Answers, Part I
Hey, folks. I want to start by wishing everyone a Happy New Year!. I hope the holiday season treated you and your families well. I had a lot of fun spending the holidays with my family.
As I get to the questions, there are a bundle of them. I guess not having a Q&A last week left for a lot of questions this week, so I will break the responses up over today and Saturday.
Also, and this always amazes me (or people are messing around and wasting my time), that a number of folks cannot keep their questions under 50 words, and others had to ask about who the next defensive coordinator would be. Those questions were deleted.
Now, onto the first set of answers:
Brian, about recruiting, do you think defensive players who committed to UCLA or were leaning that way might defect now that Walker has left the nest? Wasn't he the reason UCLA was able to attract top-level recruits on defense thanks both to his success at UCLA and elsewhere (USC, NFL)?
I've been a away for a bit, but I do not think DeWayne Walker's decision to leave will have a huge impact on recruits already committed to UCLA. One thing coach Rick Neuheisel did was to make sure the kids were committing to the program, not a coach. Given these are high school kids, I'm sure some will waver or look at other options, but Walker's departure was not a surprise, so I don't think it will have a big impact.
Will Shipp get his outside jumper back? He scored 16 against LA Tech, but most on dribble penetration, transition, or mid range pull ups.
Define 'back.' He entered the season as a 31 percent 3-point shooter, so it was not as if he was slumping terribly. He wasn't a 45 percent shooter. His points should come in transition, off being around the basket and by being able to penetrate and shoot.
Do you agree that Neu has ruled out Norton? (Hopefully).
I never rule anything out, and I don't think Nueheisel does, either. Otherwise, he would never have landed Chow. I think Norton is an extreme long-shot, but I will not rule him out.
Do you think Pete's nice compliment to DW was sincere? Or a back-handed wrap on the rest of the UCLA program?
Both. I still believe one of the reasons Pete Carroll told Walker not to take the job was because he knew Walker was a good coach and could recruit. Carroll has a lot of respect for Walker, but is smart enough to take a veiled shot at UCLA because he is so competitive.
Do you see any recruits announcing a commitment to UCLA during the Army or UnderArmour All-American games?
Not that I'm aware of, but surprises do happen.
Why do you like Chick-Fil-A so much? I used to live about 2 miles from one in Orange but never went. I now live in Utah and we don't have any here. Did I miss out some sort of greatness?
Because it is delicious, deep-fried fun. I ate there a number of times while I was in Birmingham, and let me say this; one time I had it without the pickles (they evidently ran out) and it wasn't the same. And, yes, you did miss some sort of greatness.
If you had to choose a starting tailback for 2009 based on what you've seen in games and practice, who would it be?
I would give Milton Knox a shot, but I am curious to see Christian Ramirez and Jonathan Franklin. I would make Derrick Coleman a fullback/tailback.
Do you believe Norton's accusations?
It seems kind of weird, but I think there is something there. I know it has been talked about a lot for the last year, but I don't see a UCLA coach going into a home and saying something like that. But it may have happened.
How was the relationship between coach RN and DW???
It was very good. Neuheisel let Walker do his thing, and Walker had autonomy over the defense. I don't think the relationship was a reason Walker left. He wanted to run his own program and believed he was ready to do so.
9 Comments
Leave a comment
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.
Hey Brian, The blog is one of my favorite places to visit in internetland, thanks much.
Surprised that Aundre Dean didn't even get a mention as a possible starter in 09. Why is that?
Agreed.
It's nice to have a source of information that isn't all about speculation, rumors and 'creating' wild elaborate stories based on nothing.
At first, I didn't appreciate the way you reported the truth in such a straightforward fashion. Now, after following your blog for a while, I have a much better perspective on UCLA athletics. I also realize that your inside info is as good and reliable as it gets.
Another fan of good straight info on the programs. I have a feed on my RSS toolbar to keep an eye on updates. Thanks for all the hard work Brian.
Brian - "It seems kind of weird, but I think there is something there" Isn't the more appropriate answer "There is no way that I could know". You're a class guy but I think you slipped on this answer.
Highlander,
Perhaps you are correct, but in answering 200+ questions this week, I cannot always come up with the perfect sentence. I don't pretend to be perfect.
Brian - understood. I think your effort and information are amazing and I get a lot of enjoyment from the blog. Just felt I needed to say something on this one.
Hi Brian,
I am an older bruin fan (class of '84 and again in class of '87), so I have been around for the Donahue years, and beyond. I have immensely enjoyed your blog and learned a great deal of technical information from it. I have to say that many commenters give credit for some sports figures having "class". What strikes me repeatedly in your comments is that you, Brian Dohn, seem to provide very erudite and reasonable comments. I guess that means you are a "class guy". Thank you very much for what you do!
John W.
Chick-Fil-A is kind of creepy. They hand our Bible verses and stained glass window puzzles as toys in the kids meals.
Chick-fil-A is also closed on Sundays to observe the Sabbath. I mean, seriously, who does that anymore?