Can you feel it? That’s right ““ with
Valentine’s Day now less than 24 hours away, it’s clear
that love is in the air. And with so much of that special feeling
floating about, it seems like a perfectly good time to reflect on
all the things to love about UCLA athletics.
Of course there is the glory of years gone by ““
what’s not to love about John Wooden, 88 straight victories
and Arthur Ashe?
But I think it would be far more prudent at this juncture to
treat the current and not-so-distant landscape of UCLA athletics,
because we prefer to live in the present rather than long for the
past. I think.
So now, submitted for your approval “¦ the top-10 things to
love about Bruin sports.
10. That school across town measures football success based on
national championships, which is just waaaaaaay too typical. Sure,
a No. 1 ranking is all well and good, but here in Westwood,
football success is measured by the number of players removed in
one offseason. And by golly, one would think these Bruins are
pretty well purged at this point.
9. UCLA still has more national championships than Stanford. The
lead is dwindling every year, but those Palo Alto kids are
definitely not first in something. And their mascot is a color, or
a tree. No one really knows.
8. Freshman golfer Chris Heintz played with Tiger Woods. Tiger
Woods played with Chris Heintz. That’s right, I’m
living vicariously through a golfer. What’s it to you?
7. UCLA is the most successful basketball program in the history
of the college game.
Inner monologue: But I thought you were only going to talk about
the greatness of the present.
Oh yeah … well … the Bruins started out the Pac-10 season
5-0. It’s a return to glory!
Inner monologue: But the team has lost seven of its last
eight.
Never mind.
6. Jaleel White graduated from UCLA, and I saw him at the game
when UC Santa Barbara beat the Bruins in Pauley Pavilion. I know
you probably saw Tiger storm the court when Stanford beat Arizona,
but I saw Steve Urkel sit idly by when the Gauchos celebrated on
UCLA’s home court. You be the judge.
5. The Bruins are in possession of the Lexus Gauntlet Trophy.
Wait, what? Nobody cares? You mean people care more that UCLA has
lost three straight to USC in basketball and five straight in
football? Dude, that’s weird. I always thought success in
women’s water polo was the measure of a school’s
athletic prowess.
4. Al Scates is a god. Seriously. The man has won 18 national
championships. And he just keeps winning. Coaching arguably the
most watchable sport on campus, Scates’ team looks to be in a
good position to add No. 19 to the the trophy case this season. And
I haven’t even met the guy.
3. Desmon Farmer does not attend UCLA. Desmon Farmer will never
attend UCLA. And that will always be a good thing in the hearts and
minds of Bruin fans everywhere.
2. Typically, sports writers aren’t the most athletic of
folk. Okay, we’re super-nerds. And typically, athletes at
UCLA are pretty darn talented. Okay, they’re Olympic-caliber.
But for whatever reason, a Daily Bruin writer was able to leave his
beat covering the UCLA hockey team to actually JOIN the UCLA hockey
team. Westwood truly is a place of endless opportunities.
And the No. 1 reason to love UCLA athletics? The UCLA
men’s soccer team’s media guide is the No. 1
men’s soccer media guide in the country. That’s right
““ in a contest conducted by the College Sports Information
Directors of America, UCLA’s media guide ranked No. 1 out of
44 entries. That’s something no one can take away from you,
Bruins. If a national championship happens to elude Westwood this
year, you take consolation in one thing ““ we have one helluva
men’s soccer media guide.
What do you love about Bruin sports? E-mail Regan at
dregan@media.ucla.edu with answers.