Don’t Count Out the Coliseum Yet

Why must your writers vilify the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum every time they write a story based on some vague plan to move a professional football team in or out of the city? As expected, last Saturday’s story by Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers contained the usual direct (“bad location”) and indirect criticism (anyone who builds a new stadium will be a “hero”).

The fact is that many forces are driving a pro football team into the movie and television center of the world, and when it happens, the Coliseum will be the only venue available. When an NFL owner’s lust to move here reaches a critical mass, the NFL’s opinion of the Coliseum will not stop the move. In fact, in the eyes of the NFL, the Coliseum will transform into one of the most desirable stadiums in the country, just as Inglewood became Eden when there was talk about a new stadium being built in that city.

Sportswriters need three conditions: a quarterback controversy, a coach in danger of being fired and a stadium to criticize. When I was a USC undergraduate more than 40 years ago, you ran a story criticizing Coliseum management for holding a rodeo. It seems that a football player turned an ankle by stepping in a hole left by some beast. Enough already.

ROGER E. HOLMES

Westchester

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Well, what do you know? Madame Ram was right. It was the stadium and fans that caused the Rams to stink these last few years.

WILLIAM FERRARO

Seal Beach