YOU CAN’T BYE HAPPINESS

Idle UCLA doesn’t lose, but #1 Texas does, handing Bruins’ rivals a BCS boost

It could be time for a triple-bye-pass, after all the exciting games that took place during the Bruins’ bye week.  Just to name two, fellow enemy of usc Notre Dame lost to Pittsburgh in 4 Overtimes, but conquerors of usc Oregon State survived a last-minute scare from Arizona State.  The Beaver victory means that they still control their own destiny for the Pac-10 Title and a Rose Bowl appearance, having already beaten sc this year.  Of course, the Beavers play at UCLA this Saturday, so yesterday’s thriller over the Sun Devils may be a moot point if UCLA continues their recent mastery over the Beavs.

But it was another recent trojan-beater who tripped up yesterday, in a heart-pounding, last-second loss at Texas Tech.  The formerly undefeated and #1 Longhorns came all the way back from a 19-point deficit to take their first lead with a minute and a half to play, but the Red Raiders drove down the field and scored with one second left on the clock.  The 39-33 upset will shake up the top of the Polls, with Alabama and Penn State being the undefeated Top Two, and 1-loss Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, and usc still vying for a crack at it. 

If only there were a Playoff, an over-rated team from a weak conference couldn’t slide in unjustly, after a team in a strong conference suffers a heart-wrenching last-second loss to another undefeated, Top Ten team.

And speaking of losing pulse, classy Pete Carroll and his buddy Will Ferrell have done it again — almost scaring a group of teenagers to death while performing a Halloween prank.  Carroll staged a fake death, and a man on fire, for his players to have some fun.  Players afterward were quoted as saying that they honestly thought that they had just traumatically witnessed a man’s death.  That would make Carroll a Trauma Queen.

And speaking of Royalty, this year’s Major League Baseball Crown goes to the Phillies, who were led all year long by Bruin Chase Utley.  Philly beat the upstart Tampa Bay Rays, 4 games to 1.  [The Rays used to be the Devil Rays, but they dropped the “Devil,” and won the Pennant, like when the Ducks dropped the “Mighty,” and won The Cup.]  Utley isn’t the only Pro Bruin enjoying himself these days — Jordan Farmar, Trevor Ariza, and the Lakers are 3-0 and cruising past their NBA foes so far.  On the sad side of things, Bruin (and new Clipper) Baron Davis hurt his hip in a fall (sounds like an AARP member incident), and missed Saturday night’s loss, which dropped the Clips to 0-3.

Finally, don’t ask where the article is about the USC Sprinter who was recently shot.  This is no laughing matter.  However, it is not totally value-less for incoming recruits to be aware of the dangers associated with being an athlete at usc, so mentioning this incident here in this paragraph could be seen as a public service.

And speaking of public service, just because the Bruins didn’t play this Weekend, is that any reason that you shouldn’t get your fix of beautiful UCLA Cheerleader photos?  That would be bye-curious, and a bye-olation of your human rights.  So here are a dozen more sparkling examples of what money can’t “bye,” and there will be no Bye-er’s Remorse.