Letters: Dwight Howard puts Lakers in rear-view mirror

Dwight Howard looks like Tarzan, but plays like Jane. He is a second-rate star going to a second-rate city. Perfect fit. Good riddance!

William David Stone

Beverly Hills

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Why is Phil Jackson bad-mouthing Dwight Howard over his decision to leave the Lakers? Isn’t this the same Phil Jackson who was offered the coaching job at the Lakers, asked for 48 hours to think it over, then was called the next evening around midnight to learn they gave the job to someone else?

Why does Phil stand up for the team that said no to him? Oh that’s right, he’s engaged to Jeanie Buss. Remember: “Happy wife, happy life!”

Shane Brolly

Sherman Oaks

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Any center or point guard with good sense would never sign up for four more years with “Let me show you how to lead” ball-hog Kobe Bryant.

Watch Kobe turn Steve Nash into even more of a scrub next season, like he tried to do to Gary Payton, both first-ballot Hall of Fame point guards. If he wouldn’t pass it to the two 7-footers last year or Shaq in his prime, what makes Howard think he’s going to see the ball? Call him whatever names you want, deluded Lakers fans, I call him smart.

Keath Lewis

Los Angeles

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I don’t believe that Laker fans are upset that Howard left because he was such a great player, but how could anyone leave this storied franchise? Get over it, L.A. fans. Any employee has the right to work wherever he or she wants. Howard would rather be a teammate of a young, accessible, athletic James Harden than an inaccessible, egotistical ball-hog like you know who. To say that next year’s Lakers team has any chance of being a contender is not a story, but a fable.

Richard Katz

Los Angeles

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The list of cry-baby assailants on Dwight Howard’s departure grows every day. Add former Lakers coach Phil Jackson’s cutting comments to those of Shaq and Kobe, and Howard looks downright classy.

Phil says Howard “left a distaste in Lakerland,” Shaq says Tinseltown’s “bright lights” were too bright, and Kobe gratuitously offered to tutor Dwight in his own image. With such detractors, Dwight was right.

Dan Anzel

Los Angeles

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How can anyone say the Lakers are better off without Dwight Howard? He led the NBA in rebounding (12.4), was second in FG% (58%), and fifth in blocks (2.45), while playing with a torn labrum. He was still the best (and sometimes only) defender, and protected Pau’s soft defense, Nash’s no defense, World Peace’s slow defense, and Kobe’s off-the-ball cheating. The Lakers are lucky they still have a draft pick in 2014 ... it’ll likely be lottery.

David Goldstein

Chatsworth

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With Dwight Howard leaving the Lakers, it brings up a trivia question. What two things do Phil Jackson, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone, Gary Payton and Dwight Howard have in common?

One, they are either Hall of Famers or will get serious consideration for the Hall.

Two, they all think Kobe Bryant is a great talent but a poor teammate.

Mike Lorraine

Simi Valley

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If Chris Kaman was plan B, I’d hate to know the Lakers’ plan C.

Richard Raffalow

Valley Glen

Yasiel Puig’s future

Losing the All-Star vote, which pleased his detractors, is short-lived. Yasiel Puig’s going to lead the Dodgers to the playoffs, World Series and win the National League MVP award. I guarantee it.

Paul Shubunka Sr.

Santa Clarita

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Everyone’s arguing over whether Yasiel Puig should be in the All-Star Game; the real question is whether Puig ought to be in the big leagues. No question this young stallion can hit, but how long till he learns to lay off the slider down and away? That’s what the minors are for, so he can learn to read the basepaths and hit the cutoff man. Puig’s batting average is already sinking; best to send him down now before his confidence goes into a tailspin as well.

Charles Rappleye

Los Angeles

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My arm is almost numb from voting for Freddie Freeman, but he deserved it more and it was well worth it. I really resented Fox Sports and MLB trying to shove Puig down our throats and into the All Star Game in order to maybe get one more percentage point in the ratings.

Howard C. Helveston

Fullerton

A fitting tribute to firefighters

I HATE writing this email. I have cursed myself for years for even reading Bill Plaschke’s columns. Today, for the second time in as many months, I found myself with tears in my eyes reading his wonderful article on the tribute the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, and that ultimate gentlemen, Vin Scully, paid to the Arizona 19. Wow!!! All I can say is more, more, more.

Brian Winn

Los Angeles

Ducks’ Bobby Ryan will be missed

Nice try, Ducks, by trading Bobby Ryan under the radar while Dwight Howard announces that he is going to Houston. But the fact remains that you just traded your most marketable player in a market that needs marketable players. Thank you for always being accessible to the fans, Bobby.

Joe Bucz

Redondo Beach

Daughter of Dodgers usher responds

I am deeply disappointed with the tone of Bill Plaschke’s article about my father, Ira Hawkins, titled “Dodger Usher worked to the end.” Mr. Plaschke missed a tremendous opportunity to reveal the unique and remarkable characteristics of my father. A treasure chest of Los Angeles history, my father lived through the Great Depression, segregation, assassinations and the desegregation of baseball. Deeply committed to issues of social justice, it was the Dodgers that signed Jackie Robinson. Coupled with the core values that you should live your belief system and take action to correct injustices, a longtime employee was created. Mr. Plaschke characterized my father’s work as a Dodger usher as “invisible.” My father traveled to 94 countries soaking up the rich details of countless cultures because nobody is invisible.

Irana Hawkins

Seattle

It’s all in the delivery

Any truth to the rumor that Joe Blanton will be pitching in the upcoming All-Star home run derby contest?

Mike Corzel

Culver City

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