Bad news comes in three’s — Not only is UCLA Basketball on a three-game losing streak after losing by three to Oregon, but both NFL teams with three Bruins get eliminated from the Playoffs
Bad News Bruins. I feel like singin’ the Bru’s. After the Bruins lost last week at home in Pauley Pavilion to hapless Colorado, they followed that up by getting swept up in Oregon this past week. First they got beat by the lowly Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis 69-63, then they traveled to Eugene and were defeated by the Ducks, 94-91.
There were only three bright spots in this whirlwind vortex of negativity: (1) The Bruins showed heart in coming back strongly from an 18-point deficit against the Ducks, having a chance to tie the game at the buzzer. Therefore, the Bruins are coming off a very solid half of Basketball and could roll that into positive momentum this week when the Bay Area schools visit Westwood. And (2) Freshman Chris Smith finally had the light go on. Smith had two of his best showings of the season back-to-back. For the first time all year, he went two whole games without making a costly decision. Finally (3) the Bruins got a commitment from 5-Star Center Moses Brown for next season.
Those three positives will take some of the sting out of the NFL results yesterday. Jacksonville blew a double-digit lead to go down to Tom Brady and the Patriots, 24-20. The Jaguars’ roster includes Bruins Myles Jack, Marcedes Lewis, and Eli Ankou, and those first two were instrumental in Jax being up late in this game. Tight End Marcedes Lewis scored the game’s first Touchdown, on Jacksonville’s Offensive Play of the Game, making a twisting catch of a Blake Bortles pass. Later, when New England was driving, Linebacker Myles Jack made the Jags’ Defensive Play of the Game, when he stripped the ball from a Pats Reciever, and held onto it for a fumble recovery and Turnover.
But those Bruin heroics were not enough, as Tom Brady pulled another one out of his hat, with two 4th Quarter TD tosses to Danny Amendola to give the victory to the defending Champs. The silver linings here? After Brady’s comeback, TV cameras caught him celebrating with teammate and Bruin Matthew Slater — The Pats have one Bruin and ZERO trojans. The other good thing about the Jags being knocked out? Now their ex-trojan Wide Receiver Marqise Lee will not be getting a Super Bowl ring.
Another Wide Receiver from u$c WILL be playing in the big game, as Philadelphia destroyed Minnesota 38-7. The Eagles scored 5 Touchdowns, including 3 passes to Wide Receivers, but NONE of those went to ex-trojan Nelson Agholar. The former trojan, who a while ago was officially accused of raping an exotic dancer, caught only 3 passes for Philly, and was a non-factor in the win. Unfortunately, that victory ended the seasons of Bruins Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, and Kai Forbath. None of them were goats, although Barr did miss a tackle that helped the Eagles widen the gap at the end of the first half. But the game was such a blowout, no one play or player was to blame. Kendricks did LEAD Minnesota with 6 tackles, while Barr added 3, and Forbath made his only kick (a PAT).
Now I’m in the unenviable position of rooting for the Patriots in the Super Bowl. I don’t like any dynasties that don’t involve John Wooden or the Lakers, so it’s painful to suffer through all New England’s success, but I’d rather Slater be “going to Disneyland” than Agholar. So, “Go Patriots.” And if the Eagles pull off the upset, I hope they vote a ring to Bruin Randall Goforth, who is currently listed on their Injured Reserve list.
Anyway, no better way to shake off the misery of the last week or so, than by enjoying 49 more photos of the UCLA Spirit Squad…
