Letters to Sports: Readers recognize Helene Elliott and her impact

Thank you, Helene Elliott, for your 45 years of incisive, humanistic and insightful reporting and columns. You’ve been a trailblazer and a beacon for women in sports and never failed to engage and report with a keen and witty eye. You will be deeply missed.

Gary Bolen
Monterey

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Rarely do I cry when a sportswriter signs off on a career well accomplished. Helene Elliott’s last column had me in tears. She is without a doubt one of the best ever — and I’ve read some of the finest writers from Brooklyn to L.A.

Helen Lotos
Corona del Mar

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My deepest and sincere condolences to Helene Elliott. I can’t imagine the pain you are going through. First and foremost, I wish you happiness and healing. You have been a joy to read for as long as I have been reading The Times. You will be missed.

Geno Apicella
Placentia

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So sorry for your loss Helene and wish you comfort and success in whatever direction your new endeavor may take you. The Times has lost its best sports writer in many years. We’ll really miss you.

Jack Wishard
Los Angeles

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If ever there was a column written from the heart, it was Helene Elliott’s goodbye. I have followed Helene most of her career at The Times and found her to have a well thought out and evenhanded perspective. Her hockey coverage, in a word, was outstanding. I can hardly wait for the book.

Ken Allan
Diamond Bar

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Farewell and thanks to Helene Elliott for her many years of snark-free columns on the L.A. sports scene. Taking an early retirement while saving a colleague’s position says it all. Congratulations.

Jim Fredrick
Manhattan Beach

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Helene Elliott is an icon in L.A. sports journalism. I am going to miss seeing her byline. What was unique about her style is that she reported on the team, the event, and the personalities involved, but never made herself part of the story, as certain other journalists are inclined to do. She is definitely going to be missed in the pages of The Times Sports section and the L.A. sports scene.

Sherwyn Drucker
Winnetka

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I would like to thank you for your many years of service to the Los Angeles community. Your courage, as one of the first female sports writers, and your commitment to quality journalism has benefited all of us. Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your husbum and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Lorrie Oshatz
Sunland

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To refer to Helene Elliott as a female sportswriter — even as a pioneering female sportswriter — is a misnomer. She’s simply one of the finest sportswriters to ever grace the pages of a major metropolitan newspaper. Period.

Kip Dellinger
Santa Monica

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Thank you Helene for your beautifully courageous last story, and for all those that have preceded it. I have been a faithful reader for 34 years. I lost my husband two years ago after a 35-year marriage and yes the grief can be crushing. I assure you in time it will get easier. I wish you peace and healing as you face your first project of moving your beloved husbum’s shoes and clean T-shirts, one shoe, one T-shirt at a time.

Holly Wolfle Hall
Glendale

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Best of luck in the next phase of your life. Ms. Elliott, you take your place in the pantheon of great writers that have graced the pages of the Los Angeles Times Sports section.

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Robert Matthews
San Clemente

LeBron James was sensational in orchestrating the Lakers’ fourth-quarter comeback against the Clippers. Maybe it’s time for LeBron to start thinking about playing in the NBA with a grandson.

Richard Raffalow
Valley Glen

After the court-stormings at both the Iowa-Ohio State and Duke-Wake Forest games, it’s time to take a hard, serious look at what has become a dangerous pastime.

The Caitlin Clark incident was just plain stupidity — the oblivious fan running down the court with her eyes on her cell phone. The Kyle Filipowski trip/collision looked intentional.

Solution? Any unauthorized person entering the court before the losing visiting team can safely exit will cost their home team the victory.

Rick Solomon
Lake Balboa

After the USC-UCLA game, Mick Cronin said, “The team that plays harder usually wins.” Actually, the team that plays smarter usually wins, and USC definitely played smarter. They employed an extended zone defense the entire game, and Cronin appeared to make zero adjustments. This smart defense completely neutralized UCLA’s perimeter game. Don’t work harder, work smarter.

David Waldowski
Laguna Woods

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The entire season has been Mick Cronin throwing tantrums after each game while bemoaning his team isn’t tough enough or isn’t motivated enough or doesn’t haven’t enough heart. Mick, how about admitting that you didn’t recruit well enough and that the team isn’t very good this season? You are beating a bunch of well-meaning kids into the ground when you probably bear more responsibility for this disappointing season than anyone else.

Robert Goldstone
Corona del Mar

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On the same day as the new John Wooden postage stamp dedication at Pauley Pavilion, in front of the largest crowd of the season, it was only fitting that USC gave the Bruins a good licking.

Steve Ross
Carmel

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Email: sports@latimes.com