Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Thirty pieces of silver
Why Blindo, Circulo, and others sell their integrity in support of Karl Dorrell at the expense of UCLA football.
Integrity and support of a coach comes pretty cheap these days. So-called Bruin fans have been known to sell their support of a coach for a few donuts
or a pizza or two
It is indeed sad that so-called Bruin fans are willing to sell their integrity so cheaply, but even sadder and more deplorable still are those who attempt to capitalize on the foolishness on naïveté of some Bruin fans who don't know better.
Thus, if it is wrong (as we surely believe it is) to shill for a coach in exchange for access, donuts, or pizza, how much worse is it to lead Blindo and Circulo into believing that Karl Dorrell is a good coach in exchange for money? We have a word for people like that. A perhaps apocryphal story about Winston Churchill should illustrate:
What else do Blindos and their ilk sell their integrity for? Well Blindo loves the camaradarie of spring practice, cavorting with other Blindos and Circulos:
Some might object at this point: But isn't feeling good about the team a little different than selling out for donuts, pizza, or cash?
Not in any meaningful sense. Not when it requires discounting all the well-thought out statistics offered by site, and other honest analysts. Not when it involves a pernicious fraternity of denial and deceit.
Why is it that Blindo's practice reports are always positive? Why are all our commits "good gets," and even lesser regarded players regarded as "sleepers" who can improve and contribute? Why is it that even negative rumors from Vegas are regarded as showing Karl Dorrell's "character"? Why are all the stories of older players having questions regarding Karl Dorrell's ability simply evidence of "underbelly"? When talented players transfer out of a concern for the direction of the program, why are these players regarded as "bad apples" who we didn't want in our program anyway?
In short, giving KD and his staff the benefit of the doubt on some issues is one thing, but claiming that he is right about every single decision -- that all signs regarding the program are positive, that every single aspect of the program improved during spring practice, that every single player is bigger, faster, stronger and better thanks to the unique innovation of a strength and conditioning coach -- not only strains credibility, it displays the amazing lengths Blindo will go to. He is so concerned with protecting Karl Dorrell that he doesn't care if doing so destroys the program.
Keep in mind that Blindo and Circulo make these ridulous claims despite Karl Dorrell's own (paraphrased according to the OC Register) assessment of how little was accomplished at spring practice, "Few things were settled this spring, but the Bruins will go into the fall with considerably more depth at quarterback, cornerback and receiver. Coach Karl Dorrell said that is more important than making final depth-chart decisions."
But that didn't stop Karl Dorrell from foregoing valuable days of practice. And somehow Blindo is still convinced this is a good thing.
Only one conclusion can be drawn, Blindo and Circulo are so selfish that their own enjoyment of spring practice, and attending our annual beatdowns at the hands of $C, Wazzu and others are more important than success. In some ways this is the worst of all. Blindo and Circulo are dangerous. They will enable KD to destroy the program, just as that bastard at ESPN destroyed the basketball program. Don't let it happen.
Integrity and support of a coach comes pretty cheap these days. So-called Bruin fans have been known to sell their support of a coach for a few donuts
or a pizza or two
It is indeed sad that so-called Bruin fans are willing to sell their integrity so cheaply, but even sadder and more deplorable still are those who attempt to capitalize on the foolishness on naïveté of some Bruin fans who don't know better.
Thus, if it is wrong (as we surely believe it is) to shill for a coach in exchange for access, donuts, or pizza, how much worse is it to lead Blindo and Circulo into believing that Karl Dorrell is a good coach in exchange for money? We have a word for people like that. A perhaps apocryphal story about Winston Churchill should illustrate:
At a dinner party one night, an inebriated Churchill asked an attractive woman whether she would sleep with him for a million pounds. “Maybe,” the woman said coyly. “Would you sleep with me for one pound?” Churchill then asked. “Of course not, what kind of woman do you think I am?” the woman responded indignantly. “Madam, we’ve already established what kind of woman you are,” said Churchill, “now we’re just negotiating the price.”
What else do Blindos and their ilk sell their integrity for? Well Blindo loves the camaradarie of spring practice, cavorting with other Blindos and Circulos:
[A] tradition is developing among the “Bleacher Blindos” that populate spring football practice at Spaulding Field each year. Over and over again, the same cycle is repeated: a disappointing Bruin football season, followed by a couple of weeks of hand-wringing, then the first boatload of excuses
[snip]; then a disappointing outcome to the recruiting year, followed by the second shipment of ready-made excuses
[snip]; then spring practice, where these Bleacher Blindos have honed an especially ridiculous tradition: watching the team practice against itself and declaring the program miraculously cured of all that ailed it the previous season – and the season before that, and the season before that, and...
Never has the utter madness of this pitiable new tradition been more on display than this season, because the start of spring practice was moved up to February 23 – less than nine weeks after the loss to Wyoming in the Las Vegas Bowl, capping a 6-6 season in which the Bruins finished 106th out of 117 Division I-A teams in total defense (and only tied for 45th in total offense).
Some might object at this point: But isn't feeling good about the team a little different than selling out for donuts, pizza, or cash?
Not in any meaningful sense. Not when it requires discounting all the well-thought out statistics offered by site, and other honest analysts. Not when it involves a pernicious fraternity of denial and deceit.
Why is it that Blindo's practice reports are always positive? Why are all our commits "good gets," and even lesser regarded players regarded as "sleepers" who can improve and contribute? Why is it that even negative rumors from Vegas are regarded as showing Karl Dorrell's "character"? Why are all the stories of older players having questions regarding Karl Dorrell's ability simply evidence of "underbelly"? When talented players transfer out of a concern for the direction of the program, why are these players regarded as "bad apples" who we didn't want in our program anyway?
In short, giving KD and his staff the benefit of the doubt on some issues is one thing, but claiming that he is right about every single decision -- that all signs regarding the program are positive, that every single aspect of the program improved during spring practice, that every single player is bigger, faster, stronger and better thanks to the unique innovation of a strength and conditioning coach -- not only strains credibility, it displays the amazing lengths Blindo will go to. He is so concerned with protecting Karl Dorrell that he doesn't care if doing so destroys the program.
Keep in mind that Blindo and Circulo make these ridulous claims despite Karl Dorrell's own (paraphrased according to the OC Register) assessment of how little was accomplished at spring practice, "Few things were settled this spring, but the Bruins will go into the fall with considerably more depth at quarterback, cornerback and receiver. Coach Karl Dorrell said that is more important than making final depth-chart decisions."
But that didn't stop Karl Dorrell from foregoing valuable days of practice. And somehow Blindo is still convinced this is a good thing.
Only one conclusion can be drawn, Blindo and Circulo are so selfish that their own enjoyment of spring practice, and attending our annual beatdowns at the hands of $C, Wazzu and others are more important than success. In some ways this is the worst of all. Blindo and Circulo are dangerous. They will enable KD to destroy the program, just as that bastard at ESPN destroyed the basketball program. Don't let it happen.
