Vinny Del Negro, you just got played

Donald Sterling might be considered by some the worst owner in the history of professional sports, but it sure is refreshing to hear someone admit that in the NBA the inmates really do run the asylum.

Richard Johnson

Los Angeles

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Broderick Turner writes: “Front office to compile a list of coaching candidates, vet them, narrow the list down and then give the names to owner Donald Sterling.” Why not save time and just give the names to Chris Paul?

Jack Wishard

Los Angeles

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Three questions: (1) Who’s the Clippers’ best player? (2) What player can they least afford to lose? (3) What player had to give his approval before Vinnny Del Negro was fired? Answer to all three: Chris Paul. Sorry, Coach, but you were the odd man out.

David Macaray

Rowland Heights

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Of all the pro teams in L.A, the Clippers stand second to only the Kings as the one that should not fire their head coach. The Clippers enjoyed their best season in franchise history, had a 17-game winning streak and swept the Lakers for the first time. They lost in the playoffs to Memphis, which is now in the Western Conference finals.

But leave it to the inept Donald Sterling to dump Vinny Del Negro. Sterling continues to do more harm to his team than anyone else.

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster

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Vinny Del Negro took the Bulls to the playoffs twice, for which he was unceremoniously dumped. He then turned the Clippers around and took them to the playoffs twice, for which he was again dumped. I just wanted to say thanks, Vinny, for all you’ve done, and best wishes. Here’s hoping that this time you will catch on with a franchise that has some class.

Dick Terrill

Torrance

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With the Clippers not renewing Vinny Del Negro’s contract, we have a coach winning the conference being let go.

At UCLA we had a coach win the Pac-12 and was let go.

And in Laker Land, we have the worst season in so long and the coach stays.

Anyone think there is something in the water?

Barry Levy

Hawthorne

Donnie’s Dodgers

When the going gets tough, Don Mattingly blames Andre Ethier. Last year it was James Loney, currently hitting .353 for Tampa Bay. Someone should remind Mattingly that he hit .256 for the Yankees when he was 29 and was out of baseball at age 34.

Jerry Moore

Cerritos

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It looks and sounds like Donnie Baseball doesn’t know where to turn next. It seems every move he makes is wrong these past few weeks. The bullpen is a mess and whoever thought signing Brandon League was a good idea should be let go.

It is clear he is not able to motivate this team as the message is not getting through. It’s not just the lack of clutch hitting and the poor bullpen performance, it’s the mental and physical errors I see, which indicate a lack of mental toughness. That is the manager’s job.

Scioscia would look good in blue again; looks like his time may be up in Anaheim.

Steve Owen

San Diego

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We will soon see that it is Mattingly, not Ethier, who should be benched.

Robert McArthur

Los Angeles

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On April 28, Magic Johnson tweeted that he was “sooooooooooo happy” the Lakers season was over because, “With the talent on this team this could go down as one of the worst seasons in Lakers history!” We haven’t heard much from Magic lately, but I imagine he must be absoooooooooooolutely giddy just thinking about the Sept. 29 season finale between the Dodgers and Rockies.

George Pisano

Rancho Palos Verdes

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I miss Jonathan Broxton. I know he wilted in big playoff games, but at least he saved a bunch of regular games to get us to the playoffs. I miss Joe Torre. We complained that he was old and past his prime, but his sub-prime managed to end up in a couple league championship series. I miss Matt Kemp, even the Rihanna Matt Kemp. That guy hit 20 homers. I miss Frank McCourt. I know, but under his watch the Dodgers won nine playoff games. All the other owners in the last 25 years have combined for a total of zero.

We used to boo the Dodgers for falling into second or for blowing playoff games. With this year’s historically weak club, it’s a whole new boo.

John Thompson

Downey

Feel-good story

I’m a die-hard Steelers fan for many moons, but I’m ashamed to admit that I’ll be rooting for a Raider this year. Best of luck to courageous young D.J. Hayden.

Kevin Scott Thompson

Los Feliz

All about Steve

It is unfortunate that Chris Foster’s May 19 article on Steve Alford focuses only on issues and opinions from long ago and ignores what he has accomplished since arriving at UCLA. In addition to assembling a phenomenal coaching staff, every student-athlete chose to remain a Bruin and play for Steve. I should also note that despite an exclusive interview with Chancellor Gene Block on the subject of Coach Alford, Foster failed to mention any part of the interview, including the chancellor’s repeated and unequivocal support for Coach Alford and his firm belief that Steve is committed to being a Bruin and embracing the values of Coach John Wooden.

Dan Guerrero

Los Angeles

Guerrero is the UCLA athletic director

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Casting aspersions at new Bruin basketball Coach Steve Alford for a transgression 11 years ago at Iowa in defense of a player accused of sexually assaulting another student is Paterno-esque. Alford’s reputation as a national champion, Olympic gold medalist and outstanding winning record at three previous colleges is what’s paramount.

Dan Anzel

Los Angeles

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Mark my words: Within two years, USC will be the premier local basketball program, both men and women, and Steve Alford and the AD who hired him, Dan Guerrero, will be gone.

Charles L. Freeman

Baldwin Hills

Cheap thrills

On the Mike Trout souvenir glass it states: “2012 AL rookie of the year; only player in MLB history with 30 HR, 125 runs, 45 SB in a season; only player in MLB history to hit .320, 30 HR, 45 SB in a season; youngest in MLB history with 25 HR and 40 SB in a season; named AL rookie of the month in May, June, and August of 2012.”

They left off one important thing: “Received a 2% pay increase in 2013.”

David Waldowski

Alta Loma

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This is a rebuttal to a letter printed in this column last week by a managing partner of the Oakland Athletics. He praises Arte Moreno for his solid commitment to Major League Baseball and for his pursuit of a World Series. The other owners may think highly of Moreno, but they’re not the ones who spend their money and generate the revenue for Moreno’s ballclub. Those are the Angels fans, who know all so well that the team has not been in postseason play since 2009. Easy for an A’s owner to be so kind with compliments, as the Angels are some 12 games out of first this year as well.

Wayne Muramatsu

Cerritos

Going down

The top 10 signs that L.A. sports teams are in a steep decline:

10. We’re no closer to getting a football team than solving gridlock on the 405.

9. Watching Albert Pujols run is like watching a cow do ballet.

8. Milk companies are putting Mike Napoli and Torii Hunter on their cartons.

7. USC still has Kiffin.

6. Your $236-million Dodgers are fighting the Padres for last place.

5. Bingo night at Hollywood Park draws more fans than Dodgers games.

4. L.A. is now a hockey town.

3. Even Beckham wants out of here.

2. The Lakers and Clippers combined for two playoff victories.

1. Kobe Bryant just filed for Social Security.

Marty Foster

Ventura

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