In case anyone wasn’t watching, that lovely three-day
weekend was a great showcase of UCLA’s finest.
For one, Matt Barnes played his first NBA game Monday after
receiving a 10-day contract from the injury-plagued Clippers. But
if anyone actually was watching, it wasn’t pretty.
Barnes’ debut was tarnished by that league-leading team
from the North, (who blew out the Clipps by 25 points) but
fortunately, he’ll have another seven days to taste the glory
of professional basketball and make a name for himself.
The real Bruin alumni highlights came in Sunday’s NFC
Championship game when the Carolina Panthers rolled over the
Philadelphia Eagles 14-3, earning a trip to the Super bowl.
Maybe it would be more appropriate to say they picked over the
Eagles, as in Ricky Manning’s three interceptions.
Yes, sports fans, that was our Manning who helped take the
Panthers to Houston, UCLA’s latest claim to fame and the
media’s newest darling with the last name Manning.
Oh yeah, did I forget to mention it was our Manning who caught
an overtime interception two weeks ago against the St. Louis Rams,
saving the Panthers’ season?
Didn’t think he would make much of himself after college?
Neither did the NFL scouts who said the 5-foot-8 cornerback was too
small, dropping his stock to the third round of the draft.
But the Panthers got lucky. Those who saw him as a Bruin knew
there was much more to this guy then just being undersized.
Manning, fifth in school history for his 13 career interceptions,
was known for his aggressiveness and deceptive strength during his
four years as a starter.
Aggressive to say the least. Anyone remember that little
incident two years ago, down at the then-Madison’s Bar and
Grill where he and Tremaine Mitchell (UCLA’s own Freddie
Mitchell’s brother) allegedly got into a physical altercation
with some poor slobs (who, just for the record, were older and
larger men trying to provoke the two Bruins)?
But we’re lucky ones really. Manning came back to the
spotlight just when the Bruins needed him most. With times as they
are, UCLA football is not exactly synonymous with winning, and we
could really use a new professional face to call our own.
Not that we don’t have plenty Bruin icons ““ like
Troy Aikman, for one ““ but most of the great ones are gone.
We need someone fresh to pull the spotlight back to Westwood. Sure
there was last year’s Super Bowl winner Ryan Nece of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he wasn’t nearly as prolific as
Manning has been the past two games.
Now we have not only Manning in the Super Bowl, but also his
current Panther teammate and fellow Bruin alumus DeShaun Foster.
Earning more playing time after an injury to Stephen Davis, Foster
has also made a name for himself in Carolina after sitting out his
entire rookie season due to his own injury. With a touchdown under
his belt this postseason, Foster may be an up and comer. So what if
he left UCLA in disgrace three seasons ago with an NCAA-extra
benefits violation: Win a Super Bowl and we’ll forgive him,
as long as he remembers his old alma mater.
With the big game less than two weeks away, it’s just
enough time to dust off those old Manning and Foster jerseys that
may be lying in a heap in the closet, for the media to hype Manning
as the new face of Carolina and for UCLA football to once again
return to glory.
Bach actually made her column deadline. If you are proud of
her, e-mail her at jbach@media.ucla.edu.