Sorry if you came here recently and I had no postings, but I’m back from vacation and a long week of getting no sleep as the verrrrrrrrrrry early morning sports guy at KFWB.

I WAS able to get to Monday’s UCLA newser with athletic director Dan Guerrero making the announcement that he was ending the Rick Neuheisel era as of the end of tonight’s first Pac 12 championship game, which the Bruins lost 49-31 (ironically scoring the same amount as the point spread-which they covered nicely!).

I also got my last opportunity on Monday night to interview Neuheisel for the final time as the Bruins coach and I want to take this opportunity to thank Rick for all of his great cooperation. Not all head coaches give you the accessibility that he did and it’s truly appreciated. I asked Rick a few questions during his post-practice media gathering and then again for a quick 1on1 after speaking to his players. They all wanted to win this one for ‘The Gipper’ but they were simply out-manned…something they know about all too well these days. Coach almost lost it when I told him that this game to his players WAS as much about him as the game itself!

The strangest stat is that the Bruins can now become the first team in anyone’s memory that I know of, to finish a season at 6-8 after a possible bowl game (something I asked Guerrero about-because I could). And now the big question is who will be the next football boss in Westwood? It appears the big bucks are finally there to spend, but its not about how much? It’s about who and when the Bruins can start recruiting for the new era as USC gets stronger by the minute (until Matt Barkley leaves for the NFL draft of course). I personally would love to see the two Jim Mora’s take over the Bruin program. Can you see young Jim as a very enthusiastic recruiter with his dad making plans for annual bowl games AKA ‘PLAAAAAYOFFS!!!!!!’ 🙂

So as the 11-2 Ducks take their 3rd straight conference championship to THE Rose Bowl (UCLA’s home turf), the Bruins are possibly headed to the dreaded bowl meccas (he said sarcastically) of either Las Vegas or San Francisco with offensive coordinator Mike Johnson acting as the interim head coach.

The following interviews are from the Bruins’ manic Monday in Westwood where I got reactions to the news of the firing and previews for the Oregon game…better later, than never!

UCLA A.D. Dan Guerrero with Ted Sobel:

Rick Neuheisel with Ted Sobel et al after learning his fate:

Coach Neuheisel with Ted Sobel 1on1 after practice:

Bruins QB Kevin Prince with Ted Sobel:

Bruins RB Johnathan Franklin with Ted Sobel:

Bruins TE Joseph Fauria with Ted Sobel:

Bruins Offensive coord/interim head coach Mike Johnson with Ted Sobel: