Trojans and Bruins Have Own Stories

Classy UCLA guard Earl Watson was somewhat prophetic when, after UCLA swept USC, he was asked about “owning L.A.� His response was that no one owns L.A. until after the NCAA tournament, that USC was a good team and that who owns L.A. would be the team that went furthest in the tournament.

Thanks to a loss to Washington and the NCAA tournament committee doing a miserable job of bracketing and seeding, and the Bruins lacking a player who can make mid-range jump shots, Watson was correct. USC owns L.A.

JACK ALLEN, Pacific Palisades

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Why isn’t anyone telling Jason Kapono the truth?

Turn pro? Here is what was confirmed in that final tournament game: He is a pretty good college-level shooter who is not athletic enough to create his own shot and does not have any hops whatsoever. This guy wasn’t nearly the best player on the court; he does not have NBA ability. As a fan pulling desperately for a UCLA win, I found myself hoping that Coach Lavin would sit him down so that he would stop throwing the ball away.

The best laugh of the night was the CBS postgame announcement that Kapono was its “UCLA player of the game.� Is CBS part of this conspiracy?

If Kapono goes pro next year, I guarantee he will be playing with Toby Bailey, Ed O’Bannon and JaRon Rush in the ABA. Go Stars! It’s like being at UCLA all over again.

STEPHEN L. GOLDMAN, Venice

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Nobody saw it coming when USC made the Elite Eight--especially Trojan fans. With average home crowds of 5,000 per game, most Trojan fans got their first look at their own team during the NCAA tournament, when they decided to jump on the bandwagon. Trojan fans are now rightfully proud of their team, but given their lack of support over the years, the team should not be equally proud of its fans.

MATT BENNETT, Hermosa Beach

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After listening to Billy Packer broadcast the Duke games for CBS in the NCAA tournament, I’d like to suggest that he insert another C into the middle of his last name.

STEVE ROSSIER, Encinitas

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Just a word about Bill Walton’s announcing: Shaddup!

ED BRESNAN, Long Beach

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The difference between the UCLA and USC basketball programs:

The Trojans make a nice run through the NCAA tournament, lose to Duke, and return to L.A. to find a crowd of adoring fans at the airport welcoming them home as conquering heroes.

The Bruins make a nice run through the NCAA tournament, lose to Duke, and return home to find letters to The Times labeling them as underachievers.

BEN BROWDY, Los Angeles