You read that bold bit of chest thumping correctly. It's on page 3 of the UCLA Football Spring Practice Guide, according to Howland-hater Dennis Dodd of CSBSportsline.com. Our Sports Information Director (SID) Marc Dellins, apparently peaved that Dodd left UCLA out of his preseason 2007 rankings, sent Dodd the glossy guide even before it was ready for publishing along with a note that informed Dodd that UCLA had 20 returning starters from the team that beat SC.

The Bruins are in! You knew that, and you didn't know that. Final Four? Sure. The Spring Top 25? Let's just say I am making Marc Dellins' day. Dellins is the UCLA Minister of Propaganda — they call him the sports info director in Westwood — who was quick to point out that his Bruins have 20 returning starters from a team that beat Southern California.  

This is an issue because the Bruins got, uh, well, somehow left out of my first 2007 Top 25 in January. Being the good MOP that he is, Mr. Dellins quickly shipped me the galleys of the spring guide. He apologized in advance for the typos (the bound version is coming). I didn't notice any except the bold prediction on Page 3 about beating USC. Again. By 20. To win the Pac-10. Now that's a good MOP.

Dodd, that perfectionist and detail-oriented nut, recalculated his high precision analysis and, presto, he now has UCLA ranked #9. But we digress. This is BIG. Morgan Center is stating in bold clear language, printed in a glossy media guide they will send out to journalists across the country, that Dorrell will take our football team to the Coliseum and beat USC by 20 points!! AND … and … in doing so Dorrell will have won the Pac-10 championship that he hasn't come close to sniffing as head coach. Well hello EXPECTATIONS!! Might as well call out Carroll and his thugs by name while you're feeling confident.  Heck, call out the entire Pac-10 conference by name months before even Summer practices begin. That, friends, takes stones!!

Brilliant Decision

We have no clue who made the decision to write this, but it is brilliant … because now our expectations for our football program are in print!! Morgan Center print. The job Dorrell was hired to do that he has yet to do is layed out for everyone to see. No excuses! We can't imagine someone low on the totem pole like Dellins could make the call on this. It is bulletin board material for every team in our conference. It has to be Dorrell or Guerrero. Really, we can't see anyone else having the pull. And the implications are awesome.

Forget last year's ridiculous and silly "Pac-10 Champs" bracelets Dorrell had the players wear for the season (having to cut them off shamefully as soon as October!), and the equally stupid life-sized Dorrell cut-outs in Ackerman Union with him a wearing "Champions Made Here" shirt, which some BruinsNation.com poster cleverly and accurately changed to "Champions Made (Near) Here." That was childs play. THIS is BIG TIME.

Did Dorrell Approve This?

Let's look at the potential here. If it was Dorrell who approved this bold copy, we have to wonder what possessed him. Again, we don't know that he has had anything to do with the guide, but supposing he was responsible … he has literally lost it. We have always thought Dorrell to be the kind of person that reaches … he never really is where he wants to be so he reaches. There have been so many examples of this, but saying at his hiring presser that he was the "best person for the job" … cmon now .. ya think so?? No experience and you were the "best?" We like confidence but we also like reality. He could have said something else and still conveyed confidence.

The bracelets and the life-sized cut-outs are other examples of his wanting to will things to happen, to reach, and of his concern that he doesn't have the ability to make things happen so he goes with these gimmicks. If he says it or writes it, or wears it, it will happen. Maybe the bold statement is the next step Dorrell felt he had to take, since the bracelets didn't work. It sounds about right, given the pressure that he must feel to finally produce. It may be some bravado too with the perfect storm that everyone but Dodd now KNOWS is brewing for him next season. He has to produce this year or he will be seen for what he is, the guy who doesn't have the skills to ever get it done. But to go this far with this bold statement, this early, is out of step with reality.

Did Guerrero Approve This?

If it was Guerrero who approved this copy then it is a little more bizarre. First, we don't think DG would do anything like this without passing it by Dorrell, or vice-versa, so this discussion may just be moot. But if DG did approve the copy, then we have to think he is putting Dorrell's performance review in the public sphere. How else can we look at this? If Dorrell loses to SC and loses the Pac-10 then these bold, printed, mailed to the media expectations will not have been met. Job opening. How can it be otherwise? '08 we will be depleted and playing most of our tough games away. No conference championship then for what would be Dorrell's 6th straight year, and most likely a 5th loss to USC in 6 Dorrell years. End of story. Gone. It's just an odd way for Guerrero to go about doing his job … if he did approve it.

Dorrell Should Have Never Agreed

Either way, Dorrell should have never agreed to this copy given the situation, the pressure cooker, he already is in. Does he need to add to it? And what about his dreams of the NFL … is this any way to make himself more appealing to NFL owners?? Few sports figures have ever gotten away with such bravado. Think Ruth, Ali, Namath, Shaq (hate to admit it), Deon, etc. Dorrell is none of those guys, not even close. Dorrell should quietly go about getting this team ready for a potential championship run. No distractions, no bold statements, no bracelets … just get it done. And yet, Morgan Center prints the guide and you would have to think Dorrell and Guerrero allowed for it to be printed with the copy that's in there.

Has this ever been done?? We can't recall anything like this but we could be wrong. It seems that this is setting a bold precedent. One that we should abandon. Can anyone see Ben Howland approving anything like this?! Not likely. One other thing it could be is a trial balloon, since the guide has yet to be published. The language could still be taken out before printing. In any case, this should make next season more interesting at the very least! (HT to Bluestreet at Bruinsnation.com for the Dodd pickup) Back to BBALL … Let's Get It Done. We can do this!!! Go Bruins!!

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