Letters: Phil Jackson, make up your mind

I feel so sorry for Phil Jackson. He was paid $12 million the past two years and now he is holding the Lakers hostage as he decides whether or not to come back. All we keep hearing about is the “grueling” NBA schedule. The last time I checked, Phil wore a suit and pretty much sat during the games. Instead of the media talking about a three-peat in the aftermath of one of the greatest victories in Lakers history, all we hear about is Phil. I for one am sick of it. Stop being a spoiled, petulant egomaniac and make a decision. Not in a week. Not soon. Right now. Please put the focus back on the team.

Geno Apicella

Placentia

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In order for the Lakers to win a third consecutive NBA championship next year, it will depend on the following three Rs:

1. Return of Phil Jackson as coach

2. Re-signing of Derek Fisher

3. Retaining Ron Artest’s psychiatrist

Wayne Muramatsu

Cerritos

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I am glad The Times finally gave Kobe the credit he deserves [“Can you top this?” June 20]. His skills, focus, consistency and dedication are often overlooked. Michael Jordan was the greatest in his day, but Kobe’s scoring abilities against modern defense is phenomenal and unprecedented. When you see Kobe on court, you see a player who has “winning and only winning matters” written all over his face.

Veena Mathew

Corona

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So now Kobe Bryant has five championships, the same total as Magic Johnson. The comparisons must stop in their tracks at that moment.

Kobe should never, ever, be considered equal to the greatest Laker of all time, Magic Johnson. Even if Kobe gets a sixth, this in no way makes him “better” than Magic. Yes he’s a great player, but L.A. fans should know better. It’s not only about how many rings.

Luke Aiello

Mission Viejo

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For Kobe Bryant to be considered in the same class as the likes of Jerry West and Magic Johnson, he needs to show some class of his own.

To watch Kobe react, you’d think he gets fouled on every play or never commits a foul of his own. When he eliminates those displays of glaring at, or jawing at, the officials on his way down the court, Bryant will begin to demonstrate personal qualities that can ultimately match his brilliant talent.

Harvey Buzin

Sierra Madre

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I don’t know if Kobe Bryant is the greatest Laker in history. But I do know that one cannot determine a player’s greatness by merely counting the number of rings he has. Why is it that so many fans have this abnormal desire to name the greatest Laker or NBA player ever? There are a number of great Lakers. Why can’t we just leave it at that?

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster

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Shaq back with the Lakers next year? They get him for veteran minimum. He’s a major upgrade over Mbenga. He comes off the bench and spells Gasol & Bynum for 10-15 minutes a game. Stays relatively rested. Injury insurance for Bynum. Gets to retire as a Laker, possibly with another championship. Heals all the old wounds. Becomes beloved by Laker fans again. His jersey No. 34 goes up there with all the other Lakers greats. Shaq loyalists can return as Lakers fans to join the party.

And for Kobe it ensures there is no way Shaq can catch him for rings. It a match made in heaven.

Paul Grafton

Morro Bay

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It’s time to acknowledge the teams that are really responsible for the last three NBA Championships. The Minnesota Timberwolves gave the Celtics a 2008 championship by giving away Kevin Garnett and the Memphis Grizzlies gave the Lakers 2009 and 2010 titles by handing out Pau Gasol.

Both perennial losers asked nothing for themselves in return for these gifts. Truly unselfish acts.

Bruce Kahn

Claremont

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Just finished watching Game 7 for the umpteeth time. Has Jeff Van Gundy stopped talking yet?

Phil Trujillo

Ontario

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If the LAPD counted only 70,000 people at the Lakers parade, it’s no wonder the jails are overcrowded.

Richard Hardt

Long Beach

Kicking it around

Thank you, Bill Plaschke [“Let’s think like a soccer superpower,” June 25], from someone who is part of the generation that played and follows soccer and has always expected a great deal from our team. The only surprise isn’t our success, but the continual babble of those that devalue soccer’s popularity and our demands from our team. Here’s looking at you, Alexi Lalas, for calling us the underdog going into Saturday’s game. We should be doing this well and it is no surprise to me, my friends, or our parents (the soccer moms and dads that are still watching the sport).

Rachel Bosma

Manhattan Beach

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No matter what Bill Plaschke says and doesn’t understand about soccer, the U.S.-Algeria game was the most exciting match I’ve ever seen. Soccer is soccer and the favored team doesn’t always win — just ask “big boys” Italy and France.

Richard Karliss

Malibu

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A quick comment to all those who proudly advertise that they don’t like soccer: Soccer doesn’t care! Stick to your sports where the ball is in play for 10 minutes in a four-hour game and your world championships that don’t involve any other countries. Soccer’s been the greatest sport in the world for 100 years and will be for the next 100, with or without you.

Rob Osborne

Manhattan Beach

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Like many Americans I am not a big soccer fan. I do tune in and follow the games every four years during the World Cup, especially when the United States is playing. I continue to find myself unable to understand how soccer could ever become a major sport here. Who wants to watch a game where the official can decide the outcome and not even be held accountable for an explanation? Someone also needs to explain to me why soccer players feel the need to flop to the ground with every touch by an opponent and act as if they have been mortally wounded.

Don’t even get me started about the nil-nil scores.

Chris Pisano

Rancho Palos Verdes

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I am tired of people complaining about soccer and how boring it is.

Landon Donovan’s last-minute heroics brought tears of joy to the 11 American players on the field, millions of U.S. soccer fans, hundreds of broadcast sponsors, and most of all, two linesmen.

Michael Miyamoto

Mission Viejo

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I know the World Cup means more to most of the other countries involved, but does FIFA have to conspire against the United States? To put it in perspective, we were robbed of two perfect games and we still came out triumphant. Put that in your vuvuzela and blow it!

Gene Elliott

Santa Monica

The Blues

Kudos to the Dodgers, who took a whole three days to erase almost any Lakers-inspired euphoria over beating Boston by rolling over to the Red Sox with barely a whimper.

Allan Kandel

Los Angeles

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On April 27, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti stated publicly that Matt Kemp was not playing up to his potential, possibly due to receiving a large salary raise in the off-season. At the time, Kemp was hitting .294 and had homered at the rate of one in 12 plate appearances or once every four games (roughly on pace for 40 over a full season). Since being called to task on a radio show by his GM, Kemp has hit .242 with a home run every 44 plate appearances, roughly on pace for 12 over an entire season.

If he could have made his remarks in the first place, does anyone think that Colletti is now astute enough to think that those comments may have created a less than desired outcome?

Darren Pollock

Los Angeles

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Nothing contrasted the Angels’ current winning ways with the Dodgers’ recent nosedive than their game Wednesday night — won painfully by the Angels, 2-1. The Angels scrapped and scraped together two runs with just four hits, aided by two errors by a rusty Dodgers shortstop. All the while the Dodgers climaxed their futility of managing to score one run.

That ninth inning will go down in Dodgers lore as one of the most frustrating yet typical of a franchise historically known for baserunning gaffes that would even have tied the tongues of Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra.

Jeff Drobman

Malibu

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All season long, I’ve asked my 8-year-old girls’ team, “Do you ever watch the Dodgers?” to try and teach them certain things. Perhaps Martin and Kemp would like to come watch my girls’ play to learn how to run the bases?

Axel Kyster

Bradbury

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Now that the Dodgers have proven emphatically that they can’t beat the teams they would have to face if they surprisingly make it to the playoffs, I’m wondering if Frank McCourt will loosen his purse strings and make a deal for a front-of-the-rotation pitcher. Some kids have stepped up and allowed the Dodgers to get in contention, but now that the opponents’ swing of the bats has cleared away the smoke and hard-hit balls have broken the mirrors, isn’t it time to make some sort of realistic deal? Oh no wait! The Dodgers reacquired Claudio Vargas.

J.J. Volpe

Long Beach

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Maybe they can decide the NL West title this year with a good ol’ Shpunt, pass, and kick competition.

Danny Lee

Studio City

Strung out

Anyone who witnessed the “unbelievable” 11-hour tennis match should be impressed not only by the stamina of the players, but also for the need of modifications in ITF rules. The most alarming statistic in this match was that the player that served won 180 of the 183 games. This reminds me of a game of tic-tac-toe, where the player who goes first is assured of a win or a tie, unless a careless mistake is made.

Don Geller

Irvine

Zen mistress

I have found the best way to relax: Just sit back, sigh and say “Zenyatta,” and feel the tension drift away.

Anne Wilson

Paramount

Fantasy land

If Steve Dilbeck can put Alex Rodriguez on the Yankees’ all-time roster and Eric Gagne on the Dodgers’, then why isn’t Roger Clemens on the Yankees’?

Eric Greene

Duarte

One guy liked it

All plans to produce a highlight video of the final round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach have been canceled.

Tom Turner

Dana Point

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