Letters: Putting a damper on Sam Darnold’s pro day

Sam Darnold and USC were a popular College Football Playoff pick before the season, but inconsistency made for a long season culminating in a 24-7 shellacking by Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

Darnold chose not to throw in the recent NFL combine in Indianapolis. Now he throws a few spirals in the rain and he’s still a top pick for the draft?

Analytics have obviously not found a home in the NFL.

Bob Munson

Newbury Park

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I hate to “rain” on the Sam Darnold parade, but your article failed to focus on his 11 fumbles and 13 interceptions last year. Nothing but fawning over his abilities in a light rain, with no wind.

To be fair, these problems were nonexistent at his pro day, but there were no defensive players on the field to cause them.

Christopher Armen

Calabasas

It’s madness

College basketball fans are wondering what has led to the rise of Loyola Chicago this season. Could it be the campus leadership? The coaches? The players?

The answer: Nun of the above.　

Doug Thomson

West Los Angeles

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Many years ago I made a deal with the devil, with my soul as collateral: USC would concede basketball to the Bruins and in return UCLA would not give USC any significant fuss in football.

Over the years things have worked out splendidly. I must admit that this year I suffered qualms for a while with USC boasting as many as four high NBA draft choices and an early high AP ranking.

Fortunately, atrocious coaching and a puppet “slap on the back” athletic director ended all concerns.

The “Angel of Death” has moved on, no longer haunting my footsteps.

Jim Edmondson

San Marino

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So Chimezie Metu forsakes his team so that he can preserve his body for the NBA, and his coach supports his decision. While Metu’s decision is perfectly logical, I don’t believe his “me-first” attitude will gain him a lot of fans in his next stop. Can you imagine LeBron James sitting out the remaining games of the season so that he can be ready, uninjured, for the free agent market?

Eric Forster

Beverly Hills

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I thank Chimezie Metu for his decision to return to USC and to forgo the NBA draft last year. But to not play in this year’s NIT because he feared an injury might hinder his NBA draft status is puzzling. Why, then, did he play at all this season?

Judith Hunter

Valley Village

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Metu’s bailing on USC during the NIT is another reason for paying college players and having them under contract to the schools they play for. Metu is obviously looking ahead to how much money he can make playing in the NBA and I don’t know what amount it would take to get his attention, but facing a breach of contract suit might get his attention.

John Snyder

Newbury Park

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Just a note to let Tom Corvin know how much I enjoyed his article on the 1978 Cal State Fullerton basketball team. His self-deprecating humor was entertaining, but also his perspective of being that close to the action is something we rarely get to hear. It was a window into a special moment in time and a reminder why the NCAA tournament is one of sports’ most memorable events.

Ken Murray

Westlake Village

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While not a real sports aficionado, I always peruse the Sports section to keep up with the important news and to look for wonderful stories like Tom Corvin’s “This Titan Remembers.” What a wonderful story; well written and funny. I do treasure reading of people who have overcome hardship, excelled when no one thought they might, and proven stamina and desire trump typical expectations.

The Sports section often offers these stories and Mr. Corvin’s hit the mark.

Margaret McVey Thomas

Pasadena

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I thoroughly enjoyed your article about UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close and her team. She has created such a wonderful culture and program for her players. What a phenomenal experience for these ladies.

I loved the advice Coach Wooden gave her: “You need to lead the way you are wired, not try to be me.” I am sure he would have been very pleased with her.

Libby Doughty

Costa Mesa

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Good manners and suitable discretion probably dissuade most Times readers from commenting on Bill Plaschke’s pick of Virginia to win the NCAA tournament, let alone mention the paper’s decision to devote nearly three quarters of a page to his projected bracket.

On behalf of the minority prepared to publicly defend him, during this period of rampant free-agent signings, please lock him up before Sports Illustrated can nab The Jinx Golden Child.

Konrad Moore

San Diego

On the diamond

Shohei Ohtani to the minors? Being sent to the minors by the Angels is a right of passage; just ask Michael Trout.

Joe Kennedy

La Habra Heights

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Is every player on the Angels named Shohei Ohtani? Every article is about him.

Philip Miller

Venice

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I disagree with Dylan Hernandez’s position that the Dodgers are not doing the correct thing by leaving Dave Roberts “dangling” beyond the 2018 season without a contract. Though Roberts did an excellent job of getting the Dodgers to their first World Series in almost 30 years, he poorly managed Game 7 by keeping Yu Darvish in the game when he clearly didn’t have it.

A quick review of some of the best managers of this era will show that when World Series is on the line you take no chances and make changes very quickly. Roberts used the “business as usual” approach and did not think quickly on his feet.

Richard Orloff

San Diego

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So Kenley Jansen is upset that most spring training games are played in the day rather than at night, when most of the regular season games are played. This last weekend, at Camelback Ranch, I went to day games Saturday and Sunday, and then my first night game in three years on Monday. FYI, Kenley, I enjoyed the day games a lot more. Day games in spring training are the quintessential baseball experience. They are made for families and kids. I am guessing that most fans feel the same way, but you are probably not interested in what the fans think. So, here is my advice: Just do your job (which you did not do last fall in the World Series), and leave scheduling to someone else.

Jim Folks

Santa Barbara

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As he is wont to do, Bill Shaikin once again genuflected at the Dodger altar and — cue the harp music — sang the praises of Chase Utley.

Many descriptions of Utley were used but he missed one — dirty. Two seasons ago he effectively ended the career of Reuben Tejada of the Mets with a slide so far out of bounds that they had to make a specific rule against it.

He was suspended for seven games but never missed an inning because he appealed, the Dodgers were then eliminated (maybe there is justice in this world) and the matter was dropped.

If the Dodgers never win another World Series, call it the Utley Curse. That would be justice.

Peter Putrimas

Simi Valley

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I am trying to deal with the fact that this could be Clayton Kershaw’s last year as a Dodger. Then I remembered what Vin Scully said after his last broadcast in San Francisco: Don’t be sad that it is over. Be glad that it happened.

To Clayton Kershaw, thanks for the memories and best of luck to you wherever you pitch in 2019.

Sanford Brokaw

Studio City

Keep shooting?

Just got done watching the Lakers lose to the Pelicans as Lonzo Ball shot one for 12 on three-pointers, including missing three wide-open threes in the last two minutes. At what point (one for 10?) do you think he wakes up and figures out that he’s costing his team a chance at winning games with his poor decision making?

Matt Kingsbury

Simi Valley

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It’s late in a close game against the Pelicans and “Mr. Fourth Quarter” is on the bench for the Lakers. Isaiah Thomas is the best Lakers closer since Kobe. However, Luke Walton sticks with Lonzo Ball, who, as the late, great Chick Hearn would say, “could not throw a pea in the ocean.”　

While Isaiah was very supportive of Ball and his shooting, the Lakers’ main goal should be to win games, especially with no incentive to tank this year as they do not have a draft pick.　　

Mike Anderson

Sherman Oaks

Just for kicks

So the Galaxy now have an aging big-name soccer player. Great news, but isn’t the front page supposed to be reserved for the more important stories?

Daniel Silver

Beverly Hills

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The last thing L.A. sports or the country needs is another big-mouthed egomaniac. Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s L.A. Times ad says: “Dear Los Angeles, You’re welcome.” Los Angeles responds: “You’re not.”

Robert Huber

Yorba Linda

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