Letters to Sports: The madness of March to the sadness of Dodgers’ moves

I believe Mick Cronin is an excellent coach. UCLA has carried out effectively below him. However can he clarify what his offense is? 4 gamers stand round whereas one participant goes one-on-one. Nobody chopping to the basket, no give-and-go and no pick-and-roll. This happens regularly and is the toughest approach to rating.

The group may do a lot better on offense with a plan that features technique apart from standing round.

Glenn Hodding
Lengthy Seashore

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There are such a lot of issues to love about what coach Cronin has delivered to UCLA basketball. That mentioned, there’s one factor he should cease: The routine trashing of his gamers after losses and even shut wins in his postgame interviews. Dropping to a really gifted Arizona group introduced no disgrace to his gamers and but his focus was on their supposed lack of toughness, unhealthy choices and what “they” needed to study. His first response after beating USC final week was how upset he was that “his gamers” let SC make it shut on the finish. He affords little concerning the risk it was his choice making, rotations, or offensive/defensive units that had been accountable. Extra to the purpose is that coach Picket very hardly ever, if ever, publicly uttered such criticisms of his gamers. The previous saying “reward publicly/criticize privately” has nice worth.

Rick Barton
Encinitas

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Turnovers in sports activities are extra instances than not prompted as a consequence of vanity and disrespect. The USC basketball group must respect their opponents and play prefer it. They can’t simply present up and really feel the scoreboard cares who has extra expertise. Eighteen turnovers from a group with that a lot expertise, they deserved to take their egos and disrespect with them and go house and let groups with respect and fewer expertise preserve enjoying

Flora Taylor
Los Angeles

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Now that USC’s basketball season is over what does coach Andy Enfield do for an encore? He employed the Mobley brothers’ father as assistant coach to get the sons to play for him. Now that they’re each gone, who’s the following Enfield rent? He acquired a pleasant large contract however his recruitment strategies are suspect. Shouldn’t count on an excessive amount of sooner or later from Enfield and USC.

Bernard Kovach
Harbor Metropolis

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Absolutely I need to’ve missed the article in your superb newspaper, so please reveal precisely when did the NCAA event choice committee grow to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Massive Ten Convention?

Blaise Jackson
Escondido

What’s the deal?

That is the saddest I’ve ever been a couple of large Dodgers acquisition.

I’m in awe of Freddie Freeman’s expertise and I’m certain he’ll be price each penny the Dodgers pay him, however Freeman leaving the Braves is like Kershaw leaving the Dodgers.

It’s simply not proper.

John Amato
Sherman Oaks

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Don’t a lot care concerning the Freddie Freeman acquisition, nevertheless I’m sorely upset with the Kenley Jansen deportation.

Al Harvey
Ventura

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Wow! The Dodgers signal Freeman for $162 million and the Angels signal Matt Duffy for $1 million. What a distinction in organizations. The Dodgers attempt to win yearly whereas the Angels attempt to generate profits. I’m a Mike Trout fan however he made the most important mistake of his profession re-signing with the Angels — except he’s additionally in it for the cash and never the ring. It will get more durable and more durable to be an Angel fan when Mr. Moreno solely cares about creating wealth. Spend some cash just like the Dodgers and also you too could get to play in October. Strive it, it’s possible you’ll prefer it.

Bob Sands
La Habra

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The acquisition of Freddie Freeman by the Dodgers is trigger for celebration in my family. Sadly, because the Angels have confirmed for many years, a group can’t outhit weak pitching.

Ron Yukelson
San Luis Obispo

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Anyone see a sample right here? Dodgers lose World Collection to Pink Sox, commerce for Mookie Betts; Dodgers lose in playoffs to Nationals, commerce for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner; Dodgers lose in playoffs to Braves, signal Freddie Freeman. Andrew Friedman evidently subscribes to Yankees GM Brian Cashman’s philosophy: For those who can’t beat ‘em, purchase ‘em!

Mark S. Roth
Los Angeles

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Corey who?!?

Steve Tye
Diamond Bar

Lakers lore

The Lakers performed the Phoenix Suns final Sunday. The Suns performed like knowledgeable organized machine, an energized, quick, coordinated, well-coached group.

The Lakers performed like they drove by some L.A. parks, picked up a few guys enjoying pickup ball, LeBron anointed them NBA gamers, put them in Laker uniforms, and performed with them towards the Suns. Heartbreaking to look at.

Donald Peppars
Pomona

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The Lakers purchased 4 of the highest 75 NBA gamers of all time, however are nonetheless below .500?

Jerry Moore
Los Angeles

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I all the time have fun when the media pundits counsel the Lakers have a “puncher’s probability” of successful the NBA title as soon as they get into the play-in event. Cease it. The one probability the Lakers have of successful a championship is that if they work out a approach to get into the NCAA event. Even then I doubt they’d make the Candy 16.

Scott Zimber
Lakewood

No crying in baseball?

My takeaway from the article about Jason Gill and the USC baseball program was one other instance of entitled crybabies and their overbearing mother and father making an attempt to intimidate a brand new coach.

Who cares what occurred 2-3 years in the past? Nobody! It’s 2022 and coach Gill and the Trojans are successful. ‘Nuff mentioned.

Claudia Buckle
Lengthy Seashore

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The article “Dynasty to Dysfunction” appeared like a number of gamers with unhealthy attitudes, poor work ethic and lesser expertise are not being tolerated at USC. That’s what occurs when a program wants a turnaround — coach Enfield made the fitting modifications, coach Gill is doing it and coach Lincoln Riley is cleansing home. Change isn’t straightforward, however clearly USC athletics is dedicated to excellence.

Aaron Horvath
Ladera Ranch

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Your current article concerning the USC baseball program and its new coach appeared extra centered on taking petty pictures at a good coach with a extremely profitable observe file than it did on telling an attention-grabbing story. The Instances centered on weak complaints from a number of entitled people, the identical people who had been chargeable for the continued failure of this system. When turning round a failed sports activities program, change is inevitable if success is to be achieved and that change is uncomfortable and creates unhappiness. Complaints will comply with. The absence of complaints would have been a much bigger story than the one which was printed.

Joe Phillips
Santa Ana

Robust topic

The Stadium Court docket at Indian Wells seats 16,100 for tennis. If one individual yelling one heckling remark at Naomi Osaka (no swear phrase, no racial slur, no sexist remark) makes her burst into tears and lose her match, I’d supply that professional sports activities isn’t any place for somebody this delicate. I hope she will be able to work by way of it, however this appears to be an ongoing situation for her.

Steve Briseno
Mission Viejo

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I’m outraged that athletes must endure heckling, particularly younger ones. I’m referring to Naomi Osaka being informed “You suck!” by a spectator within the stands on the Indian Wells tennis event. The chair umpire ought to have had him ejected instantly. We’ve had our issues as effectively in Orange County the place a Black basketball participant in an Irvine recreation was insulted with racist obscenities and nobody did something for some time, not a referee, not a coach, not a principal, not a dad or mum, till lastly certainly one of his associates stopped him. Each of those situations must be handled instantly if mother and father haven’t taught their offspring the right way to behave in public.

Suzanne Darweesh
Fullerton

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For these followers who launch private insults, this must be the consequence of their actions: reduce out their tongue. No extra insults anyplace.

Bernadine Bednarz
Los Angeles

Good sports activities

I used to be in awe watching the Paralympics. The guts and accomplishments of all of the athletes was greater than inspiring. As superb because the athletes’ ability was their camaraderie, even between opponents from completely different international locations. Studying of the challenges that these athletes have confronted and overcome, regardless of all odds, was past humbling. They arrive from various backgrounds and every athlete has a singular story. My query to you, L.A. Instances, is why was there no protection of the Paralympics within the Sports activities part? To call only one instance, the U.S. males’s sled hockey group, with three Purple Coronary heart recipients, received the gold medal. Absolutely that was worthy of a point out. I’m baffled and upset by your lack of consideration.

Melissa Hornacek
Dana Level

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The sports activities part must be overlaying NCAA girls’s softball. UCLA is 22-3 and ranked No. 3 within the nation. They even have had some good video games pitched. Since it is a main sport with many Pac-12 groups concerned, softball must be lined within the sports activities part.

Diane Rivera
Buena Park

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