In a Case of Deja Lew, the Bucks Stop It Here

Winners, losers and coin tosses (or should we say--the operative word this week--inconclusive?):

Losers: Lakers.

Tonight.

The Lakers don’t have much more chance of breaking their NBA record of 33 consecutive victories than Tiger Woods has of breaking Byron Nelson’s PGA record of 11.

If they have to lose, where is a more fateful place for it to happen than Milwaukee, where the 1971-72 Lakers failed to increase their historic winning streak to 34 against a team led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

Besides, merely the prospect of them having their relatively modest 15-game winning streak ended in Milwaukee enables me to repeat one of my favorite sportswriter stories.

On the morning after the streak was broken, then-Times sports editor Bill Shirley called beat writer Mal Florence and ordered him home.

While leaving the hotel, packed bags in his hands, Florence was spotted by then-Laker coach Bill Sharman.

“Mal,” Sharman said, “where are you going?”

Without skipping a beat, Florence responded, “I don’t cover losers.”

Winner: Phil Jackson.

He predicted that the Lakers would open at 5-5. They have opened at 30-5.

Not even he knows how well he can coach.

Maybe he can win a championship without Michael Jordan.

Loser: Jerry West.

But a good loser.

He was at the Arena in Oakland last month during the Pete Newell Challenge when Newell’s 1959 NCAA championship team at California was honored. It wasn’t that easy for West, who considers West Virginia’s 71-70 loss to Cal in the title game one of his most disappointing.

Winner: USC.

Tonight.

Coin Toss: Abdul-Jabbar vs. Eddie House.

Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, scored 61 points in regulation in 1967 at Pauley Pavilion against Washington State, a conference record tied last Saturday by Arizona State’s House. But Alcindor was 7-feet-2, and the Cougars were at his mercy. Arizona State’s House needed two overtimes to score his 61, but he’s 6-1 and was playing on the road at Cal.

Losers: Angels.

Just when they thought things couldn’t get worse, sewage backed up into their clubhouse at Edison Field on Monday.

And just when the Angels thought things really couldn’t get worse, they learned later in the day that the Seattle Mariners had signed Aaron Sele.

Bill Stoneman, the Angels’ new general manager, warned that it’s difficult to acquire good pitchers. Most teams would agree. But it’s not impossible, as two of the Angels’ division rivals, the Mariners and Rangers, have proved. So have the Mets, Cardinals, Cubs, Indians and Red Sox.

Even the Expos are trying, although I’m not suggesting that Stoneman should have traded for Hideki Irabu. Neither would I suggest that Stoneman should have been as eager as the Indians were to overpay Chuck Finley. And maybe Sele’s shoulder tendinitis is as troubling as the Orioles apparently believed.

But the Angels can’t seriously be considering going to spring training with Ken Hill as the No. 1 starter. Can they?

Winner: Gil Hodges.

“Tony Perez is a great player,” Tom Lasorda said this week, “but if he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and I believe he does, then so does Gil Hodges.”

The numbers don’t lie. As hitters and first basemen, they were virtually twins.

In 23 seasons, Perez hit 379 home runs and drove in 1,652 runs for averages of 16.5 and 71.8 per season. His batting average was .279. In 18 seasons, Hodges hit 370 home runs and drove in 1,274 runs for averages of 20.6 and 70.8. His batting average was .273.

Who was considered better during their times? Again, it was about the same. Perez was selected to the All-Star team in seven seasons, Hodges in eight.

With Perez’s election Tuesday into the Hall of Fame, it’s clearer than ever that the veterans’ committee should award Hodges the same honor when it votes next month.

Coin toss: Dallas Cowboys.

Heads, they fired Chan Gailey. Tails, Jerry Jones will choose the new coach.

For the first 29 years of the team’s existence, Tom Landry was referred to as “the only coach the Cowboys have ever had.” Now they are seeking their fourth coach in the 11 years since Jones became the owner.

Jimmy Johnson proved a more than capable replacement for Landry, but since he left Jones has had decreasing success with successors. Johnson was succeeded by Barry Switzer, who was succeeded by Gailey.

Winner: Dallas Mavericks.

If they sign Dennis Rodman, they will have a mentor for Leon Smith.

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