Columnists’ Opinions Aside, Praise for Lavin Is Unanimous

I don’t understand: The week after The Times runs Bill Plaschke’s excellent column urging UCLA to make Steve Lavin the permanent coach, it responds to UCLA’s action in doing so with two critical commentaries.

Mike Downey wonders whether he’s missing something, then evidences in his column that he has apparently missed observing the UCLA basketball team--practices and games--for the last two to three months.

Chris Dufresne, damning with faint praise, suggests UCLA couldn’t afford much, but got a good deal for what they could afford. Many fans and observers of the UCLA program join the UCLA administration in believing that Lavin has done as well as any of the over-$440,000 group could or would have in molding this team. The large majority of those I’ve spoken to prefer Lavin to almost any alternative, regardless of salary level. Many share the conviction that Steve Lavin is the future of college basketball coaching. At UCLA, the future is now.

HANK HALDEMAN

Pasadena

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The signing of Steve Lavin to a four-year contract to coach the UCLA basketball team is the best news I have heard since UCLA defeated Arkansas to win the 1995 NCAA title.

This coach is the best thing to happen to UCLA since both O’Bannons were on the team.

The signing of Baron Davis to a letter of intent won’t be so shabby either.

DALE S. MORRETINO

Laguna Niguel

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Mike Downey believes that Steve Lavin “lucked into” his job at UCLA. Thomas Jefferson once said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” It was not luck, but rather dedication and perseverance through years as a graduate assistant, a limited-earnings coach and as an assistant that put Lavin into a position to be called upon by UCLA.

Downey contends that Lavin has been “in way over his head.” Having read Mr. Downey’s attempts to write about baseball, I would venture to say the same thing about him. And to rephrase a line from his column, “What are Downey’s qualifications again?”

ANDY SCHWICH

Santa Monica