Dave Roberts may have just facilitated yet another monumental theft.
UCLA achieved what could be a revolution in college football's coaching carousel with some help from the famed Dodgers manager and Boston folk hero, whose stolen base in the 2004 playoffs sparked the Red Sox to their first World Series title in nearly a century.
This time, Roberts came out of the bullpen to help his alma mater land a coach it hopes will become a world champion. Bob Chesney.
“I just see him as a guy for whom failure is not an option,” Roberts told The Times of the coach, who agreed to a five-year, $33.75 million contract. “He will win. “I think I have pretty good instincts, I read people, and I couldn’t have more confidence in Coach Chesney.”
Dave Roberts tries to make a bow while playing for the UCLA baseball team.
(UCLA Athletics)
Although he was not formally part UCLA Search CommitteeRoberts was invited to speak with the candidates and make his point. And this is valuable considering Roberts' reputation as a prominent Bruins alumnus and manager of the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I went to UCLA, I'm proud of it,” said Roberts, an outfielder who graduated as the school's all-time leader in stolen bases, “and I just felt like there were some opportunities with my role at UCLA, and I also have some experience and understanding of the university, understanding of the city of Los Angeles, and I felt like as an alumnus I could contribute some value. I'm still trying to revive this football program, and I feel like I want to do my part to help in any way I can.”
Roberts said he spoke with Chesney three times and exchanged text messages several times a week during UCLA's courtship of outgoing coach James Madison, who led his team to the College Football Playoff.. The 12th-seeded Dukes (12-1) will face No. 5 seed Oregon (11-1) in a first-round matchup on Dec. 20 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
Bob Myers, a former general manager of the Golden State Warriors who was on the selection committee, said Roberts contributed even while the Dodgers were in the playoffs.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, waving to the crowd while attending a UCLA basketball game in 2021, is a proud Bruins alumnus.
(Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“Everyone is busy,” Myers said, “but the fact that Dave took the time to even use Zoom showed that he cares.”
As is everyone on the search committee.Roberts said he was impressed by Chesney's history of revitalizing programs and seeing a similar turnaround with the Bruins, who had accomplished nothing of national significance in more than a quarter-century.
But their conversations weren't just about selling each other out; Roberts said he also asked pointed questions.
“I also asked him, 'Does he have the ability to not only recruit to get his players to perform at a high level, but also to re-engage students and alumni back on the team and get us all interested in UCLA football?' – said Roberts, hinting at drop in home game attendance. “And he didn't blink an eye… He was really adamant that he had enough energy and motivation to do this and he understood the value of it all together.”
During his opening remarks this week, Chesney mentioned the importance of engaging students and fans, suggesting the possibility of community initiatives and performances in elementary schools.
“Wherever I have to go and talk to, whoever I have to go and talk to,” Chesney said, “we will be, you know, a yes program where in most cases, if someone comes to us and says, 'Can you help us with this?' My answer will be yes, and then I will figure out how to do it and then how to manage it.”
UCLA has committed to providing its new coach with an increased level of resources. Myers said Chesney will receive financial support that ranks in the top third or top quartile of Big Ten teams.
“That’s very important because he’s not a magician,” Roberts said. “He's a very good football coach, he's a great person, but he needs the resources, the support of the university, especially when you're talking about the Big Ten. So I know Casey [Wasserman] and Bob really made it clear to him that we were going to support him as a university and use all the resources that we needed to make him competitive.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, wearing a UCLA jersey, watches the Bruins play at the 2022 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
(Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
“But I will say this: I hope Bruin Nation doesn't take a wait-and-see approach with Coach Chesney and his staff. I'm encouraged that we'll kind of go out there and take a leap of faith and support the program and let that momentum build into what he's going to do.”
Roberts said he was excited to attend spring practice, doing his part to support the new coach, whose welcome so enthused Roberts that the former high school quarterback wanted to start throwing the ball again.
“He's a worker and I think he's a motivator, and I totally agree,” Roberts said. “He encouraged me to get back to playing football, but my knees hurt.”
