Gotta have heart

Can someone check Collison's pulse? I just don't feel like he's dominating the way he could or should this year? What's wrong with him?

Perhaps we need to hire someone to clean up the underbelly of the Basketball team also. Being a die hard Bruin sports fan is not very much fun these days. I thought we had the coaches in place to get it done. Howland still has my support but CRN isn't getting it done.

CBH needs to loosen up his grip on the offense and let them just run and create, kind of like Memphis last season. He seems so set on his dull, unimaginative, and fairly predictable offense that it isn't too surprising that opposing defenses don't have that much trouble guarding us. Overplay the perimeter and don't worry about the interior since we have no inside game to speak of and that has been a hallmark of Howland's Bruins teams. KLuv (and even Westy) last year got his points despite the offensive scheme which still depended way too much on perimeter shots than attacking the heart of the defense. I understand that Howland's focus was on the ASU and UDub games and look at the result. Even the WSU game would have been a loss had it not been for DC taking it upon himself to win the game. I think it's time to consult the Wizard as to how to run a motion offense.

Well, at least USC represented for the Southland up in the state of Washington.

Brian, I read in the AP story that Drew Gordon injured his knee. Could you let us know to what extent and how's he doing?

Wow, that quote is pretty heartbreaking. We don't have an inside game, we don't have a reliable go-to guy, we don't have consistent shooting, and now we don't have heart?!!!!! Come on Bruins, regroup and finish the regular season ON FIRE! Collison's gotta lead by example. He looked deflated, tentative, and tired at the end of the game. He's our team leader, so the heart's gotta start with him.

I take what a freshman says with a grain of salt. UCLA wants to win and its players want to win, they just are not executing right now.

When you talk to an emotional young kid, god bless him, but all he knows to blame a loss on is heart.

In the preseason, people predicted a rebuilding year, yet they expect something different? THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! We lost some major talent, as well as some guys that did the dirty work to help us gut out games. Replacing that with freshmen, even talented freshmen, is difficult to do. Predictably, our team lacks an identity...

Next year, the rebuilding stops and freshmen become sophomores. We'll have to replace DC, but I think the Bruins will be much better (especially with some physical maturation for Drew Gordon and Malcom Lee). If JRue comes back, we dominate the Pac10.

Howland isn't going to win it every year guys, get off his back.

We just want him to win it once!

DT - What? Who predicted a rebuilding year? This team was in the top 5 in the country in initial polling. That doesn't scream "rebuilding."

On a positive note, the Bruins may well be the best 32 minute team in the country.

Anonymous 6:03, basketball games don't happen solely on Saturday afternoons. The Bruins and the Trojans each went 1-1 on this road trip. If you want to figure out who's representing the Southland in Washington, try again!

the replacements

If the Bruins are going to do any damage, they need to develop Bobo and Gordon by tournament time. Time to start giving them more minutes and Aboya fewer.

6:30

Typically, when you see a preseason writeup about a team ranked #5, they talk about a shot to win it all. All the magazines and many of the talking heads predicted the Bruins MAY make it back to the Final Four if the cards fell right. No one predicted a challenge for the title. Ben Howland himself stated that this would be a huge challenge, and that you don't just replace 3 NBA starters in one year, and that his team was very young. This pretty much equals rebuilding, no?

I did expect the Bruins to be playing better by now, and to wipe out the Pac 10 in a down year. The defense, in particular, has been my biggest disappointment, as even a struggling offense can get a boost with timely steals or forcing bad shots.

To say we don't have heart is rather extreme, but maybe Drew knows something.

What we DON'T have is a sense of urgency, but folks, didn't we always know that. One hallmark characteristic of our guards from Farmar to Jrue is that sense of calm. It is partially the personality of our guards, but we cannot dismiss the possibility that Ben breeds that into his leaders through his calculated, blue collar schemes. If that methodical running of the offense is emphasized, it is hard for players to change midstream.

Similiarly, it would be hard if not impossible for Ben to change a philosophy he has built for years.(the new schemes that dook is running now,,,that isn't K's, it's D'antoni's)

CBH obviously runs a tight ship, but it's time to let the young bloods loose. Get some offensive flair into the game plan. Let the boys fly, Ben! What've you got to lose????

I was at the game and thought UCLA had a clear talent advantage at least at half the positions and were clearly better shooters. But they dodn't look young to me, started three seniors and a junior. I am not sure I know of another team anywahere with more seniors starting.

I do think UCLA needs toughening up in the middle, down low. The rebounded well against UW but did not make the UW D pay for ist outside pressure.

BH enough with the defense in practice!!!!

CAN WE PLEASE WORK ON THE "O"...

Like I sd you will not win a championship with defense alone!!! You will compete each year? see 2006,2007,2008 for reference. Definition of ignorance...doing the same thing and expecting a different result... You have 3 seniors and not just ordinary freshman...the top rated recruiting class in the country...c'mon, Holliday should be averaging at least 15 ppg. How can you not feed K love the ball down low and then keep feeding it to Aboya? BH is a good coach but needs to get off his stubborn high horse and loosen up the "O".