Seeking a Bright Side to UCLA’s Dim Season

The bad news is that Terry Donahue has produced a poorly coached, underachieving UCLA football team.

The good news is that former assistant athletic director Angelo Mazzone will not be making another $400,000 selling Rose Bowl tickets.

LEONARD B. LEVINE

Los Angeles

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Vic Slayman (Viewpoint, Oct. 8) asks two pertinent questions: “Why is it that when the UCLA football team loses, the blame is put on injuries and players, but not the coach. However, when the UCLA basketball team loses, why is the blame never on injuries or poor shooting, but always the coach?” Allow me to suggest answers:

Football: UCLA football fans have such diminished expectations that they actually care very little about who is at the helm. A winning season, beating USC and an occasional trip to the Rose Bowl fills the bill. The time when UCLA could compete with Notre Dame, Nebraska, Florida State and Miami for the national championship has long since passed and Terry Donahue is the beneficiary of that institutional malaise.

Basketball: The fans are right--it is always the coach.

FRANKLIN S. ADLER

Beverly Hills

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Hawaii beat Cal by 14 points. Cal beat UCLA by 19 points. New Mexico beat Hawaii by 17 points. To some this might suggest that the powerhouse from Albuquerque is 40 points better than the Bruins. This is obviously ridiculous. My guess is that if the two teams were to play, the betting line would favor New Mexico by no more than three touchdowns.

BILL STEUER

Culver City