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Letters to Sports: Rams look like anything but Super Bowl champions

San Francisco receiver Deebo Samuel breaks into the clear for a touchdown against the Rams.
San Francisco wide receiver Deebo Samuel breaks into the clear for a touchdown against the Rams on Monday night.
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
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The most disappointing aspect of this latest 49ers demolition of the Rams is that coach Sean McVay thought all he needed to bring to the table was Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp. No offensive innovation required. No imaginative running plays, just go off tackle for minus-two yards. It is also clear that Allen Robinson and I are interchangeable, I don’t catch passes for the Rams and neither does he. Brandon Powell should definitely replace him.

For his part, Rams coordinator Raheem Morris and his defense thought it would be a nice gesture to give Jimmy Garoppolo several coffee breaks in the pocket, from which my grandmother could complete passes. This game was one of the most embarrassing and undisciplined losses I’ve ever witnessed. The Cowboys are licking their chops.

Axel Hubert
Santa Monica

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Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner’s tackle of a person who ran on the field was obviously an act of frustration. Some advice for the next person who tries this: Wear a 49ers uniform, they will not tackle you.

Panfilo Fuentes
Bakersfield

The NFL is prepared “to make a change or two” to its concussion protocol, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at a fan forum in London on Saturday.

Oct. 8, 2022

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It was easy to tell that the 49ers came out to play, while the Rams came out to watch them play. Not only were the Rams outplayed in every phase of the game, they were outcoached and outlandishly dismal. Looks like they’ll also be out on another trip to the Super Bowl.

Tom Stapleton
Glendale

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And the MVP goes to . . .

Stop the presses! I can’t believe I am agreeing with Dylan Hernández about Shohei Ohtani, who “has two-fold case to claim MVP.” Aaron Judge is having a great offensive year, but Ohtani is doing it in the batter’s box and on the mound. Ohtani has proven that he is the best baseball player on the planet, Ohtani will lose out on some MVP votes because the Angels are so irrelevant and he’ll most likely finish behind Judge.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley

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Ohtani is third in wins, third in strikeouts and fourth in ERA as a pitcher. He’s fourth in homers, fifth in slugging percentage and seventh in RBIs as a hitter. Without him, the Angels would have been lucky to win 40 games. Aaron Judge is a great player who had a great year, but the Yankees have a solid roster without him and would have been competitive without him. Ohtani is clearly the MVP.

Alvin S. Michaelson
Marina del Rey

Angels GM Perry Minasian has plenty of work to do to make the Angels postseason bound in 2023 and keep stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani around longer.

Oct. 6, 2022

Enjoying the Dodgers’ journey

Regarding Bill Plaschke’s column, “Dodger fans not OK with just a journey.” Attendance at Dodger Stadium this season has surpassed 3 million fans. How many of them were asked “what they think of this season’s Dodgers?” According to the article, my family belongs to that subset of fans who do enjoy the journey. Our family attends games, listens on the radio, and watches the Dodgers on television. Would we be disappointed if they lost in the postseason? Sure, but did I enjoy the journey, you bet. After the postseason, no matter the outcome, I will be excited to go on the next journey with the Dodgers.

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Nancy Horton
Los Angeles

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My first Dodgers game was at the Coliseum in 1958. When Dodger Stadium opened in 1962, I cheered from the $1.50 nosebleed section as Sandy Koufax fired fastballs, and Maury Wills swiped 104 bases. In San Diego now, I only get the occasional game on cable TV. But I see enough to enjoy and appreciate the rhythm of the long haul, the ‘ups’ outweighing the ‘downs’. Even if the Dodgers aren’t the last team standing, as always ... it’s been a hell of a ride!

Al Janis
Encinitas

Remember they are Titans

There are 30 managerial jobs in Major League Baseball. At present, two are held by Mark Kotsay and Phil Nevin, both Cal State Fullerton alums.

Though the Angels and Oakland haven’t been very good lately, this is still something special, and perhaps has never happened before. Somewhere in the Field of Dreams up in heaven, Coach Augie Garrido must be smiling. He left an amazing legacy.

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Bob Kargenian
Yorba Linda

Hockey can be inclusive

In 1992, when L.A. was well into Gretzky-mania, my daughter’s elementary school PE teacher started a ball hockey program. My daughter was in third grade, loved the game and wanted to play. In goal, of course. The coach told her, “No, girls don’t play hockey.” Whereupon this little 8-year-old lit into him: “Haven’t you heard of Manon Rhéaume?” My daughter got to play and went on to play four years of men’s college hockey, then earned a master’s degree in sports psychology, focusing on, of course, hockey. Who says role models don’t count? Thank you, Ms. Rhéaume.

Stephen McCarthy
Monrovia

If the Kings want to become serious Stanley Cup contenders, they will need someone to match or exceed Anze Kopitar’s scoring totals.

Oct. 3, 2022

Bruins beef

Could The Times just once give UCLA top billing in the Sunday sports section? USC consistently gets top of the fold, big color picture. This year the teams are both 5-0. Surely this warrants alternating which school comes out on top. Even when UCLA beats USC, the headline is about how the Trojans lost, rather than how the Bruins won. And even Bill Plaschke said “it’s time to start paying attention” to the Bruins.

We get it, you love the Trojans. But at public schools, journalists are taught to be fair and balanced.

Hillary Wolfe
Monrovia

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Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson sets a passing record and Zach Charbonnet rushes for nearly 200 yards as UCLA remains undefeated by beating the Utes.

Oct. 8, 2022

Jaime will be missed

Gracias Jaime Jarrín por todos los juegos que tu anunciado. Trajiste mucha alegría a mi Mama y a mi Papa en poder escuchar el juego de Los Dodgers en español. Disfruta de tu muy merecido jubilacion.

Thank you Jaime Jarrín for all the games you announced. You brought my mom and dad a lot of joy in them being able to hear the Dodger games in Spanish. Enjoy your much-deserved retirement.

Patty Gonzalez-Miller
Thousand Oaks

The Dodgers honor legendary Spanish broadcaster Jaime Jarrín and Freddie Freeman wins a prestigious team award before a 6-4 comeback win over the Rockies.

Oct. 1, 2022

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It is fitting and just that the Dodgers paid tribute to Jaime Jarrín just as they did for Vin Scully. Jarrin’s retirement marks the end of an era wherein one team was identified by one voice, when the game was called for the purpose of making the listener feel as if he or she was there, when the accounts of the game were not jaundiced by “homers,” and when broadcasters preferred to talk directly to fans rather than exchange unrelated anecdotes with each other. Mr. Jarrín: you will be missed.

Bill Waxman
Simi Valley

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The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Email: sports@latimes.com

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