Professional
and college sports disappoint L.A.
fans
Mario Burciaga
It
has definitely been a very disappointing
year for Los Angles sports fans, and
it’s all because of the three major
professional sports, including college.
Sport after sport, Los Angeles teams have been outplayed, surpassed and outshined,
despite the cheering and loyal fans, so what will help stop the bleeding?
Of course the Los Angeles Clippers are enjoying some success, but that will
be cut short by the Phoenix Suns in the semifinals.
Giving the cross-town-rivals some slack, they will probably get beaten in a
five-game series, as the media covers the event: “Eclipse Overshadowed
by Suns.”
First, it must be understood the Clippers will always be the black sheep of
Los Angeles sports. J.A. Adande of the Los Angeles Times said it best: “People
in Los Angeles rather talk about what’s wrong with the Lakers than what’s
good with the Clippers. It’s even hard to admit it but I think the NBA
Finals will play out like last year’s; now that’s disappointing.” Most
Laker fans are still shocked at the outcome of the season, but still would
not dare root for the hated Clippers. Laker fans should come out of depression
just in time for the MLB All-Star game.
From the pros to the lows; college basketball was somewhat similar to the NBA
during the regular season. With similar success, including a shattered Cinderella
story, the UCLA Bruins were turned down in the Big Dance by the Florida Gators
as newspaper headlines carried the message of the Florida success: “Gator
Done.”
Rounding out the college disappointments in L.A. was football. The Bruins didn’t
show up and the USC Trojans got their lunch stolen by Vince Young and the Texas
Longhorns. Young single-handedly picked apart the coveted Trojan team which
probably set the stage for double the disappointment.
In the NFL Draft last April, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, both USC products,
were disappointedly chosen as the No. 2 and No. 10 overall selections, respectively.
Even though both players were projected to go as No. 1 and No. 2, they’re
considered a steal by the New Orleans Saints and the Arizona Cardinals.
Also, in desperate need of a steal is the city of L.A., as city officials and
NFL administrators continue to lobby the possibility of a franchise. Just because
Los Angeles doesn’t have a professional football team doesn’t mean
it is off the hook; the fact that LA doesn’t have a team is even more
disappointing because you can’t point fingers, criticize, or even complain
about long established failure or a poor season.
College baseball on the other had its ups and downs but nevertheless is also
disappointing. The Trojans, Bruins and the Dirtbags are not even ranked nationally
by Baseball Americas Top 25. The Dirtbags started the season with a kick and
suddenly dropped and have just started to remerge, winning their last three
games and topping off at (26-20-1). The Cal State
Fullerton Titans have been playing at the top of their game with a record of
35-12 and 12-3 in the Big West conference. They are ranked No.4 by Baseball
America
With all of L.A. disappointments at hand, it can be said—at least this
year—that L.A. fate is in the hands of the L.A. Dodgers and the L.A.
Angels of Anaheim.
It is professional baseball that will revitalize the already forgotten successful
sports atmosphere of the early millennium.
It’s so not just because baseball is the only hope, but because of the
poor economic structure outlining the predetermined playoff bracket set in
place by high revenue teams.
Oversimplifying the prediction, with the use of team salaries and knowledge
of generally scouted talent, it is obvious the MLB playoff bracket will benefit
the most financially equipped teams—again.
The American League bracket will be as follows: East, Boston Red Sox, $120
million; Central, Chicago White Sox, $102 million;—West, Los Angeles
Angels, $103 million; and Wild Card, New York Yankees, $194 million.
The National League bracket will be as follows: East. New York Mets, $101 million;
Central, St. Louis Cardinals, $88 million; West, Los Angeles Dodgers, $98 million;
and Wild Card, Houston Astros, $92 million.
Like most Major League teams, the Dodgers spent the off-season trying to improve
their roster by acquiring talented players, but unlike the other teams in the
NL West, they spent the big bucks. The Dodgers committed themselves to close
out gaps by signing proven veterans to short-term contracts.
Though the proven veterans look good on paper, they have not proven anything
on the field this year. To this day, the Dodgers remain a disappointing one
game under .500 at 16-17. With lopsided losses early in the season, and a spark
every now and then, you never know what you’re going to get—except
on most Mondays and Thursdays — MLB’s regularly scheduled days
off.
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