Letters: USC fans looking for Lane change

Dear Tennessee,

It wasn’t right for USC to take Lane Kiffin from you. You can have him back.

Ted Bartscherer

Pasadena

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Bill Plaschke’s column after the USC-UCLA game included the phrase “embarrassing 38-28 loss to UCLA.”

Excuse me, but since when is losing to a far superior team an embarrassment? The rudderless and defenseless Men of Troy should be proud they were able to keep it that close. The Bruins dominated every phase of the game … but then they didn’t spend the past few months reading about how invincible they were.

Marcel Viens

Long Beach

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I am willing to give Pat Haden some slack if he is willing to tell us something good about Lane Kiffin. For nearly 40 years, we have all heard all how smart Haden is. If we are to continue to agree, why not spill the beans? Please explain how Lane Kiffin should keep his job. Please tell us that he is the best young coach in football and that he has been misunderstood. That this is the coach to lead SC out of sanctions and to the top of the polls. Give us anything, something.

But the fact is, there isn’t anything. There is absolutely no good reason that Haden or anyone can give us. Pat Haden may be smarter than most of us, but I have my doubts because a smart man would never allow any of this to spiral out of control and not get the backing of the fans and alumni.

Geno Apicella

Placentia

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I am a math teacher, and there is no such thing as 150%. So, if Pat Haden says that there is a 150% chance Lane Kiffin comes back, that means that he received a ton of extra credit. I am not a Rhodes scholar, but seven wins and four losses translates into about 63%. Do the math, Pat.

Scott Rhodes

Las Vegas

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After witnessing a USC team that was not prepared mentally or physically to begin the UCLA game in which the Rose Bowl was on the line, I sure hope that Pat Haden and J.K. McKay realize that the Peter Principle at USC in the name of Lane Kiffin needs to be ended.

Howard P. Cohen

North Hills

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What do 10-0, 21-3 and 24-0 have in common? Those are the first-half deficits USC has faced in recent weeks — all losses. I’m not sure USC is 55-3 bad, but the Trojans clearly aren’t ready to play from the opening whistle. While Pat Haden says that Lane Kiffin is still learning, this is one lesson he better grasp fairly soon.

Bill Geiger

Mississauga, Canada

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So I’m taking T.J. Haden’s advice and I’m just gonna be patient and watch Lane Kiffin learn how to lead on the job. This should be even more fun than watching pigs learn how to fly.

Jack Von Bulow

Temple City

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What perfect poetic justice it was when, rather than using a sword, the Bruins culminated their decisive victory over the Trojans by sticking Matt Barkley into the Rose Bowl turf.

Peter Rich

Los Angeles

As a die-hard USC fan, after UCLA defeated USC on Saturday I spent an hour or so thinking: “Kiffin’s gotta go, Kiffin’s gotta go.” Then it occurred to me, Kiffin didn’t fumble the ball, he didn’t throw the interceptions, and he didn’t allow the kicks to be blocked. His players did, and that’s what 18- to 22-year-old young men do from time to time in spite of their great talents. Kiffin is a good coach who employed a good game plan. The guys just didn’t execute.

It also occurred to me that maybe it’s good UCLA won, because a rivalry is not a rivalry if one team constantly wins.

Floyd Carr

El Segundo

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As a Bruins fan, I would love to say, “Oh, how the mighty are fallen.” But that would not be accurate. “Oh, how the mediocre are fallen” doesn’t have the punch of the original, but at least it’s accurate.

Mark Mead

San Diego

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Win, lose or draw. Matt Barkley and the USC football team gave us four years of excitement. I don’t know if Matt’s injury will have him ready for a coming bowl game, but if not I wish him and the seniors the best in their future careers.

Joseph B. D. Saraceno

Gardena

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I forget who it was that deserves to be in the Heisman Trophy discussion. All I seem to recall is that he was one of the players in the backfield in the UCLA-USC game. And, after watching the game, I know that he does not play for the Trojans.

Andrew Sacks

Fontana

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When Brett Hundley first set foot on the UCLA campus he was recognized by a coed. She reportedly ask him, “Are you our savior”? Now she has the answer.

John Sheehan

Redlands

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I know it is too early to ask for a Christmas present, but if Santa hates the BCS as much as I do he should give the BCS the following piece of coal for being naughty all these years: USC beats Notre Dame, Florida State beats Florida and Georgia Tech beats Georgia, which then beats Alabama in the SEC championship game. If this situation comes to pass I don’t know if the world will end in December of 2012 but the BCS surely will be staring Armageddon in the face.

Brian L. Schall

Los Angeles

Hardwood scene

The Red Sox had “The Curse of the Bambino.” The Cubs have “The Goat.” Perhaps the Lakers will suffer under the bad karma of “The Curse of Zen.” Usually these curses are dormant during the regular season, and they kick in at some critical time during the playoffs.

David Waldowski

Alta Loma

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After a deflating loss to Georgetown and a narrow win over a mediocre Georgia team, how soon will we be asking for Ben Howland to be replaced by Phil?

Allan Kandel

Los Angeles

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I turned the sound off during the ESPN telecast of the UCLA-Georgetown game because I’d rather give myself a lobotomy with a rusty screwdriver than listen to the hapless histrionics of the most annoying living man — the Gilbert Gottfried of hoops, Dick Vitale. Oh, and Ben, your team can’t play defense.

Bill Locey

Ventura

Stick with it

Channel 2’s switch from the Cowboys-Browns game just before the start of overtime due to “contractual obligations” was inexcusable. The brilliant suits at CBS who agreed to such a contract should be fired. It wasn’t quite as egregious as the “Heidi” snafu, but it was close. When I devote three hours of my Sunday to a game advertised as being televised by CBS, I expect to see the entire game.

I am sick to death of having the Chargers shoved down my throat and marketed as “L.A.’s team.” Even if they end up moving here, they will never be my team.

Glenda Laguna

Highland

Here’s his take

Jim Rome [Nov. 19] paints himself as a risk taker and says about his new show on Showtime, “It’s different … far and away the most challenging show I’ve ever taken on … there’s nothing else like it on television.”

So what is so different about this show? Is he going to apologize to NASCAR and soccer fans for years of abuse? Is he going to make amends to WNBA players for calling them “nags?” No, on his new show he will interview Kobe Bryant. Way to push the envelope there, Romie.

Mario Valvo

Rancho Mirage

Nostalgia

With Notre Dame No. 1 in football, Indiana No. 1 in basketball and the Lakers bringing back “Showtime,” the only thing left to relive the ‘80s is for the Rams to return to LA.

Don Geller

Irvine

Ice time

NHL boss Gary Bettman truly missed his calling in life. Instead of a legacy as pro sports’ worst all-time commissioner, he could have become the world’s greatest magician. After all, not too many people can successfully make a $3-billion, 95-year-old international league completely disappear.

Jonah Freedman

Los Angeles

Sculpted

Isn’t it about time for a statue of Vinny Del Negro at Staples?

Dan Anzel

Los Angeles

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I asked the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar statue for an autograph, but it ignored me.

Gary H. Miller

Encino

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