Game #4 vs UCLA Bruins discussion thread

[chiefzona]

You know Chief, balance can be your friend. I had no idea you were a RR hater. Our program has plenty of flaws no doubt, but it also has had the BEST 3 year run in its HISTORY. You can argue anything you want, but results are hard to ignore

I'm not a RR hater. I'm a RR hates defense and ST hater. Who cares about 3 year run when the PAC was down. See the upswings and down swings now in the PAC?

[azcat49]

PAC was down? Geez it was just last year they were saying the south was the toughest division in football.

I do think our scheme defensively sucks balls and it is tough for us to recruit kids to play such a gimmicky HS defense. I do think RR is indifferent to special teams. He should have the same mentality on Special teams He has on offense.

We have never averaged more points, had more yards, had more bowls, had more wins, had more titles than the last 3 years. All of these are facts.

You are a hater, embrace it, it's OK.

[wyo-cat]

The Pac South was so down last season only 5 teams were in the final 25 for the playoff rankings.

[The Butcher]

You know Chief, balance can be your friend. I had no idea you were a RR hater. Our program has plenty of flaws no doubt, but it also has had the BEST 3 year run in its HISTORY. You can argue anything you want, but results are hard to ignore

I'm not a RR hater. I'm a RR hates defense and ST hater. Who cares about 3 year run when the PAC was down. See the upswings and down swings now in the PAC?

What the fuck are you talking about here? The Pac 12 is most definitely not down and has NOT been down for the last 3 years. Considered either 1a or 1 as the toughest conference in the country. Especially the Pac 12 South.

Seriously dude, are you just making shit up now?

[ASUHATER!]

Chief is just trying to stir up stuff and be a contrarian. Actually really knows very little about the program and sport it seems.

[Salty]

I'm actually over it.

We sucked, we stank it up again in a big game.

We have one lose, more will probably come this season. I'm ok with that. Not going to let it ruin my night or weekend.

Better man then I am. Sending my remaining tickets back to GB and telling him I will not be spending my money on such a shitty product. Started in 68 and it ended tonight.

Great run. Appreciate the south title last year. Life complete I guess. Will still buy tickets to support the dept. If you need one, let me know.
By no means is this a drunken rant. UCLA will play in the finsl four and I wish them well. Just we are what we are.

Sleep on it my man.

We slept on it, over at a Best Western at Orange Grove and Oracle. Had to leave by 11:30 a.m.

First game in person in the Rich Rod era. First game in person with wife, much less kids. I don't think the game experience could've gone worse, and the postgame experience been more frustrating and difficult, had I been at an ASU game. I texted azcat49 mostly just about the game, so I'm sure I was no help in restoring his optimism, but I wasn't happy, my kids weren't happy, and my wife, I think, had resolved by halftime never to return to Arizona Stadium again.

Oh, it all started great. Got into Tucson by 11 a.m. Saturday, spent over $100 on red caps, shirts, and a little cheerleading outfit for my girl at the Tucson Mall A Store. Lunch at Eegee's--everyone loved the pizza fries--then drove to campus and parked at Main Gate garage. This was to prove more than a little confusing to find coming back that night. More on that later.

Walked down Tyndall into the U. I pointed out my old haunts and the Old Main--it's almost impossible to picture Louie's Lower Level now, where my parents first met, as different as the Memorial Union is--on a leisurely walk through the library to McKale. Hot day, but enjoyable so far.

Was told at McKale that my print-at-home tickets weren't redeemable--they were just scanned at the gate. Cool. Asked about water fountains or restrooms anywhere nearby, because my kids were dehydrated. McKale Ticket Office rep said that we could go up the ramp to use the bathrooms on the main concourse.

Son stopped on the way there to ask if we could enter sweepstakes for an autographed football. While there, got into a chat with the rep, who thought daughter was cute. Mentioned I used to work in McKale and wanted to make sure it was OK if we went up the ramp to use the restrooms. He said no. I told him that's what the McKale Ticket Office rep said we could do. He said McKale was closed for business and that we needed to find somewhere else.

So now you have my email address and phone number and, in return, have told my family to go find water somewhere else. Really nice. Never mind that McKale has always had a concourse door unlocked for the public on game day with nary an issue for the last 40 years.

But things seemed to have recovered nicely when we walked past the RJ gym and ran into the fans with the teddy bears on chains. They got my son to punch the Bruin. Fun.

We then went over to the AT&T Fan Zone and saw Dana Cooper interviewing Antonio Pierce for a few. Brought wife up to speed by saying Antonio played with Kelly Ripa's co-host.

Then went over to Red Army tailgate. Found azcat49 and Dosia right before Wildcat Walk. No joke, the bus carrying Rich Rod pulled up right in front of my son and he didn't even know who was getting out until wife screamed, "Those are the players!"

So I'm thinking this day was on its way to being one of the great ones, but wife and son wanted to find somewhere to sit down and get a drink. Since the stadium was about to open, I said sure and grabbed a Diet Coke and a water at the tailgate.

"Why are you stealing my water?" a woman asked. Turns out it was Heather, who helps run Red Army tailgate, and she was not smiling.

Keep in my mind my son had just grabbed his own water out of the cooler and nobody had said a word. I've been going to U of A tailgates for over 30 years and had never been asked such a question.

I explained who I was and even said I was with azcat49 and Dosia. Finally, she smiles and says, "I'm just giving you shit. It's a hot day--go ahead."

So after apparently having to explain why I'm a thirsty Arizona fan, I guess we're cool. We get over to Gate 2, but nope--if you have a SEZ ticket, you can't go under the east stands anymore through to the Sixth Street sidewalk, you have to walk around. Starting to wilt a bit, but OK.

So we go all the way to the back of the line halfway down the street at Gate 9, and we're at security check. Apparently now that includes a purse search, because my wife got hers searched to the point where the security guard asked to search her wallet.

It was bad enough she had to throw out the water bottles we had just picked up at the tailgate and dump the rest of the water out of her bottle (but can still take it in the stadium?!?!?), but now a person's WALLET is a security risk?

There's no love lost between me and Tucson game security. Since I started going to football games there in '84, 50/50 shot you have to deal with an asshole, and the odds were never in our favor last night.

"It's for your own protection," the guard said, pawing through our credit cards and cash. Just when I'm about to opine we only need protection from lousy security guards like her, she lets us in and we're able to find our seats.

Have to take my daughter to the South End Zone bathroom before kickoff. Man, has that not changed, and I just pray my daughter doesn't ask me someday, "Dad, why did you take me to that room to see all those guys peeing out of their wee-wees?" Love those low urinals!

But we find our seats, stadium slowly fills up, then all of a sudden everyone wants to cram in five minutes before kickoff. It was all handled as if nobody expected a sellout, with fat guy, old wife and clueless-looking son going "plop" and taking all but about 10 inches of my seat.

"Season ticket holders" at the end of the row tell me to show them their tickets, even though we got there nearly an hour before them. I told them that we were in seats 28-30 and that I didn't need to show them any more than that.

So they call security to complain that we weren't in the right seats. I miss most of our first touchdown drive because I can't sit down--and, to top it all off, I'm screaming at this idiot at the end of my row "28! 29! 30! Clear enough for you now?"

Willie the security guard asks for everyone in the row to show their tickets. I do.

"So, sit down," he says. I point at the 10 inches let of my seat and then look at him, incredulous, and laugh, "You're funny."

"Well, seats are going to be tight tonight," he responds, as if that somehow justifies his handling of what is escalating into a more and more ludicrous situation. Then he begs the rest of the row (none of whose tickets he checks) to move down and make room.

So me, my wife, my son and restless, wriggling 3-year-old daughter are crammed into Arizona Stadium SEZ bleacher space equivalent to three seats. In fact, Willie said each ticket holder got 16 inches of space per seat. Are you kidding me?

With fat guy's giant right thigh snuggling up on one side and my wife struggling to keep wormy daughter between her legs on the other, we settle in to watch another shit-the-bed special under the sideline-to-sideline cameras for Arizona football.

Kids wonder why daddy is so mad when I scream for somebody to tackle and make a snap from center. How can I explain all the ways in which I've seen this implosion under pressure before? Mark Walczak or Cayman Bundage, the names cease to matter anymore.

At halftime, my wife takes daughter to bathroom again. Same security guard who smiled at them on the way down asks, on the way back, "Do you have a ticket to be in the stadium?"

Wife resists the urge to call this one an idiot, shows her papers and makes it back.

Fat guy and brood leave by end of third quarter. "We're out of here, brother. Spread your wings." Yeah, why don't you buy two seats so I don't have to?

My wife already has more medical issues than anybody should have to live with, she's suffocating in a stadium which no longer has a cool breeze for relief, and not one apology from anyone.

It was different when it was just me, or me with my Dad. I can live with a certain level of discomfort most of a game, but if it's too much for them, it's too much, period, as far as I'm concerned.

Finally, the shitshow mercifully ends and we leave to go back to our parking garage. We walk past two carloads of students wearing Wildcat red screaming f-bombs at each other about the meaningless Cincinnati Bengals game the next day. Loudmouth coed sees our kids walking by and screams to guy in car on Sixth Street, "What about that score, fucking bitch?!"

I had to check their colors to make sure these weren't Sun Devil fans. What has happened to "We're Arizona. We're better than this?"

Apparently we're not anymore. We get into what we think is the Main Gate garage, search up and down and can't find the car. I have to leave the family on Level 4 while I go find it. I ask a fan if this is the Main Gate garage. First he says, "Yeah." Then he says, "Oh, wait, no. This is the Tyndall Garage. Main Gate's up by the Marriott."

Neither of these garages existed IIRC the last time I was in Tucson for Oregon in '09. But I find the car. Drive back, pick them up, dodge the suicidal moron doing 70 down Euclid south of University with no lights on in his/her car at all, grab a late dinner up on Oracle and Orange Grove, get the kids in the Best Western nearby before they can see the four college girls dressed like high-class hookers in the parking lot below and catch a few Z's.

And so it went Sunday. Crap drivers almost running me off the road two more times, wife getting the stink-eye from people cutting her off in the Costco, counter jockey at the Circle K whining like a little bitch, "I'm just telling you, man!" after I tell him we're not going to pay for the extra large plastic size drink, that I just need four Polar Pops.

Wife just doesn't like what she experienced of Tucson, and I can't say I blame her. She won't go back. It's more than just about a game, it's about a family experience, and the one we had once the game started Saturday night was awful.

God forbid that experience is typical for families of recruits, because if it is, you won't see upgrades in our football recruiting anytime soon.

You have to be the most whiny and dramatic person I've ever encountered online. Bravo.

[Harvey Specter]

You know Chief, balance can be your friend. I had no idea you were a RR hater. Our program has plenty of flaws no doubt, but it also has had the BEST 3 year run in its HISTORY. You can argue anything you want, but results are hard to ignore

azcat49 my man...

I think Rich Rod has done an outstanding job in his first 3 years in Tucson, I would also have to say that (off the top of my head) he has had the best FIRST 3 year run of any coach we have had in my lifetime.

But the BEST 3-year run in its HISTORY? While I am too lazy to look it up, I am inclined to challenge that. Maybe my recollection of the 90's is romanticized...

I don't think bowl appearances by themselves count (nowadays any team with a pulse gets a bid, and that was not always the case)... And I am not sure season records should either, as I do not recall having (what should be) 3 automatic wins with the likes of the anemic OOC schedule we have seen lately.

I'd go with conference winning pct, with extra credit for noteworthy bowl WINS. By my count, we are 15-12 in the last 3 years; if neither Smith nor Tomey eclipsed a 55% winning percentage over 3 seasons in their tenures, then I will acquiesce to your assertion, but in Tomey's corner are 2 HUGE bowl wins ('94 & '98) that our wins in the New Mexico and Freedom Bowls do not hold a candle to.

And if we are looking for tie-breakers, a 1-2 record vs ASU does not get the nod. I seem to recall a pretty dominant streak in the '80's and '90's.

[catgrad97]

Oh, wow, another idiotic one-liner from Salty that proves once again he doesn't bother with reading posts. Well done. You really think I still gave a solitary shit about what you thought, though?

And muchas gracias Loco for forwarding this report to Arizona athletics. They can do with it what they want, I'm done with football games there until next fall.

Hey, in case that point whizzed over some of your heads, let me reiterate: This was a REPORT of my experience, you dumbasses. Not a pity party. I'm not asking for a damn thing--I'm telling you how it was.

I get it. This is how college students dress, act, etc., and in those two cases I cited, you'd be right. It doesn't mean they have the right to in front of my children, much less all the other people who are supposed to be adults.

They don't. I'm not the single dude who rolls with the immaturity down there anymore, and when you're a husband and a father, you'll understand my sentiments as well in those situations. And if you don't...oh, well, feel free to express the same sense of entitlement toward recruits' families as well on this board. See what kind of response you get.

[chiefzona]

Look at the upswing and downswing of the PAC. Last Season in the South, Arizona was able to win the South because USC had a first year coach and was still on sanctions. UCLA wasn't as strong with Hundley. Utah wasn't as strong as it is this year. ASU and Arizona is in the down swing and Colorado is stronger than they were last year. Even then...USC and UCLA still best Arizona last year. UCLA and USC are up swinging in recruiting and team play now and that never bodes well for Arizona. I'm not just talking about team play but recruiting and talent on the field as well as depth. In the North, Oregon is on a down swing because Chip's recruits are gone. Stanford is on an upswing as well as CAL. Washington seems to be on a very slow upswing and Wazzu isn't even swinging. That's my take on it. It's nice to win the PAC 12 South but you can never rest on your laurels. You cannot be a one dimensional team and expect the same results year in and year out. Football is won and lost in the trenches.....bottom line.

[Carcassdragger]

Two years ago a very large majority of posters here (or on Azc***) predicted success in 2014 but stated that 2015 would be the year we really broke through. Its' easy to be skeptical after the shit show Saturday night, but I believe RR is going to right his ship.

Nothing's changed about RR and his coaching staff/abilities. This guy is a magnificent coach. We lost a game (badly). It happens.

I too am wondering what the hell happened to Ware and Cobb though. So far they seem to be performing below their potential.

[Gilbertcat]

I guess as I walked out of that stadium I had a different view of the game. Take away the 2,000 high snaps (that were an issue in the games prior), and you take away short field for UCLA and the one over Randall's head would have been another score. Take away the special teams issues and UCLA doesn't again get short field. It was going to be a shootout, I knew that. Defense needs to force long fields because it gives up yards but they are always looking for takeaways. Those are all coach-able issues that would have made this game fun. talent is/was there (pending all the injuries). This is still a bowl team. I never bought into this team as South Champs again. Thought they would get 9 wins but needed to be healthy without the bye. Last year they had a ton of home games, this year its only 6. Wears on ya.

[Alieberman]

DC is must fine and Chief needs to give it a rest. He wasn't yapping when we went 10-2 last year. Let the season play out and we can measure things better.

Every team in America other than a few can say they need to recruit better. Only part I agree with is Casteel and that idiotic 3-3-5 but RR is loyal to a fault and we know when we lose it Is usually ugly because our offense just doesn't execute

I'll definitely give it a rest. I've always been yapping. Just not on here. The other board is a trainwreck right now and many are threatening to leave. See, denial does no one any favors.

Tell the good folks on the other board to come over here

[ANGCatFan]

DC is must fine and Chief needs to give it a rest. He wasn't yapping when we went 10-2 last year. Let the season play out and we can measure things better.

Every team in America other than a few can say they need to recruit better. Only part I agree with is Casteel and that idiotic 3-3-5 but RR is loyal to a fault and we know when we lose it Is usually ugly because our offense just doesn't execute

I'll definitely give it a rest. I've always been yapping. Just not on here. The other board is a trainwreck right now and many are threatening to leave. See, denial does no one any favors.

Tell the good folks on the other board to come over here

To be clear, the problem at the Wildcat Authority forum was that Scheer was tired of threads devolving into Chief against the rest of the board. He told folks they needed to clean things up and Chief quit the board and came here.

[gronk4heisman]

DC is must fine and Chief needs to give it a rest. He wasn't yapping when we went 10-2 last year. Let the season play out and we can measure things better.

Every team in America other than a few can say they need to recruit better. Only part I agree with is Casteel and that idiotic 3-3-5 but RR is loyal to a fault and we know when we lose it Is usually ugly because our offense just doesn't execute

I'll definitely give it a rest. I've always been yapping. Just not on here. The other board is a trainwreck right now and many are threatening to leave. See, denial does no one any favors.

Tell the good folks on the other board to come over here

To be clear, the problem at the Wildcat Authority forum was that Scheer was tired of threads devolving into Chief against the rest of the board. He told folks they needed to clean things up and Chief quit the board and came here.

One boards trash is another boards......Trash?

[azpenguin]

Two years ago a very large majority of posters here (or on Azc***) predicted success in 2014 but stated that 2015 would be the year we really broke through. Its' easy to be skeptical after the shit show Saturday night, but I believe RR is going to right his ship.

Nothing's changed about RR and his coaching staff/abilities. This guy is a magnificent coach. We lost a game (badly). It happens.

I too am wondering what the hell happened to Ware and Cobb though. So far they seem to be performing below their potential.

I was one who thought 2015 would be the big breakthrough, but that was before the injury train hit and the no-bye-week schedule. (I think had Solomon not been injured, Arizona gets back into the game by halftime.) I agree with your assessment about the staff. Bad games happen, bad games happen to good teams, and when bad games happen against very good teams, it's gonna look awful.

Ware and Cobb were both nicked up when they came in last year. Cobb had issues with a nagging hammy and Ware had a bum shoulder. I think they can still end up being solid contributors and I don't think they were missed evaluations by the coaches. You come into this system and fall behind due to injuries, it's going to take a while to catch up. Ware's shoulder was really, really bad when he came in. I think Cobb is going to do really good things as a fullback and he seems to understand what he's doing out there, and I also don't think he's out of the picture at LB in the future.

[chiefzona]

DC is must fine and Chief needs to give it a rest. He wasn't yapping when we went 10-2 last year. Let the season play out and we can measure things better.

Every team in America other than a few can say they need to recruit better. Only part I agree with is Casteel and that idiotic 3-3-5 but RR is loyal to a fault and we know when we lose it Is usually ugly because our offense just doesn't execute

I'll definitely give it a rest. I've always been yapping. Just not on here. The other board is a trainwreck right now and many are threatening to leave. See, denial does no one any favors.

Tell the good folks on the other board to come over here

To be clear, the problem at the Wildcat Authority forum was that Scheer was tired of threads devolving into Chief against the rest of the board. He told folks they needed to clean things up and Chief quit the board and came here.

That's the shallow version. There were deeper things but I like that version. Thanks Ang.

[UALoco]

Good news, not that many saw us get our ass kicked.
Bad news, not that many people wanted to watch us play so we'll not likely get the chance national exposure of Gameday again since we are not a good draw.
More good news, less chance we'll embarrass ourselves on Gameday.

[Carcassdragger]

Good news, not that many saw us get our ass kicked.
Bad news, not that many people wanted to watch us play so we'll not likely get the chance national exposure of Gameday again since we are not a good draw.
More good news, less chance we'll embarrass ourselves on Gameday.

Could be because the game was over way before halftime.

[ANGCatFan]

Here are the gif highlights.

First drive,


Anu goes down and Randall runs it in,


2nd half Bruno sack and first scoring drive,


Finally, Dawkins and Baker scoring drive.

[Harvey Specter]

Good news, not that many saw us get our ass kicked.
Bad news, not that many people wanted to watch us play so we'll not likely get the chance national exposure of Gameday again since we are not a good draw.
More good news, less chance we'll embarrass ourselves on Gameday.

Could be because the game was over way before halftime.

I am not 100% sure, but I think that tracks the # of people who tuned in to watch the game - not the number of people who stayed tuned in for the entire game.

[Gladiator Cat]

Good news, not that many saw us get our ass kicked.
Bad news, not that many people wanted to watch us play so we'll not likely get the chance national exposure of Gameday again since we are not a good draw.
More good news, less chance we'll embarrass ourselves on Gameday.

Could be because the game was over way before halftime.

There are just some things that can't be twisted, excused and explained away by BS and misdirection.

The truth is no one outside of the Tucson faithful and a few hardcore fans spread across the country, gave a flying f**K about this game.

That is truly a depressing cold hard slap in the face.

[MrBug708]

Is DC alive? Hope all is ok..

I have enacted the suicide watch on him. He is off the map. No fan, writer or football guy should ever live in denial and look at a team with rose colored glasses. It just leads to heartbreak and tears. Be honest with yourself first and everyone else second.

Gave me a good chuckle when I read that earlier Bug, but now I'm starting to wonder . . . Come on D.C., we're here for you buddy. Even your sparring partner is looking out for you.

Still no word?

[BearDown89]

Is DC alive? Hope all is ok..

I have enacted the suicide watch on him. He is off the map. No fan, writer or football guy should ever live in denial and look at a team with rose colored glasses. It just leads to heartbreak and tears. Be honest with yourself first and everyone else second.

Gave me a good chuckle when I read that earlier Bug, but now I'm starting to wonder . . . Come on D.C., we're here for you buddy. Even your sparring partner is looking out for you.

Still no word?

Still dark. Hasn't turned up on Scout yet either.

[Newportcat]

They kept showing him on the video board during the game

[Bruins01]

Is DC alive? Hope all is ok..

I have enacted the suicide watch on him. He is off the map. No fan, writer or football guy should ever live in denial and look at a team with rose colored glasses. It just leads to heartbreak and tears. Be honest with yourself first and everyone else second.

Gave me a good chuckle when I read that earlier Bug, but now I'm starting to wonder . . . Come on D.C., we're here for you buddy. Even your sparring partner is looking out for you.

Still no word?

Still dark. Hasn't turned up on Scout yet either.

He's back... Not sure he'll turn up in this thread, though.

[MrBug708]

Im guessing he is on a self imposed posting exile?