Meanwhile, About Those UCLA Men . . .

Regarding Bill Plaschke’s article, “UCLA is back in all its glory.” His quote that UCLA was “undersized and outmanned” is delusional. This team has never been undermanned. The Bruins start three probable NBA first-round draft picks (Toby Bailey, J.R. Henderson and Baron Davis), senior Kris Johnson and have two freshmen who were consensus high school All-Americans (Earl Watson and Travis Reed).

There may be only three schools in the country that have this much talent--North Carolina, Duke and Arizona. UCLA has lost by an average of 23 points in the four losses to these schools this year.

It was UCLA’s good fortune to play a talented, underachieving (fourth place in the Big Ten regular season) Michigan team whose coach was the only one in the tournament with less experience than Steve Lavin (Brian Ellerbe’s lack of which showed when he managed to have his team intentionally foul Johnson, the only Bruin starter shooting over 80% from the foul line, four straight times in the final minute). Out of this, according to Plaschke, “UCLA is UCLA again”?

By Saturday, UCLA will have played Kentucky--a team with far less talent than UCLA, but one with a good coach. I believe the results will be what knowledgeable basketball people are accustomed to, and UCLA will, as Plaschke wrote, be UCLA again.

EARL JONES

Los Angeles

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Critique is part of the game. But if you want Lavin to go, I think it only fair to let you know that I feel entitled to quality writing and journalism, and therefore, would like Bill Plaschke and Tim Kawakami to go.

KEN OGAWA

Santa Monica

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UCLA’s victory over Michigan was like witnessing sweet revenge on Bill Plaschke. For two days, L.A. readers had to endure his fatalistic prediction on the outcome of the game. I only hope that he has to endure reading this letter.

JOSHUA ROIG

Pacific Palisades

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Enough already! If I have to hear Kris Johnson go on again about what kind of incredible odds UCLA has had to overcome this year, I’ll be ill. These “odds” are solely based on his and Jelani McCoy’s stupidity and immaturity. I’m sorry, but it’s hard to rally behind somebody who purposely shoots himself in the foot, then learns to walk. Stop patting yourself on the back and play ball like the rest of your team. His claims are a disservice to anybody who followed the 1990 Loyola Marymount basketball team.

RICH LANG

Playa Del Rey