UCLA week press conferences (Updated Wednesday 09/10, Vance Bedford)

[North Texas Golfer]

Haha and I disagree with your disagreement... I believe in escalation of force and I think public embarrassment is further down in that progression. I would prefer CFS say nothing to the media and hammer the boys. I know we love getting info but it's tough to feel like a family when right after the family goes through something the parents are pointing fingers, and that's exactly what happened. I understand the mess they inherited. But they do also... They didn't show up yesterday and this isn't their first coaching jobs. At this point the players are well aware that the current coaching staff did not recruit them... I think there's a fine line there. IMO.

I'm a fairly insensitive person myself... But what I have learned over the years while leading is that sometimes you have what you have(as Wickiline said). Kicking around and being pissed off about it does absolutely no good if you have no other recourse... Culture build for years doesn't change in less than a year. Hell we've been in Afghanistan for 12 and haven't changed anything about their culture. Haha I love what Charlie is doing but I would prefer more of it stay in house. That's how you build trust and alliances. Not feeding the media and fans needs. IMHO.

Sometimes you have what you have (as Wickline said). Kicking around and being pissed off about it does absolutely no good if you have no other recourse.

Unfortunately this is a pretty accurate assessment of where Texas football currently stands. The coaches have what they have and the change options are severely limited.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Okay, after reading some of the things that Diggs is saying, I've going to say this knowing that I could get blasted for it. But I don't think his level of play quite matches up with his bravado.

 

[Juan]

He was all over this one

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

I don't think you build trust off coddling your players. I think you literally sink this ship if that shit shows up. You lose the team right there. At that point, they're convinced you're just a black Mack Brown.

SSDD.

I agree, kicking around and just being pissed off helps nothing. And perhaps if you're inclined to do that, you'd be one of the dismissals.

Myself, I responded favorably to what Strong is doing. Had he called me out, I would have taken it personally and responded to the criticism. Not with talking to the media. Not with getting my feelings hurt and wondering where "trust" is when it was my performance that damaged that trust in the first place. No, I would have responded by working harder to improve, but studying film, by listening harder. Dennis Alexander once employed the same approach and I watched while myself and others worked our tails off to remove the criticism. And we did.

Picked dead last in our district by DCTF, we won the title. We had no business doing that. But he made us believe we should, so we did. We had one player weighing over 200 lbs at a 4A school.

Don't mistake my opinion to keep team business in-house as coddling... I'm not the coddling type. Both parties rely on the other for success, pure and simple. I am a self motivated person and I'm motivated by a combination of hate for losing and love for winning. If we had persons in the locker room that shared our feelings about success, and the drive for it, we would likely not be in the position we are in now. But we don't. And since he is still in the "learning the team" process he may want to keep some of the big guns in storage for mid and late season. If your team doesn't respond to public criticism then it's time to change strategies, plain and simple. We will see this week if all the finger pointing and calling out has any effect.

I love what Strong brings to the table as much as anybody else and want him to continue... But if we get shit talking the team every week until the roster is all their boys then it's gonna be a long and interesting year.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

I don't think you build trust off coddling your players. I think you literally sink this ship if that shit shows up. You lose the team right there. At that point, they're convinced you're just a black Mack Brown.

SSDD.

I agree, kicking around and just being pissed off helps nothing. And perhaps if you're inclined to do that, you'd be one of the dismissals.

Myself, I responded favorably to what Strong is doing. Had he called me out, I would have taken it personally and responded to the criticism. Not with talking to the media. Not with getting my feelings hurt and wondering where "trust" is when it was my performance that damaged that trust in the first place. No, I would have responded by working harder to improve, but studying film, by listening harder. Dennis Alexander once employed the same approach and I watched while myself and others worked our tails off to remove the criticism. And we did.

Picked dead last in our district by DCTF, we won the title. We had no business doing that. But he made us believe we should, so we did. We had one player weighing over 200 lbs at a 4A school.

This year of football, that you mentioned you played, did you guys win the title?

 

[North Texas Golfer]

He was all over this one

Yes, that was a good play.

I took a quick look at the player bios and here's what I found about Diggs.

2011 - Freshman, 2nd Team All Big 12 with 4 interceptions

2012 - Sophomore, no Big 12 honors with 4 interceptions

2013 - Junior, Honorable Mention All Big 12 with 0 interceptions

 

[Sirhornsalot]

This year of football, that you mentioned you played, did you guys win the title?

Yes, we did. Did I mention we won the title? lol

I played QB for much of that year, until I broke three fingers on the passing hand in the middle of the season. The next week, I was playing LB. They called me "Flipper" because the trainer had taped a knee pad on each side of my hand to protect my fingers. I know, you had to be there.

 

[HornEsch]

We can say that the team has bought into CS and his methods, but it is very obvious that while some may have, the team most certainly has not. This game proved that on so many levels, the Mack Brown mentality is still prevalent throughout this team.

To be honest it is not all that shocking that buy in is not across the board as some would like to think. You can't just flip a switch from country club to the pit and think everyone will truly change.

The process of getting these guys mentally in line with CS has really just begun.

 

[Seldomseenhorn]

This season and next season will be tough to watch but we need to give CS time to change the culture. After losing Ash and Espy and working with a half stocked pantry, We are going to have some lousy 2nd halves with the defense wearing down from spending too much time on the field. Hopefully Watson opens up the offense regardless of the consequences to see who can perform. CS needs to play as many of the younger players as he can to see how they progress. Plan for the future. Mack's last few recruiting classes pretty much insured that this years team, with our schedule would be equivalent of going to a gunfight with only a knife. Give CS time and it will get better!

 

[java]

so far, this team has bought in to all the suspensions and discipline, but if he keeps throwing them under the bus, he's going to lose this locker room.

tough love is fine, but there's a limit to it, i think.  

He didn't throw them under the bus.  He is a straight shooter.  They know it, and they appreciate it.  When you work with teenagers, every day, like I do, you quickly discover that they can handle the truth, if they know you are always going to tell the truth.  What they cannot handle is someone they perceive as unfair or biased.  Parents can be a different story.  

For Strong to say his team wasn't ready to play is not an indictment of anyone except himself.  A coach is responsible for getting his team ready to play.  Do I believe he was at fault for the loss?  No, I believe the cupboard was not only bare, but bereft in critical spots due to Brown's poor management.

Lose the locker room?  Not a chance.

 

[java]

As a sophmore on JV, the varsity thought they would tape 10-0 on all our helmets. . . .we had lost to a rival 10-0 the year before. . .

In the middle of practice I ripped my off, balled it up and threw it at the huddle. . .

"if you need this. . . we're f***ed anyway" .. . . .

Way to go, cheese.  You pass.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

The one guy I have not seen anything conclusive about is Daje.

Which means either that it's possible he's availability for this week, or maybe it is as simple as no one asked the right question.

Anyone have anything specific on this?

 

[Matt Cotcher]

The only official thing is that Harrison & Estelle will not play this Saturday against UCLA. Their return date is still in question.

Shawn Watson meets with the media today after practice. I'll make sure he covers Daje's status.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Shawn Watson Presser Updates

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

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[Aaron Carrara]

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[Aaron Carrara]

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[Aaron Carrara]

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[Aaron Carrara]

Desmond Jackson

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