Letters: As bad as it gets for Lakers (they hope)

I hope Chick Hearn doesn’t have cable in heaven.

John C. Borrego

Temecula

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How bad was it at Staples Center on Thursday night? It was so bad that that Justin Bieber pulled his pants up, so that he could make a quick getaway. It was so bad Magic Johnson ate more hot dogs than Joey Chestnut. It was so bad Jimmy Fallon wouldn’t make jokes about it out of respect for the families.

Marty Foster

San Francisco

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As a thoroughbred trainer, Jim Buss had a winning percentage around 9%. If somebody doesn’t do something quick, he’s going to repeat that achievement with the Lakers.

Carlo Fisco

Marina del Rey

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Poor Bill Plaschke seems to take the Clippers’ blowout of the Lakers personally, as if the players, Jim Buss, Mitch Kupchak, and Mike D’Antoni are on his payroll. Bill, did you pay for your ticket or something? The reality is that this same Lakers team beat Portland in Portland earlier in the week.

Yes, they often stink and yes, the game was an embarrassment to the franchise. But, Bill, don’t be hurt and angry by it. Shake your head and laugh along with it and let’s get behind the Clippers’ playoff run. It’s sports, Bill. Relax and focus elsewhere. You’ll feel better.

Frank Shapiro

Chatsworth

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While an argument can be made that we should cut Mike D’Antoni some slack for the current Lakers record and performance as he is currently dealing with a primarily D-League roster, he also demonstrated that he couldn’t win regularly last season with Kobe, Dwight, Gasol, World Peace, etc. So why is D’Antoni still the Lakers coach?

Wake up, Jim. The Lakers fans understand and expect winning, not record losses to the Clippers.

Scott Law

West Hills

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Could have been worse. Could have been a shutout.

Richard Raffalow

Valley Glen

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All good with Angels

Regarding the relentlessly optimistic coverage of the Angels, why doesn’t The Times just substitute happy faces for periods?

Joe Blanton adds “depth”? A pitcher who hasn’t played in six years is an “inspiring comeback” story? The overpaid, annoyingly pious head case Josh Hamilton bulks up, predicts great things, and then gets hurt the first day of spring training? And as for the new third baseman, nowhere in Bill Shaikin’s spin piece of March 1 is it mentioned that Freese was routinely taken out of games by the Cardinals because he is a bad fielder.

So obviously, the Moreno Method of Demolishing Promising Franchises continues. Arte never worries about pitching, fielding, or speed, qualities that usually land a team in the playoffs. No, Arte likes home runs.

The Angels are fortunate that Houston is in their division, because this year I wouldn’t put money on them even finishing ahead of Seattle. They are a bad team that the current ownership and management team seems determined to make worse.

Michael Jenning

Van Nuys

Back to Blue

Pardon me if I don’t feel sorry for the Dodgers. If they had spent $5.7 million to re-sign Mark Ellis, they could have avoided the entire problem as to who would be their second baseman. Ellis is a solid defensive player, a good clutch hitter, and a leader in the clubhouse. Now they must choose between Alex Guerrero, who has never played in the majors or played second base, and Dee Gordon, who has had problems at the plate and on the field for the past several years with the team.

My mother had a cliche for this. Penny wise and pound foolish.

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster

TV dealings

Congrats, Dodgers! You signed an $8-billion deal with the devil (Time Warner Cable). Now you have all that extra money to sign the players to put a championship-caliber team on the field that no one will be able to watch!

Rick Ampudia

La Habra

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Every person has their own “line in the sand” which one should not cross. For many people, myself included, the Dodgers have crossed that line. Because I don’t have Time Warner Cable, I have lost all access to the Dodgers unless I want to switch to TWC (I don’t), or pay the additional fee that will be charged if my cable provider decides to purchase access rights to the new Dodgers channel. No thanks, not interested. If my cable provider buys into the new Dodgers channel and charges a mandatory fee for the channel, then goodbye cable. That’s my line in the sand.

Will I miss the Dodgers? Sure. But I will get over it. There are lots of things to do in L.A.

Jay James

Pico Rivera

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Bill Plaschke is bemoaning the fact that Dodger fans can’t see them play because of the new Dodgers network on Time Warner Cable. He should try being on the other side. I live in Fullerton and am a huge Angels fan and could not care less about the Dodgers. I just received notice that my cable bill is going up — again — next month. I am quite sure this is to pay for the Dodgers’ channel. Last year rates went up to pay for the Lakers’ channel, another team I do not like. Channels such as these should be placed on another tier so that fans of these teams can pay extra for them if they want, and so those of us who don’t like them don’t have to foot the bill.

Howard Helveston

Fullerton

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It’s ironic that Magic Johnson built movie theaters so that underprivileged children could access Hollywood. However, now Magic and his partners are denying Dodger TV access to those same underprivileged children. On a positive note, Magic is helping billionaires achieve their goals!

David Waldowski

Alta Loma

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Get it right

Funny how baseball’s intended use of instant replay has backed away from addressing the biggest problem in today’s game — the independent setting of rule parameters by each individual umpire. The made-up strike zones, not even close to resembling the rule book, will still be in play. And the most egregious disregard for rules, the neighborhood play at second base where the second baseman may as well be playing in another game in another time zone, has been specifically omitted from reviewable plays.

If it’s integrity baseball is after and getting all the calls right, the sport should start with enforcing a simple following of the rule book by the pampered and “we’re-bigger-than-the-game” umpiring crews ruining our national pastime.

Allan Kandel

Los Angeles

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The Saban plan

Nick Saban’s advocacy to slow down up-tempo offenses in the name of player safety does warrant closer examination — but for completely different reasons. I’ve watched thousands of college games and seen many players go down when a fast-paced offense goes against a traditional-style opponent — usually one bigger and stronger, like Saban’s Tide. Anyone who’s watched Oregon in the last 15 years is quite familiar with these injuries as well.

Funny thing is, 99% of them have occurred to the bigger, stronger defensive players. How can that be? Simple — they’re almost all faked. They give the defense a free timeout, a chance to suck some air and to substitute. Extra wind sprints at the close of each practice will accomplish more for Saban’s “concern” than any rule change and a “study” should look at the faked injuries before anything else.

Cy Bolton

Rancho Cucamonga

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Nick Saban thinks huddles that are too brief endanger players, not, say, being hit in the knee by a 350-pound lineman. Looking forward to Nick proposing a 225-pound player weight limit, and giving up his huge line, since he is concerned about safety, not strategic advantage.

David Gold

Ventura

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Not dull now

After seeing USC’s woeful performance in its final home basketball game of the season Saturday, remind me again which Times columnists reported before the season began that UCLA had selected the wrong coach, a dull Steve Alford, and that the school should have chosen the more dynamic Andy Enfield.

Alford had the guts to suspend two of his top players last week for violating team rules and almost beat Oregon anyway. He is to be applauded for his discipline.

Dick Smith

Woodland Hills

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Zero chance?

When the odds came out for the World Cup, I was shocked that the USA was 100-1. After watching them play against the Ukraine team on Wednesday, I think a few zeros can safely be added on to the 100.

Dave Eng

Thousand Oaks

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The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Mail: Sports Viewpoint

Los Angeles Times

202 W. 1st St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Fax: (213) 237-4322

Email:

[email protected]

essions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Mail: Sports Viewpoint

Los Angeles Times

202 W. 1st St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Fax: (213) 237-4322

Email:

[email protected]