Long gone, so it seems, are the days when UCLA is the top-ranked
team in the land. Sadly, that’s just the way it is.
But hey, if you can’t join ’em, beat ’em. Or
something along those lines.
At least that’s what the Bruins have been doing lately,
posting upset victories over the No. 1 team in the country in each
of the last four seasons.
There was Stanford in 2000 and 2001, Kansas in 2002, and Arizona
last year in the conference tournament.
Sure, those weren’t the best of seasons, but they
certainly had their moments.
And there might not be a better single moment in sports than
that one moment of sheer jubilation, knowing that you’ve
knocked off the team considered to be the best in the country. Ah
yes, memories …
But back to my point.
The last time I checked, UCLA still hadn’t defeated the
No. 1 team this year. Unless of course you count the EA Sports
All-Stars. But that was just a practice game.
Anyway, on that same investigative mission I came across a nice
little gem ““ undefeated Stanford is ranked No. 1!
And the Cardinal come to Pauley Pavilion Saturday!
That’s tomorrow!
The last time Stanford was ranked No. 1 was Feb. 3, 2001. The
team was 20-0.
That same day, a gutty little Bruin team went into Maples
Pavilion and shocked the world.
Call me crazy, but I think it’s going to happen again
tomorrow.
I really do.
Seriously.
Just consider it for a second. All the pieces of the puzzle are
there. Besides the past successes against Stanford, it’s
likely the one and only chance UCLA will have this season to keep
the streak alive. The Bruins actually played a good game Thursday
night against California. And, frankly, the Cardinal need to lose a
game before the NCAA tournament, because undefeated is no way to go
through an entire season.
And Stanford is evil.
So it’s going to happen, tomorrow, and you’d better
be ready to rush.
We’re not talking Greek life here, people. We’re
talking Nell and John Wooden Court, Pauley Pavilion, Saturday.
The Bruin Den is going to be there courtside, and they’ve
just been waiting for a chance to see how conducive the new seating
arrangement ““ which has students in all of the floor seats on
one half of the arena ““ is for rushing the floor.
“This would be the best rush ever,” super-fan
Brandon Brough said, sporting a blue afro wig and a No. 45 UCLA
jersey.
Brough and his friend Roy Matayoshi, better known to UCLA fans
as Captain Helmet, recalled the last time UCLA fans rushed the
court ““ it was last season when the Bruins won some random
game at home in the midst of a huge string of losses. They
couldn’t even recall the game, and frankly, it doesn’t
matter.
Because that’s pathetic. Fans should rush the court when
it means something, and the last time it legitimately happened was
against Kansas.
Well, now it’s time for everyone to get ready again. I
know I said a few weeks ago that it’s a bad idea to get even
close to Pauley for the rest of the season, but this is
different.
This is Stanford. This is serious.
Sure, the Cardinal are 22-0.
Sure, UCLA has lost eight of its last ten.
But I’m telling you, there’s going to be something
special about this game. This team is primed to once again shock
the world on national television.
And fans need to be primed to rush the court because it’s
been a while.
As the last few seconds ticked off the clock Thursday night, the
Den started to chant:
“We want Stanford! We want Stanford!”
That’s right, because Saturday will make five.
Regan says Bruins by five. E-mail him at
dregan@media.ucla.edu