Man on a Mission Beats His Man From a Mission

I’ve never seen Ben Olson practice or play. In fact I was just told he’s left-handed. I’ve never even seen the young man in person, but I just took it for a forgone conclusion that he was better than UCLA starting quarterback Drew Olson.

If I’m correct, of course, that makes Ben Olson possibly the best quarterback in the country.

I’ve got a feeling Karl Dorrell agreed with me when this season began, and while he’s not admitting it now, he waited an extra week after Ben busted his throwing hand to officially, and maybe reluctantly, name Drew his starter.

“I believe things happen for a reason,” is the way Dorrell puts it. “An injury can lead to other good things happening.”

Today it’s just more fodder for this incredible Bruin fairy tale -- now being portrayed as no big surprise by all parties in blue and gold -- about UCLA opening the season 7-0 behind the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm of Drew Olson.

How’s that for a stunning development, Drew being mentioned in the same sentence as Johnny Unitas and last week being named one of the seven senior finalists, along with USC’s Matt Leinart, for the prestigious award?

Ben, of course, would’ve secured the Heisman Trophy by now.

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AS YOU can see, I’m still struggling to believe what I’m seeing. Carson Palmer had this kind of overnight transformation his senior season too, but on the hoof Palmer looked like the prototype pro quarterback. I’m sure Drew will make a great history teacher one day.

And he’ll be able to tell his students he set a school record -- until Ben came along to break it -- by throwing six touchdown passes against Oregon State.

“This is Drew’s stage, and nothing can detract from the good things he’s doing,” Dorrell said, and while Olson’s major might be history, it was obvious Dorrell didn’t want a history lesson on what might’ve been had Ben remained healthy.

Although it might be hard to explain now, or certainly believe, you’ve got to give Drew credit for being key to the Bruins’ rise to top-10 prominence. Everyone knew what Maurice Drew could do, but in three straight weeks Drew Olson brought the Bruins back from defeat in the fourth quarter.

“I believe in him,” Dorrell said, and it’s not the first time we’ve disagreed.

Olson was 14-12 as a starter, injured his knee in last year’s Las Vegas Bowl disaster, and then wound up looking over his shoulder at Dorrell’s first big recruit, Big Ben. Now Drew is 21-12, Ben taking a seat like Matt Moore before him.

“It’s not a surprise to me I’m playing like this,” Drew said, and noticing the look on my face, he added, “I can understand why it might be to some people ... [but] I feel like I was on a mission during the off-season to get this team back where it belongs.”

But didn’t Ben’s arrival make you a little nervous?

“I wasn’t nervous about that; I was just more motivated,” Drew said. “But you know, maybe it helped me out in a way to play better.”

I guess then the credit really does go to Ben.

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IF IT’S true that Terry Collins is the front-runner to become the Dodgers’ next manager -- a good guess since he’s already on the payroll, making it a cheap hire -- interviewing Orel Hershiser looks like nothing more than an obvious PR move to appease old-time Dodger fans.

GM Paul DePodesta added Hershiser’s name to his list after reports the Boston Parking Lot Attendant wanted a say in who was hired and after criticism that former Dodgers Hershiser and Kirk Gibson were not being considered.

Hershiser has no managerial experience, but he has already shown a willingness to work as DePodesta’s puppet, saying in The Times on Saturday, “I think Paul has done an outstanding job dealing with this process. They’ve been deliberate and diligent. I think they’ve handled it great.”

Do you really want someone managing the Dodgers who thinks DePodesta has done a great job assembling this uninspiring list of managerial candidates?

Now I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone like Hershiser being hired as bench coach to work alongside someone like Collins as manager, which would give the team a chance to grab some PR with the addition of a former Dodger.

I can see the marketing campaign: “Come see our bench coach.”

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MYCHAL THOMPSON, the analyst on Laker radio games, was asked on his daily “Loose Cannons” show on 570: “Yes, or no, do the Lakers make the playoffs this season?” Thompson’s quick answer: “No.”

Vic the Brick, who is on the show with Thompson, also offered his opinion, but I wasn’t paying attention.

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THIS YEAR’S edition of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission’s “Basketball 101” at Staples Center featured Laker Coach Phil Jackson, who took the floor along with Ann Meyers Drysdale, Kurt Rambis, John Salley and Brian Shaw so that Tex Winter could show everyone the triangle.

“Who’s playing Kobe?” someone asked.

Jackson raised an arm, and Winter cracked, “It figures.”

Winter then caught Jackson reaching for the ball, and said, “He’s Kobe, all right.”

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Roy Nwaisser, president, Team Santa Inc.:

“If you really don’t think Leinart is under immense pressure you are totally out of touch with reality.”

Be sure to give Santa and his elves my regards.

T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.