Letters: USC fans are unforgiving

UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel must be feeling pretty good about the Bruins’ chances in next week’s game after watching one of the worst performances by USC in 10 years against Stanford.

The Trojans’ football program came dangerously close, at least for one week, to achieving Neuheisel’s No. 1 goal: parity with USC.

Anthony Santich

San Pedro

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Now we know why Pete Carroll is so enamored with Matt Barkley: He watches him play every day against the USC defense in practice.

Bill Harper

Playa del Rey

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Midfield with USC and Stanford coaches Pete and Jim:

Coach Pete: “What’s your deal?”

Coach Jim: “Upward of $2 million. What’s your deal?”

Coach Pete: “$4.5 million.”

Coach Jim: “I get paid less, but my students have higher SAT and GPA points and higher game points too? I want your deal!”

Rob Combs

Manhattan Beach

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Does anyone believe that Pete Carroll would have passed up a chance to hang 50 on Ohio State or Notre Dame?

Quit bellyaching about Jim Harbaugh and fix your defense.

Lynn McGinnis

Glendale

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Bill Plaschke, three times you asked Jim Harbaugh why he showed an apparent lack of class in attempting a two-point conversion late in Stanford’s embarrassing blowout of USC without him giving you a response to your satisfaction. Bill, the answer lies in close to a decade’s worth of classless behavior exhibited by Pete Carroll and his players. Obscene gestures directed at opposing fans, a disrespectful dance behind a female sideline reporter, countless run-ins with the law, a “win at any cost” mentality -- yeah, USC had it coming.

You reap what you sow, and if there’s any justice, there will be more servings of humble pie in Pete’s future.

Tony Reed

West Hills

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Dear Mr. Plaschke,

When you get finished crying about how far USC has fallen, whining about a supposed “insult” that nobody but you will remember by next week, and generally denigrating the Stanford team, individual players and generally the entire program, you might find at least a few lines to give some credit to the group of players that just finished kicking your suddenly former favorite team up and down the field on both sides of the ball.

Could we ever hope for something like that?

Probably not.

Mike Casey

Fallbrook

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Plaschke got it wrong. Stanford showed great respect for USC in going for two points. Success would have meant a one-point advantage should USC have converted four touchdowns in the remaining nine minutes. It is not Stanford’s fault that USC proved to be a pathetic shadow of its former great teams in those minutes.

Anthonie Voogd

Ojai

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Let’s end all this chatter about Stanford going for two points to make it 50. Harbaugh did it to show recruits, please the alumni, make a statement and give back what has been done to Stanford in past games.

Also, it looks really cool on the football sitting behind the coach’s desk that reads in big white letters: STANFORD 55, USC 21, NOVEMBER 14, 2009, LOS ANGELES COLISEUM.

Bob Arranaga

Los Angeles

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Regarding USC football and the Pac-10 Conference, I believe one of two things is happening: Either the supposed talent gap between USC and the rest of the Pac-10 is shrinking quickly, or Pete Carroll and his staff are getting outcoached. My fear as a Trojans fan is that it’s both, and the results of recent games against Oregon and Stanford would bear this out.

I also couldn’t help but notice that one of the keys in both victories was the mobility of the two opposing quarterbacks, something that Aaron Corp was supposed to bring to the offense and young Mr. Barkley does not.

Dennis Duling

San Gabriel

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It seems Pete Carroll has gone from being an overpaid genius just to being overpaid. Maybe those assistant coaches mean something to the program after all. Don’t lose hope, though, Trojans fans. If your team can upset UCLA next weekend, USC can still be city champs.

Rod Hersberger

Santa Barbara

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Being a lifetime Trojans fanatic, it is with heavy heart that I concede that this year’s football team does indeed look as if it’s being coached by Hackett -- Buddy Hackett.

Nate Gushi

Los Angeles

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Before trying to build “A Better L.A.,” perhaps Pete Carroll should first figure out how to create a better USC football team.

Joseph R. Carlucci

Huntington Beach

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Any sharp financial investor would tell Pete Carroll that a roster made up solely of blue-chippers does not usually make for the strongest portfolio.

I think Pete used to know this but in the midst of unbridled success, may have forgotten -- you need a healthy sprinkling of hard-working dark horses to maintain upward pressure when those blue chips underperform, as they are prone to do.

If you don’t believe me, just ask Clay Matthews.

Cy Bolton

Rancho Cucamonga

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After watching Toby Gerhart run through the Trojans’ defense like a hot knife through butter, it’s time for all those previous Heisman winners at USC to step up and put their votes in for Gerhart for the Heisman.

Don’t you know if No. 7 was the running back for the Cardinal and Gold instead of the Cardinal, they would be polishing a spot for the Heisman Trophy downtown backed with the full marketing blitz from their PR department.

Bart Bogy

Whittier

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When Pete Carroll was asked if he would remember what Stanford did, he grinned and walked away without comment. Let me translate that. Pete was saying. “I just signed eight high school All-Americans and I cannot wait to run it up against Stanford the next chance I get.”

Matthew D. Kerster

Gardena

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At least we won’t have to listen to USC fans whine that a two-loss Trojans team should be in a BCS bowl over a one-loss (fill in the blank); and the USC-UCLA game will finally have meaning for both teams with the winner having the inside track to the Las Vegas Bowl.

P.J. Gendell

Beverly Hills

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New axiom? University of Sporadic Coalescence.

Bob Ginn

Arcadia

and at Pauley . . .

After watching UCLA’s basketball season opener against Cal State Fullerton, it looks as if we Bruins’ fans are in for a long, cold winter.

Mike Popov

San Clemente

23 skiddoo?

I found it funny that LeBron James has said that he will give up the number 23 in honor of the man he considered the greatest basketball player ever, Michael Jordan, but will instead wear his lucky number 6. That just happens to be the number worn by the man I consider to be the greatest basketball player ever, Bill Russell.

Tom Campbell

Glendale

Time to go?

In every other major team sport, when a team starts the season the way the Clippers have, the coach is fired. Why? To provide new leadership, planning and motivation. The Clippers’ players obviously do not relate to Mike Dunleavy, nor are they inspired by him. His play calling and substitution management are inadequate for a NBA coach. He will never be a winner. The team has some players who are winners but are on a ship whose captain needs to be thrown overboard.

It’s time for Donald Sterling to step up and demonstrate some courage and respect for Clippers ticket-holders and fans. Fire Mike Dunleavy. There are some great coaches out there who could turn this season into something.

Brad Burlingame

Los Angeles

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I’d like to give a pat on the back to Donald Sterling for his “man of the year” honors . . . oh, wait. He’s apparently doing that himself with his shameless ads in The Times.

Christopher Grisanti

Monrovia

Good call

My late father was watching a Dodgers game years ago and while Mike Scioscia was at bat stated, “I bet this guy will make a great manager someday.” He was right, but he thought it would be with the Dodgers.

Paul Shubunka Sr.

Santa Clarita

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