What a marvelous sports week

The Rams score a touchdown, the Raiders have a winning record and Vinny rocks Bette Midler. Now, if our Dodgers can win the World Series, we will have truly once again witnessed the year of the improbable, where the impossible has happened. Marty Zweben Palos Verdes Estates

Trojans tumble, Bruins bumble

Every year I read about USC signing one of the top recruiting classes in the country. If you have great players and they continually underperform, the blame falls on the coaching staff and especially the head coach. Ted Tollner has returned to USC, but his name is now Clay Helton. Jack Dietz Los Angeles

Jim Mora has tried coaching in the pros and in college. He’s on course for his next likely destination: high school. Wes Wellman Santa Monica

There is a famous quote that Dean Smith was the only person who could stop Michael Jordan. Similarly, Jim Mora is the only one who can stop Josh Rosen.

Clay Helton must be thanking his lucky stars Mora is in town to deflect his well-deserved hot seat. Mark S. Roth Los Angeles

The westernmost in quality

Thanks for the great Scully section, but did you have to pull at heart strings on every page? Dang it, I even cried at the Farmer John ad. John Thompson Downey

It has been said that baseball is a metaphor for life — the hope of spring, the dog days of summer , the triumph of fall, and too often the cold defeat of winter.

Like many Dodgers fans, I have immersed myself in nostalgia the past few weeks reading, listening, and viewing everything I could about Vin Scully. And like many, I’m sure, I yearn to preserve that magical connection he has with me, all the while knowing it is a fleeting thing and will soon be no more.

I will long cherish the memories of the happy times that came to life against the backdrop of his play-by-play. Although unthinkable at the moment, in time those memories will fade, but they’ll never be forgotten. His perfect synthesis of words and voice shall remain timeless — like the cycle of life. Like baseball.

Thank you, Vin. Thank you for everything. Tim Stapel Rancho Palos Verdes

The high regard in which Vin Scully is held is not simply attributable to his competence and longevity, but to his essential decency. It’s what also drew us to John Wooden over all those years. This also says something about us, about what we really value in people. Perhaps we should set that standard for our politics as well — that we promote those who are driven to act out of their own essential decency rather than those who merely distinguish themselves in the adversarial milieu. Siegfried Othmer Woodland Hills

Two and two to Vin Scully. One strike away. Father Time into his windup. Here’s the pitch. Swung on and … It’s a high fly ball into deep right field and he is…

As Scully rounds third base in our hearts and memories…

Innnn comes the redhaired boy who once hit bottlecaps in the streets of New York and listened to the radio and dreamed of becoming part of the game. Innnn comes the red-haired man with a voice smooth as velvet, strong as oak, who is definitively the best at his craft that ever was, that is now, and ever will be, in any sport.

Heeere comes an honorable man loved and revered by millions.

As he touches home plate, looks up, and gives a final wave to the cheering crowd, we all wave back and bid you, our friend, Vin Scully, a very pleasant rest of your life. Richard Matson Hermosa Beach

If I could sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with any Dodgers great, my first choice would be, of course, Jackie Robinson. My second choice would be Vin Scully.

Nobody else even comes close to those two. Michael Henderson Huntington Beach

I know, I know, there’s no crying in baseball.

But with Vinny’s farewell and Jose’s passing, it’s been difficult not to. Richard Agata Culver City

That’s fair, eh?

If the NHL would like to level out the playing field for the World Cup of Hockey so that someone other than Canada wins the championship, they might want to consider forcing Canada to be coached by John Tortorella. Ryan Madden Huntington Beach

Give it a rest

This is the time of year when baseball fans are treated to one of the sport’s grandest traditions: the boisterous champagne celebration for winning ... the wild-card berth? Bennett Beebe Westwood

The King is gone

Simply put, how refreshing it is to have had an Arnold Palmer. Gino Cirignano Playa del Rey

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