Ross,

Great article on the NFL playoff games. What tremendous insight you have on the “total view” of all game aspects.

Keep the great columns coming!!

Ron Wheat
Sherman Oaks, Ca.

ROSS:

For pro football fans, Ron, this is the exciting point of the season. Thanks for checking in.

Dear Mr. Porter,

Since you left the Dodgers, it has not been the same for me and many other fans. I guess that I can add your voice to the “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone category.” Don’t get me wrong. It is great to hear “Real Sports Heroes.”

Sincerely,

Eric Dearborn
Los Angeles

ROSS:

Eric, I appreciate your sentiments and support.

Hi, Ross !

As you look back on the college football season, what surprised you the most?

Ray Crawford
Santa Monica

ROSS:

In no particular order, Ray……

Texas losing seven games, five of them at home, after playing for the national championship in January. Finishing last in the Big 12 South.

Pre-season number 1 Alabama beaten three times.

Unranked Auburn and unrated Oregon going through the regular season undefeated to be ranked 1-2 in the nation.

Virginia Tech stunned by James Madison.

Tulsa 28 Notre Dame 27

Nebraska losing to Washington, 19-7 in December after winning their first meeting in September, 56-21 at Seattle.

UCLA 34 Texas 12 at Austin
Iowa State 28 Texas 21 at Austin

Michigan’s Big 10 record the last three years falling to 6 and 18.

Oregon State 36 USC 7

Florida dropping five games in October and November, then Urban Meyer resigns.

Oklahoma State winning 11 games for the first time.

TCU plays in the Rose Bowl and completes undefeated season.

Cam Newton saying he did not know his pastor-father was soliciting money as schools vied for
his football talents.

Ross,

How many of the NFL Wild Card playoff games did you predict correctly?

Phil Osborne
San Jose

Ross:

I do not make predictions on this website, Phil, but if I did, my record last weekend would have been 2 and 2. Chose Baltimore over Kansas City and Green Bay over Philadelphia. Would never have selected Seattle over New Orleans, and went with Indianapolis at home over the Jets. Peyton scored too quickly, (with 53 seconds remaining) giving New York a chance to rally.

Dear Ross:

I’ve heard your soothing voice on Home Run Derby as I have watched everyone that they saved. I’m not too sure that many from that era with their long swings and strides could hit all the gas the pitchers are throwing now. I played in that old park in 1964 and boy, 345 feet to left center was an easy shot. I played for the Dodger Rookie team that their scout, Kenny Myers, managed and we used to barnstorm around Southern California and play Legion All-Star teams. We had Rollie Fingers, Andy Messersmith, Tommy Hutton and some great players.

Take care.

Mike Floyd

ROSS:

Thanks, Mike, for checking in. Would you believe I have never seen Home Run Derby since I recorded that opening over 10 years ago? I was in the recording studio for five minutes. People have told me it is on ESPN Classic, but I’m not sure.

Ross,

I just finished reading your post on the Giants vs. Eagles wild finish. I didn’t watch the game, but there has certainly been a lot of talk about the game.

I don’t follow the NFL that closely, and I didn’t know the Giants had a rookie punter from East Carolina named Matt Dodge. I found that interesting since Oklahoma State had an all-conference punter named Matt Fodge, who graduated a year ago.

Jack Warner
Edmond, Oklahoma

ROSS:

Not only is that interesting, Jack, but it is almost a stunning coincidence. Another innocent fellow named Matt Dodge got hate mail on his Twitter and was even advised to go into the witness protection program.

Ross,

With the 30th anniversary of the 1981 World Series champion Dodgers coming up there will be talk of many of those players who are still in the public eye, like Garvey, Cey, Russell, Lopes, Fernando and Scioscia. But what of the lesser known members of the team who have drifted out of the public eye, those whose contributions that year did not always show up in the boxscore but who had a hand in the team’s success in their own small way. Terry Forster, Joe Ferguson, Jack Perconte, Pepe Frias, and Gary Weiss come to mind.

Jeff Haller
Carlsbad, Ca.

ROSS:

Looking back at that 1981 team, Jeff, I forgot how many young players were on the club. Valenzuela was 20, Steve Sax and Tom Niedenfuer 21, Scioscia and Alejandro Pena 22, Steve Howe 23, Bob Welch, Dave Stewart and Ron Roenicke 24, Pedro Guerrero and Rick Sutcliffe 25. The average age was 26. Five pitchers had fabulous earned run averages. (Burt Hooton 2.28, Jerry Reuss 2.30, Valenzuela 2.48, Stewart 2.49, and Howe 2.50) The Dodgers played only 110 games because of a strike. They won the first half of the season by half a game, and finished fourth in the second half. In all three playoff rounds, the Dodgers fell behind, but rallied to oust the Astros, Expos and Yankees.

Dear Ross,

I’m glad to see that Cliff Lee did not go to the Yankees. Not every player has to run and become a New York Yankee and it was refreshing to see him take less money. I’m sorry that he didn’t become an Anaheim Angel, but their pitching is solid, plus I have the faith they will do well.

Greg Villegas

ROSS:

I was sorry, Greg, to see Lee leave the Rangers because my 8 and 5 year old grandsons are big Texas fans and they are disappointed. With their starting pitchers ( Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels) how can the Phillies not be considered the favorites in the National League?)

Ross,

You knew my father, the late Allan Roth, the statistician for the Dodgers and then for NBC’s baseball telecasts. He was inducted in June into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame along with Robbie Alomar, Calvin Griffith and Paul Quantrill. My dad was Canadian. That Hall of Fame is located in St. Mary’s, Ontario, and honors the achievements of Canadian players such as Fergie Jenkins, Larry Walker, and Quantrill, and players who played in Canada such as Alomar and Andre Dawson. It includes other contributors to the game other than players.

I was always a fan of yours, always greatly enjoyed your broadcasting style and your wonderful rapport with fans on Dodger Talk. Most important, glad to see you’re still doing writing and broadcasting about sports. I know my dad thought highly of you as well. There are a lot of us out there who always enjoyed you.

Best,

Michael Roth

ROSS:

What a pleasure to hear from you, Michael, and thanks for your kind comments. Your dad was such a knowledgeable baseball fan and I always enjoyed talking with him at games. Congratulations on his induction into the Canandian Hall of Fame. That’s a fine honor.

To: Fred Blattner
Rocky Lang
Randy Roach
Mike Murray
Gary Morris
Marty Simons
Arn Larkin
Jim McFarland
Jeffrey Almberg

I am deeply grateful to each of you for your recent e-mails showing such great support and appreciation of my work over the years. It was a true vote of confidence and I thank you for taking your time to write.

May you and your loved ones enjoy the happiest of holidays.

Ross

Ross,

You were among my all-time favorite baseball guys for many years. I remember fondly the time I met you outside Holman Stadium at Vero Beach (yeah, the real Dodgertown). It was a thrill for me then, and I truly hope you’re doing well now.

Ron Santo was a real sports hero, both on the field and off, don’t you think?

Doug Applebaugh

ROSS:

It’s good to hear from you, Doug. Yes, Ron was a hero in several ways——a fine player and a man who was determined not to let his physical problems destroy his life. Diabetes led to amputation of both of his legs, heart problems, and bladder cancer finally struck him out at the age of 70. Ron Santo never whined about his condition and was a very likeable man.

Ron Santo

Hi, Ross:

I know Ron Santo has been on the Hall of Fame cusp. Would you vote him in? I’m guessing if Leo the Lip’s ‘ 69 Cubbies team didn’t crash, he would already have been in.

Best,

Harry Bluebond
Los Angeles

ROSS:

When you know someone personally who might deserve being in the Hall of Fame Harry, it is sometimes hard to be objective. That’s how I felt about Ron. He played 15 seasons in the majors, 14 with the Cubs and the last year with the White Sox. (1960-1974) His lifetime batting average was .277, and he had 342 home runs and 1, 331 RBI. Santo was a nine-time All-Star, won five Gold Gloves at third base, led the National League in assists a record seven years, and tied another league mark when was tops in putouts seven seasons.

Ron was the first major league player to wear a batting helmet with a protective ear flap in 1966. He had been hit by a pitch, fracturing his cheekbone. Off the field, Ron Santo raised more than 60 million dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. So, yes, he was a Hall of Famer one way or the other.

Rest in Peace, Ron

Hi, Ross !

Just wanted to say hello and thanks for great memories you gave us Dodger fans, and for the positive messages about life you and your wife continue to give everyone. I’ve heard your “Real Sports Heroes” radio episodes and I love them, and it’s good to see you have a website to spread this message also.

Best wishes,

Scott Moore

Ross,

The Giants are clearly the surprise of the 2010 baseball season by advancing to the World Series. However, it seems that they have a small dilemma concerning the improvement of their frequently anemic offense. They have several above average position players, but in contrast to the pitching rotation, no stars. The question is, what should they do this off-season?

One of the possibly biggest issues is: What about Mark DeRosa? Where does he fit in? Do they trade Sandoval? Re-sign Burrell? It seems that everyone on the roster wants to stay, and there isn’t enough room.

What are your thoughts about the Giants in 2011?

Craig Kelly
Shorewood, Wisconsin

ROSS:

When you win the National League pennant, Craig, you don’t have to initiate dealing in the off-season. Let the other clubs come to you. First, what do you do with Barry Zito? He has $54 million and three years left on his contract which includes a no-trade clause. Zito got off to a slow start this year, pitched well during the summer months, but struggled at the end, and wasn’t in the starting rotation for the playoffs. The Giants led the league in ERA, saves, and strikeouts so they are not hurting for pitching. But San Francisco did not finish among the top five teams in any National League offensive category. Outfielder Aaron Rowand hit only .230, but he’s a good defensive outfielder; Pablo Sandoval had over 600 at-bats, just 13 home runs and 63 RBI. He could be traded. Pat Burrell played 96 games in the outfield, but contributed 18 home runs and 51 RBI so I would keep him. Andres Torres stole 26 bases while no one else on the Giants swiped more than seven. Mark DeRosa earns favorable reviews from scouts, but is injury prone and may not be the answer at third base where power is needed.