WordPad sucks.  Don't use it.

I have always first written my blog posts in WordPad before publishing them on the site.  I do that in case my computer crashes or something I'll have a copy saved.

Yeah, that didn't work.  In hour three of working on my UCLA and Cal previews last night, my POS old computer found a way to shut itself off.  I wasn't worried, because I had saved my work.  But when I went to retrieve it, I was greeted by paragraphs of this:

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Now, I definitely wouldn't consider myself a computer whiz.  And I don't know what kind of a cruel joke my computer is playing on me, but it has me in a very pissed off mood right now.  I can't bring myself to go and redo three hours of work, so you are going to get the Cliffs Notes version of these previews.  Oh, and rest assured, I will never stray from MS Word again.  I'm apology to good ol' Word for my transgressions.

Anyway, first we'll talk about UCLA.  If you want information about their units, look here.  UCLA returns 20 starters.  They are immensely talented, and everybody and their grandma is picking them to have a monster year.

I'm not buying it, and the main reason is their head coach.  I don't want to say that Karl Dorrell is a terrible coach.  He's certainly no Dirk Koetter.  But there is a reason that UCLA hasn't been a top program like their talent suggests they should be.

Take last year's Oregon/UCLA game for example.  UCLA fell behind early 20-0.  However, Oregon's offense slowed down considerably, and UCLA had a chance to make something happen and get back into the ballgame.  But instead of trying to throw the ball downfield and give his team a realistic shot, Dorrell showed no sense of urgency and continued to methodically run the football.  He was able to get a few scores off of it, but he basically chewed up the clock and gave away any chance that the Bruins had of winning the football game.  They lost by ten.

This is why you see UCLA in a lot of close games.  They never blow anyone out, and aren't blown out themselves.  Dorrell refuses to take chances.  He doesn't play to win, he plays not to be embarassed.  That mentality will never get you to the top of your game, and its why I'm not buying UCLA as anything more than a 7-5 team this year.

As for Cal, I still think that they'll be good (8-4), but just now as good as others seem to think.  I can't picture them winning ten games this year.  They lost seven players on defense, including Daymeion Hughes.  That's a lot of talent to lose.  Offensively, the loss of Marshawn Lynch is going to hurt more than most people think.  True, they still have Justin Forsett, who is a good back.  But having one good back is not the same as having one good back and one great back.  I don't see Forsett getting almost 1,400 yards, and someone backing him up with 650.  Even with Longshore and Jackson back, I just don't think this offense can do what they did last year.

GO DUCKS!!! (and to hell with WordPad)

--Dave