Letters to the sports desk

Something definitely smells

Reading the story about the upcoming basketball season
(“Starting positions up for grabs”, Oct. 15), I was
disappointed to see the words “stinker” and
“stench.” I’m sure as a UCLA student, you have a
broader vocabulary at your disposal.

John Awad

Music theft is wrong

Let me teach you a thing or two about responsible
journalism.

(1) If you want to get at the truth, you need to get a good
cross-section of people with varying opinions. Bob Calonico, being
calm and diplomatic, gave no indication of the true Golden
Bear’s heartbeat.

You should have gone to at least one of the other thousands of
past Cal band members out there.

The truth is, UCLA inappropriately took a song that was
Cal’s and prominently plays it as their own. You stole
it.

UCLA should apologize and stop playing it. You should be aware
that Cal’s recent new song “California Triumph”
is copyrighted so that blighters like you aren’t tempted to
steal again.

(2) If you’re going to write something, don’t twist
the facts.

You suggest in a twisted way that Bob Calonico’s spirits
are lifted by “Sons of Westwood.” Give me a break.

I know for a fact that this is physiologically impossible. All
Cal Band members are indoctrinated in their freshman year to ignore
any redeeming features the “Sons of Westwood”
arrangement may have, and to feel physically ill whenever they hear
it.

Bob Calonico went through this when he was a freshman. You
didn’t know all this, did you?

Anyway, I want to assure you that there is no envy on my part
when I hear the UCLA band.

Fred Duhring Cal Band trumpet player,
1970-1974

Cal musicians blow away Bruin band

I drove up from SoCal for the UCLA game, and I must tell you, if
you put the Cal and UCLA bands side by side in a competition,
I’d have to say the Cal band would win by a landslide.

That high-step style that you say they “cling” to is
precise, smart and far more exciting than the walking style that
the UCLA band (and the local high school band) employs.

And as far as “Sons of Westwood” is concerned,
again, the UCLA arrangement doesn’t have the pep and vigor
the Cal band has.

Even in the uniforms, Cal’s uniform is sharp and very
polished. UCLA’s uniform looks sort of like pajamas with
stripes. Besides, I’m not a big fan of plastic hats unless
they’re on football players or construction workers.

I’m glad you brought the issue up, because it gave me more
appreciation for both bands.

Tom Wenrich