It’s USC-UCLA Week, so Football Is Not a Priority

Dr. Steven Sample’s metaphor of football as USC’s flagship athletic program [Nov. 14] is appropriate, but doesn’t make his point that football at USC is not “inherently more or less important than any other sport.” To the contrary, history is replete with leaders whose fate, as well as that of their cause and even that of their culture, rose or fell with the fortunes of their flagship.

As long as Dr. Sample insists on carrying his flag on a PT boat, he, and his cause, will continue to take shots. He’ll find a lot more peace to build the university if he’ll move it to an aircraft carrier.

SAM FOSTER

Los Angeles

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Mr. Sample, if you wish to keep Mike Garrett on as athletic director, that is your prerogative. However, when you state that the football program isn’t inherently more or less important than any other sport, I must strongly disagree with you.

Many people attended USC in large part because of the successes of the football program. We have come to love all aspects of the university, and applaud your efforts at increasing the academic standing of the school, but it is clear that you do not “get” what USC means to tens of thousands of alumni. We demand increased importance of the football program because it is the football program that put USC on the map.

If the money that Mike Garrett brings in in fund-raising is more important to you than fielding a quality football team, please let us know so that we can keep our money when it’s time to renew those season tickets next year.

RUSSELL GECK

Glendale

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Football, schmootball. Take heart, fellow Trojan fans. According to our fearless leader, we still have the nerve-tingling, thrill-a-minute, tradition-rich sport of water polo to cherish. Beyond that, feel confident that as we begin a new century, the quest to become the NYU of the West continues unabated.

JEFFREY R. THOMSON

Los Angeles

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I don’t blame anyone for being upset at Paul Hackett--even to a layman he makes some strange, at least, decisions. I don’t understand the anger at Mike Garrett.

Keep in mind, he is the athletic director, responsible for the entire program, not the coach of the football team. The USC athletic program (with the possible exception of the recent football season) has done very well under Garrett, with a College World Series title among a number of other championships.

We should let the man do his job. If he doesn’t deal with the Hackett situation when the season is over, questions may be justified.

I hate to use UCLA fans as an example, because in my experience they generally show less class than USC fans, but at least they know who to blame and focus accordingly.

MIKE BRADY

Pasadena

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For overly concerned USC football fans such as myself, it’s difficult enough to watch a group of talented athletes so improperly prepared to compete in the Pac-10.

From blocking to pass catching to defensive organization, it’s obvious these guys aren’t getting the coaching they need. It’s even harder to endure the play-calling. That “tank” formation isn’t fooling--or moving--anyone. Those long throws on first down haven’t worked all year. Meanwhile, the team’s real big-time playmaker, Sultan McCullough, is in the game only about half the time.

But what makes this season worse than any other in recent Trojan history is that Mike Garrett--who has been quite vocal in running out good coaches such as John Robinson and George Raveling--has managed to keep his mouth shut. In fact, Garrett is starting to resemble the prototype for institutional dysfunction--a guy who’s fine with mediocrity or worse, as long as he’s in charge of it.

DANIEL FRANKEL

Venice

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There might be a bright spot in this USC season. If you are like me and used to get emotional and even angry when USC wasn’t playing up to its potential, then this year has been a blessing in disguise as the team has proved on its way to a 4-8 finish that it’s truly out of our hands.

Haven’t our wives and girlfriends been telling us the same thing during and after every loss over the years? But now, with the way this 2000 team is clearly under-performing and losing games it should win, we know this is something beyond our control. Maybe this realization will serve to put football in perspective. It’s still a very important part of life, but it’s just not worth having an aneurysm over Paul Hackett or David Newbury or Mike Garrett or anyone else in that program.

I guess we should thank Coach Hackett et al. for helping us grow up a little bit.

ROB RAE

San Francisco

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I finally realized what the problem at USC is. Paul Hackett thinks he is coaching the cheerleaders. I have seen less clapping from a Baptist choir.

WILLIS BARTON

Los Angeles

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I have never written a letter to your paper or any other. I had to after I saw Cory Paus, shouldering the blame for UCLA’s loss to Washington.

Cory, you are doing great! So is the offense. How many quarterbacks can start almost every game seven to 14 points in the hole?

Toledo, be a man, step up and take the blame for picking poor defensive coaches and/or players. It is not parking scandal or injuries, it is below-average coaching and recruiting that requires an offense to score more than four touchdowns a game to even have a chance to win!

ALAN D. ROSEN

Palm Springs

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I found Roy Roudine’s letter of Nov. 11 to be against my cardinal-and-gold grain. I am a USC alum and I come from an SC family. There is no bigger Trojan fan than me.

Unfortunately, it is people like Mr. Roudine who cause UCLA fans to believe that all Trojans are arrogant and spoiled. It might be tough for Mr. Roudine to digest this, but nobody owns this town anymore. Try to fight on without the ego and the macho stuff, Mr. Roudine, and you will do all of your fellow Trojans a favor.

LYNN DAVIS

Torrance

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So letter writer Roy Roudine takes exception to Bill Plaschke’s comment that “UCLA owns the town,” referring to Los Angeles. Eight out of 10 football wins in the past decade and 50 years of dominance in basketball would seem to support Plaschke’s contention.

Roudine states that “USC is the team that owns this town.” I presume he means L.A.--Los Alamitos, his hometown.

KEN JOHNSON

Crestline