UCLA might upset Stanford again. Though the sporting event of the day here in England has to be the England/Wale rugby match that England won earlier in the day. But for me, UCLA/Stanford in basketball is an easy substitute. Right now, the Bruins lead by 10 with 8 minutes left. Last year, Jaron Rush ended Stanford's run at #1 in the country with a fall-away baseline jumper in OT. They weren't even ranked at the time.
They aren't even ranked now. No, the Bruins have a tendency to play up or down to their opponents. They get slaughtered by Arizona and Cal, but they always play tough against Stanford. It seems that Stanford is always, or at least in the last few years, in the top ten, if not the top five, teams in the country.
Now, with 3 minutes left and still up by seven, the Bruins have the opportunity to end Stanford's 20 game unbeaten streak. It would be, even for a Londoner, heavenly. The Bruins pass the ball around nonchalantly, knowing that time is on their side.
I eat a Snickers to ease my anxiety. I remember the same anxious feeling last year as I watched the game with my fraternity brothers in Los Angeles. When UCLA sent the game into overtime, we all said it was the best game we had ever seen. Then, when Rush surprised us all dropping the game ending shot with no time left on the clock, we all went crazy. We hugged and yelled. People screamed in the streets. Westwood was complete mayhem, if there ever such a thing could happen in Westwood.
Now, the Stanford announcers complain of Earl Watson's trash talking as unsportsmanlike, and enumerate all the excuses that are to be blamed for Stanford's perilous position. C'mon already! Is everyone associated with Stanford a baby? Let them play the games and see who wins, and let's stop making excuses.
Stanford has won all their games this year; there is no reason to make excuses.
Without TV, I am relegated to listening to bias announcers. One minute left: Bruins up by 4. This one's coming down to the wire, as if the Bruins would know how to put an opponent away anyway.
