Trojans, Bruins Coasting Along

Seeing USC and Washington State mysteriously ranked seventh and ninth, respectively, I think The Times printed the incomplete version of the initial BCS (biased championship series) rankings. These standings must have omitted the “East Coast slant” formulaic quotient for the West Coast readers.

Does playing in a top-notch conference without many patsies, such as the Pacific 10, count for anything anymore?

Mark J. Featherstone

Windsor Hills

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“As a loyal Trojan alum ... “ as Trudy Sibley of Northridge wrote last week, I would think she would be keenly aware of “coddling phenoms.”

Matt Cassel is probably a nice kid and loyal to the school, maybe to his disservice. I have a ton of respect for the way he has handled himself, but with Matt Leinart playing as well as he has as a starter, Cassel’s eligibility calendar is ticking away and John David Booty is the obvious heir apparent.

Is Sibley as concerned about the feelings of Brandon Hance, who left Purdue to transfer to USC when the QB situation was a Paul Hackett mess? Does she cry in her Cheerios because Mission Viejo’s Billy Hart runs the scout offense?

Cassel has been the consummate team player. Trudy, stick to being a soccer mom in the Valley because you obviously have no concept of major college football.

John Bowles

Newport Beach

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In response to last week’s letter from the so-called “die-hard UCLA fan exiled to Tucson,” his description of the current UCLA coach who paces the sideline with his arms crossed reminded me of a former UCLA coach who sat during basketball games with his program rolled up. It took that coach 15 years before he won a national championship.

This Tucson exile sounds more like the USC fans who were complaining about Pete Carroll’s 1-4 start two years ago.

David Mayall

Brentwood

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Unfortunately, UCLA’s football legacy of the past few years, “second and nine,” seems to have been incorporated into this year’s game plan. Go for it, Karl!

Jerry Earle

Los Angeles