Los Angeles entered big time pro sports when the Brooklyn Dodgers moved there in the 1950’s.  They will forever be remembered as the team that had the guts to break the racial barrier, with Jackie Robinson being  a great memory maker.  Thanks to Duke Snyder, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, the Dogers won World Series in the 1960’s, but dispite Kirk Gibson’s big home run, there haven’t been a lot of good memories since then.  The best baseball announcer, Vin Skully, notwithstanding, the Los Angeles team has become a joke since it became ensconced in a divorce case.  Look for MLB to take them over soon and sell them to someone who deserves such a storied franchise.

Then, there are the California, Orange County, Anaheim, Anaheim of Orange County, Los Angeles of Orange County, Orange Angeles, or whatever Angels.  They finally put together a team that won a World Series, their only big event in a rather uneventful history.

The Minnesota Lakers were an NBA team named after the lakes in Minnesota, but they figured there was more money in Los Angeles, and a legendary team was born.  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaq, and now Kobe Bryant.  They have been a magnet attracting the stars.  Phil Jackson brought his zennish coaching qualities to the team and in the last decade, they continued to win.  They are headed for a downswing, but like the Boston Celtics, they will be an attractive place for free agents because of their winning tradition, and they will win again.  Of course, Mr. Arenas may win Dancing with Stars, and go Hollywood.

The Los Angeles Kings had a great run with Wayne Gretsky, and its nice they won a Stanley Cup, but they are forgettable, as are the other NHL team in the area, the Los Angeles Ducks.

But college football and college basketball are big.  John Wooden and his UCLA teams of the 60’s are the stuff of legends.  And USC football is a great door into the NFL.  The Rose Bowl is played in the area every year, and high school football is big as well.

But what about the NFL?  It’s been many a year since the Rams moved to St. Louis.  Remember Roman Gabriel?  Now there is talk about a stadium housing two NFL teams for the U.S. second largest market.  It is a testament to the NFL’s nationwide popularity that it can be as successful as it is without having a franchise in Los Angeles.