It wasn’t all too long ago when Mike Seidman actually
hated UCLA.
No, it wasn’t that the Bruin tight end was upset about not
getting enough balls thrown his way. Actually, he was raised a USC
fan and grew up listening to his father tell glorious stories about
O.J. Simpson. In fact, he loved following the careers of Trojan
receiving greats Curtis Conway, Johnnie Morton and, ironically,
Keyshawn Johnson.
Even now, Seidman doesn’t like to advertise the fact that
he is a Bruin. He hates it when his friends introduce him as
“Mike Seidman, UCLA football player.”
But that’s just him being his usual modest self. After
all, he’s no Trojan.
“He’s not arrogant Mr. Big Man,” freshman
quarterback Drew Olson said. “It’s a surprise since
he’s one of the higher profile guys.
“But he always says, “˜When in doubt, throw me the
ball.'”
Four years after the former USC fan and top-ranked tight end
recruit chose to go to UCLA at the last second, Bruin coaches and
quarterback have obliged. Seidman currently leads all Pac-10 tight
ends with 535 receiving yards, which also makes him seventh in the
nation at his position.
He now only needs 42 more receiving yards to tie Paul
Bergmann’s 1982 single-season school record. And with 35
receptions, he needs 10 more to tie Bergmann’s 1983
single-season mark in that category.
“I consider myself to be good, but that’s not in a
cocky way,” Seidman said.
“It’s in a confident way.”
Seidman’s stats also show that he has caught more balls
for more yards and more touchdowns (four) in his senior season than
in the first three frustrating years of his career.
“The reason why you play the game is to have fun,”
Seidman said. “The most fun is winning. Another fun part is
catching balls and making plays, so it was a little frustrating
when I couldn’t do that.”
And when UCLA didn’t win and Seidman didn’t get the
ball much, as in the Colorado loss in September, Seidman
complained. He responded with the biggest day of his career ““
six catches for 134 yards and a touchdown against San Diego
State.
Seidman said he never thought about transferring before that
breakout performance.
“If you’re meant to make it, then no matter where
you’re at, you’re going to make it,” he said.
“Part of life is earning your spot. You just have to wait
your turn.
“If you’re too much of a puss to not stick around to
beat someone out, I can’t respect you much. I’ve paid
my dues.”
Even when UCLA brought in freshman Marcedes Lewis, who was the
No. 1 tight end recruit in the nation himself, Seidman only saw him
as someone he could show the ropes.
“When I first came in I thought it was going to be rocky,
but he took me under his wing,” Lewis said. “All
I’m trying to do is watch and learn from him. If I had to
vote ““ and I’m not saying this because he’s on my
team ““ he’d be the best tight end in the
nation.”
Head coach Bob Toledo agrees.
“He’s the best tight end that we’ve had in a
long time because he’s the best tight end in the
nation,” Toledo said.
“He doesn’t have to play a down of football after he
graduates to be successful, but we know he will be in the
NFL.”
Seidman is sure to love that, even if he says he isn’t
looking that far ahead.