Harris Grateful for Season for Two Special Reasons

Everyone involved in the NBA had professional and financial reasons for wanting to see the lockout end, but perhaps no one had a greater emotional stake in it than Laker Coach Del Harris.

He had dedicated this season to his parents, both of whom died during the off-season. His father, Elmer, died in August of heart failure. His mother, Wilma, died six weeks later after a long illness.

“I was concerned that we wouldn’t be able to play the season at all,” Harris said in a poignant moment during a news conference Thursday at the Great Western Forum.

“That would have left an even bigger vacuum. My parents were the reason, as much as anything, that I got into sports and basketball in particular.”

His father was especially influential in directing him toward a career in coaching and, during Elmer Harris’ illness last summer, Del encouraged him to keep fighting by promising that the Lakers would contend for the championship.

Harris is not retreating from that promise.

“That’s given me even greater purpose this year,” he said. “It’s an emotional thing, a personal thing, to win the championship.”

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No matter how turned off some fans were by the lockout, NBA ticket sales aren’t expected to decline here because of a big new player in town--even bigger than Clipper rookie center Michael Olowokandi. . . .

Both the Clippers and Lakers are optimistic because of their move next season into the Staples Center. . . .

The Lakers have sold about 12,000 season tickets this season and expect to sell at least as many next season. . . .

“So many people still want season tickets, especially going into the new arena,” said John Black, the Lakers’ public relations director. . . .

The Dodgers begin voluntary workouts Monday at Dodger Stadium, where Kevin Brown, Todd Hundley, Devon White, Alan Mills and Davey Johnson are expected to appear for the first time in their new uniforms. . . .

The Dodger farm system is no longer the envy of baseball. . . .

Remember a few years ago when the Dodgers of the future were supposed to be Paul Konerko, Karim Garcia, Roger Cedeno and Adrian Beltre? . . .

It looks as if the Dodgers kept the right one in Beltre, counted on to become their starting third baseman next season. . . .

He’s contending for the Dominican Winter League’s triple crown with a .310 batting average, 34 RBIs and nine home runs. . . .

I’m convinced Atlanta will beat San Francisco on Saturday, but not very convinced. In their two regular-season meetings, the Falcons outscored the 49ers, 51-50. . . .

Jacksonville Coach Tom Coughlin matches wits with his old boss, Bill Parcells, when the Jaguars play the New York Jets on Sunday. As an assistant to Parcells with the Giants, Coughlin was known as Tuna Helper. . . .

We’re charmed to have had so many opportunities to see Silver Charm, who will be making his eighth start at Santa Anita on Sunday in the San Pasqual Handicap. . . .

Skip Away fell about $400,000 short of breaking Cigar’s all-time earnings record of $9,999,815, but Silver Charm might go for it this year. The 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has won $6,513,006. . . .

The last two NCAA women’s gymnastics champions, UCLA and Georgia, open the new season Sunday night at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

It’s one of the few remaining amateur sports, although the Bruins’ returning NCAA uneven bars champion is named Heidi Moneymaker. . . .

USC had a good idea to attract basketball fans to its Monday matinee against Arizona, selling hot dogs and soft drinks for 99 cents. . . .

But too few concession stands were open in the Sports Arena, making for extraordinarily long lines. Some hungry fans gave up and went across the street to a sandwich shop. . . .

I don’t want to be the public address announcer for any women’s basketball game played by Irvine Valley College. The Lasers’ sophomore point guard is named Phouangmaly Pravongviengkham. . . .

Keith Jackson wasn’t the first broadcaster to use “Whoa, Nellie!” . . .

That was Dick Lane’s trademark phrase during pro wrestling shows from the Grand Olympic Auditorium in the late ‘40s and ‘50s. . . .

He also used it for emphasis during his commercials, once embarrassing himself but delighting viewers by slamming his hand onto the hood of a used car and denting it. Whoa, indeed.

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While wondering if baseball owners were paying attention, I was thinking: The Lakers already made their best transaction by persuading Jerry West to stay, I like the Lakers in the West and Indiana in the East if Michael Jordan retires, for the good of the newspaper I’m volunteering to have my salary capped at $14 million.

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.