Q&A time

How many B-Ball commits do you think we'll have for our 2009 class?

It seems as though Neuheisel has been slack in recruiting so far. Was he ever known as a good recruiter at Washington or Colorado, or is recruiting not one of his strong areas?

Where did you go on vacation?

Where do we stand on some of '09 studs of this years recruiting class? Is Shaq Evans still high on UCLA (last I heard is he was leaning toward $C after one of their camps)? Is Carroll still in play? Are either Kennard or Manti T'eo realistic hopes?

Welcome back. I liked that you summarized the things that happened while you were away in your first post-vacation post. Do you think you can start doing those summaries on a regular basis, like maybe at the end of each week or the end of each month. Like: "Here's a summary of things that happened during the month of X." What do you think?

Do you feel that UCLA's performance in the NBA Draft will have any influence on the headliners of this class? If so, who?

Any chance of a big-name or BCS school coming to Pauley on the TBD date of Wed. Dec. 17th?

If not so, any rumors as to who?

Welcome back. Hope all's well with the new addition.

Curious to know what your take was on Stan Love's comments regarding Howland's ineffective use of Kevin Love, broken promises, etc.

What is the recovery progress for key Bruin FB personnel including Bell and Olson? I read the Olson has been cleared to resume full physical activity. Thanks as always for your hard work.

Has Alex Stephenson given any indication when he will name a school? Do you where he is leaning?

How many scholarships does the football team have available for next year's recruiting class?

what is your take on our upcoming football season, any predictions? (i know your opinion will be geared towards accuracy, not hope). thanks!

How is ucla doing w/ josh smith, 10 bball recruit? Is bradley looking elsewhere since Snaer got an offer or does this tell us Jrue is one and done?

is it at all possible to conduct another poll regarding the content of this blog? while you were gone the blog was flooded with junk like olympic swimming and women's track, stuff NOBODY but jill cares about. PLEASE get rid of that mess, or at least conduct another poll. Thank you.

B Dohn, good to have u back. Still down the road a bit, but when they do finalize plans for the renovation of Pauley Pavilion, where do you see the the Bruins playing their home games? Staples' schedule might be too crowded and with the nat'l spotlight the program now receives...why would they want to play at the urinals that are the Sports Arena or the Forum? When the time comes, could you ask Dellins and Howland if they would consider the new state-of-the-art arena that AEG will have completed out here in Ontario. The Lakers are opening the arena in October with an exhibition game. Appreciate anything you can find out.

With the two recent de-commits from the local area do you see a scenario where Eric Scott is brought back into the program in some capacity?

There have been some rumblings from recruiting "experts" that Kendall Williams has been less than impressive this Spring. Although these evaluations should obviously be taken with a grain of salt especially since he's so young, have you heard if the UCLA staff appears to be upset with Williams' level of play? If so, do you think Howland will be more reluctant to give out verbal offers so soon considering that the two times he has done so (if Williams is in fact dissapointing) have ended less than favorably with Taylor King being the other example? Do you ultimately think UCLA and Williams may go seperate ways?

Do you know if 7 on 7s will continue next week? If so, where and for what field are they scheduled?

Any early info on how Ben Olsen is throwing (if he is) and how he and Craft compare so far. Any feelings expressed by the players about their preference?

Any news on Mata-Real or Mbah a Moute?

(1) How much of a chance do we have with the OL Phillipp and Martinez?
(2) I didn't read much in the blog about the 3-day camp we had for football a few weeks back. Do you have any news?
(3) Is there concern over losing two highly-rated recruits, even if the losses were not at a position of need?
(4) Has the Pressley and Randall Carroll talk of being "soft" to USC died down?
(5) I hear Vontaze Burfict is looking elsewhere...would he have the grades to qualify?
(6) Are Palacic and Howard on the hot seat to get some strong OL/DL recruits?
(7) Where do we stand with hoops recruits Gaddy and Avery Bradley?

Good to have you back and congratulations!

Is Cliff Harris a possibility now that we've lost 2 DB recruits?

Is Forcier going to be buried on the depth chart behind Crissman and Prince?

Have you heard anything about how the incoming freshmen are doing in the 7 on 7's? I know Kimbrel said Moutra was very impressive and looked as if he was going to be playing against UT on Spet. 1. What about the others?

Is Raymond Carter fully recovered from his knee injury? What have you been hearing about Dean and Knox's opportuinty to play this year? ( I know Dean is going to play, but how much... is knox going to redshirt)?

Is Rahim Moore competing for the starting FS spot or the corner position opposite ATV? Where do you see Datone Jones fitting in this year?

Why do UCLA fans and fans alike continue to be delusional about oral commitments they mean nothing until January? Also do believe RH is naive to believe recruiting starts in September and that recruiting out of state is as important to local?

Is Kyle Caldwell serious about walking on to the men's hoops team? If you recall, he's a 6'9" incoming freshman who already has a volleyball scholarship with the Bruins...

What are UCLA's chances with Marlon Brown. He said having great coaches is his deciding factor and he talked openly about how much he admires coach Chow. Is there a legitmate chance he ends up a bruin or is he too much of a "national recruit" for the UCLA.

Do you see UCLA offering Chris Coyle from Oaks Christian?

Do you think Aaron Hester will be starting the UT game on Sept 1?

Do you think Jonathan Franklin is a for sure redshirt this year or do you see him getting involved in the return game on special teams? It's no secret UCLA could use his speed.

It appears that all three incoming wideouts could be playing this year a lot. Do you get that same sense with the coaching staff?

Do you see Chris Forcier having an impact this year or is he going to ride the bench all year again? What is Chow's take on him?

Anonymous (whichever one you are):

Repeating what I said earlier, I love UCLA FB and Men's BB, but there ARE other sports on campus and there are those of us who actually enjoy watching and hearing about them. LAY OFF JILL!!!!!!!!!

Hi Brian, hope you're getting a little sleep now. There was some scuttlebutt on a Bruin Talk program last week that Kevin Love was in an altercation with some football players in a Westwood restaurant recently. Any idea what that was about??

Brian, why would Coach Howland "de devastated" if Aboya chooses not to return to the team?

one more question. are all or some of the b-ball and football recruits (for 08) on campus yet? thanks. welcome back!

Welcome back. While you were gone, I looked over your colleague, Scott Wolf's, USC blog. I was wondering if you could consider following Wolf's lead, and virtually abandon coverage of UCLA athletics, and instead focus on something insipid and only tangentially related to sports, such as the selection of Song Girls? Perhaps you could devote literally hundreds of posts and answers to "The Deadliest Catch"? That surely relates to UCLA, as I understand a player or two has visited Alaska (though it isn't nearly as insipid). What do you think?

Any word on when we could expect UCLA to unveil any plans for the Pauley renovation project? Is there any chance the "quiet period" will be ending any time soon? I've read previously that they wanted to move forward this fall, but I've heard a lot of things about the Pauley project over the last few years...

I live in Texas, and I plan on attending 3 home games this year. I will be going to the Tennessee and USC games, but I can't decide which other game to see.
Which other home game would be the most interesting/enjoyable for you?

Also, how much of a chance do you give UCLA of winning the season opener against Tennessee?

If coaches are not aloud to talk about recruits, how do we know which athletes have been offered and which ones have not? Is it the athletes who say an offer is made?

Last year USC signed 10 OL/DL, while UCLA only signed 5 (including D. Edwards JC). It seems that this is a down year in California for linemen. Do you think UCLA will sign Martinez, Phillip, Hasiak, or other highly rated linemen? Will finding quality OL/DL be a problem this year?

As you know, Dan Guerrero was recently named chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee. There has been buzz for a while that Guerrero has aspirations for "higher office" so to speak, with the NCAA, Pac-10, etc. Have you spoken to Dan about this? Do you know what his plans/desires are? Any idea what the timeline might be?

With Sheller out for the year, who is likely to get first crack at his vacated starting offensive tackle spot? Do you see the loss of Sheller as a huge blow to the offense? Is there a significant drop off in talent between Sheller and the second string tackles Harris and Bennett?

What are UCLA's chances on Martinez, Hasiak, Su'Filo, Phillip, and Siddoway?

Some fans are dissapointed at the small number of football commitments so far. Is it merely a situation where the coaching staff is being very selective in offering recruits or is there reason to be alarmed?

Who is going to take the Blade's number on offense???

This past year, Westbrook and Luc were considered the best defensive players on the team and were generally assigned responsibility for guarding the toughest offensive players on the opposing team. Who do you see taking over the role of defensive leader on next year's team?

Welcome back!!! UCLA has added a 3 or 4 star qb to the roster the last few seasons with Forcier and Crissman, as well as Craft. How excited should fans be that brehaut committed given the apparent talent already at the position? Also are there any D-line recruits considering UCLA?

Welcome back Brain! What are UCLA's chances of landing basketball recruit Michael Snaer?

Brian, do you feel that UCLA will have to perform on the football field in order to persuade this years recruits to commit? Also, am I off base when I feel that UCLA will most likely end up with a not so 'glamorious' recruiting class this season, but will end up with very stellar classes within the coming years. From what i read about our camps and etc. i feel that UCLA is really coveting top notch undersclassmen, sometimes at the expense of recruits of this years class.

Has Chace Stanback picked his eventual destination?

Also how has Kevin Craft looked thus far in voluntary 7 on 7's?

Can you name 3 currently un-committed recruits whom you think will ultimately wind up playing football for the Bruins?

welcome back Brian. Regarding Kevin Love, even though he was a #5 pick, do you think he will be an impact pro? What are you hearing from pro scouts about what KL showed during workouts? And what might Luc think about being drafted by the Bucks?

what classes are arron afflalo taking?

the usc blog constantly talks about the song girl, what do you have to say about the ucla dance team?

Do you enjoy covering UCLA? Do you consider yourself a UCLA fan? I know your heart seems to be in New Jersey.

any update on Stanback's transfer?

Welcome back Brian!! how was crab fishing?

How come the media had so much coverage of Mario Danelo's (so cal punter) death, but hardly gave any coverage, other than a little blurb, about Marcus Cassel's death?

Welcome back to civilization! Did you miss all of us monday morning quaterbacks?

I was just wondering what you think of the olympics. Do you pay attention or even care about them?

What is your favorite event?

Thanks and welcome back!

It is nice to have you back. Do you think the football staff has been slow in offering recruits? Who do you think will be the next to make a non-binding oral commitment to play CFB at UCLA?

Pat

Welcome back Brian,

Is UCLA recruiting Renardo Sidney and Lance Stephenson hard or hardly?

Also, are UCLA's chances of landing Michael Snaer, Elijah Johnson or Tyler Honeycutt looking good?

thanks again for taking questions from the peanut gallery.

What are your thoughts on Westbrook going 4 to Oklahoma (then Seattle) and Love going 5 to Minnesota (thru Memphis)? Did those picks surprise you and do you think the players will make an impact as rookies? What did you hear from scouts about both players?

What effect, if any, do you think Westbrook and Love being top 5 lottery picks in the NBA draft will have on Howland's ability to land future phenoms? The NBA is, after all, their dream right?

First of all welcome back ! It hasn't been the same since you have been gone . No question , just Hello !

Brian, welcome back. The Bruin fans definitely missed your reporting. I hope some realize how much you do for the fans and stop complaining. Have you heard anything about the OL situation from the coaches? Is it assumed that Harris is the next in line for the RT position & is he ready? Are OL actively involved in the voluntary workouts that are going on now & how do they look?

Any word on Alex Stephenson's transfer status?

How has Antwon Moutra been doing in the 7 on 7's? Is he playing receiver or defensive back? What about the other two Rosario and Johnson as well?

How are the four incoming defensive backs doing? How many of them do you see playing this year?

Do you see Reginald Stokes or even Datone Jones/Damien Holmes taking away Bosworth or Blake's starting spot at DE?

How do Akeem Ayer's chances of landing a starting OLB spot look right now? Who is ahead of him and do you think he should be a starter?

Can you give any insight on the recruitment of Devon Kennard and where he may likely end up? Is it most likely an ASU/USc battle or do the bruins have just as good a shot?

Why has UCLA not offered Jemari Roberts and Daniel Jenkins? What's the hold up?

Is there a realistic shot at UCLA offering the JC WR Chris Matthews?

Do you know if any of the current football commits as of now are wavering? I don't get the sense from Capella's interviews that he's completely sold on UCLA as a school so much as the opportunity to play early.

Is James Jackson going to be taking another visit to UCLA or is he completely sold on the Buckeyes?

Could there be a change of heart for Cierre Wood or is he going to stick with the irish?

Does Dalton Hilliard have a shot at receiving a UCLA offer? If so would he commit?

What's going on with Jeff Miller? He looked like he was going to be s stud at DE coming out of HS but he's been moved around never used. Do you ever see him starting during his career at DE or is he just a career backup?

If you had to pick one player who the average fan doesn't know about to have a breakout year on the football team who would it be?

Why are you so uptight about people arguing on the blog? How can people argue without "attacking other posters?"

How interested is Orson Charles in UCLA?

Do you have any info. on Reggie Dunn? Is he still intrested in UCLA? Thanks for all your hard work and it is nice to have you back.

Do you have any new info. on Reggie Dunn. How are his grades or does he still have intrest in UCLA. Thanks for all your hard work.

Any update on Reggie Dunn's attempt to qualify?

With Edwards likely to obtain the grades necessary to be awarded a scholarship in August, is it safe to assume that the team is now at 84 scholarships and that a scholarship is therefore available for him? Has Pat Cowan taken a medical retirement and thereby freed up a scholarship?

Last year it seemed that an unusually high number of the top high school players in California met the academic requirements necessary to be recruited by UCLA. Does there seem to be a smaller number of the top local high school players this year with the academic grades and test scores necessary for UCLA? Might this be one reason why recruiting seems to be going slower this year?

why couldnt you disclose the west coast school for stanback right away? its interesting

How are we faring with Craig Roh as a DE prospect?

What are the updates on Keenan Graham and Shaquelle Evans? Is UCLA actively recruiting Boseko Lokombo?

Does UCLA plan on offering Marlion Barnett and Everett Benyard?

What have you heard on Isaiah Bowens in terms of how good of a football prospect he is? He has gone under the radar on rivals and scout and seems to stay away from the "media" as much as possible? Basically do you think UCLA is getting a D1 caliber talent with him?

We always talk about player development, but in your opinion, how has Ben Howland developed and matured as a coach since he's been at UCLA?

Also, Westbrook did an amazing job to fill the role of our best defender when Afflalo left. Do you see anyone stepping up next year to fill Westbrook's shoes?

Are the bruins planning on offering Noel Beckles and Justin Brown in order to address a need at DT? Or does the coaching staff not consider them UCLA caliber recruits?

Is Raymond Carter the safest bet in terms of assuming who the starter will be against UT?

Is Milton Knox expected to be involved in returning kicks and punts this year?

Is Dominique Johnson an NFL caliber receiver? He has improved so much from just the beginning of last season to now. At the start of last season nobody even knew who he was and if he would get in the rotation but he climbed the depth chart and is expected to be the go to guy this year. (I'm sorry but i just can't help and mention how sweet the catch vs USC was last year).

you mentioned that there was a collison sighting at the men's gym. when are good days/times to watch pick-up games at the men's gym?

Can you please predict whether or not [fill in the blank] will commit to UCLA? Can you tell us the next three commits for UCLA football, in alphabetical order? Also, exactly how many games will UCLA basketball win, and by what scores? Finally, is it possible to ask you worse questions, or should I just be asking for stock tips?

What time are the basketball scrimmages at the Men's gym?