VIEWPOINT / LETTERS : As If Bruins Didn’t Get Enough Badgering

Never was I so embarrassed as a lifelong UCLA guy as I was when I walked into the Rose Bowl and saw there were large numbers of fans in red in every section. What became immediately clear was that literally thousands of mercenary UCLA “fans” had sold out their team for a few dollars.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. The same thing on a much smaller scale happened a few years ago when Fresno State came into Pauley Pavilion for an NIT game. The sort of person who sold his ticket, who claims to be a Bruin fan, is the same sort who calls for the coach’s neck if the team loses two games in a row.

These Judases , and you know who you are, should simply have declined the opportunity to purchase Rose Bowl tickets so that Bruins who actually wanted to support the team could have filled those seats.

ARNOLD LESTER

Rancho Palos Verdes

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Bruin players on the sideline and on the field tried to get the UCLA student section to start cheering during the Rose Bowl, but this would have been impossible because more than half of the student-section seats were occupied by Wisconsin fans. I was surprised that the halftime card stunt was even possible.

No fewer than a dozen scalpers were by the Pauley Pavilion ticket windows on Friday (Dec. 31), offering as much as $270 for each student ticket. Each ticket was stamped with “UCLA STUDENT ID REQUIRED,” but Rose Bowl and UCLA officials did not even ask for student identification at the gate.

Everything has its price, and UCLA student spirit is $270.

ANDREW Y. KO

Long Beach

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What a day New Year’s was for visiting Wisconsin fans, who escaped sub-zero weather to see the Rose Bowl played under a comfortable Southern California sun. But, hey, Bruin fans, why drive all the way to Pasadena when you can watch the game from the comfort of your living-room couch?

Why? Because your team needed you.

As a UCLA alumnus, the lack of fan support was more disappointing to me than the loss of the game. In a stadium that should have been dominated by blue and gold, there was enough red clothing to cover the state of Wisconsin.

We scoffed at the Badger fans’ nickname, but I’d rather be a Cheesehead than a couch potato.

JENNY KAPLAN

Westminster

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All we’ve read about and heard on TV for three days is, “Oh, those poor Wisconsin fans.” The simple, honest, hard-working Badger fans have been taken advantage of by the evil, sick, pathetic citizens of Los Angeles.

We are UCLA season-ticket holders and have been for 10 years. As such, we were able to get tickets at face value, $46. They weren’t our normal seats, however, and we wound up sitting in the north end zone.

Little did we know, our seats were two rows behind the Wisconsin student section. These poor, simple, honest fans never sat down the entire game. In fact, they stood on their seats all game. Any suggestion to sit and allow fans sitting behind to observe the game was met with obscene gestures and profanity. After each UCLA celebration (there weren’t many) Badger fans threw garbage and insults at UCLA fans.

I have never seen fans as obnoxious and unruly in 10 years. Let’s quit feeling so sorry for these people.

KEN WILLISTON

Los Angeles

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After suffering through endless Cheesehead bashing in the weeks leading up to the Rose Bowl, I have the following response:

Green Bay 36, Rams 6.

Green Bay 28, Raiders 0.

Wisconsin 21, UCLA 16.

Cheeseheads 3, Sophisticates 0.

Enough said.

SCOTT D. BERTZYK

Los Angeles

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My UCLA friend was going to send along a few words defending the play of his alma mater in this year’s Rose Bowl. Unfortunately, his letter was never completed--he kept dropping his pen.

RON CARCICH

Upland

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For years, Jim Healy has used brain surgeons when he refers to USC’s football team. After UCLA’s performance in the Rose Bowl (especially Wayne Cook), I think it is only fitting to refer to the Bruin football team as nuclear physicists.

HOWARD COHEN

North Hills