Letters: This should not be a surprise to the NFL

Cartoon of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell running after a train while holding a statement.

June 5, 2020 2:57 PM PT

The NFL owners had a choice to make. They could choose a knee in the grass or a knee in the neck. By choosing to ostracize and ultimately ban Colin Kaepernick from the NFL, they chose the knee in the neck. And that has made all the difference. America worships at the shrine of the NFL, but the owners’ amoral failure to allow and support Kaepernick’s plea for racial justice in America will always be seen as a stain upon their souls.

I hope that Americans consider this the next time they enter the church of the NFL on a Sunday morning.

Bob Lentz
Sylmar

Now would be the perfect time for all of the NFL owners to beat a path to Colin Kaepernick’s door and sign him. And let him take all the knees he wants. And all his teammates with him. Looks like a win-win to me.

Suzanne Wojcik
Claremont

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says, “As current events dramatically underscore, there remains much more to do as a country and as a league.” For starters, Goodell should be replaced by Colin Kaepernick.

Robert Brown
Thousand Oaks

Drew Brees probably would have preferred Colin Kaepernick to come out of the locker room holding some doves, lined up with his teammates and released the birds.

Colin probably was thinking the message was worth the risk.

Mark Sherwin
Los Angeles

Debased

It looks like COVID-19 could be claiming another victim with a preexisting condition.

The condition is greed.

The victim is Major League Baseball.

Kevin O’Bar
Santa Barbara

For more than 40 years I listened, watched and supported the game of baseball. When the strike in 1994 canceled the World Series I was so livid, I didn’t watch or listen to a game for over 10 years. I now believe with all the greed and avarice on both sides that they could not care less about the fans who have made all involved more money than they’re worth.

So, as to Adrian Gonzalez’s line about baseball always being there, I hope not. I’m done forever. Why support a sport that spits on their fans?

Ed Masciana
Torrance

You are wrong, Bill Plaschke and Erik Schuman. Baseball is still the national pastime, a title that means the pastime that is most emblematic of America — similar to the bald eagle being the national bird. It does not mean “National Most Popular Pastime” or “National Biggest TV Ratings Pastime.”

Andrew M. Weiss
Playa del Rey

It pains me to scribble these words out, but for once in his life, Bill Plaschke is right. Major League Baseball is making a huge mistake. Many major changes will come from this three-month pandemic shutdown, and most certainly, one of them will be the NBA passing MLB in long-term popularity.

Adam Silver and the NBA are getting ready to run circles around MLB that will last for generations to come. Introducing NBA playoffs to be showcased through the summer is the nail in the MLB’s coffin. Detroit Tigers playing the Milwaukee Brewers in the dog days of summer versus LeBron against Giannis in the NBA Finals? Goodbye baseball. Thanks for the memories.

William David Stone
Beverly Hills

Plaschke says that greed on both sides may cause baseball to lose the support of the fans. Not going to happen.

We have become an addictive sports society.

Just take a look at what Dodger fans have had to endure for the past five years from the Dodger brass. Other teams too have suffered, maybe not as harshly. No, fans will be just as supportive as ever despite the ridiculous salaries, ticket, parking and food prices. It’ll only get worse, but we’ll just suck it up.

Bob Murtha
Santa Maria

The article on baseball being down to its last out is spot on! Televised baseball games are impossible to watch on TV and way too long and expensive to to attend. The only possible way to watch on TV is to DVR the game and speed through the endless deluge of commercials. But that’s not all. Pitchers fuss and fidget before every pitch and batters constantly step out in and out of the box, delaying most games from about two hours to mostly three and a half hours! And then there is the endless blather by “color” broadcasters and individual pitches “brought to you by Joe Schmoe’s car dealership.” The greed by the owners, players, TV networks and advertisers has destroyed the former “national pastime.”

Joe Bonino
Glendale

At first glance, the incentives players such as Christian Yelich have in their contracts seem like a big bonus to the average fan. But please, does a player making over $20 million a year need another $200,000 in perks in order to make him happy and as a result a better ballplayer for the team? With hundreds of millions due to them, should the Angels have to bow down and provide extra perks on the road to Mike Trout that are not available to his teammates or for a team such as the Phillies to cave in and pay for Bryce Harper’s college education?

Paul Burns
Granada Hills

Talk about a trade gone south. If baseball doesn’t get its act together and play a 2020 season, the Dodgers will have given up a possible breakout star in Alex Verdugo for David Price’s bloated contract and a chance to bid on Mookie Betts’ free agency (and we know they won’t go there). At least next year the whole city can watch the Dodgers become more like the ‘90’s Braves each year.

Ken Blake
Brea

College daze

I sincerely hope that Chancellor Gene Block (UCLA) and Chancellor Carol Christ (Berkeley) read Norman Weston’s letter last Saturday. I believe Chancellor Block should call Martin Jarmond to his office and (at a proper distance) say: “Son, you make more money than I do; but you work for me! I, not you, not the NCAA, not the Pac-12, will make the final decision as when any student is allowed to return to this campus. Now get back to work.”

This a golden opportunity for university chancellors, presidents, et al. to reassert themselves. If Chancellors Block and Christ would lead, I believe Stanford and maybe Notre Dame would quickly join them.

David P. Smith
Pacific Palisades

Bigger event

I was incredulous at your listing of memorable events that happened on May 30. While I harbor no disrespect for the 1912 Indy 500, Wayne Gretzky’s second Cup or a 25-inning college game, I can’t believe you excluded Game 2 of the 1985 NBA Finals — Lakers at Boston.

This was three days after the Memorial Day Massacre and Kareem was thought to be finished. The big fella responded with a 30/17 night, eliciting one of your best headlines ever: “It came from the sky, but it wasn’t a Bird.”

Craig Dunkin
La Crescenta

Double trouble

The L.A. Times has once again proven that it is no friend to horse racing. The recent expose on last year’s incident at Del Mar alludes to unnamed malfeasance and/or coverup but avoids any specific accusations. Yes, mistakes were made. Give it a rest. You seem to be hanging crepe for its own sake.

James Benson
Altadena

Orlando bloom?

When the Lakers win the championship this October (boy, that sounds weird), you best believe I’ll be first in line at the parade down Orlando Boulevard (again, weird) in Florida. With a mask on, of course ( you get the idea).

Marcelo Barreiro
Manhattan Beach

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