Letters

Bill Plaschke writes, “If the Trojans truly want to return to greatness, being selected for the CFP is the goal. Not beating Notre Dame. Not even beating UCLA.” That’s 100% wrong.

As a USC alum (1965) and longtime fan, those are the only things that do matter. I have often said that if USC beats UCLA or Notre Dame, the coach deserves another season. To give up this grand tradition in pursuit of the arguably artificial and profit-driven CFP would be an unforgivable sin.

Noel Park
Rancho Palos Verdes

A USC national football championship without playing Notre Dame rings hollow — an asterisked title, a meal that never satisfies, a taste you can’t quite wash away. It may shine in the record books, but it will always feel unfinished to those who know what real college football tradition demands. Earth to Lincoln Riley: an undefeated season is still a loss without playing the Fighting Irish. What’s next? If UCLA becomes competitive, then there will be no crosstown game?

Jeff Black
Los Angeles

So the Fighting Irish own a series edge of 53-37, have won 3 in a row, 7 of the last 8, and 11 of the last 15 games. Yet Bill Plaschke now claims that Notre Dame is running away from the series and is afraid of “Ole SC.” To paraphrase the late, great Jim Healy, Plaschke is on the Leonard Tose highway!

Jerome M. Jackson
El Segundo

Notre Dame is the Burger King of college football — always having it their way. From backdoor deals with the corrupt [CFP] guaranteeing a playoff spot if they finish ranked in the top 12 to refusing to join a conference so that they can pocket all bowl game money, the Irish are treated like college football royalty. Glad USC told the Irish toddlers they can’t have ice cream for breakfast!

Mark S. Roth
Playa Vista

“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans …” A joint statement by the athletic directors of the two schools. Really? Fake news!

Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos

No USC-Notre Dame football game! Who’s next to be cut from the Notre Dame football schedule, Navy? Oh wait, the Irish can’t afford to drop Navy. That might hurt their chance$ at a playoff berth.

Ted Bartscherer
Pasadena

Once again, Bill Plaschke has literally jinxed another Southern California sports team with his proclamation questions regarding the Rams:

Who’s going to beat them?

Who’s going to stop the unstoppable offense?

Who’s going to score on the persistent defense?

Who’s going to outwit the coaching genius?

I have the answers, and it’s not just Seattle. It’s their special teams, their defensive backs and it’s coach Sean McVay’s play-calling. Well, maybe the referees … but that’s for another day.

Thanks again for the poison-pen article, Bill.

Gary Grayson
Ventura

Just four days after Bill Plaschke promised that the Rams would win the Super Bowl, the team blew a big lead and lost in a stinker to the Seahawks. Like my mother told me when I was a kid: Be honest, respect others, and bet against Plaschke — you’ll win every time!

Jack Wolf
Westwood

Can we quit the Rams praise now? They can’t tackle anyone that gets past the line of scrimmage. Coach Sean McKay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula went into a shell as the Rams lost the game to the Seahawks and any chance of a long playoff run.

Russell Hosaka
Torrance

How many more times do we need to see Emmanuel Forbes chasing a receiver because of a blown coverage or missing an assignment and giving up a big play. The secondary is the weak link in the Rams defense and he’s absolutely a broken link. Chris Shula, please put someone else back there. The mascot Rampage would be a better choice than Forbes.

Doug Vikser
Manhattan Beach

Bill Plaschke writes of the Rams: “Who’s going to score on the persistent defense?” Maybe the Lions with 34 points?

William P. Bekkala
West Hollywood

Bill Plaschke’s Rams encomium is puzzling. During the course of the game I watched, Detroit moved through the Rams defense like Sherman through Georgia. This was, at best, park football. The first team that exploits the Rams defense as the Lions did and consistently moves the ball on offense will defeat the Rams.

Skip Nevell
Eugene, Ore.

Just when the Rams thought that they solved their kicking situation, they lost another game because of a missed field goal. After the game, they must have been kicking themselves.

Jeff Hershow
Woodland Hills

It looks like the Bills are going to win the Super Bowl, because Plaschke wrote, “The Bills? Not ever.”

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood