Now Trojans Know About UCLA Extension Program*

Dear Mike Garrett,

After living so many years in this great city of ours, I have come to realize that it becomes more and more difficult to stay in contact with all of my many friends. We are all busy with jobs, families and divergent interests.

Speaking for myself and for many other USC alums, I want to thank you for making sure that, every year at about this time, we will always at least get a telephone call from each of our UCLA friends.

JOHN ASHBY, Woodland Hills

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Although I’m a UCLA grad, I would like to congratul8 USC for the game Saturday. While some wouldn’t hesit8 to ber8 or denigr8 your effort, I think it was first r8 and that you should celebr8 and have some g8er8.

RICHARD R. SMITH, Los Angeles

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Eight in a row. I guess we do have a tradition at UCLA.

CHRIS PISANO, San Pedro

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This is a response to the letter Nov. 21 from Cory Schwartz:

1. USC has not closed the gap.

2. Cade McNown, Heisman or not, is 4-0 versus the Trojans.

3. Yes UCLA is overrated, and plays down to its opponents. The Bruins played down to the Trojans’ level and still beat them by 17 points.

4. USC is seven turnovers, 17 points and eight years from beating UCLA.

FRED SANTISTEBAN, Whittier

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I commend The Times. By printing the letters from Cory Schwartz and Jeff Bradley, you proved you do not discriminate against idiots.

SAMUEL F. RINDGE, South Pasadena

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Could’ve. Should’ve. Would’ve. That’s the gist from USC and every other UCLA naysayer, including moonlighting Daily Trojan staffer Lonnie White. Please, let’s give credit where credit is due to one of the most resilient Bruin teams of the ‘90s.

MARK J. FEATHERSTONE, Windsor Hills

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Can we finally put to rest all that business about how UCLA can’t beat SC when the Bruins are highly ranked or when the Rose Bowl is on the line for both schools, or when they play in years ending in eight, or when Jupiter is aligned with Mars.

Coaches have always dominated this series: Howard Jones, Red Sanders, John McKay and now Bob Toledo. Only a few old folks in the media still indulge in that witless twaddle about SC being the football school and UCLA merely a basketball school. If we disregard UCLA’s institutional infancy (pre-1946), the Bruins actually lead the series.

CHARLES CHICCOA, Reseda

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Let me see if I understand Coach Paul Hackett’s coaching philosophy. UCLA scores more points than Oregon, but Oregon is the better team because they committed five turnovers. UCLA doubles the score on SC, but SC commits seven turnovers, so they are the better team. Of course, this means that SC is two turnovers better than Oregon. Get it?

RONALD LEVINE, Van Nuys

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Year in and year out, Trojan football fans have such high expectations for their team, only to be disappointed. When will they realize that the glory days of USC football are long gone? The only big game USC has won in the ‘90s has been against Northwestern in 1996. It has been two decades since they last won a national championship. I would hardly consider calling USC’s program a national powerhouse like Florida State’s and Nebraska’s.

The sooner Trojan football fans realize this, the better off they are, so their egos can take even more big losses to real contenders. One more thing: USC also has to come to grips with the fact that they’re not even the football school in L.A. anymore either.

TOM CHENG, Chino

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Sunday’s article by Bill Dwyre about USC quarterback Carson Palmer showed that Mr. Dwyre and UCLA linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo displayed poor sportsmanship and no class. I admit USC was outmatched by their cross-town rivals, but there is no place for this type of bashing from what is supposed to be an unbiased newspaper. Brendon’s remarks about how “terrible” Carson is spotlight him as the poor winner and Dwyre should be embarrassed to print such a juvenile attack.

Maybe Brendon should have asked Coach Toledo to send out one of their redshirts to replace Cade, who passed for 146 yards with two interceptions and only one touchdown.

If Cade somehow wins the Heisman, he should look no further than to thank Brendon and his 92nd-rated Bruin defense.

MATT FLAUM, Beverly Hills

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Blame should be placed on the failure of USC to attract, sign and cultivate a dominating offensive line. Over the last eight years, we’ve seen UCLA beat USC on the field and in the recruiting war over offensive linemen. USC ought to take notes, or we’ll be seeing double-digit T-shirts in the near future.

JIM MIDDLEMAS, Newport Beach

* Headline from a letter by Jon Blank, Calabasas Hills