University of California Los Angeles - Bruin Life / Southern Campus Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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m % $ J Time ' s up Trojans! That ' s right; now repeat. ..this time with some gusto! For one week every year in December, the Bruin bear goes into hibernation, it is a crime to wear red, and students get an especially loathsome gleam in their eyes when beloved cross-town rivals are mentioned. Like those that had come before, Beat $C Week 2004 was heralded by the Crazy Car Smash, in which students wielding sledgehammers took turns dealing cathartic blows to a beat-up red car. And Bruins mixed philanthropy with school spirit at this year ' s Get the Red Out blood drive, which coincided with World AIDS Day. On Thursday night, students followed the paw prints down Bruin Walk to Wilson Plaza for the pre-game rally and bonfire. Set against a nighttime backdrop of Powell and Royce Hall, and framed by a rainbow of balloons, the stage was an arresting sight to see. Weary fans turned out to show support for a team that unceremoniously fell to the men of Troy the past five years running. The Yell Crew feverishly led the crowd through several chants, with pompoms and bambams (gold and blue baguette-shaped floaties) only adding to the ruckus. When the bonfire was finally operational, it sent sparks and billowing plumes of smoke off into the late autumn night sky, illuminating the faces of die-hards who turned out despite the arctic chill. I think it ' s good for the football team to see people come out especially on a cold night, offered Lara Saye, a fifth year sociology student. When the flaming pyramid could climb no higher, it collapsed with a bang much to the delight of onlookers, who promptly erupted in cheers. Many hoped the Trojans would face a similar demise on the football field. As the bonfire diminished, alum band Raining Jane came on to perform a few numbers. Other performers of the night included Awaken A Capella and of course, our Marching Band, without whom the rally would have been incomplete. I ' m glad people came out. ..it ' s nice to see so much school spirit, remarked Libby Turows, a third year English student. If nothing else, festivities throughout the week illustrated Bruin resilience. Time and time again, we took to the field only to be beaten to a pulp. But we returned year after year, invigorated with newly-found delusions of grandeur. A close game was widely seen as a victory amidst defeat this past year, and the team ' s persistence gave us a reason to believe yet again, bl ALL Iron-fired tAp to attaxk the TrejaMA by ErUui Liu

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Below: The UCLA Spirit Squad and Dance Team use all their energy to roily students for the cross-town bottle. While they were most visible at games, the students ' passion for the win was felt throughout the Westwood community. Photographed by Angela Lou. Above: A Bruin takes out her anger agoinst our cross town rivals by delivering blow after blow to a beat-up red cot. The Crazy Car Smash was part of a week of fun ond excitement designed to fuel intense rivalry and school spirit. Photogiophed by Korim Salha. Above: A ctowd of die-hard Bruins look on os the bonfire is ignited. After five consecutive losses to the Trojans, the Bruins wete ready for a win. Photogiophed by loyce Lin, Doily Biuin. Right: SAA volunteers get decked out in $C ted and gold for o skit lampooning our cross-town rivals. The rally also featured performances by groups such as Raining Jane, the Spirit Squad, the Morcbing Bond ond Awaken A Copello. Photogiophed by Angela Lou.

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Victory in defeat seems quite the paradox, but that is precisely what became of Bruin football ' s 29-24 loss to the top-ranked Trojans on Dec. 4 ,h at the Rose Bowl. The unranked Bruins gave U$C a run for its money by hustling to keep the score close - much to the delight of those betting against a pundit-ordained Trojan blowout. The University of Second Choice drew first blood, as Trojan tailback Reggie Bush found daylight in the end zone. The onslaught continued as Ryan Killeen ' s 37-yard field goal left the Bruins down 10-0. Bruin fans accustomed to defeat began preparations for the rout, only to be pleasantly surprised by Craig Bragg and his phenomenal 96-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the second quarter. A series of missed chances by the Bruins were quickly capitalized upon by the Trojans, as they extended their comfortable lead going into the final quarter of play. But a nine-yard touchdown run by running back Manuel White, Jr. and a spectacular grab by tight end Mercedes Lewis would bring the Bruins within five points with less than two minutes left in regulation. And fans had every right to cheer when defensive standout Spencer Havner recovered a U$C fumble with less than a minute left. But while an outmatched David struggled on, it soon became clear that Goliath would win this day. Trojan safety Jason Leach intercepted a prayer unwisely thrown up by quarterback Drew Olsen, definitively putting the game just out of paw ' s reach. Crestfallen, first year biology student Aya Obara said, They played so well and came so close! It ' s such a shame that they didn ' t win, but it was a good game. Others, like first year theater student Allie Roy, were simply relieved that it wasn ' t a blowout so Bruin supporters can still show their faces around LA. The deck was clearly stacked against them, but the Bruins took great pride in giving this year ' s national champs a bitter fight to the end. And while Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart will be returning to lead his Trojans to a possible three-peat, you can bet he ' ll get more than he bargained for in the battles to come, bl A ftw yards vkovt of victory , daam, by Java. Qimta