Every day ...

... is a good day to be a Bruin. OK, I never graduated from UCLA but I have been a fan ever since I can remember. Growing up in L.A., one had to choose between UCLA and that other school. For the life of me, I don't why anyone would ever choose the other school. Such ugly colors and their nickname is the name of a prophylactic. Any ways, this past weekend was the start of college football and for UCLA, the start of the Rick Neuheisel era. Rick was a QB for the Bruins in the early 80s and won many memorable games that I still remember. Completing 25 of 27 passes against UW, leading the Bruins to a Rose Bowl victory over Iowa. He may not have had a perfect past as a coach but he is now home, and I think good things will happen. Just didn't know when they would come.

On Labor Day, the Bruins opened up the season against Tennessee, a game I was pretty sure that we would lose. I even told someone that I thought that McCain wining the presidential election was more of a sure thing than the Bruins beating the Volunteers. I was hoping jthat the Bruins didn't lose too badly, but I didn't have much hope. With a very green O-line and a 3rd stringer for the QB, I thought that the best offensive weapons the team had was their punter and their kicker. Yeah the defense was very good, but I wasn't sure if the offense could stay out there long enough to give the D a breather. A coworker, Mike, has season tix. One of his daughters couldn't go to the game so he asked me if I wanted to join his family at the game. I was excited to go. It has been a while since I have been to a college football game, much less one at the Rose Bowl. The game was close all day long, even though our offense was anemic. The QB,Kevin Craft, threw 4 INTs in the first half!!! But with no other QBs around, Neuheisel stuck it out with Craft. Thank goodness for the defense.

By some fortune, Craft found his rhythm and completed passes only to people wearing the blue and gold. Amazingly, the game went to OT and the Bruins won in the first OT. Our kicker, who I knew was good, kicked a 42 yarder while Tennessee's kicker missed a shorter attempt to seal the victory for the Bruins. I now think that we have a good chance of going 6-6, maybe even better. But I also don't want to jinx it. One game at a time - BYU is the next game on the 13th.

After the game there was a brief fireworks show. Since it was Labor Day, the Bruins I guess decided to go all out and celebrate a little, even though the bruins were a big underdog heading into the game. They lit off some fireworks after each of the Bruins score, so that was pretty cool too. Not sure if they will keep shooting fireworks off after the Bruins score. At least I know that this team has a buzz that it hasn't had in a while. Dorell was a nice guy, but nice guys can't be coaches of a big school's football program. They need a salesman, and by golly, Neuheisel is that man. Here's hoping he keeps this buzz going, and that he does it without breaking any NCAA rules.