Editors note: Tshirts are finally available here. Update: We will be sending staff to Westwood with tshirts Saturday morning and the Rose Bowl before the game so that you can have them for the OSU game. Details later. There is a limited edition of 200 tshirts first run so those who purchase them will get theirs first, obviously. If you want to ensure you get one, then purchase one online and then contact us to let us know you’d rather pick one up if we do this. For those who have already purchased tshirts check your email for details. The Dump Dorrell petition is closing in on 600 signatures after the first 6 days and is getting national attention. Email it to everyone you know.

The reality of another awful season and KD’s failed tenure as coach is settling in. In addition to the increased calls for firing Karl Dorrell and the national attention those efforts are getting, Morgan Center is out there profiling KD in new ways to the press. After 4 straight losses and three subpar seasons in four, they have to repair his image. Check out this bit of fluff the LA Times is putting out as a response to all the obvious criticism … “KD The Thinker!” Ridiculous. Morgan Center even made KD’s wife available and the LAT uses her like a political ad. What a bunch of tripe! Why not profile KD’s abysmal record?! For an $850,000 a year (+ $550,000 incentives) salaried public official, shouldn’t KD be judged on his achievements, not his demeanor at home?! It’s called pandering, and the LA Times is a master at it.

Let’s move onto this week’s game. Oregon State brings its surprising team to the Rose Bowl sitting in third place in the Pac-10 at 6-3. They need one more win to be bowl eligible (they have a 13 game schedule) just like Washington State did when they came to town. Coming off a stunning upset of Southern Cal and a blowout of Arizona State, OSU is riding high and touching the top 25.

UCLA, on the other hand, is downing harsher doses of reality every week since the opening game against Utah. We went from KD’s “best team yet” at training camp (the Ventury County Star who attributed the “best team yet” quote to KD has taken down the article link … hmm) and happy talk/happy thoughts of a Pac-10 championship to a tie for 6th in the conference, a 4 game losing streak, and an embarrassing coach boasting how the team is getting better. Our own much bally-hooed defense, with new DC DeWayne Walker annointed genius after a top 10 start to the season against “pillow soft” teams, has come back to Earth and reality and now has the #46 ranked defense in the country.

Funny thing happened when we finally played decent (and even average) teams … we lost and looked bad losing. Not surprising with Karl Dorrell, the troubling signs were always there this year. So are we headed to a fifth straight loss with OSU?? We at DD had OSU in the win column preseason, and despite what people may think about our attempts to get rid of Dorrell, we think UCLA should win this game, but it will be close. OSU has been inconsistent and average all year, although they have playmakers on offense and a much better defense than most Pac-10 teams. They also come in with other advantages. They have a quarterback and coach who were spurned by UCLA and would love to get some revenge. And they are riding a wave of victories unseen in their program since a great run in 2000.

KD Getting Offensive Guru Praise: Svoboda Disappears 

On the UCLA side of the ledger: this week’s press has all been about how KD made some suggestions in offensive play calling against the nation’s #92 ranked defense in Cal, and he and the press are gloating over the results. We long ago said KD should take over from the horrible Svoboda, especially at crucial times in the game, but this media push bordering on hype in the middle of a four game losing streak and horrible season is ridiculous. Are Karl’s lackeys and PR people feeling the heat and working overtime??!! OSU’s defense is much better than Cal’s, allowing just over 300 yards per game (#36). Even though we are playing them at home, we will have to actually be better as KD claims we are to beat them. OSU is #19 against the rush in the nation, allowing less than 100 yards per game, and they allow just over 20 points per game. Get over 500 yards against that defense KD and then gloat!

We stated early on that this season is really KD’s defining season. He has already defined it and the reality is settling in …

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