The Lakers, in danger of losing Sasha Vujacic, probably wish they could get back the money they lavished on Luke Walton, who signed a six-year, $30-million contract last summer and then rarely lived up to it last season. ...
Brent Barry, who owns a home in Hermosa Beach, would have been a great Plan B should Vujacic bolt, but the Houston Rockets signed him two weeks ago. ...
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, July 26, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 42 words Type of Material: Correction
USC football: An item in Jerry Crowe's Text Messages From Press Row in Friday's Sports section said the Trojans had won six consecutive Bowl Championship Series bowl games. They have won five of six, losing in the 2006 Rose Bowl to Texas.
Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers, by the way, still have as many as five roster spots to fill -- they have 10 players under contract -- and already are on the hook for $75.1 million next season, about $4 million over the luxury-tax threshold. ...
Joe Torre, on pace to lose 83 games in his first season with the Dodgers, never lost more than 70 in 12 seasons with the New York Yankees. ...
Reader Chris Barreno of Redondo Beach wonders, "Is it possible for an owner -- we'll use Frank McCourt as an example -- to fire himself?" ...
Wouldn't Donald Sterling have already considered that? ...
Vladimir Guerrero and the Angels play only 10 home games in September, which won't be a factor if they continue winning with regularity on the road and pulling away from the Oakland A's in the American League West. ...
We know about the hitting prowess, but Tim McCarver says Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners is the best right fielder since Roberto Clemente. ...
New Clippers cornerstones Baron Davis and Marcus Camby are reputed to be injury-prone but sat out only three games between them last season, Davis playing in all 82 for the Golden State Warriors. ...
Speaking of the Warriors, Southland copy editors rejoiced Thursday when it was announced that Kelenna Azubuike would be returning to the team after it matched the Clippers' three-year, $9-million contract offer for the shooting guard. ...
The PGA Championship, Aug. 7-10 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich., faces a double whammy: no Tiger Woods and an unfavorable date on the calendar, the opening weekend of the Olympics. ...
Is Pete Carroll ever blase? ...
The excitable USC football coach, whose teams have won six consecutive Pacific 10 Conference titles and six consecutive BCS bowl games, says he has "never been more pumped about a year's start," senses "a whole new excitement about our program" and notes, "We have a chance to do something really special." ...
Doesn't he say that every year? ...
