Letters: Madness or just badness?

Caught the Trojans’ March Madness drive-by Wednesday against crummy Virginia Commonwealth. First time I’ve seen USC levy self-imposed NCAA sanctions ... for 40 minutes.

Jack Von Bulow

Temple City

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USC’s football team could have scored more than 22 points against VCU in the first half. On the positive side, maybe the Trojans will make the field of 64 next year.

Konrad Moore

Bakersfield

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Coach Kevin O’Neill may have overlooked the simple reason the Trojans did not win in Dayton. They had an exhausting schedule in the Pac-10 tourney, having to stay at the new Marriott across the street from Staples Center rather than travel the 1.2 miles back to campus. Then they had to fly the whole entourage to Ohio, including the band, and face that veteran team from, uh, who again?

Kevin H. Park

Encino

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To add to its rich men’s basketball tradition, USC can now hang a “First Four” banner in the Galen Center.

Alan Abajian

Alta Loma

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As an alum, I sincerely hope that Athletic Director Pat Haden will tell Coach Kevin O’Neill that his services will no longer be needed; adding USC to the multitude of universities and professional teams on the list.

Paul Westphal, anyone?

Howard P. Cohen

North Hills

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Watching UCLA almost blow a 23-point, second-half lead, it struck me that Ben Howland must be a big NFL fan and an even bigger fan of the “Prevent Defense.” The coach had his semi-talented squad go into a shell over the past eight minutes, and if the game was 30 seconds longer they would already be back in Westwood. The good news, he did save that one timeout in the game. By the way, Ben, how about signing a guard who can shoot, pass and dribble...

Fred Wallin

Westlake Village

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All hail to UCLA’s Malcolm Lee and his defensive skills! He’s made true the old saying, “They can’t win if they can’t score!”

Sandra Smith

Yorba Linda

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I just don’t buy it when coaches use the excuse “my team was not tournament tested.” With all due respect, all teams play about 30 games on a regulation basketball court in an arena from October until the NCAA tournament begins in March. It is simple, you play defense, score more than your opponent, you win. You don’t, you lose. It’s not rocket science.

Jerry Baruch

Los Angeles

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Once again the Duke Blue Devils have been handed the path of least resistance to the Final Four. The West Region is filled with enough cupcakes to rival the Sprinkles franchise. It must be nice to know that every year the tournament committee will ensure that your team will face no more than four real challenges on the road to a championship while everyone else must fight through six legitimate opponents.

Maury D. Benemie

Corona

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Did anyone else find it amusing that the year the NCAA tournament was expanded to 68 teams there was more griping than ever about teams that were left out? Maybe they should go to 69 or 70 next year. I’m sure that’ll make everyone happy.

Rob Osborne

Redondo Beach

Time to swing

Monday’s sports section of the Times provided us with a pretty ugly picture of the Dodgers we’re going to see during the coming season.

It seems the plan is to platoon Jay Gibbons and Marcus Thames in left field, rest Casey Blake at third by using Juan Uribe as a backup, and backing Uribe up with Jamey Carroll while Rafael Furcal also rests, as do James Loney and Andre Ethier when facing a “tough lefty.” It looks as if (once again) the Dodgers are trying to put a new hem on an old dress and sell it to us “as is” for opening day, along with a pitching staff that resembles the leftovers on a table in the bargain basement.

Shel Willens

Los Angeles

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I enjoyed the “Full Coverage” piece about the Angels outfield. It puzzles me when I hear people say they didn’t do anything in the off-season.

They addressed two of their biggest needs; outfield defense and the bullpen. Now if the lower third of their lineup can just hit somewhere hopefully well above the Mendoza line, they may be in business.

Ron Reeve

Glendora

Laker love

Dear Kobe,

I have been following your career for many years, even in the old Forum. I am now 83 years old, and I want to thank you for the many happy hours you have given me watching you on TV. There is just no one like you.

I have a poster I got a few years ago that shows Jerry West, Kareem and you, without any names, and the caption “THEY WHO ENDURE, CONQUER.” Under your picture are the dates 2004-05 and “34W, 48L.” I had it framed and it is hanging in my bedroom. You are conquering now and I hope you go on to many more victories in this illustrious career.

Joanne Page

Los Angeles

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I have been arguably the most outspoken person on everything Andrew Bynum. I screamed loudly for him to be traded. I argued that his contract was the worst ever by the Lakers. I have compared his talents to Mike Smrek and Chuck Nevitt. I even let it known I was available to make sure he’d get to the airport on time not to miss his flight to whatever team would take this bum off our hands.

But for some unknown reason — perhaps it was the constant ridicule he was taking over the air during All-Star weekend — the light bulb has gone on. His unexplained turn has all of us in Lakerdom ready to celebrate in June. It has me willing to finally jump on the Bynum bandwagon. However, if this recent turn is only temporary, I will revert back to my thoughts over the past six seasons. Here’s hoping that I be wrong and offer my apologies.

Geno Apicella

Placentia

Good teammates

I was very moved when I read how current Clipper Chris Kaman and ex-teammates Elton Brand, Corey Maggette and Marko Jaric stepped up to help Kim Hughes. Together they contributed $70,000 for a life-saving surgery.

No matter what jersey these four players wear I will always root for them. They will no longer be considered just NBA players but compassionate human beings who supported their coach when he needed it the most.

Russell Hosaka

Torrance

Icing

So the NHL finally decides to deal with the mounting brain injuries in their league by agreeing that hits to a player’s head during a game are dangerous and should be reduced. However, allowing two players to bring the game to a complete stop and hit each other in the head is not a concern. Perhaps they should change the name to the National Hypocrisy League.

Warren Lacker

Los Angeles

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With all due respect, Coach Terry Murray, please don’t vent your frustration with the fans after we booed our Kings off the ice after the second period against the St. Louis Blues. I am a loyal fan, since the days when Luc Robitaille was a rookie, and I have witnessed some poor teams and poor games over the years. Last night [March 17] was one of the worst in history.

I don’t expect my Kings to win every game, but for the money I pay, I expect them to compete every minute on the ice. Embarrassing? You bet. Your team embarrassed themselves, Coach. Do something about it.

Ronald Peters

Thousand Oaks

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Given the current climate of the NHL, suppose it gave its Lady Byng (sportsmanship award) and nobody came?

Bob Jackson

Simi Valley

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If last week’s letter-writer had a beef with Kings analyst Jim Fox, here’s why I haven’t watched a Ducks game for several years.

Analyst Brian Hayward acts as if he invented the game.

Brian, Ducks players actually do commit penalties. Referees actually do make the correct calls. And, opposing players mostly use their skills to score goals.

Please, Brian, take it down about 60%.

Jeff Prescott

La Jolla

A wish come true

Nothing in Bill Dwyre’s glowing profile on Rafael Nadal came as any surprise to those of us here at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. Last week, out of the spotlight at Indian Wells, the world’s No. 1-ranked player granted the wish of 15-year-old Joshua Kim of La Cañada, who is bravely battling hemophilia. He generously spent time with the family over two days, hit balls with Joshua after a grueling 90-minute workout, autographed everything in sight and playfully posed for every photo.

With so much negativity in the world of sports, Rafael Nadal is one of hundreds of athletes who willingly give of themselves to fulfill the wish of a child suffering a life-threatening medical condition.

Steven Vanderpool

VP and Chief Communications Officer

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles

Helping the NFL

Is it just me, or is the solution to the NFL’s problem(s) too obvious? What is the narrow mind-set that the quarterback or any player has to play every single game? If a baseball team had only one pitcher, then what? The NFL could have more than the 18 games the owners want, they could have 20 or 22 maybe, if they just had a rule that no individual player could play more than 16 games in the regular season.

This could help protect players from playing after a concussion or other injury, and it might make the season more interesting because it would add an extra dimension to coaching strategy, by selecting who will play in different team matchups. Everybody wins, even the fans because there would be more games. Hello?

Christopher Kalmen

Los Angeles

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As we watch the NFL and the players’ union argue about how to divide a billion-dollar-plus pie, why are the NFL teams begging the taxpayers of cities around the country to build new stadiums for them? Why can’t the NFL build their own facilities, like any other business? Just wondering.

David Fairbank

Coronado

Dear Donald

Finally, an honest owner in sports, and it’s our own Donald Sterling.

Under oath at the Elgin Baylor lawsuit, he testified, “I don’t profess to know anything about basketball.”

Alan Matis

Sherman Oaks

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