Answers, Part II
Here is the second set of answers:
Good chance Billy Sanders flips this weekend?
What would be better than good? That would be my answer. (Though nothing is ever guaranteed).
Some people have suggested that Randall Carroll is starting to lean towards UCLA because of a fondness for Neuheisel. Have you heard anything like this?
I have heard Carroll really likes Neuheisel, as does Carroll's family. I also heard that some of the UCLA's current players have done a really good job with Carroll.
No question here. I want to congratulate you on being the most popular blog at the Daily News. I don't believe it's necessarily because of us UCLA fans but more so because you work hard and seem to spend 24/7 informing your readers. Keep up the good work.
Lot's of people have written nice things about the blog's success, so I wanted everyone to know they play a part in it. Without interested parties, regardless of the information, there wouldn't be this much success. So, again, thanks to everyone who helps make this thing a success.
Now you've opened a can of worms: If you were marooned on a deserted island and could only eat either Chick-fil-A or Papa Johns until you were rescued...which would you choose?
Can I get PapaJohns with Chik-fil-A on top of it? If not, I'm going with Papajohns, but if Rutgers wins the Chik-fil-A bowl before I get stranded, I reserve the right to change my mind.
I saw that Roby Toma won the WR Hands Competition last week at the Under Armour All-America High School Festivities last week. Is he going to take an official or unofficial visit to campus?
Toma told me a while ago he was going to take a visit. I know some folks are coming in next weekend, so perhaps he will be one of them. I will check.
Trying to plan my trip to Knoxville for our roadie against UT next year, but heard that the game may be moved to Labor Day, as it was in '08, to accomodate t.v. Can the Morgan Center confirm the Sept. 12 date? If not, when will gameday be finally decided?
Last I heard ESPN backed off of that and wasn't going to do it. However, I would wait until March, when ESPN usually has it's the opening weekend solidified, before making any concrete plans. Right now I'm hearing it will be Sept. 12.
You mentioned you didn't write the headline for your story the other day about Chuck Bullough. Why does someone else get to write the headline for YOUR story? (And you were right, the headline was somewhat misleading)
That is the way the newspaper business has operated for decades upon decades. The theory is someone not immersed in reporting the story can read it and write a headline that accurately depicts the story they just read. Sometimes it doesn't work out that way, but nobody I know ever bats 1.000.
Although I find Jeff Strand to be a little bit annoying (and pretty sketchy to still want to be a cheerleader at his age notwithstanding his enthusiasm), I am curious about not only your take on him and what he does but how visiting schools view him.
I don't know how visiting schools look at him, but I know most people I talk find his gig tiresome, and a bit lame. I think it is time to make a change there, but I keep hearing he is popular with some of the big boosters, and UCLA won't want to tick those people off. Therefore, I think he will be around for a while.
I just thought of this...since USC is also searching for a defensive coordinator, does that at all complicate things for Neuheisal? Do you think there are guys he had his eye on---like Norton (just kidding, or maybe not...)--that would be more attracted to the SC position?
USC already hired a defensive coordinator, but I didn't think it would complicate the matter because the two schools want two different things. Pete Carroll is a defensive whiz (so I am told), so USC's defensive coordinator will play second fiddle to him. Neuheisel gave complete autonomy to DeWayne Walker last season, so I think Neuheisel wants someone who will run the defense. Neuheisel is an offensive guy.
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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.
Brian,
Late question, but have you heard anything about us pursuing TCU's Defensive Coordinator? Thanks
"Neuheisel is an offensive guy."
Didn't know that... How does he offend you?
It would be great to get Randall Carroll and Devon Flourney from USC. These two gets would add to the BUZZ already created with Presley switching teams.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sondheimer9-2009jan09,0,6859436.column
If Dohn was stuck on an island, he would be eating steak and crab and watching DirecTV because the UBTA would be with him.
^ mancrush ^
Due to my nature I can never be stuck anywhere so I would stop by and visit from time to time and work on my kitty tan
I honestly don't understand the criticism of Geoff Strand. He bleeds blue and gold, and is a great guy - that's good enough for me! He is able to get the fans up and cheering, which the undergrad cheerleaders can't/don't. I suppose those who want to sit in quiet to watch the game might object, but I couldn't care less about the opinions of those people.
There is much more to writing a headline than just thinking up some words to put in the paper above a certain story.
Copy editors write headlines (usually, though I don't know any paper that operates otherwise). They are trained and more skilled at writing headlines than reporters.
Headlines also must fit into the space that is designed for it. (Done by page designers. And the space is budgeted by editors.)
Reporters' jobs are to report and keep track of their beats day in and day out. Unless they dual as a copy editor, do not have time to come in and do a copy editor's job and write headlines. And even if they were, they would not write a headline for their own story for the reason Dohn stated above.
I'm sure I didn't explain that clearly enough. But just wanted to give a hint of why reporters do not write their own headlines.
Re Geoff Strand: I gotta pretty much agree with Malibruin4 above. I've had season tix since the Bruins first year in the Rose Bowl. GS may not be the best cheer guy in the world, but he a heck of a lot better than anyone else UCLA has thrown out there in the last 25 years. The "student" cheer administrators are pretty pathetic. I cant even hear them half the time and they start cheers at very inappropriate moments quite often. At least you can hear GS, you know whats coming next in case you wish to participate and he usually picks good spots to start his cheers. Until we find a better mousetrap, leave the guy alone.
Malibu,
I agree with you. Geoff's passion, commitment and loyalty to the program can not be questioned. No matter who was leading cheers, they would be liked by some and not by others. In my opinion Geoff has earned his spot with this program.
RicoBruin
Geoff Strand is unique. His act is not to everyone's taste, but he is certainly a person to be admired. He was on the UCLA Crew AND a cheerleader...for those of you who had a bit of trouble balancing your academic and social schedule in Westwood, try to figure out how in the world he did it! He was a member of the Pac-8 championship crew in 1970, beating West Coast giants Cal and UW. He's been leading the alumni section since 1976, and he loves what he's doing. If he's not your cup-of-tea, then ignore him. Don't dis him unless you know him.
Re Strand: Fair enough, he bleeds blue and gold, and the student cheerleaders aren't as effective.
Still, everyone I know is completely annoyed by him. Friends from visiting schools make fun of UCLA because of him. And please, don't try to impress me by saying he was actually a cheerleader. Cheerleading is for girls.