The first time I spoke to Chip Kelly was after he raced through the latter part of the recruiting cycle and signed his first freshman class in February 2018. I wasn’t expecting any answers on the level of Jim Mora’s fervor or Steve Alford’s loquaciousness, but I was curious as to how Kelly would approach […]
Category Archives: Sports Columns
Wang’s Word: Men’s basketball struggles with thin defense, sluggish half-court offense
This season, UCLA men’s basketball revolves around Moses Brown. The 7-foot-2-inch freshman center will be a mismatch for most of the teams on the Bruins’ schedule. That much was obvious after he posted 19 points and 17 rebounds – seven offensive – against Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday. The question now is what else UCLA […]
Un-Connon Opinions: It’s time to start worrying about football’s slow recruitment
In Chip Kelly’s first offseason in Westwood, UCLA football reeled in the No. 19 recruiting class in the nation. Coach Kelly convinced 30 prospects to sign with the Bruins last winter, giving him the largest recruiting class among Power Five programs. And that tends to be the goal for most first-year coaches – establish your […]
Gabe’s Grumbles: Clash of collegiate and international play impairs women’s soccer
Having top players has come with a cost for the Bruins. UCLA women’s soccer (6-3-1, 1-2 Pac-12) has been hindered by losing players to national team duty, with a 1-2 record in conference play so far – including a loss to No. 1 Stanford (10-0-1, 3-0). Senior forward/defender Hailie Mace and junior midfielder Jessie Fleming […]
Smith Says: Although football’s had a rough start to the season, trust the process
Everybody relax. It’s going to be OK. Sure, UCLA football is 0-3 for the first time in 47 years and Pac-12 play is right around the corner, but this team has promise. When UCLA gave coach Chip Kelly a $23.3 million contract in November, the former Oregon Ducks and NFL head coach was tasked with […]
Un-Connon Opinions: NCAA rule overhaul cannot end corruption in men’s basketball
College basketball is about to get even more complicated. The NCAA announced several major rule changes last week regarding student-athletes pursuing NBA careers. Undrafted players who are invited to the NBA Combine will now be allowed to return to school, “elite” high school prospects are allowed to have official relationships with NCAA and USA Basketball-approved […]
Smith Says: Aaron Holiday primed for spotlight after NBA Summer League performance
It is time for people to stop sleeping on Aaron Holiday. The former Bruin guard has been playing second fiddle to Lonzo Ball since they were teammates on UCLA men’s basketball, but he will not be overshadowed by his former counterpart for much longer. The reigning Pac-12 scoring champion showed flashes of brilliance at the […]