1-0 Baby! The Bruins Are Undefeated After “Complete” Game

We are back(!), riding high on a big win streak and an undefeated season. That's what Lonnie White of the LA Times calls it.  We at DD were not aware of the new NCAA rule that allows teams to erase all previous games if they wish to.  Our bad.  So, here we are undefeated, 1-0, after posting a 'complete game' according to Lonnie White.  LW is doing his job covering the Bruins day in day out and we can appreciate that he has to be measured in his criticism.   But these descriptions are a bit much and  only add to  the pattern of illusion and deception  initiated by KD's pre-season  glowing assessments of his "best team yet" that was  "going to shock people." 

Granted, the motivational element of starting the season off fresh, forgetting the past, is useful for a coach.  But a reporter should be a bit more critical of the 5-5 season and suspect of the idea that the past didn't happen.  What great football program would be happy with 5-5?? And this game was NOT a 'complete game' by any measure. First, you cannot give praise to our defense for holding OSU to 260 yards and then in the same breath praise our 'complete game' when our offense got barely as many yards.  You can't call this a 'complete game' when our offense gained barely 100 yards and had only 6 points, on 3 turnovers, in the first half. We are pretty sure that 'complete game' hasn't ever in the history of football been used to describe 155 yards on 13 penalties against.

Yesterday's game was a win and the team should be happy, should get credit. But we are 5-5. The excitement of this gimme win underscores the inferiority of our program so many have come to accept.  Again we ask, what  great program  would be happy with this season and win??  And it was an ugly win handed to us by the Beavers.  If we take credit for a moral victory against ND, because we handed them the win, we should similarly give credit to OSU for handing us the win.  And our offense was anemic in the face of a wilting OSU team.  One good offensive drive is all we had, and that was after another demoralizing turnover for OSU. 4 field goals tells a more complete story. 

But we have come to expect this in the Dorrell era, nothing is ever what it's claimed to be.  What gets under our skin is the lack of honest, rational assessment, the kind of thing that happens in great football programs, like, it pains us to say, across town at Southern Cal.  When we are on an awful 4-game losing streak, we are always 'almost there' and 'growing.'   When we barely beat one of the worst teams in the country, 'they played us tough' and 'we pulled it together.'  And now, when we win ugly, we put together a 'complete game' and 'we are back on track.' 

There is something else about this win that  was a little off.  In order for us to win, the players changed the Dorrell much praised 'clean program' formula, and without his knowledge or approval.   They trash-talked, they committed personal fouls, and they planned it and celebrated it afterwards.  And  Dorrell is none too pleased.

"That's not our style; that's never been our style," he said. "That's not the style of play that I'm ever excited about."

Is this another indication that Dorrell is losing his team?  Not sure, but it does not bode well for Dorrell if his team is planning and celebrating dirty play and is successful at it.   What happens if they are down to ASU or Southern Cal, will they go against KD and start trash-talking and playing dirty again to turn the tide??  Whatever happens, yesterday's game certainly was a departure.  And that is the truth of it.

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