Giving NBA players the needle
LeBron James has finally taken his COVID-19 vaccination. We don’t know why it took him so long because he never wanted to talk about it. He said he did it after doing his research and it would be good for his family and himself. I have another possibility. The NBA season begins this week, and if LeBron gets the nasty virus and won’t play, it will cost him a big chunk from his $40-million salary, and he certainly wouldn’t look like a team leader. Just a thought.
Ralph S. Brax Lancaster
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When LeBron James says, “It’s not my job to tell fans to get vaxxed,” it is disappointing beyond words.
Current endorsement partners help James earn more than $100 million annually. LeBron, you have these endorsement deals because people listen to you. You know people listen to you and these companies know people listen to you or they wouldn’t pay you all that money.
It is not a personal choice to wear a seat belt, drive drunk, wear a motorcycle helmet, drive without insurance, spit on someone who angers you, and on and on and on.
Without the vaccine, your stadiums would be empty, and if empty stadiums continued, do you think your outrageous salary would continue?
If you have the power to sway one person, that in turns saves one person’s life, isn’t that reason enough to encourage vaccinations? George Sagadencky
Encino
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Bill Plaschke, in his infinite wisdom, has decided that the Lakers, by getting all players vaccinated, are the role models for the rest of society. Dr. Plaschke says the team is not going to allow “unfounded fears and selfish priorities” affect them. Never mind that many in the medical profession have been hesitant to get the shots. For religious reasons, people are declining the shots. This is not about politics, Bill. It is about personal choice.
Bert Bergen La Cañada Flintridge
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NBA players like Kyrie Irving and Kyle Kuzma are not willing to answer the question on whether they are vaccinated because it is personal privacy. Let me clear this up and translate for them. It means neither player is vaccinated and don’t question me about it. Matthew Kerster
Gardena
Revisiting Ravine
That Gustavo Arellano story about “Don’t Call it Chavez Ravine” was terrific. I learned a lot, and the black-and-white photos I’d never seen before were so stark. Thanks so much for running the column. Henry Rosenfeld
Santa Monica
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In 1949, the federal Housing Act was created to provide funding to cities for public housing projects. In 1950, the Los Angeles Housing Authority authorized a housing project in Chavez Ravine and residents were notified that their dwellings would be appraised and receive compensation, with priority rights to the new “Elysian Park Heights” units. By 1952, 99% of the residents accepted and relocated, and those who refused remained on their properties not paying property taxes. The land lay dormant for seven years. In 1953, for political reasons, the housing project failed and the few remaining residents refused to leave. In 1957, the city introduced Chavez Ravine to the Dodgers and, in 1959, after repeatedly being told to vacate, the last handful had to leave to clear the land for construction of Dodger Stadium. It was the public housing project long before then that resulted in the relocation of the residents, not the Dodgers. These are the facts.
Brent Shyer Executive Producer walteromalley.com Los Angeles
Fall of Angels
I wonder if Joe Maddon and Perry Minasian realized the mess they inherited from Billy Eppler and company (Arte Moreno included). The seventh-highest payroll in baseball, yet 46% of it is tied up in three players (Trout, Rendon and Upton). And that didn’t even include Pujols. The team has had four GMs in 10 years. That’s not a formula for success.
Bob Kargenian Yorba Linda
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The Angels are, yet again, on the verge of ending another dismal season and could be in danger of losing Shohei Ohtani’s talent and possibly even that of Mike Trout. And who could blame either one for seeking a trade to a contending team? What the Angels desperately need isn’t so much better pitching, hitting or fielding as it is a new owner. The glaring mistakes of Arte Moreno ever since he bought the team are only likely to continue unless the team is sold. Do the fans a big favor, Arte, and put the Angels on the block so that a capable owner can put the team back on the track it’s been derailed from for nearly 20 years.
Tom Stapleton
Glendale
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Thank you Jack Harris for the wonderful article on Angels center fielder Brandon Marsh. The Halos’ future looks bright for next season with the return of Mike Trout, Shohei Otanhi and Marsh. His mother was relaxing on the beach in Georgia when she learned Brandon would be debuting in the majors. She flew directly to Anaheim with his late father’s ashes to witness his major league debut. This is the stuff movies are made of.
Patrick Kelley Los Angeles
No defense for USC
Ryan Kartje’s obsession with the quarterbacks and the new coach has blinded him to USC’s major deficiency: DEFENSE. No mention of the pathetic defenders in his story about the Oregon State game in which the Beavers manhandled Todd Orlando’s defense, accumulating 535 total yards and 45 points. Pete Carroll must be aghast. Richard Jewell
Los Feliz
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