You Just Knew Who Would Get the Blame

The following decisions have converted the Lakers from perennial champions to future lottery pick:

1) Letting Jerry West leave.

2) Hiring Mitch Kupchak, who signed Devean George to an extension.

3) Choosing Kobe over Shaq and Phil Jackson.

4) Hiring a coach with health problems after everyone else turned down the job.

5) Not recognizing that no one wanted to coach the Lakers due to decisions 1 through 3.

Patrick Duff

Aliso Viejo

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What took Rudy T. so long? The Lakers made me sick to my stomach the very first game of the season.

Fred Berzak

Ontario

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Laker management doesn’t get it, at all. Since when does Kobe Bryant have to put his imprimatur on who gets to be the next coach, whether it be Phil Jackson or anybody else?

While trying to do everything possible to appease its overpaid crybaby, the management has allowed the team to cascade into a carnival act with nothing but one-on-one showboats who can’t play defense, can’t pass more than twice on an offensive set, can’t shoot from three-point range and, worst of all, can’t play like the Miami Heat, who seem to be one very happy family led by one terrific center these days.

Michael Harley

Laguna Niguel

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Rudy T.’s face said it all as Lamar Odom, acting like a 4-year-old, got tossed out of the Clipper game: Kobe the Uncoachable and now this.

Goodbye, Rudy. The days of Olajuwon and Horry are over.

Mel Damski

Westwood

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Just whom do the Lakers think they’re talking to -- a bunch of gullible idiots? Come on now, stress was the only excuse they could find for Rudy stepping down?

A five-year, $30-million contract. Stress? A team handed to him that was barely a playoff contender. Stress? Living in the exclusive sections in L.A. Stress? Kobe doing what he wants. Stress?

If Byron Scott stepped down from the New Orleans job, now that would be stress.

Tell your reading public the real truth. We can handle it.

Jeffrey L. Walker

Los Angeles

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Fans like Alan Elliott and writers like Mark Heisler [Feb. 3] need to check themselves. Their whining is deplorable.

The fact is that the team last year had run its course. Shaq was getting older, lazier, more arrogant and even more expensive. The Lakers went to the Finals; however, there was nothing fun about it.

They decided to rebuild around one of the best perimeter players to ever play in this league. The Lakers don’t like to use the word “rebuilding” because they know they will get pilloried in the press if they did. They are a young, hungry, entertaining team on the rise in a very tough conference. Unfortunately things did not work out for Rudy T., but the possible re-addition of Coach Jackson combined with a couple of personnel moves will put them in serious contention again.

Let’s have some maturity and patience and give Dr. Buss and Mitch Kupchak the time and respect they have earned.

Joel Amsterdam

Los Angeles

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I hope that Phil Jackson takes the Laker job so that all of us can see what an average coach he is without the likes of Shaq or M.J.

I don’t care if he installs the triangle, rhomboid, trapezoid or rectangle offense, he won’t succeed without stars.

Richard Katz

Los Angeles

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What a great motivational tool by the master. Pretend that you are retiring. Let the team hover around mediocrity for half a season. Then show up just in time to push this team into the playoffs. At any rate, hurry home, Phil. This city needs you.

Lawrence Sewry

Buena Park

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I know Phil had his issues with Kobe over the years, but they could find a way to work together, especially now that the Big Complainer is in Miami. Besides, that was Zen; this is now.

Mike Schermerhorn

North Hills

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Two words can win back the fans’ respect for the Lakers: Michael Cooper.

Dave Eng

Thousand Oaks

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Halfway through the season, it is painfully obvious that Kobe Bryant is to the Lakers what Yoko Ono was to the Beatles.

Howard Cohen

North Hills

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I heard the Laker coach is resigning. That’s too bad. I’m gonna miss Kobe Bryant.

Richard Turnage

Burbank

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Did you ever notice that you can’t spell “broken” without k-o-b-e?

Dalia Watt

Torrance