Letters: Dodger Stadium is not what it used to be

Frank McCourt is finished as owner of the Dodgers. Everyone knows it from Bud Selig down to the fans who buy seats in the bleachers. It’s just a matter of time. And it is mostly for financial reasons, but McCourt’s tepid response to the brutal beating of a Giants fan on opening day reminds me of three more. He doesn’t respect the game, doesn’t understand the rivalry and seems oblivious to the responsibilities of the owner of one of the great major league franchises.

Instead of expressing outrage and disgust at the near killing of a baseball fan in the parking lot outside of his stadium, he spoke like your everyday landlord trying to avoid a premises liability suit. That would be fine if we were talking about a department store, but this is a venerable baseball club with a leadership role in the community. He is so shortsighted that apparently he didn’t consider what this may mean for Dodgers fans visiting AT&T Park in the near future. I feel for them because I am a Giants fan who occasionally goes to Dodgers games, always proudly wearing my cap. Will the rivalry that so many of us cherish, those of us on both sides of the fence, deteriorate into street warfare?

As a Giants fan, I suppose I should want McCourt to continue his bumbling stewardship of the Dodgers forever. It would certainly make it easier for our side. On the other hand, I think I would rather see my proud nemesis in the hands of someone who at least honors the game. In that sense, maybe I actually respect the Dodgers more than McCourt does.

Thomas Bailey

Long Beach

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It would be easy to label the attack at Dodger Stadium that has left a father of two in a coma random. If you have attended a Dodger game in the last five years, to label it random would be grossly inaccurate.

Last year was the first time in 40 years I did not attend a Dodger game. Mostly it sickens me to put a penny in the McCourt family coffers. But another reason is the stadium’s complete lack of concern for fan safety. When you employ ushers that are more obsessed with controlling an 8-year-old kid’s desire for an autograph, or a fan sneaking up a few rows in the eighth inning of another Dodger loss, when all around you, fan behavior has become unruly, full of taunts, insults, vulgar language, thrown food and all this around your children, and the usher then turns a blind eye, to call this random is delusional.

George Sagadencky

Tarzana

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Perhaps the Dodgers should look at a solution that effectively limited problems created by another group of infamous fans —- Philadelphians. The Eagles used to have a jail and courthouse in the old Vet Stadium as well as the new Lincoln Financial Field. Rule-breakers were detained, sentenced immediately on site, and spent the rest of the game in jail. The cells and courthouse are no longer used because the number of cases plummeted. Think of it as a fast-food version of going to court — it could even be called “McCourt.”

But building such facilities would take away Dodgers money that Mr. McCourt could use for more houses, private jet rentals and mysterious salaries for family members or psychic healers. The Dodgers do provide a family-friendly environment — provided that your family’s last name is “McCourt.”

Chris Carley

West Hills

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As a native Angeleno now living in beating victim Bryan Stow’s hometown of Santa Cruz, I am ashamed and embarrassed by this cowardly attack. As a lifelong Dodger fan, I’ve walked around my adopted town sporting my Dodger gear, inspiring an interesting mix of glances and sometimes stares in a place that largely roots for the Giants. And while it’s clear to me that this has less to do with a rivalry between two very competitive teams (and cities) and more to do with a bunch of idiots having too much too drink, I’m putting my cap away for the time being. No sense tempting fate.

Carlos Rodriguez

Santa Cruz

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If the Dodgers want to eliminate violence and some of the bad behavior at the stadium, there is one surefire way to do it: raise ticket prices. I’ll be happy to pay $40 for a nosebleed seat if it will price out the losers who cause these problems. How many beatings, stabbings and shootings take place at Staples Center? None, because people who pay $100 for a ticket don’t act like common criminals.

Greg Hanson

Long Beach

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According to T.J. Simers, the LAPD said “34 fistfights were reported in Dodger Stadium in 2009 and 24 in 2010.”

The only thing they forgot to mention is, what inning?

Jack Saltzberg

Sherman Oaks

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I’d like to thank the McCourts for bringing the NFL experience back to L.A. Raider fan has found a new home … our beloved Dodger Stadium.

Andrew Paciocco

Woodland Hills

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When they catch those two non-Dodgers fans responsible the incident in the parking lot, I sincerely hope their punishment will include a walk through the Giants stadium parking lot wearing their Dodger shirts.

Alan Matis

Sherman Oaks

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The Dodgers-Giants rivalry has nothing on USC-Notre Dame football. I’ve attended the last five games at South Bend totally decked out in my Trojan gears and I’ve almost been disappointed at how the Midwesterners kill you with kindness, hospitality and good-natured trash-talking.

Class is where you find it; I wouldn’t waste my time looking for it at Dodger Stadium.

Jack Von Bulow

Temple City

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Regarding the worsening safety situation at Dodger Stadium, one thing’s for sure: None of this would have happened if Frank McCourt had been alive.

Doug Thomson

West Los Angeles

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So Frank McCourt’s legal strategy might include suing the commissioner of baseball to maintain ownership of the Dodgers?

OK, just so Frank and Jamie are clear on this one: No one in Los Angeles wants either of them to be the stewards, as Frank once put it, of the Dodger franchise. If anyone disagrees with me, let The Times print their letter below mine.

Dave Stuart

Westlake Village

It’s early

It’s barely a month into the baseball season, and already I have a simple request of sportscasters and Dodger fans who insist on calling Manager Don Mattingly, “Donnie Baseball”: Stop!

John Cressy

Ventura

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While reading the recap of last Saturday’s Dodgers game, I had to do a retake. Did I just read that both Rafael Furcal and Rod Barajas had “scheduled days off”? This three games into the season? Who has scheduled days off three days into the season? I do hope that was a misprint, because if it wasn’t, the Dodgers are in trouble.

Brian K. Haueter

Ventura

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Angels win their opener, then lose their second game, 2-1. Reporter Kevin Baxter asks Mike Scioscia if it is too early for concern.

Mr. Baxter, there are 160 games yet to be played. Take a deep breath and relax.

Dennis O’Connor

West Hollywood

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The Brandon Woods experiment needs to end. Or Mike Scioscia at least DH for him. I know Dan Haren has a better career average and I’m sure a few other pitchers on their staff do as well.

Michael Sanchez

El Segundo

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Angel teammates were “consoling” Kevin Jepsen after blowing a lead against Kansas City and ending the day with a 20.25 earned-run average?

Hey, Kevin. Get over yourself. It’s a game. Work harder, do better, or enjoy Rancho Cucamonga.

Bill Boyd

Glendale

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With the Angels’ home opener and the Ducks’ home closer on the same day this year, fans of both teams are very nervous.

Ducks fans are hoping to stay in playoff position while Angels fans are hoping not drop out of playoff contention.

Ron Reeve

Glendora

Lax Lakers

Having just watched the incongruity of the Lakers losing the last two games (to Denver and Utah … seriously?) after winning 17 out of 18, I feel compelled to write to express my deep concerns for their seeming lack of sincerity, effort and testing of fan culpability. “Tonight it just happened”, said a lax Lamar Odom in his postgame Utah interview. Seriously, folks, is this a proper response to a lackadaisical team performance at this critical time of the season? Not. Does he perhaps speak for all the (entitled) Lakers? Where is the fire and desire? Phil, what do you think?

Tom Felts

Rolling Hills Estates

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I don’t blame Phil Jackson for retiring at the end of the season. The Lakers will be only worse next year as they age and there is no reason for Jackson to go out on a bad note later.

Les Gapay

Rancho Mirage

Poor finish

Maybe college football has it right after all. At least we’re assured of arguably two of the top three teams in the championship game. The NCAA basketball championship game was a stinker by any measure between two teams that may have had a good tournament but were far from the best teams in the nation.

Ron Yukelson

San Luis Obispo

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Kudos to a game but completely overmatched Butler team that finally fell short on their magical ride. Shame on media analysts who were eager to bash the Bulldogs for their inability to shoot straight in a football stadium while completely ignoring the positive — the mere act of a repeat trip to the title game.

If Coach Brad Stevens had somehow learned before tipoff that Connecticut would be limited to 53 points, my guess is that he would have liked his team’s chances.

Paul Brown

Newport Beach

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My take on the UConn-Butler final was quite different from that of Chris Dufresne, who labeled it a lousy game all around. But UConn’s missed shots early on felt like freshman/sophomore jitters, whereas Butler’s misses looked like they were more due to UConn’s lock-down defense. The jitters seemed bound to loosen up as the game went on, whereas the UConn defense wasn’t likely to do so.

Once UConn’s freshmen and sophs relaxed on this national stage, that was the ballgame. C’mon, Chris, give them their due!

Doug Hedlund

Santa Monica

Not out of Woods

No one, not even Bill Plaschke, feels more sorry for Tiger Woods’ “fall from the heavens” than Tiger Woods himself. To put it simply, Tiger is not a likeable person.

Tom Turner

Dana Point

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As a final thought, a resigned Bill Plaschke can only declare his pity for Woods. Chin up, Plaschke, you weren’t his first and you won’t be his last.

Mario Valvo

Rancho Mirage

Under the radar

I am thrilled that the Kings have advanced to the playoffs again and that for the first time ever in the same season, the Ducks are poised to join them. Is it mere coincidence that the Kings’ recent success has come during a time when AEG is distracted by trying to build an NFL stadium?

Betsie Freedman

Los Angeles

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