Had a dream last night. It was like a movie, only a book. Maybe it was about a book. Don't have the title but here's the opening:
OK, so let's get the obvious out of the way.
My name is Jonathan Shade and I am the devil.
Of course, mythology gets some things right and some things wrong. Eternal? Pretty much. Cloved hooves? Sorry, no; size ten (wides if you got 'em). Give people what they desire in exchange for their soul? I'll do that every now and then, but I prefer to say I give folks what they need, but let's not argue it. At least not now. Evil? That's where I've got to draw the line.
But am I a punishment for sin?
You bet your sorry ass, kid.
Not a bad hook. But that's all I got. That and the idea that Shade is a hard-boiled film noir detective in a putrid underbelly of a major city... the type of guy that would have fit perfectly in the monochrome drawings of Frank Miller.
But that's all I've got. What I don't "got" is time... so if you do (and you're so inclined), take it and run with it. Just give me a little acknowledgment (and maybe 1% of the profit), and don't tell anyone I never gave you anything.
So that's the dream.
The nightmare?
Well, beyond appearing that we may lose Love, Collison AND Westbrook to the NBA draft (confirmation to come later), it seems the seniors on my beloved Bruin football squad went brain-dead and "over the wall" and ditched practice as a part of some lame-ass tradition.
Now the tradition began OK, as a kind of self-bestowed reward after beating SC and before heading to Japan for the season finale back in 1980. But somehow it mutated into some Spring tradition.
Uh, boys, Spring is when we have the LEAST amount of time to fuck around. It's when depth charts begin, when talent can be evaluated, when skills are learned (rather than honed later in the year). After a victory against your hated rivals? Yeah, then is a good time to go over the wall. But not now. Especially not this year.
The tradition had been banned by, of all people, the strict disciplinarian Toledo, only to be reinstated by Dorrell (who tried to minimize its damage by managing and planning the day himself--uh, note to leaders: when you manage a "ditch day" ... it's not a "ditch day" it's a day off).
Slick Rick (who participated and instigated this "tradition" under Donahue) will need to get the reins in on this one... ban it except for the weeks between the last game and the bowl game. And if the team doesn't make it to a bowl? Then they really don't deserve it, now do they?
Hopefully, this nightmare is done.
[Wasn't around last night to hear the Clinton-Obama debate (we were at Rio Mesa for their Open House and the incoming freshman IB meeting... we're incredibly excited... I'll probably write more about that later today), so I'll need to stream the debate and listen to it before I respond (though what I've read thus far has been mixed to say the least)]
2 comments:
BW:
Spot on with your analysis of the "Over the Wall" nonsense. Isn't RN supposed to change the culture at UCLA? I question the senior leadership, but I think it ultimately falls on RN. He should have explained that, while it may be a "tradition,' a better tradition would be to commit to getting better, elevating the program beyond such childish antics, and kicking USC's ass on a regular basis like the good ol' days.
LA Times quote of a local high school coach who was there summarized it best. "I guess that's why they play in the Lay's Potato Chip Bowl every year..."
Sad day for Bruin hoops. We go from a top 5 team to, who knows? Struggling to make the tournament? Geez, I hope not. In Ben I trust...
Go Bruins!
Jim C.
In Ben, I trust as well... I don't think we'll struggle too badly. Jrue looks like the real deal. Who knows, maybe we'll be more athletic.
[of course, it they all returned, and he could be "seasoned" under the vets... oh, why frustrate myself?]
In Rick... I'm not trusting. YET.
Lay's Chip Bowl... if it wasn't so sad, I'd laugh.
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