Have we forgotten what it means to be a Bruin?

Have we forgotten what it means to be a Bruin?

By John Kobara

Nov. 19, 1994, was a day of celebration for UCLA and the Bruin
football team. Our victory over USC at the Rose Bowl was our fourth
consecutive win over the Trojans, certainly the high point of the
season. We had every reason to be tremendously proud of our
football program and our school.

Unfortunately, a small number of fans tarnished our achievements
with their behavior after the game. When Keith Roberts, president
of the USC Club of South Orange County and his wife, Patricia,
returned to their club’s chartered bus for the ride home,
Patricia’s wheelchair was missing from its storage place in the
baggage compartment.

In the subsequent police report, a bus driver and an event
staffer recalled seeing two young men, dressed in Bruin blue and
gold, gleefully racing the wheelchair across the parking lot toward
the stadium. The chair was never recovered. Shortly before that
incident, a group of UCLA fans had boarded the bus, uninvited, to
use the restroom. After being asked to leave, they urinated on the
bus’s wheels.

Keith Roberts brought this matter to our attention in a letter
to Chancellor Young. In my ensuing conversations with Keith and
Patricia Roberts, I found them to be kind, compassionate, forgiving
people who were almost apologetic about making their complaint.
They were reluctant to trouble us with news of the theft or to call
undue attention to it.

But we are grateful to them for communicating with us. And even
though only a small number of Bruin fans took part in the incident,
we are taking it very seriously.

The Alumni Association has compensated Keith and Patricia
Roberts for the loss of the wheelchair. We’ve sent them a letter of
apology. And we’re taking a fresh look at bus parking locations at
the Rose Bowl as well as the enforcement of alcohol policies.

I hope we also will consider what this type of behavior says, if
anything, about UCLA. In his letter to the chancellor, Keith
Roberts suggests that there is "a failure somewhere in the UCLA
educational program." Was this in fact an isolated incident or a
symptom of a larger problem? Have we begun to lose sight of what it
means to be a Bruin?

For our athletic teams, being a Bruin means striving to be a
champion, demonstrating good sportsmanship and representing UCLA
proudly, on and off the field or court. No less should be expected
of the fans. We also represent the university and we have the same
obligation to behave responsibly, at home games and on the road.
When a few individuals forget this, it reflects badly on all of
us.

I am distressed that some members of the UCLA family have marred
the university’s reputation through their actions. At the same
time, I’m not ready to concede that the actions of a few are
symptomatic of "a failure" at UCLA.

In the 20 years I’ve been associated with this campus as a
student, an alumnus and an administrator, UCLA has always stood for
excellence. We’ve always been able to take pride in our outstanding
students and faculty, a great winning tradition, distinguished
alumni and dedicated fans.

The UCLA-USC football rivalry is one of the greatest in college
sports. It brings tremendous excitement to our city. It divides
workplaces and even family. And certainly, we want to win every
November, just as the Trojans do. Still, win or lose, we need to
treat our opponents and their fans with courtesy and respect. We
can’t allow our competitive spirit to erode the basic foundations
of good sportsmanship essential to being a Bruin.

This is a good time to remember that intercollegiate athletics
should be fun for everyone ­ the players and coaches, as well
as students, alumni and other fans ­ and to make sure our
program continues to be one in which we can all take pride.

Kobara, a member of the UCLA class of 1978, is the associate
vice chancellor of university relations.