Olson's future
In talking to UCLA QB Ben Olson, he admitted his best hope to play against for the Bruins was if they qualified for a bowl game. He wouldn't say he was done playing during the regular season, and is holding out hope for a recovery in time for USC, but he acknowledged that was unlikely.
However, he is hoping his football career is not over. He said he is confident that, if healthy, he will get some workouts or NFL teams.
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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.
I wish Ben Olson the best of luck. His entire career at UCLA was marred by injuries -- one after another. Perhaps he will get some workouts for NFL teams. As for his playing days at UCLA, they are over. Even if he could play in a Bowl game (should we win out and become eligible), he should NOT be given significant playinf time. First, he has no eligibility remaining after this year and Craft does. While Craft may not be the starter in 2009, he will certainly be in a back-up role. We should let Craft finish what he started. Second, Ben would be very rusty if he did play. And when he was un-rusty (or rustless or sans rust) he was never that effective. Finally, if he does have NFL aspirations, he should rest his foot. As he now knows, 5th metatarsal fractures are S-L-O-W to heal. I had an avulsion fracture of my 5th metatarsal playing basketball with VB, JB and others a few years back (maybe 3 years). I STILL feel a twinge now and then in my foot. It took a solid year before I was without daily pain or discomfort.
So, adieu Messieur Olson, adieu!
Olson will get ZERO interest from NFL teams. Not a single workout or anything. Teams won't even talk to his agent. In fact, I seriously doubt any agent would even waste his time taking on Olson as a client. If he can't handle the rigors of college, then he won't be able to handle the rigors of the NFL. If he's too slow and immobible for college, then he's embarrassingly too slow and immobile for the NFL.
If UCLA makes it to a bowl game Kevin Craft will have earned his right to play in it.....
good luck Ben! shouldn't have ended this way...
Cynic nailed it! Once again, razor sharp analysis there! Only the mobile QBs succeed at the NFL level. Look at Kurt Warner, Ben Rothlisburger, Carson Palmer, Payton Manning, and all the others. Those guys are running fools!
So, if Olson DOES get a workout with a single NFL team, we'll then know that Cynic is indeed a dork...oh wait...
Cynic and others, what do you personally gain by cutting down a kid who has apparently done nothing but worked his tail off to make his dreams come true? I just don't get it. How about wishing him luck? Or does that somehow hurt you or yours?