Letters: Lakers keep them guessing

On Monday, after the loss to Orlando, Mike Bresnahan wrote that, “It was the latest blast in a season full of them, the Lakers pulled apart by another inferior team.”

How did we come so far from the fact that the winning team in any game is the superior team in each contest? It makes little difference how much talent exists on any team, the result is what counts. I suppose the sports bookies worry about talent, but they have to pay out on results.

Richard Rorex

Apple Valley

::

Hey, Kobe, I’m surprised you publicly criticized Pau Gasol since he was instrumental in helping you win back-to-back titles. Didn’t you want support in difficult times?

Russ W. Bill

Fountain Valley

::

Kobe’s proclamation that “he loves Pau like a brother” should raise red flags. My advice to Pau: Don’t take any rowboat trips on Lake Tahoe with Kobe. It didn’t work out so well for Fredo Corleone.

Mark S. Roth

Los Angeles

::

It would be a dumb move for the Lakers to trade Pau Gasol. He’s not the problem. The problem is the offensive system of the new coach. It should be built around the type of good players he has: old guys and tall guys. They are talented but aren’t run-and-gun players and won’t be for long with the aging Steve Nash, either.

And under this run-them-ragged offense, Kobe Bryant might be worn out by midseason and Dwight Howard frustrated and leaning toward leaving.

Les Gapay

Rancho Mirage

::

Hey Kobe, I bet now you wish you had a point guard as good as Smush Parker.

Reggie Boyle

Thousand Oaks

::

Dwight Howard might leave the Lakers at the end of the year in hopes of finding a better place to win a championship. If so, he should consider going back to high school because that is his only chance of reaching his goal. From what I’ve seen so far this year, I’d rather have Andrew Bynum on the DL than Howard on the court.

PJ Gendell

Marina del Rey

::

Note to Lakers coaches: In baseball they replace a great hitter with a defensive fielder to protect leads late in the game. In football they put in the “hands” team for an on-side kick.

It is no crime to replace Dwight Howard late in the game for someone who can make free throws down the stretch. The object is to win the game with the best players in the best positions for the situation at hand.

Steve Shaevel

Woodland Hills

::

Apparently, because the Lakers have an All-Star starting lineup they assume they can play All-Star game style defense and still expect to win.

Michael Henderson

Huntington Beach

Not bowled over

I understand the expectations for USC were high. Of the Trojans’ five losses, the ones to undefeated Notre Dame, BCS top-five 5 Oregon, and conference champion Stanford were somewhat understandable. What amazes me is that with five losses, people want heads to roll.

Across town, the Bruins, with four losses, are upset their coach wasn’t coach of the year and are talking dynasty. You would think they actually won something. I heard the same thing when Karl Dorell went 10-2 before being fired. Amazing how different the expectations for the programs are.

Shane Cary

Orange

::

Ultimately, if they had figured out how to defend el run-o, maybe the Trojans’ bowl destination wouldn’t be El Paso?

Steve Ross

New York

::

Gotta love the comments made by Matt Barkley this week about forcing the ball to Marqise Lee too much, while seemingly ignoring two of the biggest, most talented tight ends in the country. Of course Coach Kiffin doesn’t agree, as he was the perp in the play-calling crimes all season long.

Bruce Alan

Granada Hills

::

What a study in contrasts between the comments by Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers after UCLA’s loss to Stanford in the Pac-12 championship game.

While Plaschke offered insightful observations about UCLA’s bright prospects for the future after a well-fought contest, Simers continued to flog his ridiculous theory that UCLA had purposefully underperformed in the prior week’s matchup.

Isn’t it time to pull T.J.’s plug? We can only suffer and hope. In the meantime, with baseball season on the horizon, we can look forward to new installments of his one-sided bromance with Adrian Gonzalez.

Connie White

Pasadena

::

The three dumbest plays in football are: 1. Getting sacked on fourth down 2. Intercepting a long pass on fourth down. 3. Spiking the ball with more than 20 seconds to play when you are just out of field goal range.

Jim Mora did a fabulous job this year, and he had Stanford on the ropes for most of the Pac-12 title game. But with 50 seconds on the clock and no timeouts, and just out of easy field goal range, why on Earth would you spike the ball on first down? Call a quick play at the line, or even huddle. You might have used that time to a better advantage. Next year!

Louis Mandris

Upland

::

Bruce Van De Velde, Louisiana Tech’s athletic director, must have asked Phil Jackson for advice on how long he should wait before accepting an invitation to play at the Independence Bowl.

Don Geller

Irvine

::

Now that bowl pairings have been announced, can we contain our excitement as we await the Belk Bowl, the Russell Athletic Bowl, the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, the BBVA Compass Bowl and the GoDaddy.com Bowl? Earlier in our history, we could have been inspired by the Wells Fargo Gettysburg Address.

When my time comes, you can attend the American Express Bruce Janger Funeral.

Bruce Janger

Santa Monica

::

Bill Dwyre truly overreacted about UCLA’s lack of fan support in the Wooden Classic. Lighten up, Bill. Remember, as well all know, UCLA’s a football school!

Jack Wolf

Westwood

Wrong winners?

From its inception, and for many years, I kept cards for each MLS team, with the players’ names, numbers, positions, and country of origin, and have up until now kept the stats. With the playoffs this season, I got so disgusted that I tossed all my MLS stuff, and will never again watch a MLS game.

It seems that the Galaxy must win, at any cost. Two penalty kicks?

This season’s MLS Cup belongs to the San Jose Earthquakes.

Florence C. Stacy

Lake Forest

Going public

Congratulations to Long Beach Poly, which punished perennial private school powerhouse Mater Dei in a Pac-5 final that wasn’t as close as the score indicated and in the toughest division in the state, if not the country. Without a private school recruiting budget and with a coach they pay $5,000 a year while he works a full-time outside job, the Jackrabbits waded through the gantlet of big name-private schools to win another CIF title. The dead do come back and the good guys sometimes still win.

Robert Johanson

Thousand Oaks

Strike a pose

These days, prominent college players can’t have a good — or bad — game without ad nauseam commentary about their “Heisman prospects.” I hereby propose to rename this overhyped, over-branded, insignificant award the Brian Bosworth trophy.

Brad Kearns

Auburn, Calif.

The life to Tim

Was Bill Plaschke auditioning for an AEG public relations position in his Tim Leiweke interview? How was the first (and second, and third ...) question about anything other than the lunacy of the ongoing NHL lockout? Or how Gary Bettman has proven yet again to be a poor choice as commissioner? Or that whatever the eventual outcome, this most recent work stoppage has caused irreparable damage from which the sport may never recover?

Perhaps Kings fans are “nutty” like Plaschke describes because they are frustrated at a local media that continues to toast AEG for one year of NHL success rather than roast them for the previous 20 years of incompetence, arrogance and absentee ownership. Plaschke lobbed so many softballs he should be the Dodgers’ batting practice pitcher. If he doesn’t get hired by AEG first, that is.

Elizabeth Tanner

Beverly Hills

Reaginomics

I never thought I’d say this, but I want Tony Reagins back. While he was the Angels general manager, he couldn’t close a good deal and was content to let the Angels flounder. I’ll gladly take that approach over Jerry Dipoto’s systematic dismantling of a formerly solid club.

Jeff Pollak

La Crescenta

What’s at stake

If Juan Manuel Marquez wins tonight he’ll be in line for a fight with Manny Pacquiao. If Pacquiao wins tonight he’ll be in line for a fight with Marquez.

Loren Coleman

West Hollywood

Update your resumes

T.J. Simers disagreed with the Lakers’ coaching decision. He disagrees with those who criticize Northern Illinois’ bowl berth. I would like to suggest that T.J. immediately contact Pat Haden and apply for the job of USC head football coach and head basketball coach, as both programs appear to be in trouble. The university could save a bunch of money if they give T.J. the job.

Jack Buss

Banning

::

Just curious. Where does one go to apply for the job of being a “person familiar with a situation but not authorized to comment”?

Joe Cohen

Los Angeles

::

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