Sports Beat, 10-24-07
--The NFL is reportedly sending a staff to Southern California next month to investigate potential stadiums sites which do not include the Coliseum or Anaheim. According to the LA Times those sites could include Chavez Ravine and an undisclosed location in the City of Industry.
This is the first we've heard about City of Industry, but Chavez Ravine has been in and out of the LA stadium discussions for a long time. In a sense, Chavez Ravine seems like the perfect spot. It's accessible from three different freeways, it's relatively hidden from the general public, and it regularly accommodates crowds of over 50,000. To accommodate slightly larger crowds for football, an NFL team could offer shuttle service from Union Station. That being said, a Chavez Ravine football stadium has never been popular in City Hall for a ton of reasons that date back more than ten years. If the NFL wants to come to Elysian Park, then there would need to be some kind of political shift. As for the City of Industry... I'd love to see those plans and learn who's behind them.
--Great news for local WNBA fans. The Sparks have won the lottery! The WNBA Draft Lottery that is. Candace Parker of Tennessee is the early favorite to be the top pick, but there's still a full season of NCAA women's hoops to be played.
--Now we know why some NBA teams were hesitant to trade for Lamar Odom. He's hurt. Odom will miss at least the first three games of the season for the Lakers. Even when he returns, Laker fans shouldn't expect him to be 100-percent right away. If the Lakers are to get off to a good start, they'll need major contributions from someone else.