SWEAT AND TOIL
Chargers move to L.A.
It’s a move that’s still being debated. But believing their options for a new stadium were gone in San Diego, the NFL’s Chargers announced they were moving to Los Angeles and will eventually share the new stadium in Inglewood with the Rams. It hasn’t been pretty, though. Interest in the team has been low, and even the temporary stadium at StubHub Center has had trouble filling its 27,000 seats. But there is a cure, and that’s to win more games.
Lakers turmoil
The Lakers have not looked very good the last few seasons. The once-famous franchise seemed in tatters and the fans were restless. It fell on the shoulders of Jeanie Buss, who was in charge as her brother Jim was handling basketball operations. Then he wasn’t. In February, Jeanie fired Jim and longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak and brought back a legend. Magic Johnson was introduced as the new head of basketball operations and Rob Pelinka, Kobe Bryant’s former agent, as the general manager.
L.A. gets Olympics
Los Angeles’ journey to being awarded the Olympic Games for a third time was very much a roller-coaster ride. First Boston was given the U.S. bid, but the city backed out. L.A. was there but then had to go up against a very strong Paris bid for the 2024 Games. Fearing it would get nothing, L.A. cut a deal with the International Olympic Committee to get the 2028 Games, which were awarded in September. So the 11-year wait begins.
NFL protests
President Trump said in September that NFL owners should fire players who sit or take a knee during the national anthem, in reaction to a movement started by Colin Kaepernick. What followed was a weekendplus of protests by players, coaches and some owners to show their solidarity against the attack on the NFL. The issue was rather minor until it was escalated by the president. Things have quieted as the league contemplates keeping teams in the locker room during the national anthem.
FBI basketball sting
This story will probably be bigger in 2018, but when the FBI charged 10 assistant basketball coaches, including USC’s Tony Bland, in an investigation of fraud and corruption in college basketball, the sport was rocked. The FBI is looking into the unsavory way some players are acquired and shopped. Among the first major casualties was legendary Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who was fired without being charged.
Dodgers reach Game 7
It was a story 29 years in the making. The Dodgers returned to the World Series for the first time since 1988. What transpired was one of the wildest, most exciting World Series in history. However, the Dodgers went down in seven games, losing the last 5-1 to the Houston Astros. It was an unsatisfying ending to a season in which the Dodgers won 104 games, the most in baseball. It also saw Cody Bellinger hit a rookie record 39 regular-season home runs.
UCLA football
A couple years ago, Jim Mora owned this town after turning around the fortunes of the UCLA football team. After losing to USC, 28-23, in November, he was fired on his birthday. The search for his replacement was swift as UCLA proved more attractive than Florida to Chip Kelly, a great college coach at Oregon but unsuccessful in the NFL. The UCLA offer — $23.3 million over five years — did the trick.