Letters: Now they get to kick FIFA around

Sepp Blatter saying he will “focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend” previous efforts at reform is like O.J. saying he will spend his days trying to find the real killers.

We all know how that ended. O.J. is in prison. Could Sepp be far behind?

Lee Barnathan

Chatsworth

::

Now that the United States has taken down Sepp Blatter, will Scotland Yard do the same with Roger Goodell to make us even? Please?

Stephen Freedman

Los Angeles

::

Hey, Jim Buss. If Sepp Blatter can do it, so can you. Hand the team reins over to Jeanie. If the soccer world is ecstatic over Blatter’s resignation, imagine how Laker Nation and the rest of our city would feel concerning yours.

This may not earn you a statue in front of Staples, but it could indirectly generate parade plans on Figueroa.

Mark J. Featherstone

Windsor Hills

::

Even the corruption in soccer is boring.

Gary H. Miller

Encino

A season on ice

It’s an easy contrast in Southern California hockey. The Kings have had recent success with Justin Williams, “Mr. Game 7.” The Ducks have had three years of “Missed in Game 7.”

Mel Powell

Sherman Oaks

::

Kudos to Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf for urging his disconsolate teammates to remain on the ice to salute the fans, but he may have felt like giving a different salute to the fans who sold their season seats to Chicago fans, thus depriving his team of its hard-earned home-ice advantage in the deciding Game 7.

Once again greed prevails in the sports world, and it is not good.

Joe Bucz

Redondo Beach

::

A lot of people wondered why Donald Sterling didn’t/wouldn’t move the Clippers to Anaheim and share the building with the Ducks. In light of how this postseason has ended for both teams, that wasn’t a bad idea. Both teams are heartless, underachieving, choking dogs who will never win a title with the current rosters of baby-bottom-soft players

Erik Schuman

Fountain Valley

::

By accepting blame for Slava Voynov and Jarrett Stoll, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi is executing the age-old strategy of trying to divert blame from his players. But to basically say that if the Kings had “educated” the players that beating your wife and taking Ecstasy are wrong that these events might not have occurred is insulting. These are adult men who clearly know these acts are wrong and criminal. Soon the PR machine talk will stop and the court of law will speak.

Don Giudice

Irvine

On the ball

Major League Baseball has had a problem for many years appealing younger people and has attempted a number of marketing ploys to fix that. They can do that all they want, but its biggest marketing tool is its players. At a young age, Mike Trout gets that. He consistently interacts with fans before and during games by signing autographs and throwing baseballs to them in between innings. I think MLB and its players should take note of that.

Things like that have a much bigger impact on kids than giving away backpacks, bags, and bobbleheads.

Geoff Skurnik

Laguna Niguel

::

For the first time in Dodgers history, in the ninth inning with his team three runs downs, a batter (and a rookie, no less) wins the game with one swing. And 70% of the L.A. fans couldn’t see it.

Frank LoVerne

Los Angeles

::

Dodgers fans spend six to eight months avidly following a baseball team, spending a good deal of money on games, team apparel, and for the lucky 30%, television privileges. They spend nearly three hours following a game. When the team’s closer doesn’t come in, and the bullpen blows a lead, it seems to me the fans have a right to know why he couldn’t pitch. It’s not like we’re asking President Obama what the planned response is for a first-strike nuclear attack.

Josh Clark

San Gabriel

::

I’m glad Dylan Hernandez asked why Kenley Jansen wasn’t called in at the end of the finale in Colorado, after being used only once in eight games and pitching a scoreless inning the night before. There is no answer to the many fans who want to see the last vestige of the Joe Torre Yankee connection gone, so the team can go forward and start winning with a new manager.

R.W. Novotny

Long Beach

::

Run that same “20 Greatest Dodgers” poll in Brooklyn today and the top five would be Hodges, Reese, Robinson, Campanella and Snider. Red Barber would edge out Scully, and Erskine, Furillo and Cox would be in the mix. Sandy Amaros’ catch would be the equivalent of Gibson’s hit. In the borough of churches and bars, you would still not open a joint called O’Malleys. And everyone would agree Gil Hodges should be in the Hall of Fame.

Bert Bergen

La Cañada

::

Clayton Kershaw at No. 7? Don’t get me wrong, I like him a lot. But, at his age and with a very short Dodgers career, a “greater” Dodger than Tommy, Fernando or Maury? Not yet.

Alan Matis

Sherman Oaks

Logo factor

As the NBA Finals are finally upon us, I think Lakers fans should look back to the time when Jerry West left the team and wound up with the Warriors as an advisor. Had he stayed with the Lakers, the travails of the Lakers and the success of the Warriors might have been significantly altered.

Those fans who continually clamor for the return of Phil Jackson should recollect that he was a major reason for the departure of West, whose team is in the NBA Finals while Madison Square Garden awaits its lottery pick.

Pete Griffith

Arcadia

::

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Mail: Sports Viewpoint

Los Angeles Times

202 W. 1st St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Fax: (213) 237-4322

Email:

sports@latimes.com