Joe's Notes (March 4, 2011)

City of Los Angeles/South Park.  City of Industry/Grand Crossing.  What's in a name? Well, if you're trying to build an NFL-friendly stadium, the name IS the game. Or at least a big part of it. Farmers Field in South Park is the front-runner. The City of Industry's proposed stadium is still in the fight. But the latest comedic aspect in trying to lure the NFL to our humble little city (cities) is the NAME of the location in which the stadium will ultimately be constructed.  AEG realized this a while ago and began referring to the area that houses STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre and they're hoping a new 64,000 seat football palace, as South Park. (Will Cartman be named team president?) Now, the NFL has let Ed Roski and company know that "Industry" doesn't fit their grand aesthetic plans, so Majestic Reality spokesman John Semcken is referring to the stadium project as being in "Grand Crossing." I think they're all residing in the City of Absurdity.

Once the NFL and their players figure out how to divide $9.3 billion of revenue and they sign the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the L.A. Stadium issue should be resolved within weeks. Obviously AEG is the front-runner, but Roski didn't become a billionaire by giving up. Even if it is a vanity project. I'm sure he'd like nothing more than one-upping his old pal, Phil Anschutz and bringing the NFL to Industry, oops, Grand Crossing Speculation has centered on the San Diego Chargers or Minnesota Vikings being the likely team(s) to relocate to L.A.. Don't count out the Buffalo Bills. Many years ago, owner Ralph Wilson amended his will, ordering a sale of the team immediately following his death. The great L.A. sports columnist Melvin Durslag, a confidant of Wilson's, has told me on more than one occasion that if the league returns, Wilson might be willing to move. Wilson also has strong ties to SoCal, having a home in Palm Springs for decades...

My choice: Bring back the Rams. Offer Stan Kroenke the world, plus a few smaller galaxies, and bring back the only football team that has true ties to Los Angeles...

Little known factoid: I was the last voice ever on a Los Angeles Rams' broadcast. On Christmas Eve 1994, the Rams lost to the Washington Redskins at Anaheim Stadium to complete a dreadful 3-13 season. Along with play-by-play broadcaster Steve Physioc and analysts Deacon Jones and Jack Snow, I was part of the on-air team that year. I did the pre, halftime and postgame shows, and signed off that final broadcast by saying "I don't know what the future holds, whether or not the Rams will be back or playing next year in St. Louis. But if they do move, this has been the last broadcast of the Los Angeles Rams. On behalf of Steve, Deacon and Jack, have a Merry Christmas. And hopefully we'll reconvene here in August." Obviously, we didn't...

The Bruins may not win the Pac-10 basketball championship, but they will be in the NCAA Tournament and could have a high seed depending on their Pac 10 Tournament performance...

Ben Howland has done a great job in rebuilding the team according to his philosophy, play hard, play defense and play for 40 minutes...Classy statement by USC coach Kevin O'Neill saying that it's unbelievable UCLA isn't ranked in the Top 25...He's right...

Can you already feel the different atmosphere around the Clippers now that Baron Davis has been exiled to Cleveland? The negativity surrounding him since the minute he signed on Donald Sterling's bottom line was palpable, and hurt the team as much as anything he did, or didn't, do on the court...Doesn't hurt that Mo Williams is a better player than Davis at this point in their careers.  And someone who seems really happy to be a Clipper. After a month or two in Cleveland, Davis might regret his seeming lack of effort and overall lousy attitude that forced the Clips to get rid of him...Still panicking about the Lakers?

Finally, I understand that Brandon Davies agreed to BYU's "Honor Code" clause when he accepted a basketball scholarship to play for the Cougars. No one forced him. He freely signed on the dotted line. And the school was within its rights to dismiss him when he apparently violated the code by allegedly having sex with his girlfriend. The school owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints demands that their students live a chaste and virtuous life.  If that's how one chooses to live their life, it's great in theory.  But it's virtually impossible to live up to in 2011. Davies had a choice. He didn't have to attend BYU. But instead of penalizing him and the team for something so natural, maybe it's time to change, or at least amend the rule.  And if you believe that Davies is the only Cougar athlete having premarital sex, then you're more naive than the honor code...

Former BYU wide receiver Glen Kozlowski, who also played for the Chicago Bears, summed up the BYU rule: "They let you chase girls. They just don't let you catch them." 

Funny and true.