Letters: NHL season on very thin ice

Does anyone other than Gary Bettman believe that equally sharing an estimated $3 billion in annual revenue with the players is less preferable than the current unequal sharing of a guaranteed $0 in annual revenue?

Arthur Nastri

El Segundo

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Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke thinks NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is “a brilliant guy.” Yes, it does take a genius to cancel 21/2 seasons, but what Burke means is that Bettman builds big profits for the owners. That’s great for them, but not for the fans who actually pay the bills. Where would the owners be if the fans stayed home and also ignored the lucrative TV broadcasts? The lockout is an extra slap in the face to Kings fans, wiping out the season right after the Kings won their first Stanley Cup.

Put Bettman on the ice. At least that would lessen the bad smell in the commissioner’s office.

Charles Sergis

Redondo Beach

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It truly does not matter at this point how much NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA head Donald Fehr believe in their respective causes. Perception is reality, and it sure looks like they are intent on blowing up the limited credibility the NHL had. How these two gentlemen managed to reduce to rubble a league that featured pro sports’ most humble and talented athletes is beyond me. A pox on both their houses.

Andrea Murray

Westchester

He needs help

I just finished reading the article “Slugger with a support system” that should have been titled, “Josh Hamilton: It’s all about me.”

I’m so sick of these stories about these egocentric multimillion-dollar sports babies. I have a few questions for Josh Hamilton: Do you live in Newtown Conn., maybe have a child in Sandy Hook School? Have you served in Iraq or Afghanistan (or in any military branch)? Do you wake up in the morning, put on a gun and badge and attempt to make the streets safer for crybaby baseball players? Do you run into burning buildings to save people? Are you a nurse who spends 12 hours a day running from bed to bed trying to comfort sick people and their families?

If you answered no to these and 100 other questions I could ask, then I’m sorry but I don’t have a lot of sympathy and I’m not interested in reading about the “Josh and Katie” show. Just tell me, for $25 million can you play something close to 150 games and can you lay off an outside slider?

Thomas Sexton

Huntington Beach

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Signing Josh Hamilton was a terrible move for the Angels. The money would have been far better spent on Zack Greinke. Torii Hunter was the team leader and meant more to this team than a troubled individual like Hamilton can be. The Angels added Albert Pujols and played worse last year (while the Cardinals played well without him). I predict the Angels will be worse still this coming year. They are now following the old playbook of the Rangers, who used to emphasize power and hitting and finished badly. Wake up; pitching is the name of the game.

Ken Christensen

Los Osos, Calif.

Cashing out

My late friend Bob Woolf was one of the first sports agents. Woolf repped Larry Bird when he came out of Indiana State. When Larry signed his contract for $1 million a year Bob told me that in the not-too-distant future pro athletes would be earning $10 million a year and more. He also regaled me with his stories about negotiating with Red Auerbach regarding Larry’s contract. As Jim Peltz’s article notes, Bob Woolf was correct and Red Auerbach is rolling over in his grave.

Philip S. Hart.

Los Feliz

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I guess with the salaries of the athletes and politicians, our country is in better shape than we are led to believe. I guess middle-class America just has not heard that.

Frances Sikorski

Porter Ranch

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I don’t resent the salaries paid to athletes for the simple reason that entertainment (movies, TV, music, sports) generates a huge amount of revenue. It seems fair that the people with the actual talent are the ones who make the lion’s share. I have a pretty good idea of what’s required to perform on the athletic field, but have never understood what talent it took to be a team owner.

David Macaray

Rowland Heights

On to the Lakers

I totally disagree that Pau Gasol is the Lakers’ problem. Jim Buss created an untenable situation with a hot-headed coach who seems frustrated with the talent on the team. By letting Phil Jackson slip through his fingers, Jim turned this season into a travesty. He is not the first son to tarnish his father’s legacy. It’s time to bring the tale of two Mikes to an end. Bring on Brian Shaw or transform Kobe into a player-coach. Teams play better for coaches they respect and vice versa.

Laurence Cohen

Los Angeles

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I’m not a rocket scientist but here’s my solution to the Pau Gasol dilemma. Play him on the second team and several problems are fixed:

(1) He becomes the first option instead of the third option.

(2) The second team becomes a strong team instead of a weak team. Gasol’s scoring, rebounding and passing will be a force so the reserves team can put up good numbers.

(3) He can rest his knees when he sits, and Kobe and Dwight can rest when he’s on the floor.

Loren Coleman

West Hollywood

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Bill Plaschke defends Pau Gasol [Dec. 19] and it’s understandable. Plaschke leads with his feelings and Pau is a great guy. However, Pau is the Lakers’ most marketable commodity, and the team is desperate for youth, speed, and defense. If we’re playing for championships, the Lakers with Pau have no chance against Oklahoma City or Miami. If we’re playing for the nostalgia of three years ago, let’s keep Pau and try to get Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher back.

Frank Shapiro

Chatsworth

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Maybe they should change the name of the Lakers to the L.A. Kobes. Maybe that would satisfy his monumentally inflated ego.

His statue in front of Staples should show him with his palms up, whining to the referee for a foul.

He won championships with Shaq and Bynum — never by leading a “supporting cast.” His performance in the absence of Nash and Gasol would convince any balanced person that jacking up fall-away 30-footers is not a winning strategy in the long term. Magic was Showtime. Kobe is Blow(hard) time. Smush Parker had it right. There is no Bryant in Team.

The reason they won with Phil was because he could temporarily tame that ego. Good luck to Mike and Steve Nash.

Tom Bunzel

Los Angeles

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Need

A

Savior

Hurry!

Rick Henderson

Covina

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Feeling good about beating the worst teams in the league, and only once in a while at that, is like pounding your chest for taking candy from a baby.

Michael E. White

Burbank

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The only thing that can make the Lakers’ underachieving saga funnier would be if Phil Jackson decided to buy courtside seats and sit directly behind Mike D’Antoni, with a look of disappointment on his face.

Jack Kirschenbaum

Los Angeles

Drew blue

Let’s see: Larry Drew II quits at North Carolina in the middle of the ACC season because he is playing about four fewer minutes per game after losing his starting spot to Kendall Marshall. Larry Drew, the father, supports his son, saying it’s in the best interest of Drew II’s basketball future. (Apparently, North Carolina success was not high on the Drews’ priority list.) Ben Howland immediately calls Drew II with an “apology” indicating that UCLA “handled his (original recruiting) the wrong way.” And by the way, we can make a scholarship available to you.

Spare me the ethical kudos granted to any of the three players in this scene. Perhaps it does provide, however, an accurate portrayal of selfish behavior run rampant in Division I basketball.

Dave Sanderson

La Cañada

Future no shock

How depressing to read that Lane Kiffin has rehired himself to be the play caller next season. Now we can look backward and expect:

1. Short-yardage calls (not always intended): repetitive off-tackle runs, one-yard sideline passes, three-yard passes when five yards are needed.

2. Medium-yardage calls: no slant passes, no roll-outs, ignore fantastic tight ends.

3. Long-yardage calls: occasional bomb to Marqise Lee, short pass to Marqise Lee, ignore fantastic Robert Woods.

4. Coaching intervention: frenzied arm-waving rush down sidelines to cancel touchdown play.

Come on Lane, you’re a head coach. Use your head.

Ralph Martinez

Arcadia

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And so Mark Sanchez continues the fine tradition of former USC quarterbacks auditioning as cap and clipboard model. Next stop on the tour, the Raiders!

Pete Russo

San Clemente

A short stop

Before breaking his “Twitter silence,” Magic Johnson repeatedly ripped on the Lakers’ terrible defense. Says the guy who is going to employ Hanley Ramirez at shortstop.

Sammy Schultz

Los Angeles

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