Letters: If clothes make the man, what does this say about Kobe Bryant?

Talk about the Emperor’s new clothes!

All of those handlers, a small entourage, and even some supposed fashion designers, and nobody told Kobe Bryant how ridiculous he looked? Maybe he was two hours late because he was sent a picture of the outfits.

I bet this was Vanessa’s idea. If I was Jerry Sloan, I’d put it up in the locker room. “This is the guy you can’t defend?”

Kevin McDermott

Manhattan Beach

Thank you for the Kobe photo. I now have a personal best for spewing coffee out of my mouth across the living room floor as I opened to page two.

And now I will never talk badly about a professional athlete and try to explain their arrogance and strangeness to friends. In the future I will send them this picture.

Bob Arranaga

Los Angeles

Hard to say which is more idiotic — Kobe Bryant agreeing to pose for those Los Angeles Times Magazine photos or somebody actually paying $695 for a rag to drape over his head.

Gordon Morris

Glendale

Why do you continue to legitimize Matt Taibbi with his slanderous remarks regarding Kobe Bryant? This is like the second or third time I’ve seen it printed in The Times. Why do you care about the opinions of someone over at Rolling Stone who obviously knows nothing about basketball? That would be like if Heisler or Plaschke tried to get five minutes of fame by slamming some popular music group in the sports section. Do you think Rolling Stone would care enough about your opinions on music to print them?

Tom Cheng

Placentia

Just curious, is Andrew Bynum made of china or crystal?

Craig Fulmer

Placentia

Say what you will about those Wall Street bonuses, but the Lakers’ Adam Morrison is making $5,250,000 this year.

David Macaray

Rowland Heights

Wally Skalij’s photo of Pau Gasol’s winning put-back against the Thunder was fabulous. It showed all the drama, from the crowd already beginning to deflate to Gasol’s being fouled on the play. The photo didn’t even need a caption because the caption was printed on the basket support ( “Where amazing happens.”) right next to the Logo himself, Jerry West. Amazing indeed!

Stan Terasaki

Torrance

Los Suns

The Suns are a sports team, not a political action group. The management has no right to force its players and employees to represent the owner’s political ideas as a condition of employment. What if a player disagreed with their position? He would have had to wear the “Los Suns” uniform anyway. What do you think would have happened if the Spurs had worn jerseys saying “AZ Immigration Law Rocks!” A little problem with the media and the NBA, do you think?

The NBA should prohibit such political statements by its players, owners, and franchises, liberal or conservative, good or bad, popular or not. It is harmful to their business interests, because they will always necessarily offend two large groups of fans — those who disagree with the particular political statement, and those who may agree with the statement, but disagree with the sport forcing any political sentiment upon us as a price of viewing their product.

Robert Kaufman

Agoura Hills

The Suns’ owner, Robert Sarver, and his Canadian point guard, Steve Nash, don’t like America’s laws but they like America’s money.

Charles K. Sergis

Redondo Beach

So the Suns decide to don “los Suns” jerseys during their playoff game against San Antonio, whose own fans casually refer to them as “los Spurs.” Well, here in L.A., I have my own “los” name for my favorite local team: Loss Clippers.

Frank J. Garza

La Canada Flintridge

NBA stuff

LeBron James, are you kidding? I have never seen any other athlete who seeks so much attention. He wants the world to believe that he is hurt for two reasons. 1. If he plays poorly and the Cavaliers lose a series then Lebron can use his “injury” as an excuse. 2. If he does well and the Cavs win then LeBron can say he did it regardless of his “Injury.” Let me steal a few words from the legendary Sting to describe LeBron...King of Pain.

Jeff Calzada

Monterey Park

When Danny Ainge played for the Celtics, he was the designated cheap-shot artist who would be sent in to distract the other team. His job was to hammer someone in the back or otherwise commit what is now referred to as a “flagrant foul.” This was Boston’s idea of team defense. Apparently, they picked it up from their NHL co-tenants at the old Boston Garden, the Bruins.

Recently, Ainge’s dark side has emerged again. He was seen charging at a referee while screaming at him about a foul call. And then he was spotted waving a towel at courtside in an attempt to keep down the Cleveland Cavalier’s free throw percentage.

It is comforting however to know that the only textile Danny will need to worry about next week is the white flag the Celtics will hoist when the Cavaliers eliminate them from the playoffs.

Thomas Bailey

Long Beach

Blue blunder

I see where Joe Torre’s horse finished in the middle of the pack in the Kentucky Derby. That’s just about where his Dodgers will wind up.

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster

First we had “Spahn and Sain, and then dear Lord, two days of rain.”

Then it was “Tanana and Ryan and two days of cryin’.”

This year with the Dodgers (giving it my best Brooklynese)

“ Hiroki Kuroda and ‘den we get moidered!”

Mark Higgins

Van Nuys

From Sunday through Thursday’s game, Russell Martin had three singles in 16 at-bats. For some reason, Joe Torre had him batting second. Maybe that’s because Torre didn’t want too many guys on base when Ethier hit home runs ?

Gene Miller

Huntington Beach

Watching the Dodgers these days makes me cringe almost as listening to the “singers” who demolish “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch.

Sol Bialeck

Van Nuys

Red scare

Congratulations to Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick, who when asked if it would be strange to look at former teammate John Lackey as the enemy, said, “I haven’t thought about that. That might be a little strong — that’s a war term, and we’re talking about baseball — but he is a rival.”

It would be wonderful if more athletes, coaches and members of the media shared Kendrick’s perspective on what life is really about when talking about playing a game for a living.

Charles L. Freeman

Baldwin Hills

A suggestion for Angels’ management: When Brian Fuentes enters the ninth inning of home games in save situations, would it be possible to reopen the beer lines, as the game will likely be extended?

Dan Kulick

Dana Point

After a week of brilliant manipulating of pitchers, Mike Scioscia has just been voted the best TV sales manager in baseball.

Sid Lazarow

Orange

I’m getting tired of listening to all the theories about what’s wrong with the Angels this year. Actually, there’s really only one problem, and one solution. Arte, bring back the Wonderdog!

Augie Opfell

Rancho Mirage

It’s a month into baseball season and I have completed an in-depth analysis of both the Dodgers and Angels and concluded that the best team in Southern California is undoubtedly … the Padres. I may have to re-check my numbers.

Ron Reeve

Glendora

Wrong track

On the next-to-last page of the sports section on Sunday, under “Etc.” there was brief mention of the track meet between USC and UCLA ,where both the men and women of Troy scored one-sided victories over the Bruins. While the men’s score was at least mentioned (96-67) the women’s score (106-57) was not. Nor were there any mention of the outstanding marks that were recorded by both schools.

Other than football and basketball, track and field between the Trojans and Bruins is perhaps the most hotly contested and thrilling event between the two local universities. It’s too bad that this great spectacle is hidden under the title of “Etc.”

Howard Benioff

Arcadia

Missing the Kings

I thought I had fully let go of the NHL hockey season after the Kings’ elimination, just barely taking notice of those pesky Sharks and Canucks. Apparently not. Yesterday I asked my son what he and his dad were watching in the other room. “A shootout.” How could there be a shootout? I thought there were no shootouts in the playoffs? “Which game went into a shootout?” I asked. “Uh, we were watching a western.”

It’s gonna be a long summer.

Cindy McMahon

Manhattan Beach

A good deal more

Just attended a UCLA baseball game. All seats were good. No cursing, no fighting, no drunks, two adults and two kids for under $20, parking $5, no lines at the bathroom, did wait eight minutes for food

Why would I ever go to the Dodgers again?

Matt Healy

Encino

No match

Dear Rachel,

So you choose not to compete in our sport’s championship match, duck out of our head-to-head in Arkansas, then go 0 for 2 to open the year. Horse of the year, my hoof. Regards, Zenyatta

Mike Reuben

Anaheim Hills

Tiger’s tale

No cursing, no club throwing, no fire, no cut. Happy now?

Nippy Phillips

Woodland Hills

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