Air Neuheisel
I have more on this in Monday's paper, but UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel used flair in recruiting Friday when he used a helicopter to get from one game to another. I spoke to Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga quarterback Richard Brehaut, who played in one of the games Neuheisel was going to, and he was impressed, and stunned, about it.
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About Inside UCLA
This is Brian Dohn's sixth season covering UCLA after spending 4 1/2 years covering the Dodgers for the Daily News and other Los Angeles Newspaper Group papers. He graduated from Rutgers, where the first college football game was played in 1869. Sure, the Scarlet Knights suffered for a long time, but now RU is doing what Jerseyans always thought was possible. Winning at Rutgers also proves winning is possible everywhere else in the nation, so underachieving coaches better be careful. Now, if only men's hoops can turn it around.
hahaha
OK, that's a little over the top, both figuratively and literally.
(How about all those global warming gasses, huh Rick?) Not even for my beloved Bruins is such a mode of transportation necessary.
I love it. What ever takes lets get this going. We aren't going to play second fiddle to south central any longer. Nice job RN!
Great idead, but he doesnt need to impress guys who've already commited. He should do this in Utah for Martinez, Sua-Filo, and in San Bernadino for Phillip. I believe he went to the Los Osos - Bishop Amat game?
i was at the Los Osos/Amat game and i saw the helicopter circle the stadium 2 times with the spotlight shining..... My wife and I thought it was a police helicopter looking for someone. LOL
I am impressed and stunned as well! I thought the LAT was kidding about the helicopter but I guess it was true. Amazing.
Rick did show up at the end of the Amat/Los Osos game as there are a couple UCLA commits (Brehaut, Price) playing in that game as well as one who was hurt (Bowens). Recruiting players doesn't stop until LOI day and you always want to make the best impression on underclassmen.
Was I the only one who thought after reading, "Neuheisel used flair" that he wore a bunch of pins on his vest? :)
Brian, where does the money come from to pay for this costly helicopter ride? We all know this is not cheap, it had to cost in the THOUSANDS of dollars. Did our tax money pay for this? Or did it come out of the UCLA football booster payment fund? If we, the taxpayers, and footing the bill, this is all such foolishness. If the boosters are paying for it, then no problem.
Can you get us an answer on this please?
Take a deep breath. Our tax dollars pay for zero athletic expenses. It's a self sustaining entity.
More than likely the helicopter belongs to a wealthy donor and cost the athletic department nothing.
Any truth to the rumor he was carrying a cane while wearing an ascot, top hat and monocle?
Completely off, he was wearing Army gear while blasting "Ride of the Valkyries."
As he stepped out of the helicopter and struck a triumphant pose, a recruit yelled "I love the smell of desperation in the evening, it smells like... booster money"
Neuheisel is awesome. Pete Carroll is a joke.
I agree with VB. Pete Carroll is a horrible recruiter.
I love it when Trojies use the "taxpayer money" card....as if all the federal grants USC receives aren't taxpayer money, LOL.
Brian,
Assuming BruinGuy's statement is true and that a donor probably paid for the helicopter, is that within NCAA regulations? I was under the impression that boosters weren't even allowed to pay for overpriced meals for recruiting purposes.
I gotta think that a helicopter costs a bit more than a good prime rib.
Why, on God's green earth, would I just assume BruinGuy's statement is true? Especially when it begins, "More than likely."
My goodness, think for a second folks. UCLA has a recruiting budget. They can spent it however they want to. The cost for a helicopter ride is minute for a program that NETS the athletic department in excess of $15 million annually.