Letters: NBC doesn’t take worldview

If Dick Ebersol, Gary Zenkel and NBC had covered the 1976 and 1984 Olympics, would we have heard about the accomplishments of Olga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci, Lasse Viren, Daley Thompson, Sebastian Coe, Michael Gross or Vasily Alekseyev? Just saying, it would nice to see and hear about the other gifted athletes at the London Olympics.

Arturo Adame

Redondo Beach

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If the Olympic Games are supposed to be symbolic of the coming together of nations in peace and goodwill, then NBC inadvertently demonstrated something else. While the rest of the world watched the spectacular opening events at the same time, the Americans were cut off from that experience and were forced to watch a delayed and adulterated version, supersaturated with unnecessary commentary and interviews, destroying the profound solidarity of the moment.

And all because of the mighty commercial dollar. Now that is symbolic.

Father Vivian Ben Lima

Woodland Hills

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So much for “the importance is in competing.” According to Bill Plaschke, the importance is in “what have you done for me lately?” Witness his July 29 rip of Michael Phelps because of the swim star’s failure to medal in the 400-meter individual medley.

Phelps deserved better. How do you question the performance of an athlete who has spent thousands of hours staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool while bulling himself through the grueling workouts required to compete at the Olympic level and additionally, has delivered as Phelps has over the years?

Skip Nevell

Los Angeles

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How fitting that Bill Plaschke chose to write about Jack the Ripper in Friday’s Times. His article on Michael Phelps after Phelps lost to Ryan Lochte in the 400 IM and David Haugh’s commentary on Lochte after he lost to Phelps in the 200 IM are two of the biggest journalistic hack jobs I have ever read. Comparing going two for six for gold medals to a banjo-hitting second baseman? The guy who wrote it probably can’t butterfly a shrimp. And Bill, seems like they serve up a nice bowl of crow in London.

Rich Holland

Aliso Viejo

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With eight medals in Beijing, all gold, and no chance to repeat that feat in London, perhaps we should feel a little sorry for poor little Michael Phelps. If there were only something that could make him feel better and possibly put a smile on his sad face. Hey, I know. What about a moniker that says he is now the most decorated Olympian of all time? That just might do the trick.

Bill Spitalnick

Newport Beach

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With all due respect to Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz, Larisa Latynina and Wilma Rudolph, among others, the greatest Olympian of all time is American speedskater Eric Heiden. At the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, N.Y., Heiden won five gold medals at distances ranging from 500 meters to 10,000 meters. This is the equivalent of a runner winning the gold medal at the sprint and middle distances as well as the marathon.

Heiden also deserves credit for what he did after his Olympic career. Rather than bask in athletic glory, he went on to medical school and became an orthopedic surgeon.

Stephen A. Silver

San Francisco

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Successful Olympian that you are, Michael Phelps, you never had to be careful what restroom or drinking fountain to use, where to eat or sleep, which seat in a bus to take. By overcoming such hateful prejudice and still competing and winning for his country, Jesse Owens to me is still the greatest American Olympian.

Werner Haas

West Hollywood

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We all enjoy watching the various swimming disciplines at the Olympics — backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. Wouldn’t track and field be much more fun to watch if there were four different styles of running?

Andrew M. Weiss

Playa Del Rey

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Amid all the hoopla over medal counts and the win-at-all-costs mentality that dominate Olympic coverage, it was good to see an example of the Olympic spirit in boxerJoseph Diaz Jr.of El Monte. He fought a good, clean fight against a much taller, more experienced fighter and lost a close decision. He didn’t talk trash and he was gracious in defeat. Though he will not bring home an Olympic medal, he’s an example of the Olympic ideal of putting forth one’s best effort with dignity and class, and for that we should all be proud of this hometown Olympian.

John Lloyd

Sierra Madre

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Ye Shiwen sets a world swimming record, and a “top swimming official” says it is impossible. Well, that settles it.

John Leonard wants to “be very careful about calling it doping,” but goes on to say that when an Olympic accomplishment seems “unbelievable” that “it turns out later that doping was involved.”

Does this mean that when a world record (a former unbelievable accomplishment) is broken (a present unbelievable accomplishment), that it was because of doping?

Seems like The Times has already tried and convicted Ye Shiwen, yet is careful to say that a man shooting movie attendees is an “alleged” killer.

Shame on The Times and your biased accusations! Jingoism or racism, which was it? Let’s see if you find people to suggest that an American record-breaker was doping.

Michael Harvey

San Pedro

Blue moves

I’m delighted at the acquisition of Hanley Ramirez. His youth, bat and his contract will keep him at Chavez Ravine for many years to come. But I must say giving up two promising pitchers for the rental of Shane Victorino is troubling. Sure he’ll provide a spark at the top of the order, but he can walk at the end of the season, and the Dodgers will get no compensation. Not a very good long-term strategy.

Brian Haueter

Ventura

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I’m expected to embrace the acquisition of Shane Victorino after his crybaby antics in 2008 and 2009 against the Dodgers? OK, it could be worse, and was. Jeff Kent.

Dave Snyder

Grand Terrace

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As an astute Dodger fan for more than 60 years, I would like to thank Stan Kasten and Ned Colletti for making the Dodgers relevant again. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. The trades you made show an absolute desire to win. I was getting extremely tired of hearing about making the team competitive; that breeds mediocrity.

J.J. Volpe

Upland

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T.J. Simers scored another bull’s-eye with his column on Magic Johnson. Reading it brought to mind some of the co-owner’s magic moments during the news conference to introduce new ownership. In response to a question about McCourt having lost the fans’ trust, the co-owner said that the fans better trust him because he was 6-foot-9. It is rare when “baloney” can be stacked that high.

As a co-owner, he made a fabulous point guard.

Bud Chapman

Northridge

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Please, T.J., give the same respect the Dodgers you did the Kings — ignore them! It is apparent your lack of involvement with the Kings directly led to their Stanley Cup victory. Since your return, you have cursed the Dodgers into the three losses to the Diamondbacks. Take the family on a motor-home trip.

Steve Owen

San Diego

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I was at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday for their embarrassing third straight loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the 80-year-old concession guy selling frozen lemonades displayed more energy than the totally lethargic Dodgers.

Steve Carey

Burbank

It’s on Scioscia

Wednesday night’s game between the Angels and Rangers may very well have been the worst managed game in the history of baseball. Mike Scioscia did everything in his power to lose that game. He left Garrett Richards in two innings too long, he didn’t have Peter Bourjos pinch-run when Kendrys Morales was on second in the ninth, costing the Angels an insurance run, and he chose to bring in an aging relief pitcher in Jason Isringhausen to try and get out of a 10th-inning jam, while a much better reliever — Jerome Williams — was ready to go.

One of the best managers in baseball is waiting in a Fox broadcast booth to manage again — Terry Francona. Scioscia hasn’t been the same ever since the front office made the smart move of firing batting coach Mickey Hatcher — Scioscia’s best friend. It’s time to reunite Mike Scioscia with Mickey Hatcher.

Tim McLaughlin

Irvine

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Any way the Angels can trade Garrett Richards and Mike Scioscia for Garrett Morris and a manager to be named later (preferably someone who’ll pinch-run for a slow guy with a broken leg)?

Jack Von Bulow

Temple City

Can they Bear it?

UCLA Coach Jim Mora’s move to stage two weeks of camp in sweltering San Bernardino conjures up another head coach’s similar idea 58 years ago.

In 1954, Texas A&M;’s new coach, after seeing that team lose annually to its rival and miss out on its conference’s bowl game for 13 years, decided to move summer camp to Junction, Texas. Temperatures hit 118 degrees. There were two-a-day practices and water breaks were few. 115 players started camp and 35 survived.

That year, the team was decimated. But two years later, toughened by that experience, A&M; defeated Texas and won the Southwest Conference.

Who was that coach, anyway? Oh yeah — fellow by the name of Bear Bryant.

Go get ‘em, Jim!

Michael Gallant

Encino

Tribute to Troy

With Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, Marqise Lee and now Silas Redd, the Trojans better get Traveler a bigger feed bag for all the running he will be doing up and down the sidelines this coming season.

Aaron Wooler

Pasadena

Finding fault

Kudos to Sam Querrey for winning his third tennis championship at UCLA, tying Jimmy Connors, Arthur Ashe and Andre Agassi. Unfortunately, this was the only bright spot in undoubtedly the worst tournament in the 40 years I’ve attended at various local venues. A continuing weak draw, issues with parking and concessions, and a circuitous walking route due to construction on campus causes concern for this tournament’s future.

Dan Anzel

Los Angeles

Copping a ploy

Any truth to the rumor Matt Barnes will be changing his name next season to Metta Manhattan Police?

Larry Yells

Hermosa Beach

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