Bruins muster much needed victory with gladiator style

  Jeff Kmiotek Questions and comments can
be sent to [email protected].

Before the game, the Bruins watched a video of great hits and
past plays against Arizona, complete with the theme song from
“Gladiator.” Then they went out and starred in the
sequel.

The banged up, beat up Bruins came out fighting, flinging some
monkeys off their backs and getting back on track to what began as
such a promising season.

“We just needed to win, and not only did we need to win,
but we needed to win on the road. Guys were determined,” said
safety Marques Anderson. “We had to come out with that
intensity that we were going to win.”

And the Bruins did it in a fashion that would have made Russell
Crowe proud.

They fell behind early, again, but fought back. And when the
situation looked bleak, UCLA played on. And so did the band.

It was fourth down and five yards to go on the Bruins’
final drive when the Arizona band surprised the Bruins with a
rendition of the Gladiator theme song.

“When it came on, everybody got together and said,
“˜We gotta be gladiators,'” said Rodney Leisle,
who sealed the deal with an interception in the final seconds.
“We haven’t won on the road in forever. It’s so
exhilarating.”

“Da, da-da-do,” began DeShaun Foster, re-creating
the moment. “They started playing it and it was motivation
that we needed to get out there and step it up.”

And after the UCLA defense had limited the Wildcats to just 17
points, Cory Paus took over for the leading role of the Gladiator,
with his 13-yard romp of determination into the end zone. Paus
escaped the throngs of the Wildcats just as Maximus escaped his
captors.

“We said, “˜Who can be the Gladiator?’ and when
the band started playing it, our guys started going crazy, so it
was apropos. Cory’s a gladiator,” said head coach Bob
Toledo.

And with Paus’ play, UCLA’s season took an instant
about-face.

“That was a huge turning point. That play is an indication
of where this team is at. He was going to make it, or he
wasn’t, and that’s how the season was going to turn
out,” said Ryan Nece. “Either we scored there and
became a 5-3 team, or we became a .500 team. So that play really
signified where this team wants to go, and we want to go to a bowl
game.”

And while Paus came up with the play of the day, the entire
defense, including some thought to be extras at the beginning of
the season, showed the heart and strength of a true gladiator.

“They’ve been busting their fannies and playing
their hearts out for us,” Toledo said.

The defensive line, stocked with second-strings and
third-strings, stepped up, and the rest of the defense made the
plays they needed to make.

“Our defense played with a sense of purpose. We played
with a purpose of trying to earn some respect,” Nece
said.

“We had to come out banging and be physical and let them
know we ain’t playing,” said Robert Thomas. “We
had to win, bottom line, hands down, whatever it takes.”

And it took a second half in which the Bruins had three
interceptions and held the Wildcats to a single field goal. It took
an aching quarterback dodging, scraping and willing the football
across the goal line. And it took a bit of movie magic.

Said Thomas, “The Bruins are back. The Bruins are back.
The ball is rolling, and it’s not gonna stop.”