the acreage it sits on. Not too big, so you don't need a big crowd to make the place feel crowded.

The NFL will never play here, and if UNLV's football team ever needs a stadium that holds more than 36,000 ... well, don't hold your breath.