ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

There was some anger in the mailbag this week.

I had to turn to the mirror and go: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggonit, people like me!"

But I knew it was all a lie.

To your notes...

Todd from Mission Viejo, Calif., writes: Cal has a history of losing a winnable game in the deserts of Arizona and Southern California. Which game should Cal be more fearful of: @UCLA or @Arizona St.

Ted Miller: Ah, that's a tough one for reasons previously noted.

Both teams played the Bears tough last year in Berkeley before yielding (UCLA imploded in the fourth quarter).

The game at Arizona State is on Oct. 31, so elements won't be a factor (but Halloween might).

If I had to pick now, I'd say UCLA is a little more dangerous because it's probably a tad faster on defense -- to slow Jahvid Best, who didn't play vs. the Sun Devils in 2008 -- and is more likely to improve on the offensive line.

And UCLA-Cal is a rivalry, with both schools always nipping at each other about who's really smarter and silly stuff like that.

Francis from Oakland writes: Before the 2009 season starts I have a question about last season (and the past three). I watched all the (big) bowl games and many of the lesser ones as well, and one impression leaped out at me during the most recent Rose Bowl; during the second quarter USC absolutely dominated Penn State like nobody's business. For a while it looked like a division 1-A vs a 1-AA match up. It was impressive by any standard used to evaluate college football. I cheered the Pac-10's dominance.My question is why does USC so often manage to lose to teams that they (their coach, their fans, their players) so loudly proclaim that the Trojans are the superior team? Why does the best recruiter, the smartest coach, easily the team most stocked with future NFL players (starters too!) manage to lose any games?

Ted Miller: How many BCS teams have gone undefeated over the last three seasons?

Answer: Zero.

It's hard to win all your games, even when a foe is overmatched on paper. USC gets everyone's best shot, and in a conference like the Pac-10, you can't just show up and expect to win.

That said: USC's players (coaches?) might read too many of their own headlines. Little bird told me when USC's bus pulled up to Reser Stadium last year, a large percentage of the Trojans were asleep.

Pete Carroll has created, through his extraordinary seven-year run, a very demanding measure for success: national championship or bust. USC, according to NFL scouts, is the nation's most talent-laden program (though Florida is probably the most talented team in 2009).

So it's not unfair -- no matter how ridiculous it might sound -- to wonder why the Trojans have only won two national championships during his tenure.

The first reason is the Pac-10, fair or unfair, doesn't give the Trojans the computer- and poll-assisted margin for error other programs get. (I've ranted about why this is the case before).

And the second reason is that USC hasn't shown up every week focused and ready to play its best football.

Tuffcats from Tucson, Ariz., writes: In your coordinator changes you failed to mention that Dennis Erickson will now be calling the plays for ASU and not Rich Olson. I think this is very significant.

Ted Miller: Hmm... Tuffcats thinks that's significant. Methinks we have an Arizona gadfly.

My understanding is that while Erickson will be more involved with play calling this fall, Olson will continue to take the lead.

Olson, by the way, called plays when the Sun Devils averaged 32 points and 400 yards per game in 2007.

Gordie from Pasadena, Calif., writes: Cal has had a different offensive coordinator every year since 2005. To what degree has that high turnover translated into inconsistent play on offense? It seems abnormal (especially given that Bob Gregory has been Tedford's DC for the whole time) and probably doesn't bode well for team chemistry or morale. Does Cal need somebody who will stick around for a few years?

Ted Miller: Continuity is obviously better than a lack of continuity.

And Cal's lackthereof the past few years has hurt the offense. Back in 2006, I certainly never thought Nate Longshore's career would go like it did.

Part of the challenge is head coach Jeff Tedford, who made his name as an offensive coordinator, finding the right fit for collaboration. Even though Tedford has yielded (off-and-on) play-calling responsibilities, he's still got an eyeball firmly on the offense.

Perhaps Andy Ludwig is the long-term answer.

But keep in mind that if an offensive coordinator shines, he often doesn't stick around for long because he gets better and more lucrative opportunities.

Andrew from Diamond Bar, Calif., writes: I was wondering which season in the last decade, to you was the most entertaining season of college football? I'm thinking along the lines of big stories, exciting big games, close races, and maybe even huge upsets. And what year would you pick just focusing on the Pac 10.

Ted Miller: Overall, 2007, the year of upsets, was the craziest and most entertaining.

Appalachian State over Michigan; Stanford over USC; Kentucky over LSU. West Virginia implodes vs. Pittsburgh. Etc.

As for the season in the Pac-10: I enjoyed 2000, when three Pac-10 teams finished ranked in the top-seven (Washington, Oregon State and Oregon) and we didn't know who'd go to the Rose Bowl until the season's final weekend. I covered the Huskies that year and every game seemed like a nailbiter.

Russell from Fort Worth, Tex., wrote: What do you think of the possibility of USC one day being regarded as "The University of Texas of the West?"

Ted Miller: Russell, you made me laugh. Rule here is if you do that, you get your note published.

Darren from Venice, Calif., writes: hey, ted, love the blog. anyhow, what restaurant is the Seattle oyster menu from? Thx

Ted Miller: Elliott's Oyster House.

And, yes, I do so miss it.

Barbara from New Orleans wrote: You Auburn turd, you should apologize to all the people of Louisiana for making a joke about our accents. That is what makes us unique, not plain vanilla like people from Alabama or Washington state. Tiger fans are the greatest in the world, war eagle or plainsman or whatever you are. Shame on you, does your editor look at what you write, or are you just allowed to play by yourself, color in your book, and write whatever you please? You [expletive deleted]!!

Greg from Kate, Tx., writes: I sincerely do not appreciate your stereotyping LSU fans or people from Louisiana as idiots that can not speak proper English or poor. LSU fans, like fans of the Boston Red Sox, are very passionate about their team and some of them do speak with an accent based on the local dialect. Regarding your comment about them not being able to afford oysters or them being too expensive, would you like to compare W-2s with me (and I
am only 34)?Seriously, you comments are an embarrassment to yourself and ESPN. Grow up.

Dotsy from Alexandria, La., wrote: Attempting to stereotype an area of the U.S. in such a derogatory manner is beneath contempt. In the wake of all the trials and tribulations the people of Louisiana have undergone in the past years the whole nation should be supportive of our resilient, gritty citizens.

Ted Miller: Sigh.

I wish to formerly apologize to anyone who was honestly offended by this post.

While writing that post, I thought I made it abundantly clear how I felt about the Louisiana accent (as if there is only one!) when I called it "the nation's greatest regional accent," but apparently not.

I also will be forwarding your letters to the New Orleans Saints, so that none of you will be further offended when Saints fans sing, ""Who dat? Who dat say they gonna beat dem Saints" after a game.

As for me, this Atlanta native lived five years in Mobile, Ala., just down the road from the Louisiana border and earned my New Orleans bona fides by spending way too much time there sampling the food and drink [see weight gain from 195 to 210]. Heck, my wife and I should have a plaque at the Palace Cafe.

[Quick story: How great are the Brennan's family of restaurants? We showed up at the Palace Cafe one Friday night without a reservation. The manager, seeing that I was about to cry, put us into a limo and sent us over to Brennan's then-newly opened steakhouse. They treated us like kings and stuffed us with amazing food. We went back to the Palace Cafe for brunch the following Sunday, and the manager came over -- remembered us! -- and asked us how our meal was. And then he comped us a dessert (Bananas Foster, of course). Folks, that's service.]

Guess our love for New Orleans is why we got married there. Had our rehearsal dinner at Arnaud's. The wedding party stayed at the Omni Royal Orleans. Longtime LSU beat writer Glenn Guilbeau attended -- wore a regrettable tie if I remember correctly.

My long-winded point here is this. In all my experiences in Louisiana, I never met anyone who seemed the least bit bothered by someone being amused by a Louisiana accent, a showcase of which is often very lucrative.

But, again, as it appears that I have found a few, I apologize.