In a post-New Year’s daze of whine and roses

Reasons USC was not selected to play in the BCS title game, according to the BCS.

Reason 1: The Pac-10 is weak (Fact: The Pac-10 went undefeated in bowl play, 5-0.)

Reason 2: USC lost on the road to a team they should have beaten. (Fact: Oregon State won nine games, and Florida lost at home.)

Reason 3: USC played a weak nonconference schedule, Ohio State, Virginia and Notre Dame. (Fact: Florida played Citadel and Hawaii; Oklahoma played Chattanooga and Washington.)

Conclusion: The most worthy team for the national championship won the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 in Pasadena.

Asad Akmal Torrance

Bill Plaschke wrote: “Hand the championship to the team that is playing the best at the end, and the Trojans arguably could have won six of the last seven national championships.”

My dad used to say, “If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, oh what a Merry Christmas this would be.”

Michael Nile

Redondo Beach

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Their win over Penn State means one thing for the grumbling Trojans: 2009 will continue a recent USC New Year’s tradition, the What If Bowl!

Bob Ginn

Arcadia

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Please open negotiations with the Mountain West to replace the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. The games will be more competitive.

Thomas Hamlett

Canoga Park

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Mark Sanchez put on a great show. Unfortunately my strongest memory is that of the USC players laughing and performing a chorus-line type dance on the sideline during the game.

Can you imagine Joe Paterno allowing that to happen? This is a USC team that has gone from a deservedly confident swagger to an ugly arrogant strut. Who is going to stop them?

Certainly not an aging, cute-as-a-button coach last seen crying, whining and stomping his feet like a 3-year-old over a call he didn’t like.

Bert Bergen

La Canada

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Hey Plaschke: I think they were ready.

Jim Trenton

Los Angeles

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I continue to watch in disbelief at the classless nature of Pete Carroll during USC games.

From the obvious teaching/condoning of helmet-to-helmet contact, to the whooping it up after every score or big play, to the occasional non-handshake walk away after his few losses.

Most importantly, what does this teach our kids? It’s OK to thumb your nose to sportsmanship, to show up opposing players by “celebrating” big plays, it’s OK to play dirty.

After all, when you’re a “rock star” in L.A., as Brent Musburger exclaimed during the Rose Bowl telecast, anything goes.

John P. Vrsalovich

Altadena