‘Burn the boats’: UCLA coach’s fiery pregame speech before Oregon game was pure Hollywood
UCLA coach Bob Chesney gave his undefeated team a dramatic “burn the boats” speech in the Autzen Stadium tunnel before facing Oregon, urging them to commit fully to winning. The Bruins then beat Oregon 17-15, ending a long wait for a road victory there and giving Chesney’s speech extra attention.
Chesney invoked Hernán Cortés’s story of destroying his troops’ way back, telling players they had to fight through the challenge ahead. UCLA controlled possession for 39 minutes and 15 seconds to Oregon’s 20 minutes and 45 seconds, but Chesney said the team still needed to improve after turnovers, a blocked field goal and other mistakes. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava is believed to be out for the season with a knee injury.
- Chesney rallied UCLA with a “burn the boats” speech.
- UCLA beat Oregon 17-15 in Eugene.
- Nico Iamaleava is believed to be out for the season.
New here? Start with this
UCLA and Oregon are university teams in American college football, a sport played with an oval ball and a series of short, tactical drives. The teams compete in the Big Ten, a major US college sports conference, and Oregon’s Autzen Stadium is known as a difficult place for visiting teams to win.
Bob Chesney is UCLA’s head coach, responsible for preparing the team and making decisions during games. His “burn the boats” metaphor refers to a story about Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who was said to have destroyed his ships so his troops could not retreat; the phrase is now used to urge people to commit fully to a difficult task.
The story also involves quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who leads UCLA’s offence by directing its passing and running plays. His reported knee injury could affect the team’s options for the rest of the season, while the game’s mistakes help explain why a win does not necessarily mean a team has played flawlessly.
Entertainment Film Football Sport Trending Weird & Viral World