Contest Winner Questions - BE REAL for Kevin Craft
Hey all,
Sorry for the delay today, had some internet issues that were since resolved.
For winning the Week 4 contest by predicting 24-13 Stanford (real score: 24-16) for the final score, BE REAL was afforded 10 questions to a player of his choosing. He chose Kevin Craft. Here's what he had to say.
BE REAL: Quarterbacks seem to get most of the praise when the team wins and most of the blame when it loses. How do you handle both situations?
KEVIN CRAFT:
I think that's all part of playing the position. A lot is put on your shoulders as a quarterback. You accept a lot of responsibility by playing the position. You're responsible for a lot of the outcome of the game, especially when it comes with turnovers and things like that. You've got to take the good with the bad and you always assess yourself, not necessarily really listen to what everyone is telling you. At the end of the day, only the people in the quarterback room know what's really going on out there.
BE REAL: What are the biggest differences playing quarterback at your high school, then in junior college, and now at UCLA?
KEVIN CRAFT:
In high school, everybody that's in college now was the best player on the field at the time. You're able to out-athlete people, to use your own ability to get yourself out of trouble. Thinks are easy because you're just better than people athletically.
JC ball, there's some good athletes, but they're not always going to be in the right place in the right time.
In Division-I, you can kind of count on a guy being where he's supposed to be and making his fits. Everything in college is a lot faster, and there's a lot more mental aspect of the game. You can always get away with something because you're a good athlete.
BE REAL: Any favorite books you would recommend?
KEVIN CRAFT:
Ah, no. Not really.
BE REAL: What are some of your favorite subjects that you have taken in college?
KEVIN CRAFT:
I've always liked math. I've always been good at the maths and sciences. I'm a sociology major, so...
BE REAL: If you could not play quarterback at what other positions do you feel you would be comfortable?
KEVIN CRAFT:
It seems like every other guy on the field wants to play quarterback, and every quarterback wants to play receiver. When they have spare time, every quarterback runs all the routes and everyone wants to throw to them. I played receiver, safety, corner, returned kicks and punts in high school. I did everything.
BE REAL: You have absorbed some serious hits on the field-- do they all hurt as much as they appear?
KEVIN CRAFT:
You're in the game, there's a lot of adrenaline going. There are a lot of little things that when you're in the game you just kinda brush off. There were a couple times last year when I got hit and I had to check my teeth to see if they're all in there. I really thought they got knocked out. A lot of times, a couple of hours after the game is over and the adrenaline wears down and you're just like "Oh my gosh." You're flying on a plane in pain, and the next day you're real sore and you have to get out and run.
BE REAL: It seems most posters on this blog hate USC. What are your feelings about 'SC?
KEVIN CRAFT: I don't think any Bruin likes the Trojans. If we're playing them in badminton, I want to see us win. Our equipment people play them every year in tag football and from what I hear, we usually win it. So...I'mmmm just sayin...
BE REAL:
What positions on the football team would you not care to play?
KEVIN CRAFT: I know those guys in the trenches get beat up pretty good. I don't know if I could handle that. I wouldn't want to be a kicker either.
BE REAL: What are your plans after graduating?
KEVIN CRAFT:
I don't yet. I'm kind of waiting to see what happens. Hopefully I can get a shot and who knows. I think a lot of the seniors are on the same track and aren't sure what's going to happen.
nice questionss, br.. kudos to craft for the answers also.
ugh, what lame questions by BE REAL...i think this interview left Craft feeling like he was back in the weight room: cause he was addressing a dumbbell.
hoo-hoo!! seriously, Jon in the future, could you include an "idiot clause" in the contest to avoid such awkward transvestites, er, i mean travesties??
Hi Der ... I be da blog righter at da daylee newz.
i can right gud and put up da kwotez.
tenk uuu fer reedin-
GJ
Nice work Jon. Craft is a good guy and a fellow Bruin. I respect him for taking all those hits last year and handling all the bashers.
Give Gold a break guys...this is a blog so who cares about the typos.
"I'm kind of waiting to see what happens. Hopefully I can get a shot and who knows."
Wow. I mean, there's optimism, and then there's *optimism.* I can appreciate Craft's willingness to get hit and get back up, but I'd be shocked to see him play football at any further level.
There are about 10,000 kids playing big-time football at 100+ colleges. All of these guys were the "best player on the field" in high school. They all dream and believe they will be in the NFL someday. The cold reality is that maybe 50-75 each year will be drafted high enough to see any dough. Better have a back-up plan fellas.
And thanks Charlie Bucket for your usual pat on the back. And since I also won Jon Gold's contest for the second time, I intend on asking Brian Price some questions. Instead of being a critic perhaps you can dazzle all of us with your self-appointed intellectualism and propose some questions I might ask Mr. Price.
Just sayin'
aka LAWYER JOHN
At least we've got equipment services tag football!
Kevin should be the starting qb period. We would have won the Oregon game if Rick didn't have to coddle the freshmen qb's.
It's time to play to win this season. Open up the playbook and attack people on offense with Kevin. Three points on offense doesn't cut it.
How about some reverses and a few more screen passes including the wide receiver screens. A half back option pass would probably work especially since the defense doesn't expect UCLA to do anything beyond vanilla.
Kevin you have handled things with class. You deserve far better things than you have received.
Hopefully the coaches will wise up and quit playing with this manage the game mentality and deside to play exciting aggressive football and spread the defense.
Mark i agree with ya man!
Craft has recieved a raw deal from the coaching staff who puts all the blame for last year on his shoulders. They refuse to own up to the fact that they have to share in the blame for the offensive struggles!
I have spoken with a few x bruin QBs who say he gives us the best chance to win right now!
good luck to you kid! you have handled this situation with a ton of class...
I not sure what Craft has done to have you anoint him but I traveled up to the farm for the Stanford game and
myself and every other bruin fan there couldn't help but notice the open receivers down field as Craft held on to the ball and got sacked because he only looked at 1 receiver.
Kevin Craft is a class act. I have a lot of respect for him.
A sample of Barfbag LAWYER JOHN/BE REAL/ONLYTHETRUTH/LOCOWEED's (he/she uses many aliases) work on SUC Wolf's Blog:
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LAWYER JOHN said:
The little SUCLA worms have squirmed out of their holes in the grass again. They're like the ugly kid sister getting great enjoyment out of her beautiful older sister coming down sick before Prom Nigh
And who is this attorney Slurno piece of work, another SUCLA alum? Pitiful.
-- I'll wait for Floyd's take before passing quick judgment.
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LAWYER JOHN said:
I see the usual SUCLA worms are checking in on a regular basis. And Yoyo has an exalted opinion of herself that she is "taking over this blog." Typical SUCLA vermin attitude.
Actually, SC takes it as a compliment that SUCLA no-counts think so much of SC to even make a comment. I mean, does anybody from SC comment on the SUCLA blog?--didn't think so.
It all boils down to jealousy. SC is on top and everybody wants to bring it down, especially its Waste- L.A. rival, SUCLA. Go get 'em Westwood Boulevard College.
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LAWYER JOHN said:
First, I don't comment on the SUCLA blog, some imposter writes under my name. Second, I don't read the SUCLA blog because I am not interested, so I would not know if SC posters are putting their 2-cents worth in. If so, I wonder why they would bother.
Third, the SC basketball program is in shambles, so any NCAA penalties won't much matter anyway.
Fourth, I predict the NCAA will let the SC football program slide because the NCAA needs this cash-cow. I mean, what other team in the West would anybody in the U.S.A. tune in to watch?
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Q: LAWYER JOHN said:
I got a kick how ucla announced it was no longer interested in Sidney when they found out the kid was committing to SC. I know how they feel, having announced to all my friends that I was no longer interested in Salma Hayek when it was announced she got married. My question for you, Scott, is how good do you think SC hoops will be in 2009-2010?
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BE REAL, LAWYER JOHN- you have 2 faces, just like your SUC coach. You post a lot of crap here, but even more on SUC-Wolf's blog, deriding all the "UGLY" posters as morons and making fun of Coaches Neu, Chow and Wooden. It's why YOU are the constant idiot-object of ridicule, no matter which SUC or UCLA Forum your doorjamb clown-face makes a guestshot on under your many aliases (with your kick-me sign genetically nailed to your rumprider), wherein you get dumped on by countless of your SUC Wolf-blog, uhhhh, "admirers".
"any famous books you would recomend"
classic.
So, BE REAL is a USC fan yet he won a contest on a Bruin blog, now that is classic!!
Mother Theresa,
While I'm sure everyone appreciates you combing the last 6-12 months of Scott Wolf's blog, you're quoting one of the LAWYER JOHN duplicates.
Anytime you read the childish "SUCLA" (as opposed to the mature "SUC") it's not the BE REAL. Lawyer John that's winning the contest.
I seem to recall something about it being the same guy that posts as ONLYTHETRUTH but I'm not willing to dedicate the time and go into a year's worth of Scott Wolf threads.
Anony 10:39. You might need glasses. The question was: "Any FAVORITE books you would recommend?"
Ah, "favorite" I'll make that optometrist appointment.
Where is Yoda? We need someone to stir the pot some more!
Kevin Craft is the man..a great kid, great teammate. I have total respect for what he's done. People who boo Kevin Craft relentlessly need to understand the game more.
But I agree, cmon if you're gonna ask questions don't make them so terrible..half of those were ridiculous
(coming to you as a hologram)
putting down a rebellion in the Rishi Maze i am.
many clones to contend with, i found there.
but disgusting as these Trojan clones, they are not.
identical stupidity, they demonstrate.
herh herh herh.
deal with these insipid clones the Jedi Counsel will.
(fading out)
Craft deserved better from the coaches after what he put up with last year. He had no experienced Oline, receivers, and running backs or they were injured. He was the best shot at having a winning season. CRN and NC seem to want to prove a point that Prince is the guy and are willing to throw away this season. UCLA is in trouble and will have a hard time winning another game!
That's right. They've never let Craft just let it go. The coaches need to realize that this is not last year with that horrible Oline Craft had to deal with, you know running, for his life and getting killed.
Craft absolutely gives us the best chance to win now, but if the coaches are going to say, forget it, I'm playing the freshmen, then it might be a tough rest of the year. If this is the case, it's really not fair to us fans who want a winner now, so play Craft and wake up Neuheisel.
I like Craft - I think everyone does. I have tremendous respect for him and I truly hope that more people understand how lucky we are to have him represent our university.
Further, I think the coaches will literally play ANY player at ANY position who gives us the best chance of winning.
With that being said, some of you need to put down the "craft-pipe" and let it go. LIVE IN THE NOW, MAN! This is football at the D1 level. Every player understands how the system works. You get your chances. You win your playing time on Saturday by being the best player on the practice field from Tuesday to Friday.