Drew Olson described it as the best bonfire he’s seen in
his four years at UCLA.
Standing on a stage overflowing with members and coaches of the
UCLA football team, Olson swung a blue T-shirt in the air as
hundreds of blue-and-yellow-clad fans in Wilson Plaza cheered,
screamed and chanted “Beat ‘SC.”
The large turnout at Thursday night’s Beat ‘SC
Parade, Bonfire and Rally, a part of Blue and Gold Week, was
reflective of the massive hype surrounding this Saturday’s
football game against No. 1-ranked USC at the Coliseum.
Members of the Student Alumni Association handed out blue and
yellow glow sticks on the corners of Gayley Avenue and Strathmore
Boulevard as students crowded on all sides of the street, preparing
to watch the parade.
An 8-clap on one street corner would quickly be followed by an
8-clap on an opposing corner, as though there was a battle over
which corner had the most school spirit.
Floats and marchers from various campus groups, fraternities and
sororities moved through Westwood, down Gayley and through campus,
ending at Wilson Plaza amid cheers from the crowds that lined the
parade route.
As the final groups passed the intersection of Gayley and
Strathmore, the crowds lining the streets marched in a parade of
their own through campus to Wilson Plaza, cheering, 8-clapping and
singing the entire way.
The mellow sounds of Big Pianist and the G Strings … and Ben
welcomed the crowds to Wilson Plaza, but clashed with the
excitement of the many students screaming and pleading for the
bonfire to be lit.
Without his standard shiny suit, Chris Smith ““ or, as many
in the crowd called him, “Juggle Boy” ““ began the
rally in a joint performance with Brian Singleton, jump-roping and
juggling.
There were also performances from the UCLA Marching Band and
dance groups, such as Samahang Modern.
The turning point of the rally came when the football team began
to take over the stage.
As the players waited to enter on the left side of the stage,
fans crowded around, asking for hugs and pictures. When an event
organizer tried to prevent the fans from making any more requests,
running back Maurice Drew gave the OK.
“It’s all right. I’m a fan of the fans,”
he said.
A self-described football fanatic, second-year biology student
Lucy Duong was excited she had the opportunity to get a picture
with Olson at the rally.
“I’m with (the team) all the way, whether they win
or lose,” she said.
Jenna Sopfe, one of the parade directors, said SAA has been
working on Blue and Gold Week with other student groups since the
summer and called the final product a success.
Nancy Greenstein, director of university police community
services, said before the event that they did not anticipate any
problems, but did have officers assigned to the parade and rally
areas.