Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Category: Other sports (Page 2 of 2)

Dodgers show pride and giving side

Justin Turner gets ready to drop the ceremonial puck between the Kings' Dustin Brown and the Panthers' Willie Mitchell. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Justin Turner gets ready to drop the ceremonial puck between the Kings’ Dustin Brown and the Panthers’ Willie Mitchell. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

111814JO_LAD_USOBy Jon Weisman

Dodgers Pride Night at Staples Center, hosted by our friends at the Los Angeles Kings, took place Tuesday. Click this link to visit a Juan Ocampo photo gallery from the evening, and click here for video.

Also on Tuesday, Tommy Lasorda, Ned Colletti and Tim and Lori Wallach helped serve Thanksgiving meals to approximately 300 service members at the 9th annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the Troops at the Bob Hope USO, located at Los Angeles International Airport. The event was part of the Dodgers’ 2014 Season of Giving.

111814JO_LAD_USO

And on his last off day before returning home from the Japan All-Star Series, Drew Butera joined Jeff Beliveau of the Rays in visiting a children’s hospital. David Venn has more at MLB.com.

Ben Platt/MLB.com

Ben Platt/MLB.com

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Stanley Cup comes Tuesday to Dodger Stadium

Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers will honor the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings — who will bring the Stanley Cup trophy to the ballpark — during pregame ceremonies prior to the Dodgers’ game against the Colorado Rockies.

— Jon Weisman

Video: Dodger Stadium celebrates Kings’ Stanley Cup

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Dodger owners Mark Walter, Magic Johnson lead purchase of WNBA’s Sparks

Screen shot 2014-02-05 at 8.58.31 PMBy Jon Weisman

An investment group led by Dodgers controlling owner Mark R. Walter and co-owners Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Todd L. Boehly, Robert L. Patton and Stan Kasten is purchasing the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, who will continue to play at Staples Center.

“I love basketball and I love women’s basketball, so this was really simple and easy for Mark and I,” Johnson said at a press conference today. “It’s funny – we were on a plane and we turned to each other and said, ‘Let’s buy the Sparks.’ I said, ‘OK, let’s go do it.’ And so here we are.”

Said Walter in a statement: “Earvin came to me and said we need to help save the Sparks and keep them in Los Angeles. The decision was quite easy for our investment group due to the passion Magic has for this city, these great athletes and our phenomenal fans.” This team and its great players should remain a part of the sports fabric of this wonderful city.

One of the league’s original eight teams, the Sparks won the WNBA championship in 2001 and 2002, and is the last team to have earned titles in consecutive seasons. Los Angeles advanced to the Western Conference Finals in three of the past six seasons, most recently in 2012. WNBA All-Stars Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver lead the squad.

The Sparks “have been in limbo since Christmas when their previous owner, Paula Madison, abruptly told the league and Sparks coaches and employees that her company could no longer operate the team,” Ramona Shelburne wrote for ESPN.com.

In the press conference, Johnson said that the new owners believe the Sparks can be profitable, reports Melissa Rohlin of the Times. .

“We know what we’re up against and that’s OK,” Johnson said. “We love challenges. We feel, yes, we’re going to eventually make a profit, no question about it. That’s why we’re in business, to make a profit. … We want to increase the fan experience because that’s what we did for the Dodgers, that’s why we’re No. 1 in MLB in attendance.”

 

Hoops hail-stones

Congrats to local heroes Jamaal Wilkes and Reggie Miller for their selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame. We used to have fun imitating Wilkes’ signature shooting style.

Congrats also to Blue Velvet Jonez for winning the Dodger Thoughts March Madness challenge. BVJ not only had the final game correct, but the exact margin of victory – eight points – as well as three of the final four.

Magic Johnson documentary ‘The Announcement’ headed to ESPN

Airdate: March 11

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