Lakers’ season might be a hoax

It would be refreshing if he finally stepped up and admitted, as even the marginally educated fan already knows, that he made a colossal mistake.

Manti Te’o? Nope. Jim Buss.

Bud Chapman

Northridge

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You can fool some Lakers fans some of the time and some Lakers fans all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the Lakers fans all of the time. Every Lakers fan I’ve spoken with believes that the hiring of Mike D’Antoni was as big a mistake as the hiring of Mike Brown. We can’t all be wrong.

Richard Raffalow

Valley Glen

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The Lakers are labeled an “old” team while the Spurs are referred to as a “veteran” team. On that note, does anyone on this planet think that if Gregg Popovich was coaching these Lakers, they would have this poor of a record?

Dave Moore

Santa Ana

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So Shaquille O’Neal thinks Dwight Howard isn’t serious enough and smiles too much, compromising Lakers success. Good thing Shaq was always in top shape and never wasted energy feuding with teammates and management, guaranteeing that he got the maximum out of his Lakers career.

Ian Osborne

Gardena

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Kobe claims he is suffering from tired legs. I would have thought the ball hog would be suffering from tired arms.

Bill Cooley

Los Angeles

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Maybe somebody should tell Kobe that leading the league in categories like most assists or fewest turnovers is a bit more to the point in terms of team success than leading in most shot attempts.

Andrew Sacks

Fontana

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When my nephew plays Xbox and hits the reset button this many times, it’s time for a new game.

John DeMatteo

Goleta

The boys of Troy

Pat Haden recently was quoted as saying that he seeks a “proven winner” to replace the USC basketball coach. It appears that seeking such a coach only applies to USC basketball, as it has been announced that Lane Kiffin has selected Clancy Pendergast as the Trojans’ defensive coordinator. This is the same Clancy Pendergast who was recently released as defensive coordinator by the Cal Golden Bears.

Apparently, Haden and Kiffin have not checked their dictionaries. Mine says a coach who is a proven winner is one a team tries to keep, not release.

Jay Bovay

Sherman Oaks

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Has Pat Haden turned USC into the University of Substandard Coaches?

David Saw

Diamond Bar

What’s Bruin

Bill Walton dislikes Howland and UCLA basketball’s performance. He supposedly loves UCLA but spends his time ripping the program and likely steered Luke away from Westwood. Bill talks about Bill, throws in a few Wooden quotes, tells how great it used to be, and streams a couple thoughts about Dylan or the Dead, all while tearing down the team each broadcast. Color men should elaborate on what the play-by-play man says or on what’s happening in the game. Walton’s UCLA-Oregon State broadcast was one of the worst by a color man in basketball history.

Goodness gracious sakes alive, Billy! Where’s the mute button!

Jerry Arbogast

Los Angeles

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In response to the big redhead’s opinion on the Lakers: Bill, I think you went to too many Dead shows.

John Mueller

Los Angeles

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UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero should use a Ben Howland timeout and hire Bill Walton to be the next UCLA head basketball coach.

Don Geller

Irvine

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Reggie Miller is having his UCLA jersey retired. Why? He was never an All-American at UCLA and his teams won exactly one NCAA tournament game in his four years there. This is an insult to all the All-Americans who helped UCLA win multiple national championships and have yet to have this honor, players like Keith Erickson, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren and Dave Meyers.

If UCLA wants to honor Miller for his accomplishments in the NBA, they should just hang his Indiana Pacers jersey from the Pauley Pavilion rafters.

Bennett Beebe

Westwood

The Man

In 1963, my Dad took me to a Dodgers game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Back then, I wasn’t interested in anybody who didn’t play for the Dodgers. This guy came up to bat for St. Louis and everyone gave him a standing ovation. I asked my father why everybody was cheering a player from the other team. He said, “Remember this moment, son. This is the greatest man to ever play the game and he is retiring after this season.” A few pitches later, he roped one over the right-field fence. I’ll never forget when we all stood up again and cheered as Stan “The Man” trotted around the bases for the last time in the Ravine.

Gene E. Schwartz

San Diego

No magic

If I had been visited by a sports genie at the beginning of 2012 and was told that the Kings will win the Stanley Cup, the Dodgers will trade for Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez, Matt Barkley will lead the No. 1-ranked Trojans, and the Lakers will get Dwight Howard and Steve Nash I’d have been sure I was looking forward to one of the best sports years ever.

Well, the Kings did win the Cup … and then joined the picket lines; the Dodgers’ offense was truly offensive; Lane Kiffin had USC running on one cylinder; and the Lakers are determined to prove that you can make the playoffs without playing defense.

Oh, and let’s not forget that the Giants won the World Series.

Fortunately, there’s no such thing as sports genies.

John Fraser

Camarillo

Quick hits

The NFL has fined running back Frank Gore of the 49ers $10,500 for “wearing his socks too low” in the NFC title game.

That should take at least some of the heat off of Lance Armstrong.

Skip Nevell

Los Angeles

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Really, Phil Mickelson? You claim you pay 63% of your income in taxes in California? This is why pro golfers don’t keep their own score.

Bruce Kahn

Claremont

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Don’t forget, the Dodgers’ $8-billion deal with Time Warner Cable is for games without Vin Scully. Will it be worth it? I think not.

Rudy Estrada

Diamond Bar

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If the Kings don’t start winning, when should we start chanting “We want Phil”?

Patrick Drohan

Monrovia

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