Well, another tough game to watch for a whole bunch of reasons. No need to delve into them, everyone on this board has thrown out their theories and complaints ad nauseam. But as I watch college football across the nation's landscape on another Saturday, and enviously watch other programs, a continuing thought comes across my mind: Is Los Angeles just not a good place for a college football team to succeed?
Before you counter, let me just explain:
Los Angeles, as we know, has a ton of distractions--weather, women, entertainment, the beach, nightlife, etc. etc. I was in Lincoln a couple of weeks ago and man it's just different. And yes, I know, Nebraska sucks right now, but you look at other big programs and almost all are in small, college towns. They live for one thing. There are basically no distractions. The kids don't get caught up in all the outside--dare I say it--"noise". (I think I just threw up in my mouth). But seriously, could this be an issue that's indefensible, unless the perfect, PERFECT, coaching staff is here?
Some might say, "Well SUC has found success." That's true, but they are known as a football school, and basically out recruit us across the board. I'd even say that SUC has been bitten by the LA bug, as they seem to underperform in comparison to their talent. Only when Cheatey was there did they succeed, and they basically had the top talent in the nation on those teams.
Let me stress, I'm not saying that this is acceptable at all, I'm just literally at a loss for why we are what we are. Too much talent for what we accomplish. So are our kids just too LA? And that's an overall assessment. I still believe we have some grinders, but to compete consistently you need a team full of committed, focused kids. I mean even Phillips, who I think will be an amazing player in the NFL some day, just seems kind of immature sometimes and very Hollywood--his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty today was terrible. He did two things wrong and still acted like he didn't do anything. Stella Adler would be proud.
I don't know. I think we are all frustrated, but I'm just at a point where I think there's some merit in this theory.
Either way, it's time to blow this staff up and try again. And yes, I'll be back on Friday, hoping once again that we can get it together and beat Utah.
Fire away.
Go Bruins!
Before you counter, let me just explain:
Los Angeles, as we know, has a ton of distractions--weather, women, entertainment, the beach, nightlife, etc. etc. I was in Lincoln a couple of weeks ago and man it's just different. And yes, I know, Nebraska sucks right now, but you look at other big programs and almost all are in small, college towns. They live for one thing. There are basically no distractions. The kids don't get caught up in all the outside--dare I say it--"noise". (I think I just threw up in my mouth). But seriously, could this be an issue that's indefensible, unless the perfect, PERFECT, coaching staff is here?
Some might say, "Well SUC has found success." That's true, but they are known as a football school, and basically out recruit us across the board. I'd even say that SUC has been bitten by the LA bug, as they seem to underperform in comparison to their talent. Only when Cheatey was there did they succeed, and they basically had the top talent in the nation on those teams.
Let me stress, I'm not saying that this is acceptable at all, I'm just literally at a loss for why we are what we are. Too much talent for what we accomplish. So are our kids just too LA? And that's an overall assessment. I still believe we have some grinders, but to compete consistently you need a team full of committed, focused kids. I mean even Phillips, who I think will be an amazing player in the NFL some day, just seems kind of immature sometimes and very Hollywood--his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty today was terrible. He did two things wrong and still acted like he didn't do anything. Stella Adler would be proud.
I don't know. I think we are all frustrated, but I'm just at a point where I think there's some merit in this theory.
Either way, it's time to blow this staff up and try again. And yes, I'll be back on Friday, hoping once again that we can get it together and beat Utah.
Fire away.
Go Bruins!
