Sports Beat, 8-28-08 - SoCal Sports Observed

Sports Beat, 8-28-08

Phil Wallace • Bio • Email

--USC's football season begins this Saturday at Virginia, and I will be broadcasting the game on KSCR 1540 AM and KSCR.org. Mark Sanchez is apparently healthy and ready to go for the Trojans against a Cavaliers squad that is seeing a lot of turnover. Virginia hasn't even named a starting quarterback yet. Not many coaches are willing to send their teams on the road across the country to play against a major conference school, so give Pete Carroll credit.

In a bit of a surprise, Aaron Corp is now the No. 2 QB on the depth chart for USC, ahead of Mitch Mustain. I guess Mustain just isn't a great fit for the USC offense, and if I were him, and I was the No. 1 QB recruit in the country a few years ago and now I'm the 3rd-string quarterback on my team, then I would transfer.

--After losing to the Nationals last night, the Dodgers have lost six in a row, and are falling apart at a crucial juncture of the season. They're still just 3 games back, but they haven't exactly inspired hope in their fans.

The performances show that just "making a move" or getting "a bat" isn't exactly a panacea. Team performance goes beyond one simple quick fix. Teams win or lose based on adhering to a strong organization philosophy and vision. The Dodgers have tried to do too many different things in recent years, and the team lacks an identity. Also, right now their bullpen is sort of a random collection of rag-tag pitchers and their veteran players are really really old and not nearly as productive as they used to be.

When people long for the old "Dodger Way", they long for a time when the organization reflected continuity and built through the farm. Manny Ramirez does make the Dodgers a better team, but if they want to sustain success, then they have to be patient and let themselves build from within.

August 28, 2008 2:07 PM • Native Intelligence • Email the editor

8:31 PM Thu | Lakers acquire Steve Nash from the Suns

8:08 PM Thu | Journo jumps from Daily Journal to Warren Olney

11:50 PM Wed | Protester who smacked LAPD cop sentenced to jail

11:31 PM Wed | Michael J. Ybarra, journalist was 45

10:21 AM Tue | Andy Griffith, actor was 86

Mark Lacter funeral services

2:07 PM Sat | The funeral for Mark Lacter will be held Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12 noon at Hillside Memorial Park, 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles 90045. Reception to follow.