1. LA Lakers: Why Firing Mike Brown Is Not the Answer

    Once again, Mike Brown has been fired as a head coach for a team not meeting expectations. Once again, Mike Brown has been made the scapegoat for bigger problems. Yes, the Lakers started out 1-4 and were winless in the preseason...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 7 months ago 440 reads 0 comments

  2. Penn State Scandal: What We Can Learn from Joe Paterno, Penn State's Failings

    College football has long created gods who tower over the sport. The Freeh Report, headed by former FBI director Louis Freeh, is another reminder of danger in creating such idols as the Penn State scandal continues to shake out...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 11 months ago 379 reads 0 comments

  3. NBA Free Agents 2012: How Signing Steve Nash Jeopardizes Los Angeles Lakers

    Somehow, the Lakers pulled off what could be the steal of the summer. A sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns to acquire All-Star Steve Nash ...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 12 months ago 5,041 reads 42 comments

  4. 2012 NBA Finals: A Breakdown of LeBron vs. Durant and Other Angles

    LeBron vs. Durant. The Cali kids (Harden and Westbrook) vs. The March Babies (a nod to Shane Battier, Dwayne Wade, Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller and Juwan Howard’s NCAA Tournament buzz)...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 1 year ago 1,787 reads 4 comments

  5. NBA Playoffs 2012: Los Angeles Lakers No Longer Elite After Latest Collapse

    The end of Game 4 might as well have symbolized the beginning of a new era and the official end of another...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 1 year ago 13,403 reads 111 comments

  6. LA Lakers: Metta World Peace Should Not Be Suspended Long for Elbow

    When the NBA suspends Metta World Peace in the coming days, this writer hopes the league resists the urge to cave into public pressure and does what they are suppose to: carefully evaluate the incident and its context...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 1 year ago 1,862 reads 17 comments

  7. John Calipari: Kentucky Wildcats Coach Adds Title and Credibility to Resume

    Now that John Calipari has won a title, he can take his place among the controversial and successful modern legends of college sports—guys like Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Tarkanian who changed their sport while gaining few friends at the time...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about 1 year ago 233 reads 7 comments

  8. Derek Fisher: An Appreciation for Former Laker's Career

    In 13 seasons with the Lakers , Derek Fisher ’s stats are as follows: 915 games, 592 starts, 7.9 points per game. He shot just over 40 percent from the field and 37.5 percent on three-pointers...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 2,308 reads 16 comments

  9. Heat vs. Lakers: Win over Miami Shows L.A. Is Turning into a Contender

    After defeating the Miami Heat on Sunday, the Lakers put the rest of the NBA on notice. They are back as a team to watch for in the West. Now, I'm not crazy. The Lakers are still behind Oklahoma City until they can beat them...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 1,519 reads 27 comments

  10. LA Lakers: Where Would the Lakers Be If Phil Jackson Was Still the Coach?

    If Phil Jackson was still coaching the Lakers , would things be any different? The better question is: "Why is this an idea?" Just because the Lakers have shown quite a few ...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 3,972 reads 6 comments

  11. Kobe Bryant: Is Los Angeles Lakers Star Destined for Historic Scoring Season?

    Just when you thought Kobe Bryant was out of surprises, he surprised everyone with a 48-point outing versus Phoenix that reminded everyone of a younger Bryant that wore No. 8 instead of 24...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 9,631 reads 100 comments

  12. L.A. Lakers: The Good, Bad and Surprising Revelations So Far

    Three games into the Lakers season, it's too early to panic or assume the worst. But what we can do is simply assess what the team has done and whether it bodes well for further down the road...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 15,397 reads 36 comments

  13. NBA Trade Rumors: How Trade Talk Will Affect Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum's Play

    The Lakers have enough uncertainty heading into the season: How to get familiar with Mike Brown’s leadership. How to forge basic chemistry with the new players, let alone on-court chemistry...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 2,072 reads 3 comments

  14. Lakers Trade Rumors: Why Chasing Dwight Howard Isn't Worth the Risk

    There have been a few near-trades in Lakers history, but none may have the devastating effect of the Chris Paul trade nixed by the NBA ...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 5,777 reads 5 comments

  15. Albert Pujols, CJ Wilson to Anaheim: Why the Angels Now Own L.A. Baseball

    You hear that sound? That’s the Angels stealing the Dodgers ' thunder with the greatest free-agent signing coup in team history...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 978 reads 3 comments

  16. Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Players Who Need to Step Up in 2011-12 NBA Season

    Now that the NBA lockout appears to be over, we can focus on what fans really want to talk about: season previews, on-court chatter and, for Lakers fans, how to forget about last season’s disappointing exit in a four-game sweep to Dallas ...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 5,224 reads 12 comments

  17. 5 Reasons Why Andrew Bynum Has Even More Pressure to Succeed with the LA Lakers

    When we last saw Andrew Bynum, he was leaving the court shirtless and defiant after a flagrant foul on J.J. Barea. It was perhaps the most disgraceful exit for a Lakers player in recent memory...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 2,841 reads 4 comments

  18. Matt Kemp's Contract with L.A. Dodgers Is Reward for Promise Fulfilled

    Three years ago, I wrote a story in The LA Sentinel saying why the Dodgers needed to keep Matt Kemp instead of trade him. At the time, Kemp was talented but raw...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 1,716 reads 0 comments

  19. CC Sabathia: Bold Predictions for His Yankee Future

    With news that CC Sabathia is staying with the Yankees after deciding not to opt of his contract, it means that the Yankee faithful will be enjoying one of the best pitchers in baseball a little longer...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 897 reads 12 comments

  20. Los Angeles Lakers: What Does New Assistant Coach Darvin Ham Bring to the Squad?

    When I think of Darvin Ham, I think first of that amazing, glass-shattering dunk he had against North Carolina while at Texas Tech. Then I think about the 1997 dunk contest...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 2,944 reads 2 comments

  21. Los Angeles Dodgers: Ranking 20 Biggest Heroes in Franchise History

    Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. That's the classic quote from The Sandlot , and it's true for any organization where somebody becomes immortalized for doing something great...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 84 reads 1 comments

  22. Los Angeles Dodgers: Ranking Top 25 Players in Their Farm System

    One look at the Dodgers top prospects and it boils down to one word. Pitching. In looking up this list, the Dodgers are incredibly deep with great young arms and it's likely the tradition of great Dodger pitchers will continue into the next decade...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 1,875 reads 2 comments

  23. L.A. Lakers: 5 Signs the Team's Future Is Still Bright

    The NBA has cancelled the first two weeks of the season, so in theory, there isn’t much to celebrate NBA-wise right now...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 9,128 reads 55 comments

  24. MLB Trade Rumors: Why LA is Best Place for Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols

    In a dream world, the Dodgers would be buyers, not sellers this winter. In a dream world, Frank McCourt and his mismanagement wouldn’t exist, and fans could look forward to the potential of luring a big free agent...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 2,798 reads 10 comments

  25. MLB: 10 Balding Ballplayers Who Make Us Thankful They Wear Hats

    It's something most MLB fans don't think about often: How many players in the league are bald? Thanks to wearing hats and batting helmets, it's something most fans probably couldn't count off the top unless it was someone on their team...

    Evan Barnes Written by Evan Barnes about over 1 year ago 479 reads 0 comments