Joel Meyers

The Lakers would not comment on media reports that team television play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers will be replaced by radio play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes at the end of the season. Dedes would become the third Lakers television announcer since the death of Hall of Famer Chick Hearn. Paul Sunderland took over for Hearn after Hearn's death in August 2002. "All of our announcers are under contract and we're not going to discuss that situation until the end of the season," said Lakers vice president of public relations John Black.

Reporting from Oakland Stu Lantz is staying. The longtime color commentator for televised Lakers games is expected to return for a 25th season, multiple NBA and entertainment officials said Wednesday. Lantz's broadcast partner since 2005, Joel Meyers , will not be back after this season. Meyers will be done after the first round of the playoffs. Neither FS West nor KCAL has broadcast rights past that point. Spero Dedes , 32, will be the third TV voice of the Lakers since Chick Hearn died in August 2002.

On Wednesday night, Joel Meyers was busy doing the radio play-by-play on the USC-UCLA basketball game. On Thursday night, he was playing host to his nightly 6-7 p.m. "Sports Line" talk show on KMPC. Meyers handles one assignment as well as the next. Versatility is one of his strengths. His smooth, baritone voice is another. And then there's his background. A St. Louis native, Meyers belongs to the roster of sportscasters who have worked for St. Louis radio station KMOX.

The Lakers would not comment on media reports that team television play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers will be replaced by radio play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes at the end of the season. Dedes would become the third Lakers television announcer since the death of Hall of Famer Chick Hearn. Paul Sunderland took over for Hearn after Hearn's death in August 2002. "All of our announcers are under contract and we're not going to discuss that situation until the end of the season," said Lakers vice president of public relations John Black.

With Bill Plaschke's Dec. 15 column on Paul Sunderland, we are reminded that loyalty and respect no longer mean anything in professional sports, even outside the lines. The Lakers missed the opportunity to have a true classy gentleman represent their organization for many years to come. There was no one more able, capable, and willing to start his own streak behind the microphone than Paul Sunderland. CHRIS TURKMANY Westchester Bravo to Bill Plaschke for bringing attention to the injustice perpetrated upon Paul Sunderland by the Lakers organization.

UCLA and USC may be losing their voices--their radio voices, that is. Joel Meyers, who does UCLA football and basketball for KMPC, has been offered a job by NBC-TV as a pro football play-by-play announcer, and if things work out he will no longer be able to do Bruin games. Tom Kelly, USC's longtime radio voice, may be leaving KNX to join Prime Ticket, where, among other things, he would announce USC football.

Reporting from Oakland Stu Lantz is staying. The longtime color commentator for televised Lakers games is expected to return for a 25th season, multiple NBA and entertainment officials said Wednesday. Lantz's broadcast partner since 2005, Joel Meyers , will not be back after this season. Meyers will be done after the first round of the playoffs. Neither FS West nor KCAL has broadcast rights past that point. Spero Dedes , 32, will be the third TV voice of the Lakers since Chick Hearn died in August 2002.

Time Warner Cable has struck a game-changing TV deal with the Lakers to create two new regional sports channels ? one in English and one in Spanish ? that will use the world champions as their backbone. The 20-year agreement, which kicks off with the 2012-13 season, covers all preseason, regular-season and postseason games that are not nationally telecast. The marriage of the Lakers and Time Warner Cable is a major blow to Fox Sports West and KCAL-TV, the current rights holders.

SportsChannel Los Angeles, which last week completed a five-year deal with the Clippers, is expected to announce today that Jerry Tarkanian has been hired as the commentator. Tarkanian's first telecast will be Thursday night when the Clippers play a home game against the Houston Rockets. The play-by-play announcer will be Joel Meyers. SportsChannel will televise five regular-season games, plus some playoff games if the Clippers qualify.

Memo to the Laker front office: When the Bill Macdonald-Joel Meyers experiment fails, you can rehire Paul Sunderland for twice his former salary (Jerry, see Rudy Tomjanovich, Frank Hamblen, Phil Jackson). Mr. Mariani, a bad team will generate bad ratings (Mitch, see Brian Grant: $14 million for three points and three rebounds a game). John Stege Coto de Caza Sunderland out? Is Buss high on Viagra? Is Laker VP Mariani taking too many martini lunches? Sunderland was a bright and vibrant light to many disappointed Laker fans.

With Bill Plaschke's Dec. 15 column on Paul Sunderland, we are reminded that loyalty and respect no longer mean anything in professional sports, even outside the lines. The Lakers missed the opportunity to have a true classy gentleman represent their organization for many years to come. There was no one more able, capable, and willing to start his own streak behind the microphone than Paul Sunderland. CHRIS TURKMANY Westchester Bravo to Bill Plaschke for bringing attention to the injustice perpetrated upon Paul Sunderland by the Lakers organization.

UCLA and USC may be losing their voices--their radio voices, that is. Joel Meyers, who does UCLA football and basketball for KMPC, has been offered a job by NBC-TV as a pro football play-by-play announcer, and if things work out he will no longer be able to do Bruin games. Tom Kelly, USC's longtime radio voice, may be leaving KNX to join Prime Ticket, where, among other things, he would announce USC football.

On Wednesday night, Joel Meyers was busy doing the radio play-by-play on the USC-UCLA basketball game. On Thursday night, he was playing host to his nightly 6-7 p.m. "Sports Line" talk show on KMPC. Meyers handles one assignment as well as the next. Versatility is one of his strengths. His smooth, baritone voice is another. And then there's his background. A St. Louis native, Meyers belongs to the roster of sportscasters who have worked for St. Louis radio station KMOX.

Listening to the first Dodgers telecast of new TV partners Eric Collins and Steve Lyons got me confused. Is Eric Collins doing the imitation of Steve Lyons or is Steve Lyons doing the imitation of Eric Collins? Ron Tom Pasadena :: The new Dodgers announcer is quoted as saying that he knows what his life will be for "a while," being compared with Vin Scully. Just ask Joel Meyers and Paul Sunderland how many times the name Chick Hearn comes up in conversation regarding Lakers basketball.

The changes in baseball's television coverage aren't just taking place at the network level. Three local announcing teams also have a new look. Longtime NBC broadcaster Joe Garagiola joins Sports-Channel cable's Angel broadcasting crew, working alongside fellow former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Joe Torre. Meanwhile, Torre will begin his first full season as the play-by-play announcer on KTLA's Angels telecasts. Reggie Jackson is rejoining the Angels organization, filling Torre's analyst job.