The Main Course from the Bruins’ Spring Scrimmage was served up to you on Sunday, but there’s always room for dessert when you’re talking about the piping hot UCLA Spirit Squad

Today was a good day for Bruins Ryan Hollins (of the Celtics) and Jrue Holiday (of the 76er’s) both of whom helped their teams to close-out victories and entrance into the second round of the NBA Playoffs, joining Bruin Darren Collison (of the Pacers).  Bruin Arron Afflalo (of the Nuggets) is also in a good mood tonight, after his team torched the Lakers (and Bruin Matt Barnes), forcing a Game 7.  But now, it can be a good day for you too, as another UCLA Cheerleader pictorial is here to put YOU in a good mood too.

These photos are all from the UCLA Spring Scrimmage, which was held on Saturday, May 5th and attended by over 13,000 Bruin Football fans.  But no one was closer to the 6 Bruin Cheerleaders who were performing on the sidelines than I was, just to bring you photos that attempt to do justice to these beauties.

Below are 25 new captioned Cheerleader photos from the event.   There are still about 50 more I intend to share, as well as more from the Spirit Squad Auditions, coming soon.

UCLA’s Cinco de Mayo Scrimmage proves that the Bruins are ready to FLY, with an air attack that will soar to the GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

Regardless of who the starting Quarterback will be for UCLA this season, the Bruins are going to throw the ball, MUCHO.  When Spring Practice began, it looked like the emphasis was on swing and screen passes to Running Backs, but now, several weeks later, the whole package is on display.  During UCLA’s annual Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl, in front of an unprecedented 13,000 fans, the Bruin QB’s hit slants, fly patterns, and check-offs over the middle, as the Wide Receivers and Y-Backs joined the Running Backs in an aerial assault that had the Defense reeling.

All 3 QB’s drove the Offense to paydirt, hitting several different Receivers for TD’s – Devin Lucien, Jerry Johnson, Tyler Scott, and Logan Sweet all got to celebrate.  But the Running Back position didn’t just sit back and watch:  RB Steven Manfro was the star of the game, with a Kickoff Return for a TD, as well as several big plays from Scrimmage.  I thought he did most of his damage on the receiving end of short passes, but a different report says that some of his big plays were Running plays.  Maybe — I couldn’t see the field very well (I was seated low, in the 3rd row, in order to bring you the best Cheerleader photos).  And with Chris “Was that a Catch” Roberts calling the action, I can’t be sure of what really transpired.  I know that he mis-called an Interception that wasn’t, and he missed a TD, so without being able to check the replay, I just can’t be sure of anything.

That being said, the offense dominated through the air, scoring way more than in any other scrimmage.  It was feast or famine for the Defensive Backfield, who gave up a ton of big plays, but also grabbed about 5 Interceptions, including 2 by Sheldon Price, one of which he returned for a TD.  The D seemed to turn up the pressure on the QB in the 2nd Half, getting a flurry of Sacks after the Break.  The other thing the Defense did well was stop the run.  Other than POSSIBLY a long Manfro scamper, the Running Game was stuffed for about an hour straight.  I would say the Offensive Line did a better job of blocking for Passing Plays than they did of opening holes for Running Backs.

Everyone wants to know about the Quarterbacks, of course, but since they are not allowed to get hit in the scrimmage, I can’t be sure who will excel when the Defense is LIVE.  It still looks like Hundley’s awesome running and scrambling ability makes him much more of a threat, and his passing was good enough to keep him at the top of the list.  Richard Brehaut might have the best arm, hitting a few Receivers in stride for big plays, but Prince also found the right Receivers and hit them when they were open.  A starter won’t be named until August, so even the Coaching Staff isn’t convinced that Hundley is the man quite yet… but he did START the scrimmage, for what it’s worth.

It’s just May, but if I had to venture a guess, it looks like the days of the 6-to-3 victory are gone, and it will be a season of shootouts instead.  Winning is still the most important thing, but even if the wins don’t come, at least the team should put points on the board, and give the fans much more excitement than they have enjoyed in a while.

Speaking of excitement, the fans were fortunate enough to be entertained by SIX girls from the UCLA Spirit Squad (and by the UCLA Band), who all looked simply awesome.  Below are FIFTY photos of the game and the Cheerleaders, including 10 that are a Blast from the Past, as we were also graced by the RETURN of one of the best Cheerleaders UCLA has ever known, making her first trip to the Rose Bowl in 3 years.

Click on the pics to enlarge them (especially the horizontal ones), and stay tuned for MORE pics from Saturday’s event, coming soon.

Do you believe in Squad?  — Today we give praise to the UCLA CHEER SQUAD, the often-overlooked and sometimes under-rated sect of Bruin Cheerleaders who routinely put Spirit in the Sky

The UCLA Dance Team gets a lot of publicity and recognition for being World Class, so it’s easy to forget about the equally-impressive Cheer Squad, who is simply too fine — and flies too high — to ever be overshadowed.  The UCLA Cheerleader Auditions were Sunday, and the illustrious Selection Committee came through again with flying colors.  For the Cheer Squad, they retained the stellar returnees who chose to come back, and they added a couple of new students, who will easily maintain the high standards that have been established here in Westwood.

Included today are 43 photos from Sunday, ALL of which feature the athletically-talented and classically-beautiful Cheer Squad.  The girls who were fortunate enough to make the Squad are captioned with their first names.  Also pictured are a few lovely girls who sadly missed the cut.  No disrespect meant, but I don’t know their names, so those names are missing from the captions.  When you see those photos, you may wonder how in heck they fell short.  Keep in mind, with photos of these runner ups for the Cheer Squad, as well as with the runners up for the Dance Team, LOOKS are JUST ONE element of the total package that the judges are looking for.  They have to be athletic, flexible, smart, handle pressure well, follow directions to a tee, and have to be extremely personable in interviews as well. So please suppress your instinct to exclaim:  “How could this cutie have not made it?”  The judges are supremely expert at this process, and although the decisions are often tough, there is usually extreme method to the apparent madness.  In other words, trust them, they know what they’re doing.  Their expertise is borne out year after year, as the entire UCLA Spirit Squad is perenially the Best in the Land — an apparent Gift from God.

Crying in my Cheer — The UCLA Dance Team loses 3 sweet girls due to time constraints and conflicts (breaking my heart), but gets 9 beautiful returnees, and 2 fine additions, while the Cheer Squad continues to be Top Tier as well

UCLA Spirit Audition Week can be an emotional rollercoaster.  That coaster started for me 364 days ago, when I met a beautiful girl at last year’s audition, who was planning on transferring to UCLA and trying out for the Dance Team.  It had always been her dream to make the team, and she came that day just to acclimate to the process, and meet Mollie (the Executive Director of the Spirit Squad).  We became close friends, and I shared her journey as she did great at OCC, as well as at her job, where she got promoted and saw her occupational dreams come true as well.  Then earlier this month, she actually got accepted to UCLA, and it was one of the most exciting, happiest moments that I can remember.  All that was left, was to make the Dance Team.

Then two days ago, I got the heartbreaking news that she wouldn’t be able to audition, as her work demands precluded her from being able to dedicate enough time to the Dance Team.  After almost a year, all our shared hopes and dreams were dashed to dust.  I wanted SO BADLY for my dear friend to be under Mollie’s tutelage as a proud member of the Dance Team.  I was devastated that the decision had to be made.  I understood, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

Well, at least I still had Savannah…

Savannah has been on the Dance Team for a few years, and NO ONE on the squad has been nicer to me during that time.  A few years ago, Katie was the first one to be super-nice to me.  Nikki took the torch from Katie, and Savannah took it from Nikki.  So even though my dear friend decided not to try out, there was always the consolation that I could turn to Savannah for that unbelievable sweetness… until I found out on Sunday that Savannah was not returning, also due to time  demands, from other UCLA schooling factors.  And Savannah wasn’t the only one:  Chelsea also was unable to continue, due to class scheduling conflicts.  It is difficult to see the girls graduate and move on — It is even MORE difficult when you grow close to them, and then, knowing that they have eligibility left, they still leave.  I wish them all the best — I just wish they could clone themselves, and stay, while their clones attend to their other business.

But, as always during Mollie’s tenure, the Dance Team will survive these losses.  Nine girls return (Kate, Lizzi, Michelle, Maya, Nicolette, Caroline, Natasha, Riana, and Tiana) and at least 8 of them have shown me undeserved kindness and respect during their times here.  Who will become my “favorite?”  I don’t know, but no matter what, you are all in good shape as fans of the Team.  They all look fantastic, and the two new additions — Juliet and MaCall — fit right in.  I don’t know how “nice” they are yet, but Mollie and her selection committee almost always weed out the divas, and adorn the squad with real sweethearts, so I’m not worried.  As far as beauty and talent, they’ve already passed that test, by wowing the crowd — and the judges — and me, on Sunday.

The Cheer Squad returns most of my favorites, as Kirsten, Sarah, Erica, Kelly, Paula, and Amanda return.  I believe Kali had other obligations, and Kayla graduated, if I understood correctly(?).  There are some new faces, as well as Dana, who returns from the year before last.  Bottom line is that the Cheer Squad will also make Bruin fans proud this season.

If you’d like to actually meet many of these lovely girls in person, you can come to the Spirit Reception on May 19th.  Please check out their website for details, and my archives from last May for a review of last year’s event.  It is a fun-packed afternoon chock full of Prizes, Food, and presentations from Bruin Coaches.  Most importantly, it is the best way to SUPPORT the World’s Best Spirit Squad.

I took over 1000 photos at the Auditions on Sunday.  Here are 35 that mostly feature some of the girls who made it.  I have another 100+ shots that I will share soon, that include a lot of the girls who just barely missed the cut.  Considering the competition, there is no shame in not getting selected onto the team.  One of the judges said that this year’s crop was the BEST in his 30 years of judging this competition.

One last note:  Special thanks go out to the MOMS who were in the crowd, and made me feel so good about what I do.  Their unsolicited praise warmed my heart, dried up the tears, and gave me the encouragement that I needed to keep writing (and shooting), even though my Dream Cheerleader will not be here for me to feature.

Don’t forget to click on the pics to enlarge them (especially the horizontal ones).

UCLA made it official yesterday, signing 6’9″ Center Tony Parker to a National Letter of Intent, giving the Bruins the #1 Recruiting Class in the Country, as annointed by ESPN.  Ben Howland’s incoming class was already #3, but the addition of Parker vaulted it over Kentucky and one other team to the Top of the Top.

This is the second time in 5 years that Howland has pulled off this amazing accomplishment.  It’s amazing, because he is defying the odds — Howland has Academic standards that most of the other contenders don’t, plus, UCLA’s lack of exposure on East Coast-centric ESPN is a huge hurdle in today’s Highlight-reel environment.  So, yes, it’s amazing, but no, it does not directly correlate to success on the hardwood.  And nobody knows that better than UCLA fans.

In 2008, the Bruins signed the top-rated class, and it never came close to panning out.  Early defections, as well as misjudgments of talent, not to mention personality/attitude problems torpedoed that class to obscurity.  This year’s class will have one fully-expected one-and-done in Shabazz Muhammad, but could have at least one more.  But as far as attitude is concerned, this class is, by all accounts, above suspicion.  These guys have come together to play hard and win, overcoming the challenges presented by a recent history of Bruin struggles.  Assuming Howland can keep them contented with enough playing time, there shouldn’t be a problem with chemistry or malcontented-ness.

One thing’s for sure:  The expectations will be at an all-time high for Howland, who will need to succeed to keep the wolves at bay.  The fact that he was able to recruit so well is a feather in his cap, but if he can’t coach them to at least an Elite 8 in the next two years, he will be in hot water again, fair or not.  But, a new era of being ELITE is starting right now, and with new Pauley re-opening, Bruin fans have every right to be excited and optimistic.

Some fans are GROUCHy as a TRIO of passes miss their MARX, but I say HORSEFEATHERS — That bit of MONKEY BUSINESS is not worth HARPing on, as CAPTAIN Mora’s Hurry-Up Offense Quarterbacks are frequently able to CHICO(ff) and find their Running Back BROTHERS, who have A DAY AT THE RACES at SPAULDING Field, and make DUCK SOUP out of defenders

Three big Interceptions during UCLA’s Spring Practice scrimmage gave fans flashbacks of the last several years of Bruin Football — Just not enough talent and execution from the signal caller, resulting in Turnovers and missed opportunities.  However — These three INT’s were the EXCEPTION, not the RULE.  Most of the passes were safe, as the Bruin Running Backs continue to sprint to the sidelines and receive passes that enable them to turn the corner with a head of steam.

Steven Manfro caught two balls like this that he took to the house. Once Manfro finds an opening, he sprints down the edge of the field, not stopping until it’s time to spike the ball in celebration.  The other Running Backs, including Jonathan Franklin and Dalton Hilliard, can also make things happen with the ball.  And it’s not just the Tailbacks getting involved in the passing game — When the Bruins were close to the Goalline, twice they found Fullback David Allen slipping unnoticed into the end zone to make wide-open Touchdown grabs.

And the Bruins won’t be all-pass/no-run.  They showed a few diferent run plays, most of which had the Quarterback faking as if he were keeping the ball for a QB Run.  For the most part, the UCLA Defense wasn’t fooled, but there were some holes that opened up, and the RB’s showed some nifty moves to take advantage of the running lanes.

In summary, there is plenty to be excited about with the new Bruin Offense, but it is sooo early – Any observations I make — in  April – really mean ZEPPO.

Below are 8 photos from Saturday’s scrimmage — Click on them to enlarge them.

One more pictorial reminder to support the Swim With Mike charity

After a good, wet Pool Party, there’s often some mopping up to do.  Today, 16 photos from last Saturday’s annual Swim With Mike fundraiser float to the top.  As you peruse this final wave of damp shots, please don’t let it put a damper on your enthusiasm to support the cause, by donating some disposable income to this worthwhile foundation.

Honey, What Do You Do For Money — Dip-lomatic Immunity today for the USC Song Girls, who stripped down to bikinis and took a dip to help raise money for physically-challenged student-athletes, including the first one in the 32 years of the Swim With Mike Charity to attend UCLA

You COULD say that this article is “dripping with irony” –  This website usually lampoons “dripping with money” SC students, but once a year, a truce is declared, so that some of those very same students can be LAUDED for the extraordinary effort and generosity that they display by participating in the Annual Swim With Mike Charity Event.

Yesterday marked the 32nd year of this worthwhile Foundation’s perennial fundraiser, and by 12:30pm, they had already raised over $800,000, to be given out as scholarships to college students who were high school athletes, and who have suffered devastating injuries and illnesses, including paralysis, blindness, amputation, and brain tumors (just to name a few).

Many of these students use the scholarships to attend USC, but in the 32 years that the charity has been operating, many, many other schools have hosted recipients.  This year, Andrew Luk becomes the first to attend UCLA (which becomes the 8th school in the Pac-12 to benefit from the Program).  When it comes to fighting life-threatening illnesses and crippling injuries, the Rivalry can be put on hold.

The biggest draw of this event is the appearance of the bikini-clad USC Song Girls, who participate in an innertube race in the pool.  They usually get pushed by Trojan Football players, but there was a scrimmage yesterday, so the Water Polo team filled in.  Of course no one really cares who the guys are behind the girls, as long as the girls are there.

Because this is a charity event for such an admirable cause, I will not tolerate any snide comments about the girls.  As always, I chose only photos that I thought were totally flattering, and I hope that they actually inspire you to dig deep into your pockets, and donate to the cause.  So, with no further ado, here are FIFTY shots from the event — 47 of the Song Girls, then 2 of the Trojan Dance Force, and finally, one special bonus shot, which might end up on Jay Leno’s “Headlines.”  Don’t forget to CLICK ON THE PICS TO ENLARGE THEM (especially the horizontal ones).

Another acorn has fallen far from the tree — Just like UCLA’s most prolific Football player Jonathan Franklin was sired by a trojan, now UCLA’s best Basketball player also was spawned by a trojan Dad.  Shabazz Muhammad, the son of u$c Basketballer Ron Holmes, has signed on the dotted line to play his mandated one year of College Hoops as a Bruin.  Ben Howland has brought Muhammad to the Mountain, er, Hills of Westwood, despite the best efforts of Kentucky’s John Calipari and Duke’s Coach K, who were the two runners-up in the Shabazz Derby.  Muhammad cites Coach Howland as the main reason for choosing UCLA, as well as the school’s recent mediocrity, which he sees as a challenge to overcome.

Some scouting services have Shabazz as the #1 recruit in the Country, with NO service ranking him lower than #2.  Shabazz is a Shooting Guard or Small Forward who can just about do it all — Shoot, Drive, Dunk, Rebound, Defend, Pass, and sell popcorn at halftime.  He has dominated High School All-Star games, and is already being projected as the Top Pick in next year’s NBA Draft.  His unparalleled athleticism was on display last month when he won the McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk Contest.

Not only will he START for UCLA this season, he will be the focal point of the Offense.  Howland has already said that the Offense will be adjusted to take full advantage of Muhammad’s natural gifts.  And if you think Muhammad will let all this hype go to his head, you would be wrong.  Muhammad is KNOWN for his undying effort, and work ethic, working hard on every possession, and practicing harder and longer than anyone else.  It is THIS type of attitude that makes him the superior specimen that he is, and that will inspire the whole Bruin team to kick up their intensity a few notches.

It is now possible that the Bruins will have three Freshmen playing key roles in this season’s success.  Kyle Anderson is the #3 Recruit in the Nation, and Jordan Adams is also Top 50.  While Adams is known for his outside shooting touch, Anderson is known for his court sense and high Basketball IQ.  With Anderson feeding the rock to Muhammad and Adams, they could have the same kind of impact that Kentucky’s three Freshmen had during their run to the NCAA Championship this past season.

Not only that, but it is still possible that UCLA will add ANOTHER phenom to the mix.  Center Tony Parker is expected to announce soon, and UCLA is one of his finalists.  There are also a couple of other players that could sign soon (and no, I’m not implying any type of inside information — just picking up on Internet speculation).  But even if no one else joins the Bruin Party, the tide has already turned, and the Bruin Program is back to Elite status.  While one ignorant website is still anti-Howland, the rest of the World has backed off that agenda, and is willing to see how he does with this influx of new talent.  And with another Final Four run imminent, maybe Howland will finally receive more unanimous support.  He already has Muhammad, and Muhammad’s trojan Dad, as wholehearted backers.

During a Grizzly game this week, former trOJan O.J. Mayo advanced the theory that he is and has always been a major pot-head, when he got confused after a jump ball, and took off for a fast break… to the other team’s basket.  His Memphis teammate won the jump ball, tipping it to another Grizzly, in the Grizzlies’ front court, but for some inexplicable reason, Mayo sprinted down to the other end, expecting the pass for an uncontested dunk.  Too bad his teammate didn’t smoke as much as O.J. must have, because it would have been a lot more awesome if Mayo had actually made a basket for the opposing team.

Mayo is the player who got his trOJan Coach Tim Floyd fired, when he allegedly took a $1000 cash payment delivered by the Coach.  He was also accused of marijuana offenses, as well as abusing a charity credit card to buy a wide screen TV and other luxury items.  The team received sanctions for all these shenanigans, but Mayo left without any further embarrassment, until this week, when his brain-dead play got him in the headlines for falling asleep at the wheel.  They say Indica makes you tired and impairs your judgment, but when you attend u$c, you have already shown impaired judgment, so the Weed may have had nothing to do with it.  For the video of the incident, just Google “O.J. Mayo.”