Letters: Anything happening with the Lakers?

With the Brown firing, the Jackson misfiring, and the D’Antoni hiring, one thing is certain: The “Lakers organization” is more of an oxymoron than anything else.

Ron Ovadia

Irvine

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I’m a film editor out of work for a while, and I had the opportunity to interview with a production company for whom I’ve cut a lot of movies that were successful in the past, and was paid very well to do so.

The interview went well, I thought, and though I knew they were looking at other editors, I felt that with my overall credentials and past history with this company, it was probably 90% that they’d hire me back.

I got a call in the middle of the night that they’d gone with a younger, less-credentialed and less expensive guy, and boy was I disappointed.

Turns out, one of my colleagues reminded me, this company didn’t owe me anything. And you know how many people were outraged by their decision? Nobody!

Dan Johnson

Burbank

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I’m holding a $50-million winning lottery ticket. Considering the lifestyle change it would bring, I told the Lottery Commission that I would need two days to decide whether to cash the ticket and take the money.

Richard Raffalow

Valley Glen

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Congratulations go to Jim Buss. He now gets to keep Phil’s old office and doesn’t have to give it back to the man who should be sitting there.

Shel Willens

Los Angeles

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Let me see if I have this right: On Saturday, the Lakers got down on one knee and asked Phil Jackson to marry them. Of course, Phil emphatically said, “Yes!” Oh, wait, that didn’t happen. Instead, Phil said: “I’ll let you know by Monday.” Is it any surprise that the Lakers started having a change of heart? If Phil really wanted the job, then he would have immediately accepted. The blame is on Phil for this one.

Craig P. Fagan

San Diego

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The last time I looked, Phil Jackson was unable to walk atop even the Los Angeles River.

Even John Wooden would have had difficulty winning a championship with the Lakers’ geriatric starting five.

Tell your aging sports columnists to lighten up and give the new coach a chance.

Dick Van Kirk

Arcadia

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Enjoyed Bill Dwyre’s take on the palace intrigue within the Lakers, but how do you explain the picture of Jimmy Buss, still with his hat on, prominently displayed, when one looks up the word “nepotism” in Wikipedia?

Jimmy B. Parsons

Carpinteria

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How ironic that it was the triangle of Jerry, Jim, and Mitch that chose not to rehire Phil Jackson.

Marc Popkin

Los Angeles

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You have to hand it to Jim Buss. He’s the first one who has ever punked Phil Jackson. You better hope it works, because the Zen bridge is smoldering in ashes.

David Waldowski

Alta Loma

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When I think of a team making a sudden, desperate move to replace an inadequate coach, the same two words always come to mind: Randy Pfund.

David Macaray

Rowland Heights

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Mitch Kupchak is quoted as saying, “Dr. Buss’ preference has always been up and down, free-styled.”

I believe Kupchak may have been misquoted and meant to say, “Dr. Buss’ preference has always been winning NBA championships.”

Jim B. Parsons

Santa Barbara

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It’s pretty apparent that Jerry Buss might have lost it. “Yeah, bring back Showtime.” With a 38-year-old point guard with a broken leg? Two slow centers, one coming off back surgery? Showtime was run by a 20-year-old 6-9 superstar named Magic.

As long as we’re dealing in fantasy, why not see if Scooter is available for last second free throws, and hire Gene Hackman as coach.

Marty Foster

Ventura

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Leave it to Bill Plaschke to have a knee-jerk emotional reaction to the hiring of Mike D’Antoni over Phil Jackson. Knowing nothing of what went on behind the scenes, and operating in role of critic rather than actor (always easier), Bill trashes not only this hiring but previous decisions to let go of Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom Kardashian.

Really, Bill? Isn’t it time to move on? The Lakers now have Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to go along with Kobe and Pau, they’ve added some quality role players, and they’ve hired someone Kobe and Nash love and others are looking forward to playing for. Let’s appreciate the ownership we have, the ownership that has brought us so much. And Bill, you’re a natural for the New York Post. Maybe you’d like the ownership better there.

Frank Shapiro

Chatsworth

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Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers condemn Lakers’ hiring of Mike D’Antoni. As if The Times’ readers needed any more proof that both Plaschke and Simers have reached their level of incompetence, they again prove they know zero about the Lakers and pro basketball by frowning on the Lakers’ move. D’Antoni is the perfect choice to coach the Lakers. It’s inarguable (save for the opinions of Plaschke and Simers) that D’Antoni knows the offensive system that best suits Steve Nash, and Nash is the key to the Lakers’ offense.

Ray McKown

Los Angeles

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Don’t worry about the Lakers. When they fire Mike D’Antoni at midseason after going 17-24, they can always call Phil Jackson back and see if he’s still interested in the coaching job. Jim Buss can tell reporters, “After careful consideration of where our team is at this point, we feel it’s necessary to make a coaching change and go in another direction.” Then they can offer Jackson half the net worth of the team, Sundays off, a statue in front of Staples Center and enough cash to buy his home state of North Dakota. He will be sure to accept the job and forget any previous slights and misunderstandings. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always Flip Saunders.

Charles Reilly

Manhattan Beach

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He is one of the most successful and popular sports team owners of all time, but the biggest mistake Dr. Jerry Buss may have made was to make his son Jim VP of the Lakers. Jim picked Mike Brown over Brian Shaw last year when Shaw was endorsed by Phil Jackson, and even though Brown seemed to struggle with LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Jim has now compounded his mistake by picking Mike D’Antoni over Jackson. What a waste of time and money. I had complete confidence with Phil as the coach and Jeanie over Jim in the office, and I bet the players are just devastated.

Russ W. Bill

Fountain Valley

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I don’t expect D’Antoni to bring his seven-second offense to the Lakers (unless the team is going to use motorized wheelchairs). I do expect him to bring an offense that will best utilize the skills of the team.

I know. He hasn’t won a title. But, remember, Joe Torre had a losing record as a manager and no titles before going to the Yankees.

The Lakers were heralded as geniuses for bringing in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. I don’t think they became inept with the changing of the seasons.

Steve Fountain

Honesdale, Pa.

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I love Kobe Bryant’s remark that if the Lakers didn’t get Phil Jackson, “they had my approval to pull the trigger on the other one.” That may have been the problem Bryant had with Brown. I believe there was a concerted effort on Kobe’s part to get Brown dismissed.

It reminded me of a story that the wonderful film director Martin Ritt told me when he was directing a major film diva. “We would discuss the scene and I’d give her my take on it. When I had finished, she responded with, ‘Now we’ll do it my way.’” Sound familiar, Kobe?

Robert C. Thompson

Marina del Rey

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I am absolutely apoplectic at the overwhelming, ham-fisted ineptitude of Jim Buss. D’Antoni has no pedigree, no offense suitable to the team, no defense to speak of at all, and probably no use for Pau Gasol, the best passing big man in the game. Way to go, boss! I’ve been an ardent fan for 47 years, through the suffering of the ‘60s, the elation of the ‘80s, the drama of Kobe/Shaq, and I’ve had enough. I never thought I’d say this, but Clippers here I come.

Carol Weissberg

Chatsworth

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With Magic Johnson’s recent comments about D’Antoni, we’re seeing Magic’s career as an analyst skyrocket to the same lofty heights that Michael Jordan has reached as the owner of the Bobcats.

Ray McKown

Los Angeles

The sword

How dreadful! The costumed USC drum major stabbing his fake sword into the UCLA logo on the football field. Break out the hankies and smelling salts. It’s bad enough that those brutes from USC have won 12 of the last 13 games. Bad enough that they won 50-0 last year when UCLA was decked out in their brand new white “surrender” uniforms. That symbolic sword thing was just too much!

If USC needed any motivation coming into this year’s game, guess what? Perhaps UCLA should set up an aid tent outside the stadium with lavender water and soothing music for UCLA fans whose sensitivities are overcome during the game.

Dean Webb

West Hills

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“Student body left” has turned into “swing pass right.” In order to see what’s left of the traditional USC running game, I go to the Coliseum early to watch Tommy Trojan ride Traveler around the track. Hey, Jack Del Rio, are you available to come back and reestablish the program?

Jay Bovay

Sherman Oaks

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Pat Haden should pay attention to what the Lakers did and terminate the coach before it gets any worse. Lane and Monte Kiffin have shown the same kind of ineptitude that troubled Mike Brown. Cut the cord, Pat, and do it now. Your loyal fans deserve better.

Gary Stromberg

Marina del Rey

What game?

The Nov. 10 story about UCLA’s opening-season victory over Indiana State contained barely three sentences about the game itself (in which the Bruins scored 50 points in one half) but 17 column inches about Shabazz Muhammad’s ineligibility. Reminded me of the scene in “Hoosiers” where Coach Norman Dale asks a restless crowd to “support who we are, not who we are not.”

Mike Berliner

Los Angeles

Time to bolt

Do you think it’s possible Kobe could teach his “Death Stare” to Philip Rivers for use on Norv Turner?

Richard Turnage

Burbank

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