The UCLA and USC basketball programs are allowing only relatives in the stands this week, meaning Pauley Pavillion and the Galen Center will have an extremely limited live audience. Indoor pro venues like Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) can still host large numbers of people, but not college sports. Why is there such a difference even within LA county? Other parts of the country are also very diverse in how they deal with the pandemic, as seen in the recent game between Texas Tech and Baylor showing a capacity crowd with very few masks being worn. The adrenaline from the crowd response is a big part of what spurs on an athlete, so how does it affect the college players playing in nearly-empty arenas? Are more consistent rules across sports on the horizon?

Will the Super Bowl and the NCAA Basketball tournament take place as scheduled? There are indications that after the middle of February the pandemic surge might slow down and March Madness should be able to go forward, but is it going to be safe enough and soon enough for the Super Bowl?

Is Russell Westbrook’s time with the Lakers drawing to a close after a tough year? And will the Lakers be able to go 41-41 this season?

In the final game of the NFL season between the LA Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Brandon Staley of the Chargers called a time out with 38 seconds left to go, feeling his defense was tired. Was it the right decision? The Raiders were then able to gain the advantage and went on to win the game. What happened in those final few seconds?

The LA Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have had a long-standing rivalry in California, but Fred is curious as to why there hasn’t been the same kind of similar rivalry with the LA Angels, who are more or less just across town?

Email Fred and Art with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com