Suspensions Will Affect Bruins

The man in the wheelchair was shouting, “Fight on!” and giving the traditional two-finger USC victory salute just outside the courthouse--not far from where UCLA football players walked away without answering questions after having said they would do so--but it didn’t take that image to serve as a reminder of what awaits the Bruins.

The embarrassment of having nine current players benched for two games by the school after seven of them pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges in a handicapped-parking scam, and of Chancellor Albert Carnesale saying he had no knowledge of a ringleader even as a police report that was available to administrators suggested a senior had that role, almost certainly will live beyond the suspensions.

Or did you think this would all be forgotten by the time UCLA plays USC at the Coliseum on Nov. 20?

Perhaps the Bruins, on their visit to Stanford Sept. 25, will watch as The Tree, the irreverent Cardinal mascot, takes to the field in a wheelchair. Or maybe that the wacky Stanford band will form a giant parking spot during the halftime routine.

For now, though, the concerns, apart from the little matter about how this is a blow to the reputation of an entire athletic department and a coach who puts a priority on image, are limited to the two games of suspension. The offending players, all starters or key reserves, will miss games the night of Sept. 4 against Boise State at the Rose Bowl and the night of Sept. 11 at Ohio State on the national-television stage, prime-time viewing for much of the country.

It’s worse than that, actually. The events of Wednesday, when a Municipal Court judge accepted the pleas of seven players and allowed James Ghezzi and Durell Price to postpone arraignment until Aug. 25, came in the wake of a separate suspension of Audie Attar for the Boise State game because of a fight, and the availability of Santi Hall very much up in the air because of academics. Both were No. 1 on the depth charts for spring practice.

The Bruins have been hurt by off-field developments everywhere except tailback and receiver--their two deepest areas and the positions that could have best absorbed lost manpower. Instead, they must adjust at:

Offensive line. Guard Oscar Cabrera, along with tackle Brian Polak the only starters back, is out for the two games. Ghezzi was suspended after school administrators decided they had enough evidence of violation of university bylaws, no matter what happens in his court case. Even though the senior may be a backup, he can play guard and tackle and is one of the few returnees to a line in transition.

Fullback. Price’s situation is the same as Ghezzi’s--suspended by the school while the legal process continues. But his absence is more crucial because the Bruins don’t have any other experienced players there.

Defensive line. A switch to the 4-3 defense might have to happen without Hall, a projected starter at right end after starting 11 games at linebacker last season. The Bruins are awaiting word on his standing.

Linebacker. No area is more affected by the legal troubles. Ali Abdul Azziz, who UCLA police suggested in a report was the ringleader of the scam, was the projected starter at one outside spot. Ryan Nece was the definite starter at the other. Tony White and Robert Thomas would have begun fall practice next Saturday as 1-2 in the middle.

Secondary. Cornerbacks Ryan Roques and Marques Anderson were among the suspended. On Wednesday, that is. Attar, No. 1 on the depth chart at strong safety in spring ball, already had been ruled out of the first game because of a fight.

All players will practice with the team while sitting out the two games. But they face additional penalties by the university, perhaps suspensions from school that school officials said would not be announced because of privacy laws. But any such action would probably not go unnoticed. Nonstudents, as the players would be in that case, can’t play on school teams.