L.A. Sports Column*

[saiholmes]

Kobe scores 50 as L.A. defeats New Orleans
Only Wilt Chamberlain has exceeded the four-game plateau the all-star guard has reached
From the Associated Press
7:48 PM PDT, March 23, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28590521.jpg

Bryant finished with exactly 50, becoming only the second NBA player to hit that mark in four straight games and leading Los Angeles to a 111-105 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.

Bryant followed scoring totals of 65, 50 and 60 in his previous three games, all Lakers victories.

Only Wilt Chamberlain has exceeded that mark, scoring at least 50 points in seven consecutive games during the 1961-62 season.

Bryant calmly made all 16 free throws he attempted while the opposing crowd tried to rattle him with arm-waving taunts.

Tyson Chandler had 22 points and 22 rebounds for New Orleans, which trailed nearly the entire second half. Chris Paul had 28 points and 12 assists for the Hornets, playing the last of six games scheduled in New Orleans this season before a full-time return to the rebuilding city over the summer.

The Hornets had won two straight and three of four before falling to Los Angeles in a game that left New Orleans on the outside of a close race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Lamar Odom had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles, while Kwame Brown had 10 points.

Hitting everything from a long 3-pointers to off-balance fades off the glass, Bryant scored 10 points in the first three minutes of the second half during a 14-4 run that gave the Lakers the lead for good at 70-61.

His one-handed floater as he skipped across the lane gave him 39 points and Los Angeles a 78-65 lead with 5:28 still remaining in the third quarter. A half-minute later, Bryant made a 3-pointer from the corner that prompted a rumble from the hostile crowd.

Bryant gave Los Angeles its largest lead of the game when his 16-foot jumper late in the third quarter made it 87-69.

Bryant scored 27 points in the first half, shooting 9-of-17 and hitting all nine of his free throws.

But the Hornets countered with a formidable combination in Paul and Chandler. Chandler's tip-in gave him 14 points and 11 rebounds midway through the second quarter. Paul, meanwhile scored 10 of his 18 first-half points on free throws.

Paul hit four straight late in the first half, setting up the second pair with a steal at halfcourt, to cut Los Angeles' lead to 54-53. Mason followed with a fast-break layup and Marc Jackson with two free throws, giving the Hornets a 57-56 lead at halftime.

[saiholmes]

UCLA 64, PITTSBURGH 55
Bruins go to the next level
They play tough enough defense and make enough free throws to advance to West Regional matchup against Kansas.
By Diane Pucin, Times Staff Writer
March 23, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28574370.jpg

SAN JOSE — This was a grim-faced basketball game between UCLA and Pittsburgh, full of big fouls, hard screens and just a hint of hesitation about celebration.

Bruins Coach Ben Howland has nurtured Panthers Coach Jamie Dixon from Dixon's days as a player to his rise into the same job Howland used to have at Pitt. So the UCLA players exchanged their smiles surreptitiously and they kept their celebration subdued. But still, they won.

UCLA, seeded second in the NCAA West Regional, advanced to the Elite Eight for the second straight year Thursday night with a 64-55 win over third-seeded Pittsburgh.

The Bruins (29-5) will play top-seeded Kansas on Saturday for a trip to the Final Four. The Jayhawks (33-4) beat fourth-seeded Southern Illinois 61-58 at HP Pavilion.

UCLA is 4-0 against Kansas in NCAA tournament games, if anyone needs a trend.

It wasn't a comfortable victory for UCLA.

"I hope we never have to play again," Howland said afterward.

"It was a little tough," Dixon said.

The Bruins won against the Panthers with unlikely contributions from the bench and by making 23 of 26 free throws. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute missed two, though, with 2:21 left to break the rhythm, and after his clankers Pitt's Ronald Ramon and Levance Fields made three-point shots to bring the Panthers to within five points, 56-51, with 1:22 left.

But there was never the sense the Panthers (29-8) could muster enough offense. The Bruins never trailed in the game and were tied only once, 4-4.

So even though only one UCLA player made more than three baskets (Josh Shipp had four), as Alfred Aboya said, "We got just enough from everybody."

Much postgame praise went to freshman James Keefe. The 6-foot-8 forward from Santa Margarita High, a highly recruited high school All-American who has averaged about six minutes a game, played 10 in the first half. His two points might not seem like much, but they came on a confidence-boosting dunk and his active defense against seven-foot Pittsburgh center Aaron Gray was welcomed by two of his foul-plagued teammates.

"It always feels good to get a dunk," Keefe said. "It boosts your confidence."

"James was really excellent," said Mbah a Moute, who sat out the final 16:38 of the first half after he'd acquired two fouls.

"James gave us a huge game," said center Lorenzo Mata, who also had two fouls in the first eight minutes.

Sophomore Ryan Wright also had an enthusiastic three-minute stretch in the first half when he had a blocked shot. Freshman Russell Westbrook did something very rare in this methodical game by scoring a fastbreak layup in the first half.

And forward Michael Roll made a three-pointer to give UCLA a 40-31 lead, what was then the biggest margin of the game, and he also made a baseline jump shot with 53 seconds left after the Panthers had gotten to within five.

"All the guys on the bench helped a lot," said Arron Afflalo, who made only three of his 11 shots from the field but all 10 of his free throws for a game-high 17 points. "The guys off the bench were phenomenal. They brought a lot of confidence and energy to the game.

The Bruins led by six at halftime, 32-26, and by no more than 12 in the game.

The focus of UCLA's defense was Gray, who is bigger than anyone the Bruins have.

But, as Aboya noted afterward, "While he's a very big man, he is slow."

Harassed almost always by two defenders and unsure with both his hands and his footwork Gray, a senior, had only 10 points and none when the game seemed in contention.

Howland particularly praised the defense played by Mata, who is three inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than Gray.

"I thought Lorenzo was fantastic tonight," Howland said, "just in his standing up to Gray, who is just such a big body. I thought Lorenzo did a great job of changing some shots, of hedging his screens. I'm just so proud of Lorenzo."

Gray said UCLA's defensive strength and quickness didn't surprise him. "But they did a great job of forcing us out of our stuff."

This is the first time since the 1979-80 season that UCLA has gone to consecutive Elite Eights. Last season the Bruins reached the title game.

Afflalo said this win wasn't particularly notable for anything except the win. "We were very fortunate," he said.

But Aboya felt more credit was due his team. "That's some great defense we played," Aboya said. "We didn't give Gray any space. And defense is what wins."

[godblessbotox]

sports! yah...

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

What Kobe is doing right now is unbelievable, unreal. he is making so many ridiculous shots as well as carrying and willing the Lakers back into the hunt. Awesome!

[future_trance011]

What Kobe is doing right now is unbelievable, unreal. he is making so many ridiculous shots as well as carrying and willing the Lakers back into the hunt. Awesome!

^^
What's amzing is that Kobe does it with such ease and in the flow of the game, unlike guys like Gilbert Arenas who makes it a mission every night to try to score 50 but often times falls short. After Kobe dropped 65 pts. on Portland, Gilbert Arenas aka Mr. Agent Zero predicted he would drop 50 on Portland, only to be held to 4 for 16 shooting with 19 pts. He should've kept his mouth shut thinking he was anywhere near Kobe's level. Haha!

It's just totally surreal watching Kobe play at this high level and its mind-boggling that he has scored 225 pts. in the last 4 games. Most normal guys in the NBA would need to score at least 25 pts. for 9 consecutive games to equal Kobe's prolific output in only 4 games. Kobe, simply put is not human, the guy is an alien!!! LOL..There hasn't been another basketball player today that can draw MJ comparisons with the same passion, work ethic, drive to dominate like Kobe does.

I'm just happy to be a Laker fan and enjoying this wonderful ride! Go Lakers!!!

[Fern~Fern*]

:banana::banana: Go L.A. Galaxy:banana::banana:

[The Baz]

Go Avengers!

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2005/01/26/inside1-hamilton-kick.jpg

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

UCLA to the Final Four!!!! what a game. Passion, defense and clutch shooting. Afflalo was playing like he just watched all 4 of Kobe's games!

[saiholmes]

UCLA 68, Kansas 55
UCLA beats Kansas, returns to Final Four
Afflalo scores 15 of his 24 points in second half to help second-seeded Bruins topple top-seeded Jayhawks, 68-55.
By Chris Dufresne, Times Staff Writer
March 24, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28602867.jpg

SAN JOSE -- Arron Afflalo's slump is over but UCLA's season isn't.

The junior guard, who had made only 18 of 58 shots in his last five games, scored 24 points today to lead second-seeded UCLA to a 68-55 win over top-seeded Kansas at HP Pavilion to win the West Regional championship.

UCLA is headed to its 17th Final Four, next weekend in Atlanta, in search of its 12th national championship. It is the first time the Bruins have played in consecutive Final Fours since 1975 and 1976.

"We beat the best team we played all year today," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said.

The Bruins play the winner of Sunday's Florida-Oregon game next Saturday in a national semifinal game.

For UCLA, it will either be a rematch of last year's national title final or a game matching Pacific 10 Conference schools. UCLA won the Pac-10 regular-season title while Oregon won the conference tournament.

UCLA got back to the Final Four by playing tenacious defense and riding Afflalo's wave of offense.

Afflalo made 10 of his 15 shots and scored 24 points despite getting to the free-throw line only twice. He was named the region's most outstanding player.

"It really wasn't me individually," Afflalo said. "It was the whole mind-set of our entire team. . . . My team has placed a lot of trust in myself."

UCLA made 24 of its 45 shot attempts, the first team to make more than half its shots against Kansas this season. UCLA's defense also held Kansas to nearly 25 points under its season average.

"The last 25 minutes of the game, I felt like they controlled the game," Kansas Coach Bill Self said.

The Bruins played up tempo at times while milking the clock when it had to in the end. Both teams had trouble holding onto the ball. UCLA had 25 turnovers while Kansas finished with 21.

It didn't look good early for UCLA, which fell behind by six points, 29-23, in the first half. But the Bruins rallied to lead at the half, 35-31, and worked the lead to nine with 15:58 when Lorenzo Mata's follow basket off a Josh Shipp miss put the Bruins up, 42-33.

UCLA deflated Kansas in the second half with key shots at the end of the shot clock.

Afflalo, who scored 15 of his 24 points after intermission, made a leaning, three-point basket to beat the shot clock to keep UCLA ahead by nine, 49-40.

Darren Collison also made a three-pointer to beat the buzzer with 4:42 left to keep UCLA ahead, 58-50.

"That was probably the biggest shot of the game," Kansas Coach Bill Self said.

Collison, who finished with 14 points, gave UCLA a 10-point lead at 63-53 with 57 seconds left.

UCLA (30-5) is now 5-0 against Kansas (33-5) in the NCAA Tournament.

[Fern~Fern*]

^^ Way to go Bruins!!!

[saiholmes]

Kobe gone wild
Losing, embarrassment and anger provide motivation for Bryant’s amazing scoring spree.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
March 24, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28591495.jpg

The last few weeks keep getting pieced together bit by bit, the details of Kobe Bryant's abrupt transition from share-the-ball to shoot-the-ball becoming revealed a little more every day.

The chain of events began with Bryant's well-publicized second suspension by the NBA, continued with further activity by the league in an after-the-fact flagrant-foul assessment, and reached time-to-evolve status after a pair of embarrassing Lakers losses, first to the Dallas Mavericks, 108-72, and then to the Denver Nuggets, 113-86, four days later on March 15.

The flash points built up in Bryant's mind, one on top of the other, stinging reminders that the limping and lethargic Lakers were no longer the feel-good story of the NBA season.

First and foremost to him were questions about the "dirty" nature of his game, a debate that played out publicly on sports talk-radio shows and Internet chat rooms in the wake of the league penalizing him with a flagrant foul after he elbowed Philadelphia forward Kyle Korver while dribbling in a March 9 game.

Bryant seethed at the debate and the disciplinary action, which didn't carry a fine or suspension, unlike two previous one-game suspensions that cost him a combined $322,160 and negative national press.

Then came another pair of hits that cost Bryant and the Lakers in the pride department: the 36-point loss to Dallas was the worst home defeat in the team's 47-year history in Los Angeles, and the 27-point loss in Denver was marked by a late-game duel between Bryant and Denver forward Carmelo Anthony that irked the Lakers' All-Star, Coach Phil Jackson said.

Bryant and Anthony became enmeshed in a one-on-one battle long after the outcome of the game was decided, with both stars continuing to play until the final few minutes. Anthony outscored Bryant that night, 26-25, but Bryant has since overtaken him as the league's top scorer.

On top of it all, that night in Denver turned out to be the final part of a seven-game losing streak that dropped the Lakers' record to 33-32.

"There's a couple things that went into it," Jackson said Saturday. "Obviously, the Denver situation that game. We were embarrassed in a situation where we were challenging for a spot in the standings. That little tit-for-tat he got into with Anthony out there. There were some things going on out there, I think, that [he] just said, 'I'm going to use this as a motivational tool.' Plus there's some things going on off the court that I think contributed to it."

Those things would be the NBA's disciplinary action and the public discussion of whether Bryant was a dishonest player.

"You've got to try and funnel that and use that as motivation," Bryant said. "Obviously we had all the motivation we needed, losing seven games, but personally, that added a little to it."

The points are now coming so rapidly that Bryant said he didn't know when he reached the 50-point barrier Friday against New Orleans on the way to becoming only the second player in league history with four consecutive games of 50 or more points.

"I heard the crowd kind of chant a little bit on that last jumper I hit," he said. "My teammates came over and started giving me high-fives, and I asked [assistant coach] Brian Shaw, 'I hit 50 already?' "

Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA record with seven consecutive games of 50 or more points, set while he was with the Philadelphia Warriors in December 1961. Chamberlain, in fact, averaged 50.4 points that season, making Bryant's 30.8-point average this season seem minuscule.

Still, Bryant is averaging 56.3 points and shooting 54.3% in his four-game spree.

"I see everything in slow motion, like I never have before," he said. "Pretty trippy."

Of greatest importance to the Lakers, he seems as fresh as ever. He told Jackson he could play all 48 minutes against New Orleans and almost did, sitting out only 1:08.

It's a rarity to hear of such energy from a player so late in the season, but Bryant supplied a possible explanation.

"When I was a kid, I had an X-ray exam one time on my chest, and they said I had abnormally big lungs," he said without a hint of fabrication.

Tonight against Golden State, he could make it a fifth consecutive game of 50-plus points. That would leave him only two games behind Chamberlain.

Will it happen?

"I don't know. I don't care," Bryant insisted. "I call [Chamberlain] the human video game. The thing about him is, for the younger generation, when they look at Wilt and look at the numbers that he put up, it's just mind-boggling stuff. It's laughable almost. He's something else."

SUNDAY NIGHT

vs. Golden State, 6:30, FSN West

Site — Staples Center.

Radio — 570; 1330.

Records — Lakers 37-32; Warriors 33-37.

Record vs. Warriors — 3-0.

Update — The Lakers are 7-0 against the Warriors over the last two seasons. Maurice Evans (sore knee) probably won't play for the Lakers, and Smush Parker (sprained ankle) and Brian Cook (sprained ankle) are considered day-to-day. The Warriors are still in the hunt for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

[Joey313]

Lakers WIN!!!!!! :banana: :banana:
but Kobe does not score more the 50 pionts

[Fern~Fern*]

Let's go Lakers.....

[saiholmes]

Lakers 115, Warriors 113
Kobe's streak ends, but L.A.'s continues
From the Associated Press
March 25, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28619211.jpg

Kobe Bryant's 50-point streak is over. But the Los Angeles Lakers' season-high winning streak lives on.

Bryant scored 17 points in the first nine minutes Sunday night, but cooled off after that and finished with 43 in the Lakers' fifth straight victory, a 115-113 triumph over the Golden State Warriors.

Bryant had scored at least 50 points in four straight games to become the second player in NBA history with such a streak, joining the late Wilt Chamberlain.

Chamberlain scored 50 or more in a record seven straight games in December 1961. He also had a five-game streak and three four-game streaks during the 1961-62 season, when he averaged a record 50.4 points.

Lamar Odom had 24 points and 19 rebounds to match his career high, and Smush Parker scored 13 points for the Lakers (38-32), who won their fifth straight and eighth in a row over the Warriors.

[Fern~Fern*]

I see Clippers never get love!

[Elsongs]

I see Clippers never get love!

Frist-Class Los Angeles area Sports Teams:
Dodgers
Lakers
Kings
Galaxy
USC
UCLA

Second-Class Los Angeles area Sports Teams:
Angels
Clippers
Ducks
Chivas USA
The Other Colleges

[Fern~Fern*]

^^ I don't know about the Musty Ducks though???

[saiholmes]

Baseball charts new course on seating
Simple, 'one-size-fits-all' ticket pricing has become a thing of the past as teams use the Internet and other avenues with an eye on increasing revenue. The Dodgers now sell 24 categories of seats.
By Bill Shaikin, Times Staff Writer
March 27, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/thumbnails/blurb/2007-03/28633525.jpg

It used to be so simple. Walk up to the ticket window at the ballpark, buy a box seat.

Ask for a box seat these days, and you get more options than voice mail. As seating charts evolve into color-coded mazes and teams charge an assortment of prices for the same seat, some box seats are more equal than others.

The Los Angeles Dodgers sell 24 categories of seats, 11 with "box" in the name, with box prices ranging from $20 to $100 a ticket.

"It is a bit confusing," said Joe Sciuto, a Dodgers fan and the principal at Buckley High in Sherman Oaks. "The box seats used to be the field level. Now you've got seats in the second deck being called box seats."

And you might pay more for your seat than the fan seated next to you. The Dodgers sell tickets in the field box section for $20, $30, $35, $37, $40 and $45, depending on whether you buy on game day, before game day or as part of a full-season, partial-season or group ticket package.

What's the ticket price? The Dodgers offer you 104 answers in all.

From Dodger Stadium to Angel Stadium and all across the major leagues, teams have scrapped traditional pricing structures and borrowed from airlines, hotels, theaters and college sports, dividing the ballpark into an ever-increasing number of sections and charging more, much more or a lot more for the seats in greatest demand.

"It's not all about making it easier for the consumer," said Dennis Howard of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. "It's largely revenue-driven.

"If they can slice and dice their inventory and they can create rational price differentiation, you'll pay more. Teams are trying to create compelling reasons to justify charging more for tickets and driving the revenue engine."

In 1987, the Angels sold tickets for $8, $7, $5 and $3 and the Dodgers for $7, $6 and $4, with every seat on the same level at the same price.

"Whether you sat behind the backstop or you sat beyond the bases, it was one size fits all," said Robert Alvarado, the Angels' director of marketing and ticket sales. "There has been more pressure to increase revenues in creative ways."

It is no longer enough to charge more for a seat behind home plate than for one next to the foul pole. The latest round of slicing and dicing comes into full view this week, as baseball returns to Southern California with the annual Freeway Series exhibition games, at Dodger Stadium on Thursday and Friday and at Angel Stadium on Saturday.

In 2007, the Angels sell 23 categories of seats, with premium areas divided so finely that the first row sells for one price, the second row for another and the seventh row for yet another.

And, two decades after selling tickets for three prices, the Dodgers sell tickets for 83 prices, depending not only on where you sit but on when you buy your seat and whether you buy it for one game, some games or every game. If you want to take your group to the ballpark, the Dodgers offer another 21 prices, charging more for better seats and more popular games.

"You almost feel like someone is going to open up their jacket pocket and say, 'I've got a price for you,' " said Rich Sperber, a Dodgers fan and a vice president at an Anaheim home design company.

That's exactly right, teams say, so long as you substitute an authorized ticket seller for a shady-looking guy on the corner.

The best seats in the house seldom turn over, no matter how steep the annual price increase. With the unintended help of such websites as StubHub and EBay, teams have learned that the market will support prices for premium seats that previously might have been considered unimaginably high.

"It's like real estate," Alvarado said. "They're in the high-rent district."

By dividing seats into so many categories, teams can define the ones in highest demand and attach stiff price hikes. But teams also can define the seats that do not sell so well and offer discounts or package deals to fans.

"If they're looking for value, I've got value," Alvarado said. "If they're looking for seat locations, I've got seat locations."

Said Marty Greenspun, the Dodgers' chief operating officer: "We're trying to offer multiple options for our fans."

No longer do you have to decide between buying the whole season or one game at a time. The Angels, for instance, sell a 27-game package in which you pick the games you want to see and a nine-game package with a more limited selection. The Dodgers sell packages for as few as four games and as many as 62.

Although the Angels and Dodgers each sold a record number of tickets last season, Howard said 40% of major league tickets go unsold every year. Every unsold ticket also represents a lost opportunity to sell hot dogs, peanuts, beer and T-shirts.

By dividing the seating area into so many categories and analyzing demand for each one, teams can adjust prices to drive ticket sales.

The Chicago White Sox sell some seats at half-price on Mondays but slap a $4 surcharge on tickets for some summer weekends and a $14 surcharge when the Cubs come to play. The St. Louis Cardinals add $5, $10 or $20 to the ticket price on opening day, on Saturdays and for games against the Cubs.

The Colorado Rockies feature a $4 general-admission ticket, but the best seats jump from $47 to $75 when the New York Yankees visit Coors Field. The San Francisco Giants charge a base price Monday through Thursday, with increases ranging $4 to $9 on weekends and holidays and $10 to $20 for opening day and games against the Dodgers, Yankees and Oakland Athletics — except for a Dodgers series in chilly April.

And, thanks to the power of the Internet, teams can adjust prices even after the season starts, in much the same way airlines discount unsold seats at the last minute. When the Dodgers realized they had a few too many seats left for midweek games against the Pittsburgh Pirates last September, they sent a half-price offer to fans who had registered their e-mail address with the team.

"It gives us much more flexibility to make unique offers, one-time offers, time-sensitive offers," Greenspun said.

With the Internet, he said, fans need not be confused or overwhelmed by so many choices at the ticket window. By clicking onto the Dodgers or Angels website, fans can study the numerous seating categories at their leisure, check the view from any section in the ballpark and print tickets at home.

The Angels sold almost half their single-game tickets online last season, Alvarado said. The Dodgers sold one in three online, Greenspun said.

To further use the Internet to their money-making advantage, Alvarado said, league executives have encouraged teams to conduct online auctions for some premium seats.

For the Angels and Dodgers, that appears to be a pricing line they do not intend to cross any time soon. Greenspun said the Dodgers had "no plans to go that way in the near future," and Alvarado said the Angels would not disregard a listed price and open seats for bidding.

"I feel it's the wrong message," he said. "It looks like we're just trying to get as much revenue as we can get. You're not sitting there trying to do a bait and switch on people."

[saiholmes]

Bryant wilts; Lakers don't
Guard scores 'only' 43 points, ending four-game streak of 50 or more and his run at Chamberlain's record, but L.A. beats Warriors, 115-113.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
March 26, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28618518.jpg

One streak ended, another pressed forward.

Kobe Bryant's pursuit of Wilt Chamberlain was halted after he scored 43 points, but the Lakers secured their season-high fifth consecutive victory by beating the Golden State Warriors, 115-113, Sunday at Staples Center.

Bryant had scored 50 or more points in four consecutive games, three fewer than Chamberlain in December 1961.

Sunday's matchup appeared to guarantee a Bryant bonanza: Golden State is the league's worst defensive team, giving up 107 points a game, and Bryant was averaging 56.3 points and shooting 54.3% over a four-game spree.

But Bryant made 15 of 33 shots (45.5%) and had seven turnovers against the Warriors, with his four-point second quarter signaling the beginning of the end for his record-chasing pace.

Not that Bryant seemed overly disappointed to see it end.

"I think it energized us as a team and energized the city, and I think that's great," he said. "Before that, it seemed like we were kind of dead in the water in terms of energy and in terms of belief in the city in what we could do. It seemed to kind of do a 180. We're playing with a lot more energy right now."

Still, the game ended with a major exhale by the Lakers, when Golden State forward Al Harrington came up a little short on an open look at a three-point attempt at the buzzer, although replays appeared to show he didn't get the shot off in time.

The way Bryant began the game, it looked like he might top the 81 points he scored against Toronto last season. He opened the scoring with a left-handed reverse layup and already had nine points by the time the game was barely two minutes old.

With three minutes left in the quarter, Bryant stood at 17 points and the first "M-V-P" chant broke out (with assistance from a scoreboard graphic).

He became more of a pick-setter and decoy in the second quarter as the Warriors made it their sole mission to deny him the ball. He then was stuck on 22 points until converting a four-point play, drilling a three-pointer after getting fouled by Jason Richardson with 3:34 left in the third quarter.

By that time, the Lakers were well on their way to losing a 19-point lead, with fans voicing their displeasure as the Warriors took a 10-point lead.

Said one second-row fan: "Put the 'Kobe Show' back on."

It came on, eventually, Bryant scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter and Lamar Odom adding eight of his 24 points to push the Lakers to victory.

"Kobe came off his streak, had an off game," Coach Phil Jackson said. "But he was instrumental in that one."

Lost among Bryant's scoring spree was an overall bounce for the Lakers (38-32), who lead Denver by two games for sixth place in the Western Conference.

The difference between sixth and seventh isn't much — either San Antonio or Phoenix as a likely first-round playoff opponent — but the Lakers' goal is to duplicate their level of play during last year's 11-3 burst at the end of the regular season.

It should be attainable with a schedule that could hardly be called challenging. Of the Lakers' 12 remaining games, only five are against teams with winning records, not to mention the opportunity provided by a glut of home games over the next nine days, with Memphis (17-53), Houston (44-26), Sacramento (30-40) and Denver (35-33) arriving at Staples Center.

Bryant has obviously done his part to create momentum, but he understood the need for more.

"At [this] point last year, we were just playing with a lot of rhythm, and that's what we're trying to build right now," he said. "I think we're doing a pretty good job, especially considering we haven't had everybody pretty much the entire season. I think we're kind of picking up where we left off last year pretty quickly."

The Lakers will chase a sixth consecutive victory Tuesday against Memphis, the league's worst team. Maybe Bryant will start up another run at Chamberlain's record.

"I've always said he's a guy that seems to be not human," Bryant said. "The records and the things that he's accomplished and the things that he's done are beyond miraculous. For me to be in the same breath with him, even if it's a short little breath, is pretty cool."

[The Baz]

Frist-Class Los Angeles area Sports Teams:
Kings


What are their attendance and television numbers like? I don't think so.:ohno:

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

the Kings draw incredibly well for a team that loses as much. over 95% capacity for the last 7 or 8 years, and even now, with a horrible team, the Kings draw over 17,000 a game. LA Kings fans are very hardcore.

[The Baz]

I was going to say that I'd think a 20K average would be 1st tier but 17K is a lot more than I figured and is impressive.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

not to mention that Staples holds 18118 for hockey, and a few years back, the kings were filling up 99% for a couple years straight.

[Elsongs]

the Kings draw incredibly well for a team that loses as much. over 95% capacity for the last 7 or 8 years, and even now, with a horrible team, the Kings draw over 17,000 a game. LA Kings fans are very hardcore.

If you asked anyone in Southern CA and asked them to "name a local hockey team" chances are they will say the Los Angeles Kings.

The Anaheim Ducks have been the better team for the past few years, but the Kings have the history and more legendary players (Dion, Robataille, Gretzky).

[Elsongs]

I went to the exhibition Freeway Series game vs. the Angels last night, I noticed there's a bunch of new additions to the Stadium:

* Larger, color electronic scoreboards on the left and right field walls
* New Pavilion Seats
* New ground-level electronic ads on the first- and third- base sides replacing the mechanical advertisements
* The Trader Joes advertisement atop the Diamondvision screen replaces the Coca-Cola Advertisement.
* Outfield wall now painted a more greyish-shade of light blue
* Outfield wall distance markers are MUCH smaller now.
* Stadium Club is now "Dodger Stadium Club," no more "Adelphia Stadium Club."
* Two Merchandise tents outside the Pavillions
* Anew merchandise store at Right Field Loge level.
* Dugout roofs now just read "Dodger Stadium" instead of "Welcome to Dodger Stadium"

Also, and this might just be my eyes foolin me, but the turf looks more yellowish-green than usual.

[saiholmes]

FREEWAY SERIES
Angels turn triple play in win
It's their third of spring training. Gorneault also collides with Lieberthal in 6-1 victory over the Dodgers.
By Bill Shaikin, Times Staff Writer
March 30, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28697198.jpg

The Dodgers and Angels snoozed through the first few innings of the Freeway Series opener Thursday, two teams getting in their work and adjusting to the bright lights after a month of mostly day games.

If you tuned out too soon, well, too bad. The Angels beat up on the Dodgers, 6-1, and that wasn't the only beating up going on.

The game got thoroughly entertaining in the seventh inning, when the Angels turned their third triple play of the spring. In the eighth inning, Angels rookie Nick Gorneault absolutely flattened Dodgers catcher Mike Lieberthal in a collision at home plate, one so severe Dodgers pitcher Joe Beimel had to throw a couple of warmup pitches so trainers could make sure the catcher could continue.

And, later in the eighth inning, a fight on the reserved level attracted so much attention that the crowd yelled "Whoa!" while Casey Kotchman stood at home plate awaiting a pitch. Apparently, Gorneault wasn't the only one in the ballpark knocking someone over; Dodgers spokesman Josh Rawitch said several fans were ejected.

The game details? Not so interesting. Orlando Cabrera had three hits, including the third double in the Angels' three-run second inning against Dodgers starter Randy Wolf. A tag team of Angels pitchers — Hector Carrasco, Scot Shields, Chris Bootcheck, Chris Resop and Alex Serrano — held the Dodgers to five hits, all singles.

In the seventh, after Resop started the inning by walking Olmedo Saenz and Andy LaRoche, the Angels played their special spring trump card.

The triple play, of course — for the third time this spring. They haven't turned a triple play in the regular season since 1997. In 46 years in existence, they've turned six.

"Well," Manager Mike Scioscia said with a grin, "we wanted to improve our defense."

Brady Clark, acquired this week in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, made his first Dodgers at-bat a memorable one. With the count full and the runners going, Clark lined to second baseman Howie Kendrick, who caught the ball, ran to tag the base for the second out, then threw to first for the third out.

"It made for kind of an easy triple play," Kendrick said.

So the Angels came to bat in the eighth inning. With two on and one out, Kendrick singled. Gorneault started from second base, stopped to make sure the ball dropped, then charged home. The relay got there right at the moment that Gorneault barreled over Lieberthal.

"Mike's a tough guy that's going to hang in there," Scioscia said. "Nick's trying to make the team. That's what happens."

Gorneault is in contention for the final spot on the Angels' bench, a 27-year-old hoping to make his major league debut after two years in triple A. Lieberthal sensed as much.

"It was probably a young kid trying to make an impression," Lieberthal said. "I'm glad I wasn't hurt."

However, he said he was dizzy immediately after the collision and still had a headache.

Neither Dodgers Manager Grady Little nor Lieberthal expressed any animosity toward Gorneault, even given this was an exhibition game.

"I don't know about a dirty play," Lieberthal said. "I like to play hard."

Said Little: "It happens. That's the way you play baseball. It doesn't matter when you play."

The Angels tagged Wolf for three runs and four hits in the second inning. He was working on a 60-pitch count, and he was done after three innings.

[phattonez]

It seems to me that Liberthal should have gotten very angry about that. It's Spring Training, what was Gorneault thinking?

[saiholmes]

2007 Final Four
UCLA ready for rematch
UCLA didn't enjoy watching Florida celebrate after winning the national title last year. Three new starters give them new hope in rematch today.
By Diane Pucin, Times Staff Writer
March 31, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28716370.jpg

ATLANTA — Josh Shipp says the Florida Gators celebrated a little extravagantly last season after they'd defeated UCLA in the NCAA national championship game, 73-57.

Shipp had a good seat for that game in Indianapolis.

He was recovering from hip surgery and he watched everything — the way Florida's inside duo of Joakim Noah and Al Horford controlled the offensive boards, how Noah broke down UCLA's proud defense with his passing, how the Gators played like grown men while the Bruins seemed wide-eyed innocents.

And at the end, Noah was blowing charming or arrogant kisses, depending on your seat, to UCLA cheerleaders, and other Gators were dancing on tables and thumping their chests.

"I thought it was a little bit too much," Shipp said Friday at the Georgia Dome. "I hope if we win, we handle it a little bit better."

Shipp will not be stuck to the bench when the Bruins (30-5), champions of the Pacific 10 Conference, play the Gators (33-5), champions of the Southeastern Conference, today in the semifinals.

Florida, which was top-seeded in the Midwest Regional, has five starters back from its dominating win over UCLA, which started the tournament seeded No. 2 in the West Regional.

The Gators were ranked No. 1 for much of this year, including at the end.

"They have played with a bull's-eye on their chest all year and they've handled it well," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said.

UCLA lost three starters from its national runner-up team. Center Ryan Hollins, forward Cedric Bozeman and point guard Jordan Farmar have spent some or all of this season in the NBA.

Yet, to a man, the Bruins think they are a better team now.

Junior Lorenzo Mata is UCLA's center. He is three inches shorter than Hollins and was not a high school track star as Hollins was. What Mata offers, says Howland, is a toughness that is hard to categorize, although he points out that Mata has twice broken his nose as a Bruin, has broken a leg, can miss a dunk with the best of them but come back and make a tough inside shot.

Howland considered Bozeman UCLA's best perimeter defender last year, but Shipp offers more clever offense and has stood up to criticism during the season that his own defense wasn't intense enough.

"He's underrated there," Howland said.

And sophomore Darren Collison replaced Farmar, who went to the Lakers and was considered by some irreplaceable.

Florida point guard Taurean Green said, though, "Collison is probably quicker than Farmar and brings a lot of defensive energy."

Indeed, UCLA has held its first four NCAA opponents to an average of 50.2 points. When the Bruins beat Kansas last Saturday in the Elite Eight, 68-55, they held the Jayhawks to their lowest point total of the season. And those 55 were the most UCLA has given up in the tournament.

During Friday's open practices at the Georgia Dome, the Bruins showed off their stretching prowess. They also shot free throws, not always a crowd-pleasing activity though UCLA fans cheered heartily when Mata, a 37% shooter from the line, made four in a row. And they finished with about eight minutes of shooting from half court.

The Gators caused more uproar. They dunked and high-fived and were more showy than the Bruins. They carry with them the memory of having won the national title a year ago and the belief that they've ably handled the pressure that comes with being the favorite.

Noah, who Howland insists would have been the top choice in the NBA draft had he left school after that title and his sophomore season, said he was proud of the way his team dealt with national scrutiny.

"I feel like all year, when the Gators come to play, it has been a circus in every arena," he said. "We are really happy, but we are not satisfied right now. Those UCLA guys thought it was a great accomplishment to be in the NCAA championship game, but I am sure it was really quiet after that game."

UCLA guard Arron Afflalo has held close the emotions he felt after last year's final loss.

"I had a lot of anger," the All-American said, "a lot of pain. I have a lot of humility about what I do. It's a little different to watch other people celebrate against you. But Florida came out and competed last year. They played very hard. We didn't put forth the effort."

And all the dancing and table stomping and finger waving and chest thumping were prompted by one thing. "We won the national championship," Horford, Florida's center, said. "We want to do it again."

*

Begin text of infobox

UCLA vs. Florida

‧ Florida is 33-5 and the No. 1-seeded team from the Midwest.

‧ UCLA is 30-5 and the No. 2-seeded team from the West.

‧ Game time: Today, 5:45 p.m. PDT; Channel 2

STARTERS

UCLA Ht. Wt. Stats Pos FLORIDA Ht. Wt. Stats

Josh Shipp 6-5 207 13.1 ppg F Joakim Noah 6-11 232 12.2 ppg
L.R. Mbah a Moute 6-7 224 7.5 rpg F Corey Brewer 6-9 185 13.1 ppg
Lorenzo Mata 6-9 240 5.5 rpg C Al Horford 6-10 245 13.2 ppg
Arron Afflalo 6-5 210 16.9 ppg G Lee Humphrey 6-2 192 46% 3pts
Darren Collison 6-0 160 5.7 apg G Taurean Green 6-0 177 3.6 apg

RESERVES

Alfred Aboya 6-8 233 4.2 rpg F Chris Richard 6-9 255 67% FGs
Michael Roll 6-5 205 4.9 ppg G Walter Hodge 6-0 170 51% 3pt
Russell Westbrook 6-3 187 3.4 ppg G|F Dan Werner 6-7 235 1.8 ppg

HOW THEY MATCH UP

‧ INSIDE — It's no secret. UCLA Coach Ben Howland has his mantra: Florida has the two best big men in college basketball in the starting lineup. The Gators' Horford, whose father Tito was an NBA player, is physically gifted with strength and speed, Howland said, as well as toughness. Howland noted Noah's gracefulness with both his scoring and his passing, and that grace comes from Noah's father Yannick, a French tennis champion. Last year, Noah cracked an integral part of UCLA's defense — its reliance on double teams in the post — with his clever passing. UCLA's Aboya winked Friday and suggested the Bruins had "a little wrinkle" in its defense and might not use the double teams so liberally. Horford and Noah combine to average 26.8 points, 20.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocked shots a game. Florida's third inside player, Brewer, presents another matchup problem for UCLA, both offensively and defensively. It probably will be Afflalo's job to stop Brewer on offense with some help from Shipp. Florida also brings a substantial physical presence off the bench in Richard, who is not afraid to use his shoulders as battering rams in clearing rebounding space.

‧ OUTSIDE — It was the canny three-point shooter Humphrey who benefited from Noah's passes last year. Humphrey, who makes 46% of his three-point shots, went four for eight last year. "He always managed to get open," UCLA assistant Donny Daniels said. "Funny how those three-point guys do that." Where UCLA might be improved is defensively. Collison has longer arms than his 6-foot frame suggests and with a quick wrist flip can deflect passes. All-American Afflalo seemed to find his scoring passion in UCLA's win over Kansas last weekend and is quietly determined to not disappear as he did, with the help of Brewer's defense, last year. Howland considers Florida's Green, son of former UNLV star Sidney Green, one of the best in the country.

‧ COACHING — Aboya said that last year the Gators "seemed to know all our plays," and that's certainly a testament to Florida Coach Billy Donovan. He has deftly handled the distraction of whether he will become Kentucky's coach next season, and his players were loose during Friday's open practice at the Georgia Dome. Howland does not often lose when he has a week to prepare for an opponent and in a sense it could be seen that Howland has spent a year preparing for a Florida rematch. He has watched that much film on the Gators.

‧ KEY — Florida averages 84 points a game; UCLA gives up 59.5. So it would seem up to the Bruins to slow down the Gators. That was supposed to be how Kansas would beat the Bruins last week, by swarming over UCLA with its better athletes and deeper bench. The Bruins need Mata, Mbah a Moute and Aboya to be physical on defense and aggressive offensively. Afflalo must be able to drive around Brewer and the Bruins can't afford to commit 25 turnovers as they did against Kansas. The Gators didn't have to deal with Collison's quickness, three-point aim and defensive pressure last year.

‧ PREDICTION — UCLA 76, Florida 72.

—DIANE PUCIN

[The Baz]

Don't F*** my brackets UCLA! :moods:

[The Baz]

Well congrats UCLA for giving me the bone.

Could have seriously used the man, the legend, the deity.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a139/RobNepal/BW.jpg
Mr. B Worthy

[saiholmes]

It's UCLA — only banners get headlines
Consecutive Final Fours aren't enough for a school with 11 titles. But there's always next season, when Love joins a strong cast that may include Afflalo.
By Diane Pucin , Times Staff Writer, Times Staff Writer
8:52 PM PDT, April 1, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-03/28710588.jpg

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute grew up in Cameroon mostly unaware of the NCAA basketball tournament and of UCLA's historic accomplishment of 11 titles.

It has taken the sophomore forward two years to get what it means to be a UCLA basketball player.

"UCLA counts championships," Mbah a Moute said Saturday night after the Bruins had been subdued by Florida in a 76-66 loss. "Having to fail before the final, it's really hard. It's almost like it outweighs all the success we had during the season."

Mbah a Moute had stuffed himself deep into a locker at the Georgia Dome, with ice bags wrapped on both knees and his head in his hands.

As the Bruins progressed to the national championship game last year, Mbah a Moute became a national presence.

The 6-foot-8 forward had grown more aggressive offensively, was named Pacific 10 Conference freshman of the year and was causing talk that he might be good enough to leave for the NBA after this season. That talk has been stifled this season, same as the Bruins, but it showed Mbah a Moute how high expectations are for UCLA basketball.

"I need to work on everything," Mbah a Moute said Saturday. "I need to work on my shot and my offensive moves. I need to work on my physicality."

Mbah a Moute had two shots blocked by Florida on Saturday and missed a layup when he double pumped rather than jumping up and dunking.

Next season, he and his Cameroonian teammate Alfred Aboya may be the biggest beneficiaries of UCLA's top recruit, Kevin Love. All season Coach Ben Howland has said that Aboya, also 6-8, is better suited to playing power forward than center. Love, a 6-foot-10 McDonald's All-American, will make the center position a strength for the Bruins.

Whether Love starts immediately or backs up improving junior Lorenzo Mata at first, Aboya and Mbah a Moute may get the chance to play at more natural spots, power and small forward.

Whether guard Arron Afflalo, a first-team All-American and the Pac-10 player of the year, returns for his senior season or leaves for a chance to play in the NBA, most of the team understands that making the Final Four is not a triumphant season.

"Nothing short of winning it all is good enough," sophomore point guard Darren Collison said.

They also understood that while they have become one of the best defensive teams in the country, when it mattered most the last two years, scoring was just too difficult.

"It's not the system," said Afflalo, who met his season scoring average with 17 points against Florida but who scored all 17 in the final, meaningless seven minutes of the game. "Whatever you think of our motion offense, if we run it well, if we all move, we get shots."

Forward James Keefe and guard Russell Westbrook, UCLA's two freshmen this season, did not have the immediate impact that Afflalo, Shipp, Mbah a Moute and Aboya had in their rookie seasons, but both showed sparks of future reliability.

Westbrook is never afraid to attack the basket and Saturday night he was one Bruin who wanted to play another game immediately. Keefe began to blossom in the NCAA tournament. His minutes weren't many but against Florida, as Afflalo, Mbah a Moute and Mata acquired early fouls, Keefe came in and scored his earliest basket of the season, with less than four minutes gone. Keefe needs to be more muscular, and he said he was eager to start weight training.

After Saturday's emotional loss Afflalo seemed certain to consider playing his senior season. Most NBA draft prediction sites have Afflalo as no better than a late first-round pick and most have him in the second round.

The lure of playing with Love next season, of keeping intact a team that didn't have a senior, appeals to Afflalo's deep sense of responsibility.

"I have a lot of respect for my teammates, the coaching staff, the university that's done a lot for me," Afflalo said. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for some good things. Coming back next year is something I have to think about. But my sole purpose in coming to UCLA was to win a national championship. I'm still intent on doing that."

[Elsongs]

It seems to me that Liberthal should have gotten very angry about that. It's Spring Training, what was Gorneault thinking?

I was at that game. The collision was crazy. I didn't see the fight since I was in the Luxury Suites on the right field side and the fight was on the level atop me.

The article also forgot to mention that this exhibition game was played AL-style, with each team having a Designated Hitter and none of the pitchers going to bat.

[Elsongs]

It's UCLA — only banners get headlines
Consecutive Final Fours aren't enough for a school with 11 titles. But there's always next season, when Love joins a strong cast that may include Afflalo.
By Diane Pucin , Times Staff Writer, Times Staff Writer
8:52 PM PDT, April 1, 2007


I wanted to see the Bruins go to the championships...But I didn't want to see them the title :) (Florida vs Ohio State? Didn't we already have that in January?)

But the L.A. Sports Fan in me congratulates the Bruins for another great year, and the Trojans for a hoops season that exceeded expectations.

[Elsongs]

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/36b69217-c8a5-4ffe-8b9c-ccc903c97083.jpg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Public Relations

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 (323) 224-1301

DODGERS READY TO CELEBRATE 2007 HOME OPENER

Steve Sax to throw out first pitch, Nomar Garciaparra to receive his Comeback Player of the Year Award from the MLBPA

LOS ANGELES – Dodger Stadium will host its first game of the 2007 season on Monday, April 9 when the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Colorado Rockies at 1:05 p.m. The game sold out in under 15 minutes, breaking last year’s record as the fastest ever for a Dodger home opener.

The day’s festivities will begin with a half-hour concert by 17-year-old rising country music sensation Taylor Swift, who will later perform the National Anthem. At the age of 16, Swift released a self titled album “Taylor Swift,” and its debut single, “Tim McGraw,” peaked at #6 on the Billboard’s Hot Country Songs in 2007. She recently released another single, “Teardrops On My Guitar,” which debuted at #46 and currently ranks at #31. Swift is the Academy of Country Music's nominee for Top New Female Vocalist of the Year and is a Big Machine Records Recording Artist.

After the concert, the Dodgers will be recognized for holding the Guinness World Record for cumulative attendance by a baseball franchise for the third consecutive year. Nomar Garciaparra will receive his Comeback Player of the Year Award from the Major League Baseball Player’s Association and Steve Sax will be honored for his 1982 Rookie of the Year Award before throwing out the first pitch. The ceremonial baseball that Sax will throw will be delivered to the field by the United States Navy parachute team, the Leap Frogs.

Sax earned a World Series ring for his late-season contributions to the 1981 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. During his first full season with the team in 1982, Sax earned the National League Rookie of the Year award. Throughout his career, Sax also made the All-Star team five times and had a batting average over .300 in three seasons. He stole more than 40 bases in six seasons for a career total of 444 stolen bases. Sax earned his second ring when the Dodgers won the World Series in 1988.

During the pregame there will also be a tribute to Army Staff Sergeant Aaron Anderson who received a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and an Army Commendation Medal for his service in Afghanistan, and Major Paul Sonstein who earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in Iraq. The tribute will be set to the backdrop of an American Flag that will measure 300 x 150 feet. Little Leaguers from District 18 will be lined up along the infield to participate in the ceremony. To conclude the military tribute, two F-16s from Edwards Air Force Base will perform the ceremonial flyover and there will also be a short fireworks display. Additionally, the L.A. City Fire Department will fly by with city fire helicopters.

Jason Schmidt will take the mound for the Dodgers on Opening Day.

The first homestand against the Rockies will include a Magnet Schedule giveaway on Opening Day compliments of US Bank, as well as a Dodger Cap promotion (April 13 vs. Padres) and a Nomar Garciaparra Batting Practice jersey giveaway to kids 14 and under (April 14 vs. Padres).

The parking lot at Dodger Stadium will sell out on Opening Day. In order to accommodate as many fans as possible, the Dodgers are offering an Early Bird Parking/Carpool Special to fans that carpool (at least 4 fans per automobile) and park in Lot 15. These fans will receive a free ticket for each passenger to a future game if they arrive at Dodger Stadium at 9:30 a.m. and park in Lot 15 , which is the lot located above the Think Blue sign. This offer is limited to the first 600 automobiles. Lot 15 is a special access parking lot that is only utilized during sold out games. Fans will need to enter via the Academy Gate off Academy Road across from the Police Academy between 9:30 am and 10:15 am. In addition to the free ticket for a future game, fans that carpool and park in Lot 15 will have early access to Opening Day batting practice via the Left Field Pavilion. You must have tickets to Opening Day in order to participate in this special offer. Additionally, the lots on Stadium Way near the LAFD Training Facility will cost just $5.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Baseball America’s 2006 Organization of the Year and the defending NL West co-champions, have represented the Los Angeles community since 1958. With a cumulative attendance of more than 173 million, the Dodgers have played before more fans than any other sports franchise in history. Over the years, the team has made 24 postseason appearances and has won six world championships.

Visit the Dodgers on the Internet at www.dodgers.com.

[saiholmes]

Dodger fan frustration high with new parking plan
It was game time for the Dodgers on opening day, but hundreds of cars were still lined up at least a quarter-mile outside the Sunset-Exit A gate.
By Valerie Reitman, Times Staff Writer
3:51 PM PDT, April 9, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-04/28933884.jpg

It was game time for the Dodgers on opening day, but hundreds of cars were still lined up at least a quarter-mile outside the Sunset-Exit A gate. Frustrations were rising, especially as some fans were told they could not park in their usual spots, in order to comply with the new "controlled zone parking," which is being implemented this season.

One man, sitting in his car in the line five vehicles wide, had his windows rolled down on the hot afternoon, as the sun struggled to burn off the haze. "Oh, it's long," he was saying into his cell phone. "We're not even in yet." Nearby, a brand-new BMW was pulled off to the side with the hood up, a man pouring oil into it.

The $5 increase in parking fees, to $15 per car, was getting grumbles as well. One driver, Jeff Melton, arrived with only $10 in crumpled bills, unaware of the new parking price. "Please, I can't go back. It's opening game," Melton pleaded. He offered to leave his driver's license as collateral. Finally the attendant took pity on him and let him in.

Just through the gate, at least a half-dozen men and women in bright lime-green vests were waving their arms, directing cars. The view from the lot showed that the top two sections of the stadium were only half full. The sign at the gate had said the game was sold out. The game had started, but hundreds of cars were still making their way slowly through the parking lot as cars wound their way to their designated parking area.

John and Teresa Hernandez said their drive from Whittier took an hour and 50 minutes, compared to their usual 35 to 45 minutes. About the new zoned parking, John said, "It's kind of scary because we don't know where we're going."

Some people gave up waiting in the long parking lines and parked on side streets and had to hike up.

Eric Prudencio, 28, sporting a blue shirt bearing the name of ex-Dodger Cesar Izturis, was walking up the steep hill of Stadium Way. He had taken the day off from his job at a movie studio, and his drive from Inglewood took an hour. "There's just way too much traffic," he said.

Melle Karakawa and John Gannon of Echo Park were also braving the hill and complained about the closing some years ago of the Scott Avenue pedestrian gate, making their walk to get in much longer.

"It's like the difference between walking through Elysian Park versus on the I-10," Gannon said.

At the new all-you-can-eat pavilion section of Dodger Stadium, the line was moving surprisingly fast. For $35 a seat in the right-field bleachers, fans could enjoy unlimited Dodger Dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, water and soda. Many had skipped breakfast and arrived early, worrying that lines would be long. But they were surprised to find they could pick up four of each item per trip to the concession stand. The only long lines were at the beer stand. (Beer isn't included in the deal.) Becky Garcia, of Whittier, and daughter Desiree, 26, had arrived more than an hour and a half early fearing long lines but found the food-gathering fast and easy. Each started with two hot dogs and sodas, and then shared nachos and peanuts. Shortly after Jason Schmidt hit a 402-foot home run in the third inning, they were thinking of going back for another hot dog.

"It's the best deal," Garcia said.

Times staff writer Spencer Weiner contributed to this article.

[saiholmes]

Sunday, April 8, 2007
Honda Center aims to raise its food game
So far, the investment has paid off with club attendance more than doubling this year.
By SARAH TULLY
The Orange County Register

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Longtime Ducks fan Ben Coleman bought season tickets for the first time this year, but he hardly ever sat in his seat.

For 40 games, Coleman, 37, watched hockey from a bar stool or at the edge of an open bar with a view into the arena, surrounded by about a dozen new friends who he met at the new Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Club at the Honda Center.

"It's kind of like a family here. We hang out here to have a good time. It's a lot of fun. It's just because of the camaraderie with all the people here," Anaheim resident Coleman said, clutching two glasses of Stella Artois beer at the last home game Wednesday.

Honda Center officials hoped to attract more fans, such as Coleman, when they renovated the restaurant and bar reserved for suite and club seat holders, re-opening it as the Jack Daniels club in October. The center also has added new food options for fans on other levels.

So far, the club investment has paid off with attendance more than doubling this year, and more patrons are expected during playoffs beginning this week. The club is double the size, split into a first-come, first-served bar and a sit-down restaurant with both buffet and a la carte food. Reservations are almost always booked, and the bar is standing-room only.

The glass that once blocked game sounds from diners is gone.

"The energy feeds on itself on this level. The energy is back," said Tim Ryan, president of Anaheim Arena Management that oversees the center. "You are actually part of the event."

Club trends

Experts say arenas nationwide are creating the same nightclub-type atmosphere and buzz, in the same way.

"The trend in sports in general is nobody sits in their seats anymore. They are looking for alternative places to go to," said Chris Bigelow, a consultant for stadiums and arenas nationwide. "What they (Honda Center officials) are doing is right where the market is going,"

Many arenas are attempting to draw fans in their 20s and 30s who want to have a drink and mingle, some adding pool tables, video screens and pub food. Previously, clubs mostly catered to game-goers in their 40s and up, who wanted to treat corporate clients.

Honda Center is trying to do both with its divided club. On Wednesday, some diners on the restaurant side sported blazers and button-down shirts, sipping on wine and eating beef from the carving station at the buffet. On the bar side, jersey-and-jeans-wearing fans ordered martinis and Kobe beef burgers from waitresses wearing black tank tops, short skirts and boots.

"It's like being in Vegas on ice," said Travis Widner, 23, of Coto de Caza.

After the game, fans can see player radio interviews in the bar's corner. On Wednesday, player Scott Niedermayer signed autographs before answering questions on air, as fans snapped cameras overhead. Before, interviews were at outside establishments.

"Fans certainly didn't want to get in their cars to go to a different establishment," Ryan said.

Open areas

The open glass is one of the main attractions.

"When you have this big, open building, big open spaces, you have the feeling of being part of something larger like an event. That's one of reasons why buildings are opening up," said Bill Dorsey, executive director of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors.

Some fans stay for all or much of the game. On Wednesday, Brian Leecing, 38, of Huntington Beach remained in the restaurant at the same table where he always sits.

"I love the fact that it's open. You are still eating and doing what you are doing but the game is right there," said Leecing, swirling a glass of cognac. "When the windows were there, I wanted to leave right away. Now, I want to stay."

Concession stands

For fans who can't afford premium seats, the center's other levels offer new foods, particularly regional, brand-name products.

Last year, Carlsbad-based Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill opened stands. Villa Park-based First Class Pizza began in October. Wienerschnitzel of Newport Beach sells products at the venue.

Spending is up about 20 percent to about $13 per person on average at Ducks games, Ryan said.

"They have a relationship with the brand that's very recognizable," said C.T. Nice, vice president of food and beverage for Aramark Sports and Entertainment. "Marketing has been done for you so it … gives fans an experience they can connect with very quickly."

Ryan said the changes are the first of more, especially as competition heats up with new restaurants popping up around the center. He said he expects one or two new additions next season.

"We have an attitude that we never feel we are done. We are always looking at ways to improve," Ryan said.

[soup or man]

Browing youtube, I found a vid of Shaun Livingston destroying his knee. Don't look if you have a weak stomach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r1TMI3miOw

[saiholmes]

Riding the Wedge

Surfers take advantage of ideal conditions at the popular Newport Beach spot, where some waves reached 20 feet in height.

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http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-04/28980049.jpg

[Elsongs]

Here's some pics I took at the Dodgers' home opener on Monday...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090673.jpg
Many fans were confused, or even upset, at the new stadium parking fee and procedure.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090675.jpg
Fans approach the turnstiles.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090677.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090679.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090682.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090681.jpg
The US Navy Leap Frogs paratrooper team drops into the stadium.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090687.jpg
The Dodgers, Rockies and local schoolchildren line up around a huge American flag in the outfield.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090689.jpg
A flock of doves are released.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090691.jpg
New Dodgers pitcher Jason Schmidt strikes out six and even hit the first Dodger home run of the year at the Stadium.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090692.jpg
The Stadium.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090693.jpg
The baseball game stops for a minute as a virtual "football" game breaks out as a crazed fan runs into the outfield and is tackled by stadium security.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/elsongs/sports/Opening%20Day%202007/P4090694.jpg
Diehard Blue fans stand up during a 9th inning rally.

[redspork02]

Justin Guarini is singing the national anthem, thats all they could get????
that sucks, they should have tried for katherine mcphee, a real L.A. native!!


Los Angeles Galaxy announce Opening Day entertainment
Original American Idol finalist Justin Guarini to sing National Anthem; Local independent rock artist Din Caliber to perform pregame
Los Angeles Galaxy Media Relations

CARSON, Calif. - The Los Angeles Galaxy have announced the pregame entertainment schedule for the club's 2007 home opener against FC Dallas on Thursday, April 12 at The Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University at Dominguez Hills. This game will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and will be aired in high definition, live on ESPN2 as the network's inaugural "MLS Primetime Thursday" telecast.
Prior to the game, world-renowned singing sensation Justin Guarini will perform the National Anthem. Currently a correspondent on Idol Tonight and a co-host on Idol Chat, both on TV Guide Channel, Guarini is widely recognized from his appearance on the first season of "American Idol" where he finished as first runner up to Kelly Clarkson. A world-class singer and entertainer, Guarini is currently working on his third album while also taking time to act in movies and perform in concert.

Earlier in the evening, at 5:30 p.m., local independent rock band Din Caliber will take the stage on the South Concourse. Taking their cue from the great English rock groups from the sixties and seventies, Din Caliber have concocted their own blend of heavy blues-based riffs and catchy melodies into a refreshing sound not heard in recent memory. The trio has recently exploded onto the Los Angeles club scene with a series of recent gigs at the World Famous Whisky A Go-Go and The Knitting Factory.

In addition to the great musical acts, fans will also be able to receive a limited edition Galaxy t-shirt, designed by Official Galaxy Artist Terry Davis. Based on original paintings, Davis has created three unique and originally designed t-shirts, the first of which will be distributed to the first 2,500 fans who enter The Home Depot Center on Thursday night.

Tickets for the Galaxy's season opener against FC Dallas are on sale now starting at just $10. For more information on purchasing Los Angeles Galaxy tickets, please call toll-free 1-877-3GALAXY or visit www.lagalaxy.com.

http://www.mlsnet.com/t106/imgs/ads/2007/120x240/beckham_coming.gif

[redspork02]

It's awards time, like it or not
So many deserving honorees
With no sartorial protocols to satisfy, I decided to avoid all ties when issuing the Basket Case Irregular Season Awards.

This made selecting a Most Valuable Player even more challenging than expected. Should the award go to Dirk Nowitzki, the emotional and statistical drum major for the league's best team? Or should the choice be two-time defending MVP Steve Nash, the key to igniting an offensive philosophy that's attempting to change the game?

At this point, it's up for grabs.

While I consider possible tiebreakers, let's recognize the league's lineup of deserving characters in other crucial categories.


The Shot Mechanics Award: The going-away winner is Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant, who's shown us that a shooter's pesky guide hand can be used to whack a defender in the nose. :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:

Rookie of the Year: Let's go with Brandon Roy, who managed to outshine the other first-timers despite injuries that enabled him to miss 22 opportunities to play with no-nonsense Portland Trail Blazers teammate Zach Randolph.

Protect That Draft Pick Award: In a close race, the Atlanta Hawks slip past the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Suns ready to pounce on the Hawks' lightly protected choice if it lands outside the first three selections (Joe Johnson sign and trade), the Hawks have had great injury and insubordination timing.
Johnson and Josh Childress are physically done for the year, while Josh Smith recently earned a two-game suspension for giving coach Mike Woodson an earful.

Unfortunately, Smith will return in time for next week's must-lose showdown with the Bucks, whose injury epidemic has enabled them to rank third in the ping-pong ball standings, just one spot ahead of Atlanta.


Avery Johnson


Coach of the Year: The nod goes to Avery Johnson, who somehow steered the Dallas Mavericks to the league's best record even though team owner Mark Cuban no longer was allowed to monitor time-out huddles.

Sports Drink Endorsement of the Year: Bow down to Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony, who now has his own brand of sucker punch.

Comeback Player of the Year: Our winner is Phoenix Suns post man Amare Stoudemire, who doesn't seem to have lost an ounce of his explosiveness or disinterest in playing defense. Too bad the microfracture surgery didn't repair his inability to guard Tim Duncan.

The Zero Tolerance Award: The obvious choice is Washington Wizard Gil Arenas, whose success rate in courtside bets with fans is only slightly lower than his field-goal percentage.

The Lean on Me Award: How about a hand for Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James, who won't be a consistent deep shooter until he quits bending back from the waist.

The Board, Silly Award: Charlotte Bobcats rookie Adam Morrison is recognized for averaging three big rebounds in 30 minutes per game. That sort of overshadows Morrison's 37-percent shooting from the field.

Defensive Player of the Year: I choose hyper-extending Houston Rocket Shane Battier, who managed to stop Dwyane Wade for several weeks.

Overdue Diligence Award: The Indiana Pacers, running unopposed, win this one for thinking that Google is the only source needed for background checks.

The Martha Stewart Award: Here's to you, Memphis Grizzlies. You fired slowpoke Mike Fratello, went up-tempo and managed to be a big loser (but not your ping-pong standing) with style.

Attitude of Gratitude Award: How about those Chicago Bulls, who paid huge cash for Ben "I Want My Headband" Wallace and drafted Ty "I'm Only Slam-Dunkin' For the Money in Vegas" Thomas?

Most Valuable Player: I'm going with Nash, who was crafty enough to make the NBA's new composite ball disappear. Because he didn't like the texture, Steve wins on paper-style cuts.

"He has a willingness to play defense. A lot of guys put their tails between their legs and run."
— L.A. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant on Phoenix Suns guard Raja Bell.

[Fern~Fern*]

.... Did someone say CLIPPERS!!!!!!

[Elsongs]

Justin Guarini is singing the national anthem, thats all they could get????
that sucks, they should have tried for katherine mcphee, a real L.A. native!!




That's sad. Justin was the ORIGINAL Sanjaya.

[Elsongs]

.... Did someone say CLIPPERS!!!!!!

Yeah, my barber did. :lol:

[Fern~Fern*]

^^ Yeah we'll see tonite....

[redspork02]

:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: FC DALLAS just scored there 2nd goal in the first half.....:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:
against the GALAXY...
___________________________________________
The anouncer just said the GALAXY is changin there Colors to Silver and Black.....What do you guys think???

[Fern~Fern*]

.... speaking of the L.A. Galaxy, when does Beckham officially start to play?

[redspork02]

They said, on ESPN2, July 21st, The all star game or the SuperLiga Tournament.

[soup or man]

.... speaking of the L.A. Galaxy, when does Beckham officially start to play?

July 21st against Chelsea.

[Fern~Fern*]

^^ Thankx fellows... post #48 & 49.

[The Baz]

Is the color change for the galaxy true? If so that is kind of sucky for all those hardcore fans who have to accept a new duo of favorite colors to coordinate with but black and silver makes more galactic sense.

Happier news, anyone see the Clippers beat the Lakers :)

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

happier news? nonsense. Smush Parker is the worst player in the history of the Lakers. He plays No D at all, and gets beat baseline by a 40 year old cripple. who taught him to play defense standing straight up and reaching for the ball? everytime he gambles for a steal which he does not get (very ofen) the team is at a disadvantage, because the other team swings the ball until they find a open man for a 3. its like clockwork. every opposing point guard has a career night againts Smush. AHHHH. put him on the bench already. He cant shoot either.

[The Baz]

I guess it's worrying to see both LA teams on the bubble for playoffs but the Clips really needed this win to stay in the game.

[saiholmes]

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GOLF GUIDE
The Times' Top 10s
No listing of golf courses is complete without some subjective information, and here's what our panel of nine avid golfers on the staff of The Times has come up with
April 9, 2007

If you are a serious golfer in Southern California, here are 10 courses you should have in your I've-played-there portfolio:

Arroyo Trabuco: It turns out Tom Lehman's as good an architect as he is a golfer.

Desert Willow, Firecliff course: This layout is considered by many among the very best public facilities in the desert.

La Purisima: A classic, demanding, scenic course that is a regular venue for all levels of tournament play … plus it's in wine country.

Oak Quarry: No. 14 is one of the best par threes in golf, a dramatic view of an old quarry from an elevated tee. But it's only one of 18 good holes.

PGA West Stadium: Lee Trevino aced the island green in the Skins Game years ago; maybe you can too. Then again …

Rancho Park: Yes, it can be tough to get on the course, but it's one of the country's best, most historic municipal layouts.

Rustic Canyon: Widely acclaimed as one of the top newer courses in the country. An inland course with a links feel. A traditionalist's gem.

Sandpiper: Call it a northern version of Torrey Pines or a southern version of Pebble Beach; either way, it's a course worth playing.

SilverRock: An Arnold Palmer layout always in exceptional condition, it's a future course for the Bob Hope Classic.

Torrey Pines South: Golfers who spend their time on public layouts don't get many chances to play U.S. Open courses. This one is worth the price, particularly if you live in San Diego.

**

One-day escapes

Fed up with the rat race in the office? Need some peace and quiet? Here are 10 great places where the scenery will take the edge off:

CrossCreek: The front nine is almost links-like; it's more target golf on the very hilly back. Serene, secluded location in Temecula.

Eagle Glen: Several holes back up to Cleveland National Forest, where you're more likely to see coyotes or hawks than even think about the noise of the city.

Elkins Ranch: The drive to the course is half the fun; it's particularly calming when the surrounding orange groves are blossoming.

GC at Terra Lago: Formerly the Landmark Club in Indio, two fine courses; host course for the Skins Game, 1999-2002.

Lost Canyons: Set among the rugged Santa Susana Mountains, two Pete Dye designs were restored by Fred Couples after flooding a few years ago.

Malibu: It's not near the ocean but tucked into the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. It's a tight layout with live-oak-lined fairways.

Rancho San Marcos: Scheduled to reopen this summer after renovations, the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is about as scenic as they come.

Robinson Ranch: Another facility with 36 holes amid hills of the Angeles National Forest, with generous views of the Santa Clarita Mountains.

Sandpiper: It's very rare to have such a striking seaside course that also offers mountain views.

Strawberry Farms: In Orange County, a quiet setting among rolling hills not far from the hubbub of Irvine.

**

Overnight getaways

If you're looking for a couple of days of golf and a place to be pampered overnight, here are 10 spots to book a multiple-day trip:

Barona Creek: The casino makes its pitch to high rollers; the course rolling through the San Diego foothills is tournament-tested and, some say, as good as any in San Diego County.

Four Seasons Aviara: Take your choice: Luxuriate in the spa, then play 18 holes on a spectacular Arnold Palmer-designed layout, or play golf, then get the massage.

La Quinta: There are five world-class courses affiliated with a resort that has been a desert destination since 1926.

La Costa: Two courses were home to PGA Tour events for years and there has been about $140 million in renovations to the resort/spa.

Marriott's Desert Springs: There's plenty to keep you very busy while you relax for a couple of days — and two Ted Robinson-designed courses.

Mission Hills: Two courses designed by Gary Player and Pete Dye that rate among the desert's best.

Ojai Valley Inn: Much of George Thomas' classic 1923 design has been restored, and the inn has been renovated.

Pala Mesa: One of the best bargains in Southern California, straightforward lodging and very challenging golf.

Rancho Bernardo Inn: Former site of PGA and LPGA Tour events, it has been a San Diego-area mainstay for years.

Sycuan Resort: Two championship layouts and a par-three course offer plenty of variety at the resort formerly known as Singing Hills.

**

Great courses to walk

For traditionalists who believe walking is part of the game, here are 10 courses where walking the course gives you a memorable golf experience:

Brookside: Two fine courses nestled in the arroyo near the Rose Bowl.

Coronado: Hard by the San Diego Bay, it has nice views, excellent greens.

General Old: The former military-only facility in Riverside is a bargain and a decent test.

Goose Creek: It's dairy-farm close, so this fine Schmidt/Curley design comes with olfactory challenges too.

Los Verdes: No, it's not flat, but the atmosphere of a seaside course is terrific.

Rustic Canyon: Not many courses these days are built to walk; this one's a masterpiece.

Rancho Park: This tree-lined L.A. prize has had some of golf's greatest on its fairways.

San Clemente: It's hilly, but a great municipal layout overlooking the Pacific.

Santa Anita: Where else can you lose your winnings on the course at the track next door?

Torrey Pines North: Plays as one of the easiest courses on the PGA Tour; it won't for you.

**

Great bargains

These aren't merely good courses, they're courses where you can pay the greens fee and have money left over to lose your $5 Nassau without worrying. Daily fees in parentheses:

Coronado: In Southern California, it's almost impossible to beat this deal to walk a fine layout near the water. ($25)

El Dorado Park: It's a challenging municipal layout and site of the $155,000 Long Beach Open. ($32.75)

Griffith Park: The Harding and Wilson courses are busy but more than worth the L.A. city municipal fees. ($22)

Landmark at Hemet: The regular rates are low, but with their e-mail deals, they almost pay you to play. ($42, including cart.)

Marshall Canyon: A rolling, treed L.A. County layout up against the San Gabriel Mountains with particularly strong par threes. ($21.50)

PGA of Southern California: There are two exceptional courses and an outstanding driving range. ($65, cart included, with a $5 replay rate.)

Rio Hondo: The course was redesigned in mid-1990s; it's tight, not too long and in good shape. ($35)

River Ridge: The course is wide-open to the eye, but it's tougher than it looks. ($30)

Soule Park: It has mountain views in Ojai and was completely redesigned in 1995. ($28)

Woodley Lakes: It's flat and a good place to massage your ego. ($22)

**

Duffers beware

If you don't hit the ball with some consistency, here are challenges that offer more pain than pars. But if you have your A game going, these are 10 places to put it to the test:

Angeles National: Like many tough courses, the tee shots are critical here. Put it in play with your first shot, and you'll be OK. When the wind blows, which is often, that can be very tough. Excellent greens.

Arrowood: This well-conditioned, new layout with good greens is very playable from the middle tees. A mix of very challenging and playable holes.

Industry Hills, Eisenhower: The course has been renovated and is more playable than in the past, but you still need to hit it very straight off the tee.

Monarch Beach: Beautiful setting, but it's a bit cramped in spots, which means thinking where you want to put your shots, and executing, are key.

Moorpark: Of the 27 holes, the Ridgeline/Creekside combination tops out at a 142 slope that's as challenging as anyone needs.

Oak Valley: When the wind kicks up, hitting these narrow fairways is like trying to land a ball on a ribbon.

PGA West, Stadium: Impossibly deep bunkers, rocks and water, narrow fairways and plenty of trouble everywhere. A Pete Dye classic.

Redhawk: Tough enough at 7,175 yards to be site of the California State Open, and one of the best bargains around for a true championship layout.

TPC of Valencia: Mark O'Meara, who was a designer of the course, has the game to play here and handle the 142 slope. Triple-figure greens fees can make playing poorly expensive to the ego as well.

Trump National: Speaking of triple-figure greens fees … you're paying for the spectacular view on every hole; you'll pay dearly for errant shots into thick rough and brush as well.

**

Short and sweet

Here's a look at 10 of the best executive-length and nine-hole courses in the Southland:

Aliso Creek (9 holes, par 32): It's tucked in a canyon in Laguna Beach, peaceful, challenging, loaded with wildlife.

Arroyo Seco (18 holes, par 54): This is a place for your very short irons, with the longest hole 146 yards. There are mats on the tee boxes.

Birch Hills (18 holes, par 59): The course in Brea has fairly small greens, good variety on its par threes and some tough holes, with water, on the back.

Catalina Island (nine holes, par 32): Tiger Woods, Craig Stadler and Corey Pavin all played this scenic course as juniors. There are two sets of tees if you're playing 18.

Cimarron Resort, Pebble course (18 holes, par 58): This is among the Cadillacs of short courses, beautifully conditioned with desert mountain views.

Eaton Canyon (nine holes, par 35): It's a good starter course for those who have graduated to slightly longer courses. Nice location in Pasadena.

Heartwell (18 holes, par 54): The greens are fairly large for a course that has no hole longer than 140 yards.

Penmar (nine holes, par 33): The fairways are lush. Like all L.A. city courses, you need a registration card to make tee times. Added bonus: small planes overhead from Santa Monica Airport.

Reidy Creek (18 holes, par 54): The Escondido layout is nicely conditioned, with enough water to cause lots of problems and several mid- to long-iron par threes.

Scholl Canyon (18 holes, par 60): An up-and-down layout in Glendale, particularly so on the more difficult back nine. There are great views whenever the air permits.

[Fern~Fern*]

Yeah, my barber did. :lol:


^^ You were saying EL, cough...cough...!!!

:banana:

THE "CLIPPERS", L.A."s TEAM..... :carrot:

[Elsongs]

___________________________________________
The anouncer just said the GALAXY is changin there Colors to Silver and Black.....What do you guys think???

WHAT?!??! Why? They want a Raider Fan-like atmosphere at HDC? :ohno:

[MattMKL]

at least the lakers clinched a playoff berth tonight with the win against the sonics. thank god

[saiholmes]

SUNS 95, LAKERS 87
Bryant, Lakers fade at the finish
Barbosa leads a second-half charge for Suns, who overcome a nine-point halftime deficit to beat the Lakers. Kobe misses nine of 10 shots in fourth quarter.
From the Associated Press
2:35 PM PDT, April 22, 2007

http://a1022.g.akamai.net/f/1022/8158/5m/images.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-04/29254524.jpg

PHOENIX -- The "Brazilian Blur" breathed life into the Phoenix offense, and Kobe Bryant went from awesome to awful.

The result was a second-half rally that gave the Phoenix Suns a 95-87 victory over the Lakers in their first-round playoff opener this afternoon.

Leandro Barbosa scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half, including 15 consecutive Phoenix points in one stretch, to match his career playoff scoring high. Amare Stoudemire, back in the postseason after missing last year's while recovering from two knee surgeries, addded 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Bryant scored 39, but only 11 in the second half. The NBA's scoring champ was 1-for-10 shooting in the fourth quarter, when Phoenix pulled away.

Steve Nash had 20 points and 10 assists and Shawn Marion 16 points and 16 rebounds for a Phoenix team struggled mightily until Barbosa provide a spark, highlighted by a 31-footer at the third-quarter buzzer that cut the Lakers" lead to 77-74 entering the fourth.

Lamar Odom had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Los Angeles.

[redspork02]

DONT CHOKE GUYS!!!!!! BEAT PHOENIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HELP KOBE, HELP YOU!!!!!
GO LAKERS!!!!!

[saiholmes]

NBA PLAYOFFS | LAKERS 95, PHOENIX 89
Bryant's 45 leads Lakers in win over Suns
Odom, Brown are also active as L.A. climbs out of an 11-0 deficit at the start of the game.
By Steve Springer, Times Staff Writer
10:38 PM PDT, April 26, 2007

After a horrendous start, the Lakers, behind Kobe Bryant's 45 points, rallied to beat the Phoenix Suns 95-89 Thursday night at Staples Center and regain solid footing in their opening-round playoff series.

A loss would have put the Lakers in a 3-0 hole in the best-of-seven series, a deficit from which no team has ever come back.

Game 4 is Sunday at Staples Center.

Laker center Kwame Brown backed Bryant with 19 points, a season and career personal high. Lamar Odom had 18 points and 16 rebounds.

Amare Stoudemire had 24 points to lead Phoenix.

The Lakers trailed 51-48 at the half.

Considering where they were at the end of the first quarter at Staples Center, they gladly settled for a three-point deficit.

The Lakers fell behind 11-0 at the start of the game and trailed 31-17 at the end of the first quarter, shooting a dismal 25% from the floor (5 of 20) to 72.2% (13 of 18) for the Suns.

By halftime, the Lakers, having outscored Phoenix 31-20 in the second quarter, had boosted their shooting mark to a more acceptable 40% while the Suns were down to 57.9%, still a relatively sizzling percentage.

Bryant had 20 points in the first 24 minutes, half his team's total.

Stoudemire (16 points) was the only Sun in double figures.

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-04/29366845.jpg

[Joey313]

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :) :) :banana: :banana: :banana:

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Just got back, that was fun! Crowd chanting MVP for Kwame was hilarious, as was the Booing of Smush. GO LAKERS!

[redspork02]

Just got back, that was fun! Crowd chanting MVP for Kwame was hilarious, as was the Booing of Smush. GO LAKERS!

Are u sure the MVP chanting wasnt for Kobe?

U guys Know Kobe will NEVER get the MVP award cuz the League & the writers dont like him.
I say skrew them all WE all know Kobe is the league's best player EVER!!!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Yes, im positive. The crowd obviously chanted MVP for Kobe, but after Kwames little spurt where he dunked 3 possessions in a row and then got a AND 1, the crowd started chanting MVP for Kwame as it went to break, thats why it wasnt on TV.

[LANative]

Well good luck with the Lakers tommorow. I loved the last game and I hope they cool the Suns off tommorow night!!

[saiholmes]

One but not done for Lakers
Bryant says Jackson doesn't have to worry about team being overconfident against Suns in Game 4.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
April 29, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2007-04/29412568.jpg

Kobe Bryant has swept confetti from his hair in joyous sun-soaked parades, so please excuse him if he had a few laughs at the expense of Coach Phil Jackson.

Besides, he was merely trying to add a little perspective after Jackson warned the Lakers not to get too overconfident after winning Game 3.

"I kind of joke around with the guys about what Phil said as far as being full of themselves," Bryant said. "We won one game, you know what I mean? It doesn't make any sense for us to even think about being full of ourselves. We did a good job last game. Hopefully we can play with that same type of energy and effort [today]."

If every game in a playoff series is more important than the one that preceded it, Game 4 this afternoon at Staples Center is no exception.

If the Lakers win, their series against the Phoenix Suns becomes a series, tied at 2-2 and going back to Phoenix. If they lose, it's not officially over, but, well, there's always next season.

The Lakers were playoff laughingstocks after their 28-point loss in Game 2, but they earned a modicum of redemption by coming back from 17 down to win Game 3. Their defensive trap stymied the Suns' pick-and-roll sets, and Bryant was as well-rounded as could be, collecting 45 points (on 26 shots), six assists and six rebounds.

But the Suns, owners of the league's second-best record and the highest-scoring team during the regular season, won't be caught off guard again by the Lakers' defensive scheme. They fully expect to return to form today.

"It just didn't seem like we were carefree [in Game 3]. We've got to have that attitude," Suns Coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters Saturday. "We've got to be able to play our game. We kind of got conservative and it played into their hands. We won't do that again. Steve [Nash] will push the issue."

The Lakers are running out of healthy players with which to push, period.

Lamar Odom practiced Saturday with a large brace on his hyper-extended left elbow, the latest injury on a team riddled by twists and tweaks.

Odom hurt the elbow when his hand slammed into the backboard while trying to block Leandro Barbosa's shot in Game 3, but he won't be sitting out Game 4, even though his left shoulder still stings, his right knee still needs treatment before every game, and the cut over his left eyebrow continues to look menacing up close.

"If you're out there in the playoffs, to hell with being hurt," he said.

Luke Walton also will be adjusting to a new injury after sustaining a dislocated right pinkie finger at Friday's practice. He spent extra time Saturday at the team's training facility to work on his shot with the pinkie and ring finger of his right hand taped together.

The Lakers, injured and everything, trying to lure the Suns into another difficult first-round series: Today will be important, undoubtedly.

"If you think about it, if we give up this game on our home court, the series will be 3-1, there will really be an uphill battle from there," Odom said.



The Lakers' reserves have been clearly outplayed by those of the Suns, a source of frustration for Jackson.

"I think our bench was one for 16 [in Game 3]," he said. "They've shut down our bench significantly in this series. We've got to find someone that can contribute."

With Barbosa doing a majority of the damage, the Suns' reserves outscored the Lakers in Game 3, 34-6, and in Game 1, 31-8.

Because of the imbalance, oft-maligned forward Vladimir Radmanovic could return to the active roster for today's game. Radmanovic was deactivated for Games 2 and 3.

"I'd like to get Vlade back dressed again," Jackson said. "He's looking like he's shooting his shots again [in practice]."

Brian Cook, who has a couple of minor injuries this series — a sprained left thumb and a sprained left ankle — could be put on the inactive roster to make room for Radmanovic.

[solongfullerton]

fuckin' lakers are gonna lose again. atleast they won one game, phoenix is a pretty good team

[Fern~Fern*]

^ I see you lost hope for the Laker's.... I still think Shaq needs to come back.

[LANative]

I can't believe this. The Lakers got no damn defense!!

[Elsongs]

^ I see you lost hope for the Laker's.... I still think Shaq needs to come back.

Shaq ain't comin back...

The Lakers need to sign Yao Ming!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Sign Chauncy Billups in the off season, shoot smush parker, and trade for Kevin Garnett / jermaine o neil.

[saiholmes]

Phoenix 119, Lakers 110
Lakers' season undone by Suns
Despite 33 points from Odom, L.A. is eliminated from postseason play by a focused Phoenix team.
From the Associated Press
10:32 PM PDT, May 2, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/media/alternatethumbnails/photo/2007-05/29510333.jpg

Phoenix -- The Phoenix Suns didn't exactly run the Los Angeles Lakers out of the playoffs. Nudged them out is more like it.

Amare Stoudemire scored 27 points and Shawn Marion added 26, and the Suns overcame an inspired performance by Lamar Odom and a late scoring binge by Kobe Bryant to beat the Lakers 119-110 on Wednesday night.

The Suns won the best-of-seven first-round series in five games and advanced to a Western Conference semifinal matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, who eliminated Denver earlier in the evening. Game 1 of the series is Sunday afternoon in Phoenix.

The Lakers never led Wednesday, trailing by 15 points in the second quarter and 16 with 5:52 to go, but they kept coming back.

Odom, playing the whole series with a hyperextended elbow and torn shoulder cartilage, had 33 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, but it was Bryant who put the final scare into the Suns.

The NBA scoring champion, after an uneven night, made consecutive 3-pointers to cut what had been a 16-point fourth-quarter lead to 111-106 with 2:53 to play. Marion made a floater, Stoudemire hit one of two free throws, and the Suns came up with two crucial offensive rebounds on a late possession to help put the game away.

Bryant -- defended by new father Raja Bell -- scored 34 points but was just 13-of-33 from the field. Bell was playing on precious few hours of sleep after spending the night at a hospital, where his wife gave birth to their first child six hours before Wednesday's tipoff.

The Suns' Steve Nash also struggled, shooting 5-for-15 and committing seven turnovers. He scored 17 points and had 10 assists, four in the decisive fourth-quarter stretch. Stoudemire, 15-of-21 at the foul line, also had 16 rebounds. Marion had 10 boards.

Leandro Barbosa, winner of the NBA's Sixth Man Award, had eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter on two early 3-pointers and a breathless fastbreak layup on a halfcourt pass from Nash.

[phattonez]

Finally, LA can focus on the Dodgers without distraction from the NBA.

[redspork02]

TRADE everyone but KOBE, FARMAR TuRIAF and WALTON!!!
GET MR. KG!!!!!

[soup or man]

Not remotely LA related but the Warriors is DESTROYING the Maverick's. They are making history. It's like watching a college game. The crowd has not sat down the entire game. A sea of gold.

[LANative]

I think the Warriors deserve to be the NBA champions this year, they have a great team.

[globetrek]

TRADE everyone but KOBE, FARMAR TuRIAF and WALTON!!!
GET MR. KG!!!!!

Too bad no one wants the other Laker players (maybe odom though)...

Also, there is almost NO CHANCE to get KG, because he hasn't asked for a trade and minni's GM is Kevin McHale, yeah the Boston Celtic McHale. McHale will never do business with his long time rivals, the Lakers.

The BEST hope is JO. JO has actually said he would like to play for the Lakers and the pacers would consider going a different direction because their team is dead in the water as it stands now. Also, there are HUGE contract and $$ issues that have to be worked out that would take me forever to write about. But lets just say, that there needs to be serious cooperation between teams to make any trades with the Lakers.

The good news is that the Lakers booted smush and said they aren't interested in signing him.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Too bad no one wants the other Laker players (maybe odom though)...

Also, there is almost NO CHANCE to get KG, because he hasn't asked for a trade and minni's GM is Kevin McHale, yeah the Boston Celtic McHale. McHale will never do business with his long time rivals, the Lakers.

The BEST hope is JO. JO has actually said he would like to play for the Lakers and the pacers would consider going a different direction because their team is dead in the water as it stands now. Also, there are HUGE contract and $$ issues that have to be worked out that would take me forever to write about. But lets just say, that there needs to be serious cooperation between teams to make any trades with the Lakers.

The good news is that the Lakers booted smush and said they aren't interested in signing him.


yup, thats my opinion too. JO and a point guard that can actually shoot and run an offense would be great.

[The Baz]

UCLA won its 100th national championship in women's water polo. USC 3rd, LMU 6th in the national championships :(

[Fern~Fern*]

.... 6th place!!!! OUCH!!!!!

[globetrek]

UCLA won its 100th national championship in women's water polo. USC 3rd, LMU 6th in the national championships :(

The wife is a Bruin and made sure to remind me:bash:

Oh yeah, what sport is LMU good at? I didn't even know it existed until AFTER I graduated from undergrad. Who is LMU's rival and what athletic conference do they play in (are they div 1A?)

[The Baz]

Come on globetrek you got to head down to the bluff and buy some season passes :lol: .

LMU is in the West Coast Conference (WCC) a Div1AAA conference because it does not sponsor football. Archrival is Pepperdine. Notable rival is Gonzaga. Basketball c/o Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble made it to the Elite 8 in 1990, there was a movie made about it.

Sports most likely to be nationally ranked would be water polo, soccer, baseball, and volleyball (in that order)

Most popular sport is basketball (pictures from last season's conference win against Gonzaga aired on ESPN2)
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/scotzanna/LMU1.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o281/lmulionsa/lmugersten.jpg

Tonight the Lions did bounce UCLA out of the NCAA softball championships. It's the first time in 23 years that the bruins won't make the super regionals.

[vahebaronian]

As a hardcore LA Kings fan, today is a Sad day...

The freakin ducks are one game away from a championship. The greatest trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup, will finally be in Southern California. Unfortunately the cup winner will not be the Los Angeles Kings, but the Anaheim (don't call them Mighty) Ducks...

A truly sad day for LA Kings fans

[Fern~Fern*]

Let's hear it for the Quack...Quacks!!!!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

yes, as a Kings fan, ive thrown up a few times already. i will HATE life if the fucking Quacks win. DAMN IT!

[Elsongs]

I'm not a huge hockey fan, though I'm more of a Kings fan. but good for the Ducks...It's quite an achievement to even see an AMERICAN team win the Stanley Cup, much less a team from California to win it. So best of luck Ducks, and best of luck next year Kings!

[vahebaronian]

^^ It really is not a big deal that an American team will win the Cup. The last time a Canadian Team won was in '93 when Montreal beat the Kings :(

Tomorrow will be a dark day for Kings fans.

[saiholmes]

Ducks beat Ottawa 6-2 to win their first Stanley Cup

[svs]

I love the Ducks!!!!!!!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

sad day :(

[soup or man]

Knucklepuck forever.

[The Baz]

First Stanley Cup for California. Not a record the Kings want set by a rival.

[vahebaronian]

Hopefully, the success by the ducks will motivate Kings management to do something with the team.

[vahebaronian]

Ducks beat Ottawa 6-2 to win their first Stanley Cup

Congratulations to Coach Emilio Estevez, Goldberg the goalie and the rest of the ducks

[Fern~Fern*]

Congratulations to Coach Emilio Estevez, Goldberg the goalie and the rest of the ducks


... Go "quack" yourself!!!!

[saiholmes]

Thursday, June 7, 2007
Party time in Anaheim
Stanley Cup party, Downtown Anaheim 5K and Flag Day celebration highlight busy weekend.
By BRIAN PERDUE
The Orange County Register

http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/community/anaheim_anaheimhills/2007/06/ducks_large.jpg

It's party time in Anaheim.

Three big events planned for the weekend:

‧A free party honoring the NHL champion Anaheim Ducks will be held 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Honda Center's Katella Ave. parking lot.

Free Wienerschnitzel hot dogs, potato chips and Pepsi Cola will be provided. All members of the Ducks plan to attend. Live music and other entertainment are also planned. Parking is free.

‧Earlier Saturday, the 8th annual Downtown Anaheim 5K Run will be held at 8 a.m. Part of the proceeds fund "Support Anaheim's Youth," a program benefiting local youth.

Registration ($25 for the 5K and $10 for the children's 1K) is available at www.active.com. Information: 714-956-3586.

‧Sunday, the