No. 1 Thing on Minds Is Taking Downey to Task for UCLA Praise

Dear Mike Downey,

I totally agree with your Feb. 4 column. UCLA should definitely be No. 1 again. The Bruins looked unstoppable. Who would have ever thought that this team could have destroyed such a tough team like USC? After all, the Trojans were riding high on a five-game losing streak and had one of the best records in college basketball at 10-7, not to mention their tough schedule.

I just finished watching the Notre Dame game. Those Bruins took a 6-13 Fighting Irish squad and manhandled them, only to lose a squeaker, 79-63. They sure were setting the nets on fire with a whopping 32% from the field. No question--UCLA looked like No. 1.

BING DOMINGO

Los Angeles

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Poor Mr. Downey. I was sorry to see the rose-colored glasses through which he viewed UCLA’s drubbing of USC get crushed by the revelation that was Notre Dame’s drubbing of UCLA. Although a lot of teams can look like No. 1 when playing USC, UCLA is not a legitimate contender for the throne. It will be business as usual when Final Four time comes along with two Big Ten teams, one ACC team and a Big Eight team.

JOHN RENSENHOUSE

Studio City

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After watching UCLA lose to Cal and Notre Dame, two things are apparent. The Bruins may have the best material in the country, but they are poorly coached. When they come up against a tight defense, they play out of control, their interior passing is sloppy and they give up easy baskets. The only thing consistent about their play is their always miserable free-throw shooting.

Jim Harrick is a Terry Donahue clone: great recruiter, lousy game coach. Maybe I’m spoiled. When I attended UCLA, the coaches were John Wooden and Red Sanders.

WILLIAM BRADSHAW

San Diego

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I was finally beginning to think that Jim Harrick was a good coach until the Notre Dame game.

DAVID B. RADDEN

Los Angeles