Any Laker News This Week?

Last year, Phil Jackson left as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, he comes back to coach the Los Angeles Kobes.

Will his return prove successful? My guess is no, but I can come up with 30 million reasons why he did it.

David Barnathan

Los Angeles

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Note from Jeanie Buss to the rest of the NBA: “My boyfriend’s back, and you’re gonna be in trouble ... “

Ellen Brown

Reseda

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After weeks of reading about Phil Jackson needing to “find his vision,” the Lakers must have finally coerced him back by granting him ownership rights to the Hubble telescope and an opportunity to purchase stock options with Bushnell.

Mark J. Featherstone

Windsor Hills

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Phil Jackson’s words, upon his return to the Lakers, “I am no panacea,” didn’t exactly exude the confidence of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. For only $122,000 a game, I guess it’s better to keep expectations low.

Kevin H. Park

Tarzana

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The Lakers can add the cost of that full-page add in Wednesday’s sports section to the $30 million they’re throwing away on Phil Jackson.

Steve Smullen

Torrance

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In case any readers have forgotten or don’t know what Phil Jackson looks like, they have only to pick up Wednesday’s edition. In it are 12, count them, 12, pictures of our illustrious coach.

Walt Weiskopf

Pacific Palisades

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While Phil was coaching the Lakers during his first tenure, I never gave him the credit for being a good or great coach. After all, he did have the greatest players in the game on his team. Who couldn’t win with them? And before that, he had arguably the greatest player to ever play and another player listed among the 50 greatest.

Then I wrote a letter to The Times stating that I would never think of Phil as a great coach unless he took a team like the Clippers to the title. Well, guess what? These are the Purple and Gold Clippers. Phil Jackson now has his chance to shut me and everyone up about his coaching ability.

Because I know Phil reads the letters to the editor, as noted in his book, all I have is one thing to say: Make me eat my words, Phil!

Geno M. Apicella

Burbank

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Unfortunately for the Lakers, their future depends not so much on getting back a particular individual, but rather on getting rid of another particular individual.

Michael Miyamoto

Mission Viejo

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You know the Lakers are in complete disarray when even Clipper fans laugh at their management’s decisions.

Zachary Michael

Redondo Beach

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Who is buried in Grant’s Tomb?

Mitch Kupchak.

Mike Dubil

Santa Monica

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Five reasons why the Lakers needed Phil Jackson back:

1.) He has a proven track record for being a good coach with great players.

2.) He doesn’t have to deal with that other super ego in the way. He can concentrate on making Kobe a better team player, which Kobe forgot how to be.

3.) He will preach defense. Nobody on the team knew what that was.

4.) He will utilize Lamar Odom as he did Scottie Pippen, making him a point forward.

5.) He will get the most out of his role players.

I smell a parade on Figueroa around 2008.

Jason Rosario

Los Angeles

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Jackson to coach the Lakers? I thought that Michael was acquitted and didn’t have to serve any time.

Dan Rosenfeld

Monterey Park

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Dang, Phil returned? And I was soooo looking forward to another few months of speculative journalism, my favorite kind. By the way, could you start up some charts on how the Dodgers and Angels are doing in the wild-card race (this year or next)? And who are your picks for the 2008 Olympics? I’d like to see some actuarial data on which athletes have a family member who might be recovering from a serious illness at that time.

Bob Warner

Altadena