Sports report: Helen Elliot bids us farewell

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From Helen Elliott: We had a plan.

My husband, Dennis D'Agostino, was planning to cut back on his job as a team historian for the New York Knicks and a statistician for sports teams' television and radio broadcasts, and I was planning to cover the Paris Olympics before working on the bid. Au Revoir In the Los Angeles Times. We talked about visiting Maui next summer for our 25th wedding anniversary and also stopping at the beach where we got married. Or, as he calls it, a crime scene.

Man plans, God laughs. And you cry.

That plan fell apart when my husband (his beloved nickname) died of a heart attack in September. So was my life. I threw myself into work, hoping to distract myself from the paralyzing sadness. To some extent, working helped. My colleagues and team members were kind and considerate. But I struggled. I've allowed my work to define me, and for a long time, that was enough. I realized that I just don't have enough anymore.

When the financial impact hit the Times so badly that management laid off more than 90 people and offered to be acquired by another company, I knew it was time to get off the merry-go-round, take a step back, and take time to recover. I realized it had arrived. After his 47 years as a sportswriter and his last 34-plus years at the Times, I took on the buyout. My last day will be Tuesday.

The decision was a painful one. But the timing was right. I take some comfort in knowing that my resignation saved Chargers writer Jeff Miller's job.

Admittedly, I didn't make this decision out of fear that I wouldn't have much to write about here over the next few years.

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dodgers

From Jack Harris: Following conventional baseball wisdom, there is one version of the Dodgers' new batting order that seems to make the most basic sense.

Mookie Betts is a top power-hitting leadoff threat. Freddie Freeman holds the No. 2 spot as an on-base contact hitting specialist. And Shohei Ohtani rounds out the superstar trio as the Dodgers' new No. 3 batter. He would be in a position to potentially drive in RBIs, clear walks and help put up solid numbers.

But when the Dodgers announced their first spring training lineup on Tuesday, which included all three MVP winners, the order of the names was a little different.

Betts remained the leadoff hitter, reprising the role he had played for most of his 10-year major league career.

However, Ohtani and Freeman swapped places, with Ohtani becoming the No. 2 batter and Freeman right behind him.

“I think this is going to be the case for a while,” manager Dave Roberts said.

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Plaschke: Oh my goodness! The Dodgers' newest star makes a breathtaking debut.

Shohei Ohtani has an outfielder's glove, but don't expect him to be on the field anytime soon.

Lakers-Clippers

From Dan Wojke: Ten seasons ago, the Clippers began the preseason by visiting four of their Western Conference rivals. They visited Portland, Utah, Sacramento, and finally Phoenix to open the doors to their home arena.

There were many reasons for fans to be excited. The team hired Doc Rivers as coach in the offseason and was entering the season as a legitimate contender. Rivers felt the season would soon be theirs. And their arena needs to reflect that.

So the Clippers covered up a banner at Staples Center celebrating the Lakers' championship and the retirement of all-time greats, instead featuring photos of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and other members of the Clippers' core.

“I didn't look at this as just a big deal,” Rivers said before the home preseason opener. “I think it's about elevating the players. … When we play, it's our arena. I thought it was good to see our guys. I don't mean to disrespect them. No, but when we play, it’s Clipper Arena as far as I know.”

However, it was completely standard. The Clippers have finally said “enough is enough'' in one of the NBA's strangest real estate partnerships, where the two franchises share an arena.

“He took a lot of heat, and that's to be expected,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Tuesday. “We understand what the Lakers mean to the city and what they've done, but I think it was the right thing for us to have a place to call home and be comfortable.”

Rivers' decision with the Clippers in 2013 was just one chapter in this cohabitation story. Unless the two teams meet in the playoffs this spring, Wednesday will be the final chapter.

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From Broderick Turner: Clippers All-Star forward Paul George will miss his second straight game with left knee pain, coach Tyronn Lue said.

Lue said George did not practice Tuesday and will miss the Clippers' home game against the Lakers on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

George has missed only a few games this season due to injury.

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UCLA Basketball

From Mick Cronin: Sometimes all he needs is Mick's best friend.

Mick Cronin returned to his home in Encino Saturday night after his team suffered a blowout loss to rival USC, seeking solace from his furry friends.

“Having Bookster helps,” the UCLA coach said Tuesday of the Australian-German Shepherd mix, which also has some Chihuahua vibes. “You know, he doesn't care if you win or lose, he just wants the reward. He wants the pricks, he wants the treats, and he loves walks. ”

Cronin had insisted Bookster was the only person he would talk to after his coach labeled him “embarrassing,” “terrible” and “terrible” after a 62-56 loss to the Trojans at Pauley Pavilion.

“We came dressed up for a dance party,” Cronin said Tuesday of the players' mindset. “And now we're in an urban war, and change is difficult.”

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soccer

From Kevin Baxter: For years, the dominant U.S. women's soccer team has been warning anyone who would listen that the rest of the world was catching up.

On Monday, the Americans finally caught up with Mexico, who pushed the four-time world champions all over the field for a 2-0 victory. This was more than a surprising victory.

“We've just seen that over the last five years or so,” striker Alex Morgan said. “Ten years ago, 15 years ago, the scorelines were very different than they are today. The team continues to improve and evolve and is able to compete at the highest level.

“From the bottom to the top, there’s not that much difference anymore.”

In a CONCACAF W Gold Cup group play game at Dignity Health Sports Park, Mexico dominated, overtook, outran and outright defeated a clearly swaggering U.S. team, by a thud. It remained full.

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kings

The Calgary Flames won their fourth straight game against the Kings 4-2 on Tuesday night, with Egor Sharangovich scoring the go-ahead goal at 12:09 of the third period.

Calgary had goals from Andrew Mangiapane, Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund into an empty net, and Chris Tanev also had two assists. The Flames remain five points behind Nashville for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Goalie Jacob Markstrom had 21 saves and one assist.

Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala provided offense for the Kings, who lost the first two games of a three-game trip to Western Canada. The Kings are tied with Nashville in points but hold onto his first wild-card spot with two games remaining.

Former Flames forward Cam Talbot, starting for the first time in four games, made 33 saves for the Kings.

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This date in sports

1922 — In the first formal college conference basketball tournament, North Carolina State defeats Mercer 40-26 to win the Southern Intercollegiate Conference championship. The 13-team conference maintains its position in the second season.

1929 — The Chicago Blackhawks set an NHL record with eight consecutive shutouts. This wasn't a total loss, as the Blackhawks held the New York Rangers scoreless and tied 0-0.

1940 — College basketball is televised for the first time. Station W2XBS transmits basketball doubleheaders from Madison Square Garden in New York. Pittsburgh will play Fordham and New York University will play Georgetown.

1957 — Johnny Longden becomes the first jockey to win 5,000 races. Longden, who began his career in 1927, pacified Bente to win by a head over Flying Finish II in the fourth race at Santa Anita Park.

1960 — The U.S. hockey team scores six points in the third period to defeat Czechoslovakia 9-4 and win the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California.

1971 — Jack Nicklaus defeats Billy Casper by three strokes to win the PGA Championship.

1981 — Houston's Calvin Murphy makes the last of 78 consecutive free throws against San Diego, setting a then-NBA record.

1986 — Baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth appoints Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds, Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets, Joaquin Andujar of the Oakland Athletics, Lonnie Smith of the Kansas City Royals, and Enos Enos of the Dodgers. Cabell conditionally suspends San Francisco's Jeff Leonard. Dale Berra of the Giants and New York Yankees was sentenced to one year in prison for drug abuse. When the conditions are met, the suspension is reduced.

1987 — Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn announces his 2,000th consecutive game appearance, spanning 22 years with the club.

1993 — Winnipeg's Teemu Selanne scores four goals, becoming the third rookie in NHL history to reach 50 goals in a season.

1999 — Venus and Serena Williams become the first sisters to win a WTA Tour event on the same day. After Serena won her first WTA Tour title at the Gas de France Open, Venus won the IGA Superthrift Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City.

2003 — Johnny Spillane wins the Nordic combined sprint in Val di Fiemme, Italy, becoming the first American to win a gold medal at the Nordic World Championships.

2010 — Sidney Crosby scores the winning goal in overtime and Canada defeats the United States 3-2 in the final game of the Vancouver Olympics. America's silver medal was the 37th medal won by the United States at these Games, and the first time the United States has won a medal race since 1932.

Edited by Associated Press