Letters: Dodgers know how to slide, but can they get out of it?

The difference between two record streaks down the pennant stretch: While Cleveland is historically significant, the Dodgers are hysterically the same.

Steve Ross

Beverly Hills

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Last spring I said that the Dodgers had a very good shot at the wild-card spot. As of today I see no reason to change that opinion.

Carl Held

Glendale

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Well, Dodgers, you finally got off the schneid of that pesky 11-game losing streak. Now, as your magic number to clinch the West again decreases, please do the following: Act as if you’ve been there before! There is absolutely no reason to line your clubhouse with plastic, wear ski goggles and give each other champagne showers …. until you win the big prize, a World Series championship.

Phillip Trujillo

Ontario

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Why don’t the Dodgers save everyone some time and money by announcing now that they will forfeit the rest of their games this season? It wouldn’t make much difference in the outcome, and it would save fans the agony of watching more losing games. Forfeiting would also save the team the expense of traveling to other cities just to lose there. (Maybe they could use the money to sign a center fielder who can hit.) And it would give the players time to work on their golf games and rest up for spring training.

Steve Lawrence

Sacramento

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Sunday was a reminder that the Los Angeles Rams might actually get to the Super Bowl before the Los Angeles Dodgers get to the World Series. That is not likely, but looking at the results of Sunday, one can’t rule that out.

Roy Fassel

Los Angeles

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I have finally realized the origin of the name, “Dodger Dog.”

Barry P. Resnick

Orange

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The interview with Andrew Friedman failed to address one possible cause for the Dodger’s huge slide: change in team chemistry. Ever since the September call-ups and the last-minute trades, the brief slump became a disaster.

Jordan Austin

Port Hueneme

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The Dodgers’ season can be summarized as follows with a few exceptions: Dodgers starting pitchers are done after five innings; Dodgers hitters are done after five months.

Jeff Hershow

Woodland Hills

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The Sept. 12 article “Worst-Place Scenario for the Dodgers” left something out. For nearly 60 years the Dodgers were the “people’s team” in LA. Anyone, rich or poor, with a TV followed the team and Vin Scully; the Dodgers were part of the fabric of L.A. that united a city’s pride. Dodgers ownership used that time-honored tradition as a bargaining chip and chose the billion dollar Time Warner Cable offer that demolished that beautiful relationship that LA had with its team.

The Dodgers forgot what they taught in Little League, “It’s not whether you win or lose...but how you play the game.”

David Waldowski

Laguna Woods

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As we all know we will never be able to watch our beloved Dodgers on local television. So when we finally get to see a game on ESPN, why not announce the game, instead of two overweight guys and a young lady having nine innings of a giggle-fest.

Ed Valenzuela

West Covina

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The Indians’ amazing winning streak gives me admittedly unrealistic hope that if the Angels can win their last 15 games in a row, that would land them in the top wild card slot. Then again, they play Cleveland next week. Twelve out of 15?

Ron Reeve

Glendora

Reliving 2006

It was only natural for Zach Helfand to write an article about the 2006 Rose Bowl game leading up to Saturday’s USC-Texas game, but instead of a whiny article on how USC should have won he should have celebrated it as a great game. All close games turn on a play or two, so why whine? Look at last year’s championship game. And way back in 1967, USC beat UCLA in a colossal matchup on a late run by an infamous Trojan Heisman winner/Bronco passenger. The game is remembered for his run and not the missed field goals and PAT by the Bruins kicker. Just take the high road.

Alan Abajian

Alta Loma

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As an SC fan, I barely noticed the first three installments of Zach Helfand’s series on the 2006 Rose Bowl game, not wanting to reopen old wounds. However, I couldn’t stop reading the final installment featuring LenDale White’s struggles since that fateful game. It had all the elements of great writing: a compelling story about a talented athlete facing post-football depression and the help he receives from his supportive teammates. It’s why football is so popular among fans and players alike. Great writing, Zach and I hope LenDale finds the peace and place in life that he deserves.

Ken Blake

Brea

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Hooray! Bill Plaschke gets one right! The loss to Texas in the 2006 was, indeed, one of the most embarrassing in USC history and a harbinger of Pete Carroll’s unfathomable screwup in the 2015 Super Bowl.

Richard Jewell

Los Feliz

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Mike Garrett hired his fifth choice, Pete Carroll, as USC’s football coach in December 2000, and Carroll was the architect of a new golden age of USC football. Pat Haden improbably hired Clay Helton to coach USC’s football team when no high-profile, big-name coach would return Haden’s phone calls. Although it is still early, the USC Nation has every reason to believe that history will repeat itself, and Helton will lead the USC program back to the promised land of college football championships—which is tough for this Stanford alum to admit.

Tom Lallas

Los Angeles

Where are UCLA fans?

My wife and I used to be regular ticket-holders for UCLA at the Rose Bowl. In our aging years we have stopped going. Last Saturday, as I watched the broadcast of UCLA versus Hawaii, I was appalled at the Rose Bowl attendance. Shame on UCLA fans. If I were a potential recruit and I saw that crowd, I would go elsewhere.

Ken Froreich

Anaheim

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I forget. Which L.A. area quarterback was being touted as a top preseason Heisman Trophy candidate?

Andrew Sacks

Riverside

Pros and cons

There are several suggestions as to why the ratings for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” have and continue to decline. After watching the Chargers-Broncos game last night, I know three reasons why: Beth Mowins, Rex Ryan and Sergio Dipp.

Russell Morgan

Carson

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I’ve said this before and will continue to say this each and every time I watch a Rams or Eagles game. The Rams blew it by not selecting Carson Wentz over Jared Goff. Goff remains at college caliber and Wentz shows he is motivated, with roll-out strength and not afraid to run the ball. Goff is like Jim Everett all over. It will take a minimum of five seasons for Goff to get close to what Wentz already has. Another sad season in the making for us.

John Houchens

Lancaster

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Hey, NFL rules committee, how about next year changing the rule that allows a timeouts to be called only up until the time a team gets set on the line of scrimmage, instead of up to the snap of the ball?

Ice the kicker, fine, but not at the snap of the ball as in the Chargers-Broncos game. The whistle was not heard blowing on the field until after Younghoe Koo had made what should have been the tying field goal. It is the same thing for a catcher in baseball deciding to take a stroll out to the mound or the batter stepping out of the box as the pitcher is winding up.

Dan Johnson

Salem, Va.

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The reported attendance for Sunday’s Rams game was 50,126. At least 25,000 came disguised at seats (thanks, Jim Healy). The 49ers reported 70,128. There were more people at the Walker Cup at L.A. Country Club than Levi’s Stadium, which has become a complete bust attendance-wise. Wait until they build the mausoleum in Inglewood and nobody shows up…

Tom Bernstein

Porter Ranch

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I believe the decision makers at The Times have vastly overestimated the readers’ interest in the Rams and Chargers.

James Dunlevey

Menifee

Time to retire

In July 2003, Kobe Bryant was arrested for sexual assault. Shortly, thereafter, his No. 8 jersey no longer was a best-seller, and he lost his major endorsements.

Bryant then “re-branded” himself not only with tattoos but also by changing his number to 24. He gradually regained his commercial endorsements and his fan base.

Yes, Kobe did terrific things for the Lakers while wearing both numbers. But we should not forget the underlying reason for the change from No. 8 to No. 24.

Aloke K. Mandal

Anaheim Hills

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It’s obvious why the Lakers are retiring two jerseys for Kobe Bryant. His ego is too big for just one.

Rich Rudy

San Diego

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I think it’s silly to retire both Kobe’s No. 8 and No. 24. The Lakers should just split the difference and retire No. 16. Pau Gasol would certainly be happy.

PJ Gendell

Beverly Hills

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The Lakers are going to retire both of Kobe’s numbers and that’s fine. Now how about that statue for No. 22, Elgin Baylor, the player who made L.A. a crazy pro basketball community.

Elgin was Dr. J before Dr. J and Kobe before Kobe.

Fred Wallin

Westlake Village

Fame game

I saw this headline “McGrady and Self join Hall” and said to myself, “Tracy McGrady has the biggest ego of anyone.”

Robert Bubnovich

Irvine

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