Forget USC-UCLA Records; They Don’t Mean a Thing

Hey, Bruin fans, don’t get too cocky. The Trojans actually have their own winning streak against UCLA. The last seven times UCLA has been ranked in the top 10, it has lost to USC:

* 1988: No. 2 USC 31, No. 6 UCLA 22.

* 1987: USC 17, No. 5 UCLA 13.

* 1985: USC 17, No. 8 UCLA 13.

* 1976: No. 3 USC 24, No. 2 UCLA 14.

* 1973: No. 9 USC 23, No. 8 UCLA 13.

* 1969: No. 5 USC 14, No. 6 UCLA 12.

* 1967: No. 4 USC 21, No. 1 UCLA 20.

Nothing is a given in this rivalry.

STEVEN H. TAYLOR

Valencia

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This USC-UCLA rivalry is out of control. People write about L.A. being a Bruin or a Trojan town. Let’s keep things in perspective. UCLA has won 72 national titles. USC has 81. There are those who boast about the last six wins by UCLA in football. They deserve it. They earned it. Enjoy it while it lasts.

However, UCLA should never try to talk football with USC. The facts are clear. UCLA has one national championship. USC has eight. UCLA has one Heisman. USC has four. UCLA has a bowl record of 10-9-1. USC has a bowl record of 25-13.

Let’s face it. L.A is both a UCLA and a USC town. USC is No. 1 and UCLA is No. 2.

BOB TORRES

Van Nuys

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I’d just like to thank this year’s Trojan football team for not focusing on the constant criticism and negative energy the L.A. Times editors chose to print about you.

BRIAN RAPP

Santa Monica

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Many of your readers in Pasadena were surprised to read news from the L.A. Times that “Pasadena Is Hicksville” [Nov. 16].

With all due respect to Skip Hicks and his extraordinary performance against Washington, couldn’t your headline writers have found a better play on words?

HARRY M. GAGE

Pasadena

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John Robinson says Daylon McCutcheon is going to be a two-way player for the rest of his career at USC. Isn’t that presumptuous of Robinson? After all, that’s a decision to be made by Daylon and USC’s new coach.

DAVID ALLEN TYAU

Pasadena

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Chris Dufresne, how would you feel if your readers said, “Chris, you ought to resign your job as a sportswriter for The Times. After all, your work this season stinks. The Long Beach Press Telegram or South Bay Daily Breeze would love to have you.”

Well, that’s exactly what your Nov. 13 article on Coach Robinson sounded like.

Is winning every game the only way you give someone your right to remain in office? If so, then you better resign now, as your article on John Robinson was a cheap shot and didn’t deserve the ink it received.

JIM LEXER

Redondo Beach

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If Dan Perkins [Viewpoint, Nov. 15] is still not sold on how good the Bruins are this year, I suggest he review comments by two of the nation’s leading experts on the subject: Jim Lambright (see last Sunday’s sports section) and John Robinson (see tomorrow’s).

ED HEWLETT

Culver City

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The old Bruin fan is on his deathbed and his Trojan buddy has come to pay his last respects. The Bruin motions him closer. The Trojan fan leans down, close to the Bruin fan, to hear his last words. The Bruin fan reaches up and grabs the front of the Trojan’s shirt and with his last breath says, “Dickerson was out.”

GLEN CREASON

Glassell Park