So, in today’s LA Times, Bill Plaschke practically creams himself exalting Bellotti as the man who can make UCLA the Trojans’ equal in this city. And he says that Mike Bellotti is 5-3 against Pete Carroll.

What?

Am I missing something?

Carroll lost to Oregon his first season, then Carson beat them 44-33, then they didn’t play in 2003 or 2004, then USC beat them 45-13 in Eugene, then 35-10 here in L.A., before losing to them up north again. By my count that makes Bellotti 2-3 against Carroll, and an ugly 2-3 at that.

Was there a scrimmage or something these two teams played that I don’t know about? Or did Bellotti coach the Dolphins for a few years and beat Carroll in the NFL that I don’t remember?

A little help, please.

UPDATE 1: CommishRob weighs in: “Well, 5-3 against USC is I think what Plaschke was going for with that comment. Because when we were all in school, a game against Oregon usually meant a loss (especially in Eugene and usually in a painfully ugly fashion; see 1998, 1999 and 2001).” And while we’re hyping coaches who beat down Paul Hackett, then maybe every NFL defensive coordinator should be considered for the job, too. At any rate, I don’t really get too worried about Bellotti at Oregon, just like I wasn’t over the moon when it looked like SC was trying to hire him eight years ago. I think he’ll make them better, a more consistent 8-4 or 9-3, and beat SC every four or five years… basically, exactly what Oregon is right now. And it makes Oregon one less tough roadie, unless they hire Chris Petersen. Above all, what’s funny is that everyone else in the conference acts like it matters. As long as Pete Carroll is around, and he’s focused and recruiting like he is, and 11-2 is a major disappointment, it doesn’t matter who gets hired. Remember when Jeff Tedford was the new threat? Remember that? Yeah, four straight wins over Cal later, that seems funny in retrospect.

UPDATE 2: Bellotti to stay. So that leaves Skippy Neuheisel in the driver’s seat—or maybe he goes cheap and just promotes Walker (depending on how the defense does in Vegas). Skippy concerns me more than Bellotti, but then again, Skippy didn’t do jack at Colorado and the NCAA will be on him from the get-go, so we’ll see how effective he can be without bending the rules.

But please, oh, please, Santa, let them hire DeWayne Walker.