Letters to Sports: Rams are overthinking the process

Sunday’s game vs. the Panthers was a particularly brutal loss suffered by the Rams to an inferior team.

Yes, Matthew Stafford and Emmanuel Forbes were very bad, but the responsibility for this debacle should fall squarely on the coaching staff.

Sean McVay needed only to the run the ball down Carolina’s throat on their last possession, killing the clock and in the process, at worst, getting a tying field goal. Instead McVay chose to pass, pass, pass, resulting in a Stafford fumble/turnover and effectively ending the game. His platitude of “humility is only a day away” feels more like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Axel Hubert
Santa Monica

What a way for LeBron James’ spectacular 1,297-game streak of scoring in double figures (over nearly 19 years) to end — on his game-winning assist to Rui Hachimura, who hit a three-point buzzer-beater on Thursday night in Toronto. Like Wayne Gretzky in the NHL (No. 2 in goals scored and No. 11 in assists), LeBron’s all-time combination of scoring (No. 1) and assists (No. 4) in the NBA is unparalleled in his sport.

Ken Feldman
Tarzana

What is it with Japanese players and Toronto teams? The Dodgers’ Yoshi Yamamoto shuts down the Blue Jays, then Thursday night Rui Hachimura beats the Raptors with a three-point buzzer-beater. Oh, Canada …

Rick Henderson
Covina

Amid today’s choppy college football waters, Tim Skipper is leadership personified, steering a unified ship even in defeat. Lane Kiffin, by contrast, bailed on his players and now resembles a renegade pirate at the helm of a flashy speedboat — fast, loud, brash and obsessively searching for buried treasure.

Steve Ross
Carmel

While it is always gratifying to see USC thrash UCLA in football, it was equally rewarding to see fourth-string, walk-on quarterback Gage Roy — who has anonymously relayed plays from the sideline for years — surprisingly toss a two-point conversion pass in his final minutes as a Trojan player.

When others might forget the score, no doubt it will be an indelible memory for Roy and his family.

Brian Robinette
Van Nuys

I am a 1984 UCLA alum and have always had respect for USC and our rivalry. However, what they did last Saturday was appalling. To go for a two-point conversion late in the game when the game was not in doubt shows the lack of class on the part of USC. This is not what the rivalry should be about.

Gabe Wainfeld
Chatsworth

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are a breath of fresh air to the Lakers, not just because they form a potent offensive backcourt but because they make the team fun and interesting to watch. Both dance with the ball, making quick decisions, juking left and right, changing speeds and directions while driving toward the basket, getting teammates involved by throwing ally-oops and crazy passes, and hitting circus shots while getting fouled. Winning is great but Luka and Austin are also playing the game that the fans can truly enjoy.

Richard Raffalow
Valley Glen

Dear coach Mick Cronin, I am all for using clock to clinch a win when you are in the lead. Last night’s game against Washington, however, was too close for comfort. The Bruins offense became essentially moribund at a time when the Huskies got hot leading to a near loss. Our team was playing well. Our defense was solid. Sometimes it’s best to just leave well enough alone.

Stephen H. Cooper
Hidden Hills

The recent UCLA-Washington basketball game identifies a major problem with Mick Cronin’s coaching. The Bruins continuously have difficulty protecting leads at the end of games. Their offense changes so that running down the clock is more important than scoring. This change cost the Bruins the Arizona game and almost this game. This is a coaching problem, not a player problem.

Neal Rakov
Santa Fe, N.M.

I do not know the person who emailed that he dislikes Cris Collinsworth and Joe Buck, both opinions of which I disagree strenuously, but I would like to take this opportunity to say that I have no understanding at all as to why someone would pay a color commentator, even Tom Brady, $10 million a year on the assumption someone might tune in to hear the color commentator. Who does that?

Jack Wishard
Los Angeles

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