When Bruin Fans Take Aim in January, UCLA Coach Is Their Target

UCLA loses one game and Jim Harrick is a terrible coach. The day before, Dean Smith and Nolan Richardson lost and nobody screams. The last I noticed, General Knight’s team had lost five, but he still is regarded as a great coach. Even Coach K’s team has lost a couple. But Harrick is the bad guy for a road loss to a tough team in a tough conference. Go figure.

JIM TURNER

Granada Hills

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People say that when UCLA loses, the Harrick bashers come alive and that this complaining has gotten out of hand. My opinion is that the loss to Oregon, or any other loss, is not the overriding issue for true UCLA fans. It is the way UCLA loses that puts doubt in our minds as to the potential for a UCLA team to perform well in the NCAA tournament.

I would rather watch the undermanned, Bill Fitch-coached Clippers play hard and lose by 20 than watch the talent-rich, Harrick-coached Bruins get out-rebounded, out-hustled and out-coached, regardless of the outcome.

ROBERT GREEN

Malibu

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Again, Jim Harrick embarrassed himself, his team and Bruin fans. How can he expect his players to play under control, when so often he is out of control? How can he expect his players to be disciplined when so often he is not? How can he expect his players to maintain their poise under pressure when so often he snaps under pressure?

RONALD LEVINE

Van Nuys

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One week Coach Harrick out-coaches Kentucky and Rick Pitino, now Mr. Kawakami wants one to believe he isn’t fit to coach the game. What did I miss?

JACK MILDON

Oxnard

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In a letter after UCLA’s loss to Oregon, Leonard Levine states Jim Harrick was outcoached. How would Mr. Levine know unless he was at the game at Eugene, because thanks to the ineptness of Athletic Director Pete Dalis, it was not televised here.

Listening to the game as best as I could on a very weak XTRA radio (another Dalis screw-up), I thought Harrick got home-towned by the officials, not out-coached.

JACK ALLEN

Pacific Palisades