More than two sides to fight

Forget league suspensions, fines, and tut-tutting by the media. Those sanctions don’t work on pro athletes with the emotional makeup of 3-year-olds.

I hereby sentence Terrell Owens, George Karl, Isiah Thomas, the Knicks/Nuggets starting lineups, and Michael Irvin to detention and sandbox duty.

BONNIE SLOANE

Los Angeles

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Memo to David Stern: The rumble in New York is the least of your problems. A quick review of the league’s scoring leaders is revealing:

* Carmelo Anthony, 31.6 points a game: suspended 15 games for sucker-punching an opponent.

* Allen Iverson, 31.2: benched and traded by his team for insubordination.

Hitching the NBA’s wagon to these standard-bearers may not be the “answer” to your woes!

MARK S. ROTH

Los Angeles

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I think it is time for David Stern to take the NBA back to its basketball roots. Players were once called cagers.

After some recent incidents, it is apparent that now is the time to actually build a cage around the court to protect the fans.

This action would cause a lot more embarrassment to the players than any fine.

JULIAN DEVEROUX

Hermosa Beach

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The object for the team I coach is to score. The object for the opponent is to stop me from scoring. The game is simple.

If my players can’t do their job, they will probably lose, and lose badly. To get upset with the other team doing what it is supposed to do, is outrageous, and shows a mentality that is all wrong.

But this brawl just shows that when people think that sports builds character, we might be sadly mistaken. I am reminded of the quote: “Sports doesn’t build character, it reveals character.”

This latest incident shows succinctly the character of those playing the game at this time.

BARRY LEVY

Redondo Beach

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I thought I was watching my kids play the video game “NBA Street” the other night, when I realized that the kids weren’t even in the room, and the video game console was unplugged!

MICHAEL I. MIYAMOTO

Mission Viejo

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I’m afraid J.A. Adande [Dec. 20] has us “white people” (at least the levelheaded, rational ones) all wrong. We do not discriminate when it comes to thugs. We hate all thugs, not just those of the NBA variety.

He shouldn’t get mad at us, or the other professional sports league executives, just because a disproportionate number of blacks are causing almost all of the problems in the sporting world.

SCOTT NIELSON

Tustin

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The impression created by the first page of the sports section for Dec. 17 was quite negative. Headlines proclaimed that an NBA brawl cleared the floor, that the CIF’s big day wasn’t, that there are too many athletes with guns, and that the Bruins were flat and unhappy. Did your writers take negative pills (or forget to take their Valium)?

Thank heavens that there are still some John Woodens out there, and fewer Bobby Knights. Finding a Wooden to write about sports might be a nice addition to your sports section.

FORREST SHATTUCK

Orange