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Thursday, September 16
 
Looking forward to another year of football

(Editor's note: UCLA's Danny Farmer will file a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. This week's feature includes excerpts from two Q&A sessions with the wide receiver. For more information on Bruins sports, visit the official UCLA site.)

ESPN.com: What are your expectations for the 1999 season?
Farmer: My expectations in 1999 are to continually improve. I know I have a lot of things to work on. I worked hard this summer trying to fix a few things in route running and concentration. That's what I'm looking for personally. In terms of team expectations, obviously I just want to go out and win every game.

Danny Farmer
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Farmer is a Biletnikoff Award candidate.

I'm just excited for my senior season because it's another year of college football and, to me, college football is the greatest sport out there. A lot of guys in college play with their hearts and I think that's what professional sports lacks sometimes ... that drive and the heart that college players have. I think football is the most exciting sport there is.

ESPN.com: How would you describe UCLA's receiving corps?
Farmer: We complement each other very well. There's not a lot of fighting amongst us. We pretty much are great friends and hang out during our free time. We have a great relationship that way.

I think Brad (Melsby) brings to the table great route running and he just makes the play. He's very consistent and I think he's the model for a lot of other people in terms of being a wide receiver.

Brian Poli-Dixon is a big, tall wide receiver. He's fast, has a lot of great athletic ability and also is known for making the big play.

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Freddie Mitchell is a smaller receiver. He's fast as well. He makes great plays, has great hands and is exciting to watch. As for me, I'm just trying to keep up with these guys.

ESPN.com: UCLA has won 11 consecutive regular-season home games. What are the toughest elements an opponent has to deal with when playing in the Rose Bowl?
Farmer: I think more than anything, the crowd. What coach (Bob) Toledo has done is get people into the game, and as a player, it's exciting to go into a stadium knowing you have the homefield advantage. It makes it more difficult on the opposing team because when you have that many people rooting against you, you tend not to be as comfortable.

ESPN.com: What are some of your game-day rituals?
Farmer: A lot of people have superstitions. I think what I try and do is make myself comfortable. I won't listen to CDs. Most of the guys (on the team) listen to CDs in the locker room. I tend not to. I tend to turn it off or I don't even bring one. I'm just trying to focus and relax and calm down and make sure that football is on my mind and not music. I think once that happens, I'm the most comfortable. I just try and be myself. I don't get too serious, but then again, I don't get too lackadaisical. I stay at an even keel.





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