Golden oldies should be atop the Dodgers’ playlist
The Dodgers need a right-handed power hitter with some power. How about free agent Justin Turner? He hits for average and power. Can play 3B, 1B or DH if needed. He’s popular with the fans and is from SoCal!
Clayton Kershaw should be signed by the Dodgers, ASAP. He is this generation’s Sandy Koufax; a hallof-fame pitcher who is a Dodger for life. He is still a great pitcher. Kershaw was 13-5 and pitched 131 innings. Glasnow was 10-7 and pitched 120 innings. Sign Clayton NOW!
To all the people sending letters to the L.A. Times Sports section criticizing the Dodgers for signing [Shohei] Ohtani and [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto … we should be thankful that our team has ownership that wants to win and the resources to make it happen. Thank you, Dodgers. See you at Camelback Ranch and Chavez Ravine.
Cheers for Moss, jeers for Williams
Break out the suds. It’s “Miller Time” at USC. The Trojans new quarterback has given the ’SC faithful a reason to celebrate this year.
I am furious that Caleb Williams is at the Holiday Bowl. He shouldn’t be allowed in the stadium and [coach Lincoln] Riley allows him on the sidelines. He deserted the team. College football players have no loyalty to their teams anymore for purely monetary reasons.
OK, both are mediocre
I wasn’t totally surprised that some letters published last week were criticizing UCLA’s Mick Cronin, one even saying he should start interviewing for another job. Yes, the team is struggling with eight freshmen and three sophomores on the roster. My main question is why does the coach across town get a pass? With the top recruit in the country and a preseason top-20 ranking, Andy Enfield and USC have a 6-5 record and are receiving zero votes in the polls. In his first four full years at UCLA, Cronin has been in the NCAA tournament every year including a Final Four and two Sweet Sixteens and last year won the Pac-12 conference by four games. In his 10 years, Enfield has been in the tournament only five times, lost in the first round three times and has never won a conference title.I’m glad USC basketball fans settle for mediocrity.
Stop beating a dead horse
“California horse racing is at a crossroads. Can it survive?” Why should it? So, people can gamble? I hope it does not depend on the public purse. I have no problem: people like what they like. That’s fine, but it is very much a niche sport, as the glamour has mostly faded. Unfortunately, it cannot temporarily conscript public roads as the also fading auto racing industry can do. I don’t think many people will mourn its passing or even notice. Sorry.
To bowl or not to bowl
With star athletes opting out of bowl games to prepare for the NFL or to place themselves within the transfer portal, the rankings on which bowl assignments are based have become almost meaningless. What were ridiculous bowl games (Famous Toastery or PopTarts Bowl, anyone?) are now the refuge of the desperate. Is it too much to hope that, with the advent of the 12-team playoff — where participation could actually matter — the other bowl games fade into the obscurity they deserve?
I see a number of players aren’t playing in their team’s bowl games because they entered the transfer portal or didn’t want to take the chance of being injured prior to the NFL draft. This obviously leaves their teams using second-string/backup players in their stead.
As it appears (obvious) the major college sports of football and basketball are rapidly becoming (if they aren’t already) professionalized as minor league teams for the professional leagues, how about treating the players as such.
To wit, have them enter into contracts with the college they sign up with that includes a clause(s) covering their playing in late-season and bowl games. These contracts would include penalties for choosing not to participate such as denial of the ability to transfer/monetary penalties for skipping out prior to the draft, said monetary penalties based on a percentage of the contract they sign with the professional team. This would at least compensate the schools for the “scholarship” monies paid to the athlete and/or monies earned by the athlete while attending the school.