Four years at UCLA, and it feels like I have been at the Daily
Bruin for six. Between school, partying and the newspaper,
it’s hard to believe that The Bruin actually won most of the
time.
I have written everything from pro-wrestling to football.
When people find out I work for The Bruin, 49 percent of the
time, the first thing they ask is, “Wow, what’s Coach
Lavin like?” The other 49 percent ask, “How is the
football team gonna do?”
But, the other 2 percent who said, “Tell me about the
softball team,” were the 2 percent I preferred to answer.
Freed from the shackles of football, I spent much of my time
covering softball.
I’m not the first one to put this idea in print, but there
is something exciting about people who play for the
ever-clichéd love of the game.
They do not play for pro-scouts, do not show off for the camera,
and do not leave school for the high salaries of the Women’s
Professional Softball League.
I’ve seen Julie Adams win the World Series MVP four days
after dislocating her shoulder. I saw Amanda Freed pitch four
straight flawless games in the playoffs. I saw Courtney Dale pitch
a whole season with a torn labrum. And, I watched Lyndsey Klein
come through countless times in the clutch.
I also got to watch two of the best players ever, when I saw
Lisa Fernandez pitch to Stacey Nuveman.
Twice I traveled to Oklahoma to watch the College World Series,
with different results each time. For the first time last year,
UCLA won. This year, they lost in the final game.
No crying, no whining and no excuses. Instead, Adams talked
about what she had learned outside the white lines, as well as
inside.
Amazing ““ they won a national championship and took time
to make themselves better people in college. Think Jelani McCoy did
that?
The other thing about covering softball is that they are
winners. Every softball player that has ever played a full career
for the Bruins has won a championship.
If you want to meet Olympic athletes, try attending the next
softball Alumni game. Seven Olympians will be playing there.
But even covering softball doesn’t compare to the
experiences and people I encounter inside The Bruin.
So, in no particular order:
Amber Truxler, the best copy editor ever and most wonderful
person I met in my infinite hours in the Bruin.
Traci Mack, it’s her fault I’m here. I still
can’t believe she hired me. The best boss I’ve ever
had, inside and out of the office.
AJ Cadman, the University of New Mexico’s biggest
basketball fan.
Kim Edds, at least if I ever get arrested in Oklahoma, you can
get me good treatment from the guards.
David Arnold, how are you ever going to get another job, with
you being so threatening and all?
Pearl Lu, former EMer who showed me it’s okay to be
nocturnal.
Jeff Kmiotek, say hi to Britney for me, and stop writing columns
that people will want to read.
Chris Bates, I’m hiring this guy to design my computer
network. And Chris, thanks for organizing Saturday’s
games.
And Pauline, take sports back from the pot-holed street it was
traveling on.
The Blood Bowl, in which this year I actually got bloodied.
Oklahoma City ““ a tornado with the bases loaded,
c’mon.
Denicke’s instructional cricket chat. Now I can play
cricket too!
The (false) connection made between the mug shot of a writer and
the Westwood rapist.
And all you other Daily Bruin people, don’t feel slighted
““ this isn’t a list of my friends, just a random
sampling. Hey, I’ve only got 15 inches.