I grew up in Los Angeles and have witnessed some intriguing sports action ranging from the Dodgers’ salute to Roy Campanella at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and their World Series over the White Sox. I witnessed Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente play at Dodger Stadium.

As a child I went to the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena to watch the Elgin Baylor-Jerry West Lakers play such greats as Bill Russell, Oscar Robinson and Wilt Chamberlain. I also attended the first Lakers game at the Fabulous Forum and observed what is arguably the greatest professional sports team ever assembled, the 71-72 Lakers who won 33 games in a row. I was there to see Kareem, Magic, Jamal, Worthy, Cooper and the rest win five championships during the 80s.

For much of the first half of my life the NFL Pro Bowl was played in LA and my father took my brother and I every year. You name the NFL star in the sixties and seventies and I saw them play…Jim Brown, Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas.

During that same time period I watched the Rams’ Fearsome Foursome of Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy (replaced by Coy Bacon), Rosey Grier (replaced by Roger Brown) dominate every offensive line they played against. Later after the Rams moved to Orange County I became a member of the Raider Nation and have been following the Silver and Black every since.

I have been attending USC football games since the days of John McKay and I have seen every ‘SC Heisman Trophy winner play on the Coliseum turf as I watched them play Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Alabama, UCLA and other football giants.

I was a fan of the Wizard of Westwood and actually had the opportunity to take a trip to a UCLA Bruins practice while in middle school where John Wooden taught the game to Sidney Wickes and Curtis Rowe. I played H.O.R.S.E. with Gail Good rich and Walt Hazzard as an elementary school kid.

I sat in the Coliseum and watched Carl Lewis, Evelyn Ashford and Valerie Brisco-Hooks win their gold medals in 1984.

I love my sports. I believe Los Angeles is the center of the sports world and I enjoy the give and take among sports fans across the nation. I do not take the trash talking seriously and never take it personally.

Sports are fun and I love having fun with other fans.