Rick Neuheisel Allows Players to Skip Practice

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Not a good start as the supposedly cleaned-up coach rebuilds UCLA. From the Daily News' Brian Dohn:

UCLA's football practice is over, long before it was supposed as the players decided to use a long-time tradition and blow off practice after stretching by going over the wall. That said, the players ran through an open gate rather than climb over the wall at Spaulding Field.

UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel knows of the tradition, but basically said it was an odd time for it considering UCLA is installing a new offense and the offensive line needs loads of work.

Also, a number of high school coaches and recruits showed up for the practice, not to mention some referees. The assistant coaches were mostly stunned after Neuheisel visited with the players, then came back on the field to say practice was done.

In one swift act, Neuheisel willingly undermined himself before his players, his coaches and the lifeblood of any program: recruits. Nice work.

Oh, and that's just about the most pathetic school tradition I've ever heard of. The NCAA limits the hours and number of practices schools can arrange, so for UCLA to be wasting a practice like that is troubling.

(Via: WildWest)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-15-2008 @ 11:36PM

mattc said...

This "tradition" started in Neu's senior year, and has been done every year since. Maybe it means something to him.

4-15-2008 @ 11:54PM

Bob said...

It shows how bad UCLA wants to be the top dog in the same conf as USC......practice like patsies, they will play like patsies!!....UCLA is way behind the winning curve!!....

4-16-2008 @ 12:03AM

Bob R. said...

Since Terry Donahue left, I have not seen anything from this program that warrants skipping practice. They may have lost some solid recruits through this.

4-16-2008 @ 2:15AM

nickstoli said...

Neuheisel in Westwood? Man, what I wouldn't give to be a defense attorney or bail bondsman in LA. Business will be good.

4-16-2008 @ 4:29AM

jtp2106 said...

Skipping a practice on April 15th isn't going to make or break the Bruins season. Calm down.

4-16-2008 @ 5:12AM

concept said...

clearly you have no concept of what tradition means. this can probably be attributed to you never playing football at any level. a tradition being absurd and against the grain, is what makes a tradition memorable and worth keeping. Missing ONE spring ball practice will not determine their fate next season, trust...get a clue

4-16-2008 @ 6:21AM

UB said...

Brian, that headline is awfully disingenuous.

Neuheisal did not 'permit' the players to skip practice. From Brian Dohn's -very next- post (which was posted before your entry, so no excuses of not having this information available):

"The coaching staff, including head coach Rick Neuheisel, were *clearly not pleased to be blind-sided by the senior-led effort to ditch practice* [emphasis added]. Neuheisel met with the seniors are the team ran off the field, and tried to put a positive spin on it. 'Our guys showed good solidarity,' Neuheisel said. 'It’s not what I would have liked to happen (Tuesday), but I remember being a part of teams that did it and still had successful seasons. So, hopefully, we can benefit in some way from this.'"

The team, following a UCLA tradition, 'ditched.' The coaches were caught off-guard and unable to prevent the players from leaving. Compared to the actual events, your headline is awfully inflammatory. Taking a few lessons from the "good folks" in the mainstream media, are we?

The truths of the situation: 1) This tradition is moronic, especially given that the team desperately needs every minute of practice it can get. 2) It is possible that Neuheisal might have been able to head this off. 3) Given the circumstances, this was in no way desired or prompted by the coaching staff, at least at this point in time. 4) As such, to blame Neuheisal or the coaching staff as a whole smacks of bias - or at the very least, a willingness to ignore the full circumstances for the sake of a chosen theme.

The team ditched, despite the desires by the coaching staff that they not do so. Is this potentially indicative of weak institutional control? Sure. What it isn't, though, is suggestive that Neuheisal is -okay- with what happened.

4-16-2008 @ 6:24AM

... On another note, yes, I am an idiot for misspelling Neuheisel's name multiple times (and potentially for other reasons - this is the only one to which I will admit at this time).

4-16-2008 @ 6:19PM

ev said...

If you read Dohn, you will also see this "tradition" was not done under Toledo. Clearly if Rick didn't want it to happen, he could have stopped it like Bob Toledo had done.