Big game deserves a smaller stage
I went to the NCAA championship game to watch officials blow whistles, and a poorly played basketball game broke out. I am sure all the other 66 teams in the tournament felt they could have beaten North Carolina or Gonzaga that day Sophie Perry
Los Angeles
Let’s face it, that was a lousy NCAA championship game. Granted it was a close lousy game, but still lousy. Gone are the days of the game being played before 20,000 spectators. Instead, now it’s 60,000 or more. Because of TV money, players are made to play in football stadiums with no backdrop, probably for their first time in their lives. I suggest that next year they should have the marching bands perform at halftime. Richard Katz
Los Angeles
Are you sure those weren’t Pac-12 refs officiating the North CarolinaGonzaga championship game the other night? Stephen Mazmanian
Redondo Beach
The Times’ coverage of the monumental upset of the UConn women’s basketball team by Mississippi State demonstrates yet again the pervasive gender bias against women’s athletics. Arguably, the article belonged on page A1 of Saturday’s Times. At a minimum, it should have been the lead headline above the fold in the Sports section instead of being relegated to the bottom of page D1. There was no bigger story in sports that day than this amazing and uplifting game. George Legg
Rolling Hills Estates
I dare say that if a men’s team had broken an 111game winning streak, it would have captured the entire front page. I expect far more from the L.A. Times. Loretta Redd
Santa Barbara
Who won? Not fans
Ah, it was the perfect opening day, except that most Angelenos couldn’t watch it due to the need for the Dodgers owners and the broadcast companies to put the fans last in their pursuit of the last dollar of profit from their dealings. Roger Schwarz
Los Angeles
Once again the Dodgers showed no love for any of their fans. Opening day was shown nationally on ESPN but blacked out in the L.A. market. It could have been worked out to allow ESPN to show just this game on a special day in L.A. The Dodgers should be ashamed. Oh well, another year without TV. Pretty soon a majority of the fans will go on with their lives and the Dodgers will take a back seat to the other sports teams in L.A. Michael Lewis
Torrance
Vin Scully said he did chores instead of watching the Dodgers game on opening day. I can only imagine what was going through his mind. In years past on opening day, it would have been, “It’s time for Dodger baseball !” This year? “It’s time for washing the car !” That might have been followed by, “A very pleasant good afternoon, wherever you may be, as I now sit down to pay my electric bill.”
I have no doubt that he could even make describing chores magical.
We miss you, Vinny. Jon White
Monrovia
View from the couch This just in: A man watching an old old tape on his VCR discovered that Jack Nicklaus’ ball oscillated on the 15th hole on the back nine Sunday at Augusta in 1986, and the Masters officials felt they had no choice but to disqualify the Golden Bear, thus giving the championship to Tom Kite and Greg Norman, who are now declared co-winners. Marty Foster
Ventura
Wow, Scrooge and the Grinch showed up at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage last Sunday and stole the winner’s trophy from Lexi Thompson. Evidently integrity, common sense and timeliness aren’t in the LPGA’s dictionary.
Thompson showed more character, class, courage, and dignity than I have seen in a lifetime watching sports. Frank Tierheimer
Cerritos
Who allows an unnamed couch potato (with immaculate vision and unknown motives) to influence the outcome of a major sporting event? Absurd! Professional golf has forfeited its right to lecture me on the integrity of the game. Mike Hoff
Long Beach
Just lose, babies
As a 20-plus-year Lakers season-ticket holder, I cannot support the recent “streak” of meaningless and myopic victories. There’s little comfort in seeing this motley crew of castoffs develop — they are playing for the names on the back of their jerseys, hoping some team will sign them next year.
We fans have to deal with the long-term damage to the name on the front of the jersey if we keep winning literally pointless games. Consider the absurdity that while we might discover a serviceable backup point guard, it very well may come at the cost of losing a franchise point guard for the next decade plus. David T. Ho
South Pasadena
What’s goal here?
Dean Lombardi must think the way to cure an anemic offense is to trade for a backup goalie. The Kings’ absurd trade for Ben Bishop is the culmination of three years of horrible trades and useless freeagent signings. Any tweaking of the Kings’ roster should start with a new general manager. Scott Maiman
Agoura Hills
Young man’s game?
New Chargers coach Anthony Lynn publicly calls his team’s star quarterback Phillip Rivers, age 35, “long in the tooth.” Either he’s really smart or incredibly dumb. Trying to decide, consider how Patriots coach Bill Belichick might describe his own field leader, who, incidentally, is 39. Konrad Moore
Bakersfield
Blindsided
Godspeed to Tony Romo on his transition from the field to booth. I only hope he doesn’t separate his shoulder trying to adjust his microphone. Tracy Leming Young
Burbank
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