Letters: Don’t put all the blame on Pete Carroll

Bill Plaschke is unfair to Pete Carroll. Pete doesn’t get paid over $4 million a year to build character. He gets all that money for winning football games, and that requires that he hire the biggest and the best. But he has to do that on the sly, because the NCAA wants to perpetuate the myth that the game is amateur.

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FOR THE RECORD:
Lava Man’s trainer: A reader’s letter in Saturday’s Sports section took trainer Doug O’Neill to task for racing Lava Man after the horse had recovered from ankle injuries, accusing the trainer and Lava Man’s handlers of greed as motivation for running the horse again. The letter should not have run: O’Neill had said earlier, and it was reported in The Times, that any winnings from the race would be donated to charity. Also, the letter incorrectly gave the trainer’s last name, as McNeil. —

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Pete’s job depends on not knowing where his players get the money to afford a Cadillac. If he knew, he would be forced to take action, and no one wants that. USC might lose a game as a result. Don’t blame Pete -- he’s doing what he’s paid for. Blame the school, and the willingness of everyone -- including sportswriters -- to pretend that a billion-dollar industry -- college football -- is amateur.

Arthur O. Armstrong

Manhattan Beach

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Approximately 10 years ago, Bill Plaschke proclaimed Los Angeles a UCLA football town. Since then he has taken little digs at USC whenever the slightest opportunity has arisen.

This time he really stepped over the line in his story following USC’s Emerald Bowl victory by strictly focusing on the Joe McKnight incident. It’s one thing to have reported on his driving of the SUV during the week preceding the bowl game, but by making his entire postgame story about USC’s decision not to play McKnight, Bill tipped his hand about trying to be a responsible journalist.

The USC players and fans like to Fight On. The L.A. Times prefers to Hate On.

Howard Benioff

Arcadia

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How interesting it was to see how many UCLA fans took the time last Saturday to trash the Trojans. Even Plaschke got into the act. He actually thinks Pete Carroll deferred on the kickoff because Joe McKnight couldn’t play. You don’t see many SC games do you, Bill? Pete always defers on opening kickoffs when they win the toss.

As for the Bruins’ faithful, I feel your pain now that even your vaunted basketball program isn’t ranked this year.

Bruce Alan

Granada Hills

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BC plus USC equals the Ugly Bowl. Both teams were awful, but the officiating was worse, blowing replays that gifted the game to the Trojans.

Pete Carroll owes the officials Ghirardelli candy and a thank you.

Don Julian

Pacific Palisades

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After watching the Emerald BowI, I couldn’t help but wonder: Do the replay officials get their salary paid by the Southern Cal Athletic Department or does the Trojan Booster Club send them that check?

John Paul White

Hemet

Bank on it

Your newspaper’s sending two writers across country to cover the EagleBank Bowl is almost as ridiculous as Rick Neuheisel claiming the victory was “a step in getting us back to the top.� I ask, back to the top of what?

Richard Whorton

Valley Village

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After reading T.J. Simers’ article before the EagleBank Bowl about Rick Neuheisel, I could not help but think, what a jerk! And I don’t mean Neuheisel.

Ted Sullivan

Barcelona, Spain

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As a longtime subscriber to the Los Angeles Times, I am accustomed to the biased reporting meted out to the UCLA football Bruins. However, I do not like it and will point it out as warranted. Wednesday’s sports section was another example in a long line of sleights to the program. On the front page, above the fold, was a picture of an Oregon Duck, and this is on the day after UCLA won a bowl game.

You call yourselves the “Los Angeles Times� and that leads me to expect coverage of Los Angeles teams. What do you think the “LA� in “UCLA� stands for?

Dan Famulare

Rossmoor

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UCLA All-American defensive tackle Brian Price is leaving school early to play in the NFL. This particular decision has the full support of Coach Pete Carroll.

Wesley Wellman

Santa Monica

Horseshoe attitude

Bill Plaschke’s claim that sports is about championships and not streaks is typically erroneous. Why does everyone know the NFL’s champion in the 1972 season was the Dolphins? The Lakers won 33 straight in the ‘71-72 season. Why do we know that? Did the Yankees win the World Series the year of DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak? Does anyone really care?

C’mon Bill, how about having the occasional clue?

Bruce Kahn

Claremont

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With Indianapolis Colts’ first loss, how does that affect their BCS rankings?

Howard Mationg

Gardena

Running for mare

With more than 50,000 in attendance at Santa Anita, Zenyatta rallied from last to remain undefeated in 14 starts while becoming the first female horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

This was one of the greatest moments in the history of American horse racing, so I was surprised Zenyatta was not included on John Weyler’s list of the top 10 Southland stories of 2009.

Jon White

Monrovia

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A pox on trainer Doug McNeil for bringing Lava Man back to the races. I was sorry to see him finish last Sunday, but what in the world did McNeil really expect? And an even bigger pox on his owners for not letting this beloved old 8-year-old winner of over $5 million live out his remaining days frolicking in a pasture instead of returning him and his terribly damaged ankles back to the rigors of the track. For what, a few extra bucks?

McNeil, et al, tried to cover their greed by claiming the horse been subjected to some sort of stem-cell research to repair his crippled legs, apparently forgetting he hadn’t won a race in almost two years and had been thoroughly disgraced in his last few tries. Brett Favre can make up his own mind -- Lava Man is at the mercy of his owners.

Joel Rapp

Los Angeles

He’s not missed

Mike Dunleavy’s coaching record with the Clippers is 207-316, winning 39.6% of his games. After Thursday night, the Clippers have won 100% of their games without Dunleavy on the bench.

I’ve made my argument to fire Dunleavy. Does anyone have an argument to keep him?

Wow, it’s so silent I could hear a pin drop.

Brad Stern

Santa Monica

Purple pain

Dear Lakers fans,

Just to let everyone know that I have been taking a shot at a new career, becoming a magician. Therefore, I will continue to disappear during games and occasionally reappear. I can’t pull a rabbit out of a hat yet, but I perfected the illusion that a person of my size and youth can be a dominant force in the NBA. Thanks for your understanding.

Signed, Andrew “The Magnificent� Bynum.

Jeff Calzada

Monterey Park

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I’m thinking maybe Ron Artest snuck out on Christmas night and went snowboarding with Vlad Radmanovic.

Patrick Drohan

Monrovia

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Ron Artest fell down the stairs and doesn’t remember who he is. Someone tell him he’s Michael Jordan.

Rick Henderson

Covina

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