The USC-UCLA Feud Hasn’t Cooled Down

This is the time of year the “Knock USC” days begin. The big Notre Dame homer, Bill Dwyre, the sports editor of The Times, loves this and encourages his writers to play the game.

Can’t we get a UCLA or USC man to be sports editor? It’s unbelievable that a guy comes to L.A. from Notre Dame via Milwaukee and is our sports editor.

JOHN JUSTICE, Santa Monica

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USC fans write in claiming that The Times is UCLA-biased.

UCLA fans write in claiming that The Times is USC-biased.

Sound to me that the bias is not with The Times, but perceived by the readers.

HAROLD WAGNER, La Mirada

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I’d love to know what all these whiny “Southern Cal” fans, suddenly concerned about bias, were saying over the last 30 years when every significant call by the refs went in their favor.

I’ve got news for you: All people are biased. The sooner you grow up and realize that, the sooner you’ll come to appreciate what you’ve gotten away with for so many years. Take your sob stories to Oliver Stone and get off The Times’ back.

LEE KLINGENSMITH, Santa Barbara

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Do the indiscretions of former college football players blacken the reputations of the schools for which they competed? Ron Rogers [Viewpoint, Aug. 19] apparently thinks so, as he includes Darryl Henley--a former Bruin whose troubles occurred as a Ram, years after leaving UCLA--among his list of blights on the Bruin program. With O.J. Simpson in the news every day, Mr. Rogers must really be ashamed of USC.

KAREN MACK, Los Angeles

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One of the main points that Mr. Paciulli [Viewpoint, Aug. 19] has overlooked in his letter contrasting the coverage of SAT irregularities at USC and UCLA is the fact that Tommy Prince’s scores were questioned by UCLA before he was enrolled.

Contrast this with Haslip’s story. USC denies any wrongdoing and denies it was aware of the irregularity. This may be true, but sometimes ignorance is bliss. If USC would honestly examine each recruit’s scores before allowing them to enroll, it would bring more credibility to the entire university.

CHRIS PISANO, San Pedro

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Speaking of Tommy Prince’s inability to achieve a passing mark on his SAT scores, Jim Harrick said: “On the other hand, every person is responsible for their own academic work.”

It should be his own academic work, Jim. How fortunate for some that it’s the players, not the coaches, who have to pass the tests.

BURT PRELUTSKY, North Hills