oh HELL yeah!

That's what I'm talking about!!! Great day.
(I'm so tired...and my voice is gone)

Build Me Up (some new furniture) Buttercup - Go Bruins!

HD Buttercup, a furniture store in Culver City, will give you free furniture if the UCLA Bruins beat the USC Trojans. There is a $2000 minimum purchase, but there is no maximum on the amount of furniture that you can buy. You must purchase the furniture before the football game which is on 12/2.

Have all the free press you want Mr. Buttercup (typical trojan last name). I can't wait to see the free press you get come Saturday night as you put up the GOING OUT OF BUSINESS signs in your front window.

**I've now been informed that Senor Buttercup is in fact a BRUIN. It makes perfect sense...he's just hedging his bet. Bruins lose, he makes money. Bruins win, he's out of business but his Bruins beat those bastard Trojans. Well played Buttercup...well played.

Damn You Jeff Samardzija

Well, my weekend trip to Chicago and South Bend started on Thursday night and ended on Sunday afternoon. This means that I can safely say that out of a possible 63 hours of fun, I had an amazing trip for exactly 62 hours, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. Who stole those 30 seconds of joy from me?

Jeff 'friggin' Samardzija that's who. Or was it? Actually, I'm gonna pardon that punk for now and point the finger at Offensive Coordinator Jim Svoboda. So all in all, I'm blaming anyone with an F'd up last name. Feel free to let Jim know how you feel about his decision to run straight up the middle on the last possession at jsvoboda@athletics.ucla.edu.

But I'm jumping ahead of myself.

Highlights from the weekend include:

• A Bruin-filled Southwest flight from LAX
  
• Matt forcing the flight attendant from her spot in the back by destroying the bathroom even before we took off
• Playing hold 'em poker using Southwest peanuts as chips
  
• Staying at the trendy W hotel on the lake (for only $150...thanks Priceline.com)
• Going out until 4am (I heart Chicago)
• Packing into Dave's Tundra and driving 2 hours to South Bend and MISHAWAKA!
  
• Checking out Casa Nguyen/Francisco - homeownership rules!
• Rockin' Friday night in the Bend: TGI Friday's, Walmart and Trivial Pursuit until 1AM

Then...Gameday!

We had an amazing tailgate (within 200 yds of the famed stadium) and an all in all amazing game (our seats were SO close). I don't feel like talking about what happened in the actual game anymore so go read about it somewhere else.

The post trip highlight...of course, getting on the airport shuttle from Budget Rental with the one, the only... Gallagher (and his mallet of course). Coincidentally we were all chewing watermelon flavored bubble gum...no joke.

UCLA @ Notre Dame

Great seats...but my heart...is...broken...
-more details to follow-

UCLA +14...take 'em!

No. 10 Notre Dame awaits stumbling UCLA

"The Bruins and Fighting Irish (5-1) are meeting for the first time in 42 years, with Notre Dame having won both previous games -- 27-12 in 1963 and 24-0 the following season."

Been waiting for this one since it was added to the schedule about 2 years ago (I think). The weekend has finally arrived. I fly Thursday from LAX to Chicago and will be driving to the mighty South Bend (yes, that's in glorious Indiana) on Friday to prepare for what looks to be a somewhat chilly tailgate come Saturday morning. We've got 7 Bruin fans in our immediate group and 4 tickets - anyone got extras? Looks like we'll be ponying up $200 each for the last few. Why oh why would anyone pay that much money to watch UCLA play #10 Notre Dame? I don't know either but I just may be one of those people. Something about the tradition and history of Notre Dame. I mean, they have Touchdown Jesus for Christ's sake (pun intended). Should be a good time no matter the outcome. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the Bruins take the Irish on a last second QB keeper TD (as he's pushed into the endzone by Chris Markey).

Speaking of the UCLA QB...check this out:

Complicating things for the Bruins this week is a freak injury to backup quarterback Patrick Cowan, who will make his second career start Saturday. Coach Karl Dorrell said Monday that Cowan got punched in the throat while being sacked, causing him to lose his voice on the final series. Dorrell relied on receivers to shuttle plays to the huddle and communicate them.

On the trip back to Los Angeles, Cowan's throat swelled up and he coughed up blood, Dorrell said. Cowan was under a doctor's orders not to speak Monday.

So what if Cowan has little or no voice come Saturday in noisy Notre Dame Stadium?

"We're going to have to find a means of communication," Dorrell said.

That can't be good for the team...

Time to get my HOOD on!

Doctoral Hooding Ceremony - Commencement 2006

No joke, my robes look like the hand-me-down's worn by Ron Weasley...
Atleast they don't include a tall, white hood.

Tim McKenna - March Madness Nostradamus

Yahoo! Sports Tournament Pick'em

Who would have guessed that UCLA, LSU, Florida and GEORGE MASON of all the teams in the NCAA would make this year's Final Four???

Tim McKenna, that's who!

Mr. Tim McKenna is in sole possession of 1st place on the worldwide leaderboard over at Yahoo's March Madness Tournament Pick'em. Now he's not perfect (he's missed 16 games total so far and didn't go 15/16 on day one like yours truely)...but guessing that final four...well that's damn impressive. So impressive in fact that people on the Yahoo messageboard are obsessed with the man, the myth, the legend...

Little Known facts about Tim McKenna by: ZagsWinBig (gallatin01)	Mar 27 4:02pm
I sat by him in Algebra-- He's a decent baller, but can't go left The guy just knows the game. Too hard too describe here--

will smith cast as tim mckenna by: bracketology101 (blade91812)	Mar 27 4:14pm
in the up coming movie tim is god

Chuck Norris once by: Hugh Jasscock (busman1950@sbcglobal.net)	Mar 27 4:15pm
jump backwhirl spinkicked George Mason upside the cabeza dropping him like he was Bobby Kennedy, only to have him rise up scream "Tim Mckenna", then proceed to beat the shit out of ole Chuck

Tim McKenna is all that is wrong with our country. by: I Rule (waviclesdammit)	Mar 27 4:19pm
Our young people used to be able to look around them and see wholesome, good values taught wherever they looked. And today's young people look around and all they see is 50 Cent and Tim McKenna.

Tim McKenna by: Bracket Busters (eaglesnfl52286)	Mar 27 4:21pm
I think Tim McKenna may have just passed Chuck Norris as the greatest person at life. Tim has become the Buddha of college basketball. Actually, he probably just found some way to cheat. Eaither way, that's still cool.

mckenna by: Bracket Busters (eaglesnfl52286)	Mar 27 4:23pm
Tim McKenna went back in time and deflected all three bullets aimed at JFK with his bare hands. He then told JFK that he picked George Mason to go to the Final 4. JFK's head exploded out of sheer amazement

Final Four Here We Come

ESPN.com - Afflalo, UCLA clamp down on Memphis, stamp Final Four ticket

Mark: "Get the ball to Hollins...he's the MVP!...wow, never thought I'd say that."

This UCLA Victory Is Blue Heaven - Los Angeles Times

This UCLA Victory Is Blue Heaven - Los Angeles Times

Run to victory

After Adam Morrison made two free throws with 3:26 left, UCLA trailed Gonzaga, 71-62, but the Bruins closed with an 11-0 run to pull out an improbable win.

• 3:13 — Luc Richard Mbah a Moute makes two free throws. (71-64 Gonzaga).

• 2:09 — Mbah a Moute scores on a layup. (71-66 Gonzaga).

• 0:52 — Jordan Farmar makes a running one-hander. (71-68 Gonzaga).

• 0:20 — Ryan Hollins makes two free throws (71-70 Gonzaga).

• 0:10 — After Farmar steals the ball from J.P. Batista, he passes to Mbah a Moute for a layup (72-71 UCLA).

• 0:02 — UCLA regains possession after a held ball, Arron Affalo is fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass and makes one of two free throws. (73-71 UCLA).

• 0:00 — Batista misses a turnaround jumper from the wing and UCLA wins, 73-71.

Gonzaga Bulldogs/UCLA Bruins = Greatest Night of My Life

NCAAB - Gonzaga Bulldogs/UCLA Bruins Recap Thursday March 23, 2006 - Yahoo! Sports
I can't sleep...what a night, what a game. I just went absolutely crazy along with the Q's crowd in West LA. Such a great defensive comback at the end there. I was a little bit worried about playing Memphis but after tonight's test, I'm feeling better. That which does not knock us out of March Madness, only makes us stronger.

GO BRUINS!!!!!

NCAAB - Live Odds - Spreads & Totals - Yahoo! Sports

Thurs - 9:57 pm
Gonzaga
at
UCLA -3.5 136 ov"

Lookin' STRONG!

Look out 63 other teams, UCLA is playing the best basketball they've played in years. After wrapping up the regular season title, the Bruins beat Cal (yet again) to wrap up the Pac-10 Tourney title today. Even more exciting is that they seriously have a chance to go far in the Tournament which starts Thursday. I'm going out on a limb and saying they win it all. They last won the National Championship when I was a wee freshman at UCLA in 94-95. Many years later, as I finish up grad school here at UCLA, I think it would be nice to close out the Era of Eric at UCLA with yet another Championship. Don't let me down Ben Howland.

(By the way, I was just told by a former classmate, that my diploma will have Gov. Arnold's signature on it...sweet, I get a PhD certified by the Kindergarten Cop.)

Holy crap!

Wow, what a day! I had a great time getting to see my one and only sister get married AND my UCLA Bruins come back from 21 points down in the 4th quarter to beat Stanford, a school I may just hate more than USC. Weddings in the fall tend to be bad for College Football fans since they are always on Saturdays. Thank God for the internet and Tivo. After frequent trips to the "bathroom" to check the score during the reception, it is 1:30 AM, I know who wins, and I'm still watching the UCLA game right now on Tivo. I'm actually giddy at this point. The best part is watching the Stanford students go crazy as Stanford just scored their 24th point. Haha...I know something you don't know!!

Anyways, the wedding was very beautiful and I couldn't be happier for my sister and my new brother in-law. I hope they enjoyed it as much as everyone else in attendance.

Jackpot!!

Thank you UNC Tarheels!! Thanks to you and my blindfolded picks I shall be collecting a grad student bonus this year. Gambling winnings make a poor student's life worth living. PLUS, I get to pretend that I know more about college basketball than 88 other people despite the fact that I only watch 3 games all year (all UCLA games). Today's Lesson: Don't turn down entering next year's March Madness pool just cuz you don't have cable, live in a foreign country or cuz you would pick teams based on uniform color...cuz those are the people who win.

Bling Bling!!