Losing Phil, they’ve had their fill
Lakers’ ownership announces they’ve signed Kobe to a max contract without knowing the status of his health, Phil announces he’s signing with the Knicks, and Webster’s dictionary announces they’re putting a picture of Jim next to the word “Blunderbuss.”
Jerry Leibowitz
Culver City
::
You could put Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Jerry West in the Lakers’ front office and they still wouldn’t be able to surround the aging $24-million-per-year Kobe Bryant with enough talent to resurrect the Lakers in one or two years because there isn’t enough room left under the salary cap. Bryant will just have to endure his frustration over the Lakers losing all the way to the bank.
Gerry Swider Sherman Oaks ::
Just as no one reasonably expects Magic’s son to be as great as he was on the court, we’re kidding ourselves to think that just because his father was arguably one of the greatest pro sports owners ever, the rest of the Buss family can fill his shoes. While we can all hope that the kids will put the team and their fans ahead of their own egos and wishes, it’s hard to believe they will suddenly put anything, least of all fans, ahead of their own agendas.
RIP, Dr. Buss.
Jeff Heister
Chatsworth
::
Nice to see that Kobe has once again donned his general manager cap and issued a veiled ultimatum to the Buss family. Where was that critical eye when he let the Lakers sign an aging, injury-prone superstar to nearly $50 million for two years?
Jon Hastings San Luis Obispo
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Pencil me in as one of the few fans that think Jim Buss is making the right decision when it comes to Phil Jackson.
Who would turn over their billion-dollar company that you were groomed to run for the last 10 years to someone with zero experience in that area? There is no guarantee that Phil will be a great executive. Phil would probably suck up all the air in the room and subsequently chase off Mitch Kupchak. (Remember he alienated Jerry West from the Lakers). Why would Jim want to take the
blame if Phil fails, which is inevitable? And finally, we all agree that Jerry Buss was almost flawless in his decision making, so why don’t we trust his decision to assign Jim the responsibility of running the Lakers?
Willis Barton
Los Angeles
:: Bill Plaschke has it all wrong. The Lakers don’t need Phil Jackson back. At some point, the Lakers have to show that they can exist without crying back to Jackson every time there’s a problem. Without a doubt, D’Antoni needs to go the way of the Edsel, but there must be at least one other coach in the world not named Jackson that can coach this team. If not, we’ll have to change our name to the Los Angeles Jacksons.
Craig P. Fagan
San Diego
::
I was amused by Bill Plaschke’s comment that the Lakers have been in “slow decay” since Jerry Buss’ death. Dr. Buss passed away 13 months ago. The Lakers are in last place. What does fast decay look like?
David Gold
Ventura
:: So the hugely dysfunctional Knicks want Phil Jackson as team president and Bill Plaschke thinks they’re on to something. Maybe. After all, they’re the franchise that hired and backed Isiah Thomas through his missteps; the team that overpaid an aging and injured Amare Stoudemire; the team that traded away all their talent for Carmelo Anthony; and the team that squandered Jeremy Lin’s magic for nothing. Phil Jackson’s very presence is going to turn that around? Based on what? That he’s a genius getting superstar egomaniacs to win championships
together? Bill, you’re thinking with your heart again.
Frank Shapiro
Chatsworth
::
The Knicks disappeared from the championship map so long ago that Phil is going to have them run the Bermuda Triangle.
George Sands
Torrance
::
It’s hard to blame Kobe for making the cash grab, but he can’t then turn around and blame the team for not spending money on Phil or anyone else. Kobe has shown, as always, it’s win at all costs, as long as it doesn’t cost him any dough.
Allan Kandel
Los Angeles
::
Before Jim Buss leaves, I’m sure hoping we can get a good look at what is under his ever-present cap.
Jim B. Parsons
Carpinteria Feeling Blue
I saw the Dodgers in the Coliseum where banjohitting Wally Moon hit pop fly home runs over the left field fence. I saw Frank Howard hit a grand slam that still orbits the Earth today. I saw Sandy Koufax strike out batter after batter. I heard the stadium chant, “Go! Go! Go!” when Maury Wills reached first base. I saw Tommy John, the Bulldog and Gibson.
Alas, I will never see Clayton Kershaw challenge Koufax’s records. I will never see Yasiel Puig mature and become a superstar. The Grinch has stolen baseball. L.A.’s most beloved athlete, the ringmaster of Showtime, the one they call Magic, has sold us out to Time Warner Cable. There is no joy in Mudville today.
Paul Moser III
Studio City
:: Abbott and Costello have been honored by the baseball Hall of Fame and Dr. Jobe hasn’t? What’s wrong with that picture?
Dennis Fragale
Burbank
::
When chronicling the career of the late Dr. Frank Jobe, The Times should have held the picture of Eric Gagne until the guy who invented PEDs passes away.
Paul Ollen
Lakewood
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