Bruins Win the Pots in Games of Hold ‘Em

The Dodgers are another fading memory, the Lakers are weeks away, and USC is only a couple of inches from free fall. That leaves UCLA as the L.A. team of the moment.

Even though the coaching staff, particularly Phil Snow, was the only real question mark going into the season, the media had to see it demonstrated that a defense anchored by such talents as Robert Thomas, Ken Kocher, Kenyon Coleman, Marques Anderson and Ricky Manning could actually hold an opponent under 30 and finally erase the nightmare of those Bob Field-and Nick Aliotti-led washouts. Well, we now expect them to hold people under 20, and we’re not surprised when we hold them under 10. Phil Snow is an extraordinary coordinator, and it’s not just for lack of injuries.

How good is this team? If DeShaun Foster and Brian Poli-Dixon don’t drop the ball, and if Cory Paus stays healthy and continues to gain confidence, we may have to go all the way back to the days of John McKay and Red Sanders for comparison.

Charles Chiccoa

Reseda

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Thirty-eight was the exact magic number the UCLA football offensive team had in mind at Oregon State last Saturday in answering J.A. Adande, who wrote, “But don’t count on the Bruins reaching the 38 points they posted last year, either.”

Thanks, J.A.

Peter Lee

Los Angeles