Bruins Can’t Look Gift Bid in Mouth

Following the loss to Arizona, UCLA’s Earl Watson says he would not play in the NIT. “No one would play. That’s not our goal.” Mr. Watson, when your team is 4-8 in conference and 13-11 overall, you should thank your lucky stars to get into any tournament.

ROBERT BOONE

Los Angeles

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The fans of UCLA basketball could still find the season fulfilling without an invitation to the NCAA tournament if it results in the departure of Steve Lavin as coach. Who would ever think that missing the tournament could be the start to something good for the program?

KEITH BERNSTEIN

Santa Monica

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As far as this alumnus is concerned, Athletic Director Peter Dalis may be even more incompetent than Steve Lavin. For years, former basketball coach Jim Harrick begged Dalis privately and publicly for a raise from what I recall to be a $275,000 a year salary. Dalis, who personally disliked Harrick, always refused. Then last year, behaving like an irrational lover on the rebound from an ugly breakup, Dalis bestowed this outrageously huge and lengthy contract on the unproven Lavin, perhaps to spite Harrick. Now, UCLA is saddled with either a grossly incompetent basketball coach, or a huge contract buyout just to give him the boot. Neither choice is attractive. Dalis is to blame.

In the corporate world, when an executive begins making decisions based not on sound judgment, but rather on emotions and personal desires, he is quickly relieved of duty. Add to this the fact that the softball scandal and the Rose Bowl ticket controversy also took place under Dalis’ watch and the case is quite clear. At UCLA, any talk of firing Steve Lavin should be accompanied by screams to fire Peter Dalis.

LAWRENCE LEE

Ann Arbor, Mich.

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As I watch the decline of the UCLA basketball program under Steve Lavin, two thoughts come to mind:

1. Although the Bruins regularly blame their woes on a lack of heart, what they really suffer from is a lack of talent and, above all, the coaches’ inability to utilize and develop the players they have recruited.

2. Maybe the Bruins should hire Shaquille O’Neal to teach them how to shoot free throws.

DEAN SUSSMAN

Pacific Palisades

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Last year I thought UCLA needed a basketball coach in the worst way. Guess what?

RALPH SNYDER

Santa Monica

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Steve Lavin’s favorite Web sites:

monster.com

jobtrak.com

careers.yahoo.com

retirement.schwab.com

basketballcoachingjobs.com

JOHN HAYASHI

Los Angeles