Letters

Lavin’s got to go I would like to suggest
that the powers-that-be fire coach Steve Lavin. He has absolutely
destroyed the basketball program at UCLA. Coach Lavin talks a good
game of basketball but delivers nothing in the way of leadership on
the court, quality coaching or recruiting quality players at UCLA.
I am not a graduate of UCLA, but I have followed the basketball
program for years. I used to stay up late to catch a game. I used
to make sure I was home to catch games when they were on the road.
Now, I rarely watch a game due to the fact I can’t stand to
watch Coach Lavin do such a poor job of coaching. It seems as
though his players are never ready for the game, and his
on-the-floor coaching strategies leave a lot to be desired. It is a
shame to watch the talent he has let go to waste because of his
poor coaching. He is always stating, “This team is trying to
find themselves.” From my standpoint, Coach Lavin needs to
find himself, pack his bag and find another program that might fit
his style. UCLA deserves better. Return to a quality program that
competes with the other programs, like Duke, Stanford, North
Carolina, etc. Lavin can’t do that!

Thomas G. Crist Redlands, Calif.

Dalis really fumbled Pitino issue My first
three years at UCLA were marred by controversy, from Jelani
McCoy’s disappointing exit to the disabled parking scandal.
But then came this, my final year at UCLA, and it has been
refreshingly absent of problems. Until recently ““ thank you
Peter Dalis. Going behind the back of Steve Lavin and talking
informally with Rick Pitino is b.s. That is exactly what we
don’t need here at UCLA. Maybe Lavin hasn’t had the
greatest years here at UCLA, but they weren’t the easiest
either. Give him a break, and some confidence. Oh, and don’t
tell me that it is part of the game to be worried about your job
all the time; that is equally ludicrous. All we have now is a
stupid controversy that is getting in the way of the bigger goal:
winning. Earl Watson’s comments were right on when he said
“I’m getting tired of all the controversy.” We
all are, Earl. The only things that Dalis accomplished with his
idiotic comments were to piss off Lavin and to piss off Watson
““ gee, thanks. A better comment from our athletic director
would have been, “I hope we crush ‘SC Thursday.”
But really, you have to wonder if he’ll even be there. Maybe
he’ll have dinner with Pitino instead.

Bob Firpo Fourth year Political science

Dalis is problem, not solution Over the last
five years, the UCLA athletic department resume reads like a rap
sheet. Coach Jim Harrick was fired for falsifying an expense report
after a steak dinner at Monty’s. Baron Davis was investigated
by the NCAA after he allegedly purchased an SUV vehicle from
Harrick’s sister. Jelani McCoy and Kris Johnson were
bombarded by cheers of “Mari-juana” by the Stanford
unruly. A UCLA softball scandal forced us to forfeit the national
championship, and of course, the football team decided it was more
convenient for them to park in handicapped spots. We have lost
recruits because of this so often it has become a never-ending
roller coaster that makes us guess, “What’s
Next?” Well, we didn’t have to wait long. With the
latest fumbling (no pun intended) of the Rick Pitino coaching
situation, our question has been answered. Here is an opportunity
that would have brought instant credibility and success to a
university that has prided itself on having the most tradition-rich
college basketball program in the nation. Yet instead what it
brings is a new cloud of controversy and a realization that
something is terribly amiss in the UCLA athletic department. As a
member of the UCLA family, I am fed up with asking,
“What’s Next?”, and I am compelled to begin
asking, “How do we fix this problem?” This is not a
problem that can be easily fixed. Unfortunately, duct tape cannot
be held accountable for the UCLA athletic department’s
shortcomings. However, I feel that what can be held accountable is
the man at the top. I believe that the university, the students,
the alumni, and the rest of the UCLA family owe it to themselves to
take a step back and take a critical look at Pete Dalis. Yes, Pete
Dalis has won many NCAA Championships. But what expense do we, as
Bruins, have to go through to get a few rings? Maybe this is the
ultimate question.

Michael Malik Fifth year History

Sports Letters to the Editor can be sent to [email protected]. Include
UCLA affiliation, city of residence and contact information.
Current students, please include major. Submissions will be edited
for grammar and length.