Push comes to shove for USC fans

I just filed Bill Plaschke’s “He’s Pushing It” [Aug. 8, 2009] right next to his insightful “Westwood, Ho!” [Oct. 25, 2001] column in which he proclaimed, “This is a Bruin football town, and has been a Bruin football town, and will continue to be a Bruin football town.” Less than a month later, USC shut out UCLA, 27-0, and then accomplished more over the next seven years than the Bruins have accomplished in their entire football history.

So now Plaschke writes that someone “needs to act contrary to every philosophy that has been preached to every corner of the USC program during its every step to greatness.” Great advice, Bill. But then, I forgot, this is a Bruin football town.

Kevin Springer

Camarillo

Difficult to figure out who is more relentless -- Pete Carroll in his quest to “Win Forever,” or Bill Plaschke and the rest of your staff in their quest to bring down the USC athletic department. But it’s clear who has been more successful.

Please cancel my subscription.

Steve Jahnke

Arcadia

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Bill Plaschke’s article, “He’s Pushing It,” sounds more like a plea for Pete Carroll to be less aggressive and competitive. I guess all those beat-downs of his beloved Fighting Irish have taken their toll on good old Bill. Why else would this front-page sports article be printed? There is no new news, no new evidence presented -- just Plaschke begging Pete to be more timid. Much like Notre Dame, right Bill?

Craig Dorsey

Rancho Santa Margarita

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“Maybe you quit interpreting the stupid rulebook -- and it is a stupid rulebook -- and just follow every syllable of the dang thing.” According to Bill Plaschke’s words from his “Pete Carroll is Pushing It” story, it is smarter to yield to the “stupid rulebook” than to question it.

A reversal of the well-known Forrest Gump aphorism sums up Plaschke’s willingness to accept the continual, unchallenged hypocrisy that has been, and continues to be, the NCAA: “Stupid does as stupid is.”

David Page

Ventura