MORNING BRIEFING

UCLA’s football team has gone winless in their four games since Sept. 26, while USC has won all four of theirs.

This is hardly newsworthy nor surprising, except apparently to one Times scribe, who wrote on Sept. 25 that “as clearly as a November Rose Bowl afternoon, what Neuheisel is doing is working. . . . As USC struggles with things that UCLA is doing right -- coaching decisions, quarterback issues -- Neuheisel sits in his darkened office rubbing his hands in delight while waiting to pounce.�

I’d ask whoever is in charge of these things to make sure Bill Plaschke sticks to writing what he knows about, but unless the Sports page starts to cover tractor pulls or late-night infomercials, I guess that’s just not going to happen.

Mark Backstrom

Redondo Beach

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I understand that Norm Chow still collects a salary from the contract he signed with the Tennessee Titans before being dumped as their offensive coordinator.

After watching 1 1/2 seasons with Chow at the helm of the UCLA offense, I have to wonder if he is still on the USC Trojans’ payroll as well.

Matt Johnson

Santa Clarita

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Regarding UCLA football player Randall Carroll calling his coach, Norm Chow, a racial slur, Rick Neuheisel has to ask himself only one question:

What would John Wooden do?

Mark Lutter

Van Nuys