Sun Bowl MVP--It’s ‘Mitchell Voids Production’

You know you’re getting old when:

1. UCLA’s Freddie Mitchell taunts another player after catching a pass and is given a major penalty by the official in the Sun Bowl. Mitchell then uses his forearm and hits the same player in the head and again is given a major penalty by the official but is not ejected. This penalty causes the Bruins to have a first and goal on the 23 instead of on the eight. The Bruins have to settle for a field goal costing them the victory.

2. This same player is then voted the most valuable player in the game.

Am I the only person to have a problem with this?

KEVIN J. KEARNS

Thousand Oaks

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Yes, Diane Pucin, let’s praise this classy, humble pillar of collegiate athletics. What a great man, this Freddie Mitchell. And to Bob Toledo for not sending him off the field in the first quarter for his despicable actions--way to stay with him. I mean, hey, he didn’t get caught with a bag of marijuana in his lap, did he? Oops, Toledo condones that too.

To really put this display in perspective, close your eyes and imagine John Wooden watching the game. USC fan, UCLA fan, anything fan--who is not sickened by the thought of Wooden watching this self-obsessed showboat defy his every value? Class, humility, selflessness, focus, control--all the principles Wooden stands for--none have been instilled in Freddie Mitchell in his three years at UCLA.

If Wooden were coaching, how would this have been different? After seeing Mitchell wave goodbye to the defenders on his touchdown reception, I believe Wooden would calmly have asked Mitchell to remove his jersey and helmet and hand them to him. Then he would have told him, “Good luck in the pros. You are no longer welcome in Westwood.”

OLIVER LANG

Los Angeles

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Let Freddie Mitchell turn pro; please don’t try to talk him out of it! The NFL deserves his mouth and attitude. Maybe he will end up with the losers in Tampa Bay, and he and Keyshawn Johnson can fight it out for the biggest mouth in the South.

GRANT HAYES

Rancho Palos Verdes

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Last week, I wrote to the L.A. Times outlining the reasons UCLA would lose to Wisconsin, i.e. the poor defense, poor tackling, lack of a ground game, etc. I wasn’t too far off. But the most important thing that I mentioned was that Bob Toledo would be the ex-coach if he doesn’t have a better record in 2001 and loses for a third consecutive year to USC.

WAYNE M. CUTLER

Los Angeles

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Well, what do you know? UCLA is defeated by Wisconsin again. As if that were a big surprise. Totally outplayed in the second half. Another big surprise. The Bruins continue their reputation as powder (blue) puffs.

How in the world can they talk about a national championship or even a Pac-10 championship next year? They’ll simply be another .500 team that can’t play defense. Toledo, take a hike and take Steve Lavin with you. Both programs have become an embarrassment.

STEVE SNYDER

Seal Beach

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How come The Times sends two of its best writers to El Paso to cover the Sun Bowl, they file a bazillion column inches and never mention the attendance?

Because it was a paltry 49,039, that’s why, and the count probably was inflated. Taking a page out of T.J. Simers’ book, the most exciting thing to do in El Paso is cruise the Wal-Mart. If the Sun Bowl is going to make the big time, the sponsors will have to insist that Wal-Mart close for the day.

ALAN KINDLE

Carlsbad