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Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:17 am EST

De La Hoya doesn't deserve a statue at Staples

By Steve Cofield

Who knew a bronze statue could evoke such anger? Before hitting the road for his Las Vegas fight against Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya stopped by the Staples Center to witness a bronze statue of his likeness unveiled in the same vicinity as those given to Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson. The ceremony incensed Bill Plaschke from the L.A. Times. Plaschke writes that the statue is a slight to Laker greats like Jerry West and announcer Chick Hearn:

Think of an athlete who is not affiliated with any Staples Center team. Think of an athlete who competed in the building just once, where he was punched 284 times in a loss. Think of an athlete who is preparing for a Saturday night competition in which he will probably get pounded again.

It's interesting that Plaschke left out that Shane Mosley beat De La Hoya in that June 2000 fight by rallying to win the final round avoiding the draw to gain a split decision victory.

It also sounds like Plaschke is saying that Las Vegas sportsbook posting De La Hoya as a -200 favorite is lunacy and that he'll be knocked out by the smaller Pacquiao:

Is this the first time in history that someone erected a statue of a guy who, five days later, could be knocked flat on his back?

Plaschke suggests that the deal forged last year between Staples Center owner AEG and Golden Boy Promotions is the real reason for DLH statue. He closes by suggesting it may as well be a statue of Todd Marinovich.

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29 Comments

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  1. K NEL
    1. Posted by K NEL Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:55 pm EDT

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    I'm not really outraged but....why in the world does he deserve a statue of himself outside of staples center. Now if it was in Vegas it would be understandable..But not at staples center..
  2. g e
    2. Posted by g e Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    So a grey haired white sports columnist thinks the only statue outside of the Staples Center that doesn't belong is the one of the minority who actually grew up in East LA.
    And they wonder why no one reads newspapers anymore ...
  3. cesar c
    3. Posted by cesar c Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    Oscar deserves that statue, I dont see this writer helping our community. People will always hate on those that are loved and respected. I grew up in East LA and I am proud to see Oscar get some respect.
  4. Brian
    4. Posted by Brian Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    g e ... His point is the statues are supposed to represent athletes who have played in the building (or the Forum in Ingelwood) for LA Teams. De La Hoya may have grown up in LA but he has only fought here once. Boxing is and individual sport. When I think of the staples center, the last person I think about is Oscar, I mainly remember the Hockey and Basketball teams. and last time I checked, Magic Johnson is a minority as well and Plaschke has no problem with his statue so race has nothing to do with it.
  5. Ruben I
    5. Posted by Ruben I Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

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    steve cofield youre not even an atlete or ever was to begin with lol......what do you know?? lmao
  6. K NEL
    6. Posted by K NEL Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:55 pm EDT

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    Oscar's statue should be in Vegas where he makes his money and fought most of his bouts not outside Staples center. Plachske is only saying that it doesn't belong there not saying he doesnt deserve a statue
  7. banana_split_orig
    7. Posted by banana_split_orig Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    K Nel your right Las Vegas should be the place or at East LA. The NBA logo, was a trademark of Jerry West. A Laker, a champion. Not even a monument? Oscar is a great boxer, but greatnest should be given to the right place too. Monuments are symbolic. It symbolized achievement. Oscar fought once in Staples and lost? Common Sense not common pride. Don't use pride to blind your wisdom.
  8. Ed
    8. Posted by Ed Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    Oscar is deserving of a statue but not at at Staples center. It should be in east L.A. where the people who have supported him his entire career can appreciate it. The Staples center to me represents Laker Basketball and L.A. King Hockey and having Magic and Gretzky is fine but move Oscar's statue to a memorial park. It doesn' t deserve a place next to these all time greats. I was suprised the Staples Center let him put his statue there.
  9. Bill
    9. Posted by Bill Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    What a typically stupid article from Bill Plaschke. If performing at Staples is the main reason for the statues than they should keep Oscar's and get rid of Gretzky's and Magic's statues or at the very least remove them and put them in front of the Forum in Inglewood. CAUSE the only thing those two have done at Staples is sit on their butts. And when Gretzky has been at Staples its been as an opposing coach so maybe their should be a statue of Gregg Popovich as well.
    Plaschke has always been a moron and he's one of the reasons I stopped reading the LA Times sport page a long time ago. Its really sad that a city of the size and caliber of Los Angeles has to suffer with a paper like the Times. Why you are reprinting anything they have published doesn't say much for Yahoo sports either.
  10. Quesoclan
    10. Posted by Quesoclan Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:24 pm EDT

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    I couldnt have said it better Bill (post 9). The Forum would be the place to have Magic and the Great One. Plaschke is beyond horrible....he needs help.
  11. Arturo
    11. Posted by Arturo Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:40 pm EDT

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    If you have the cash Oscar does, you can have your statue any where you want it.
    I agree he's not winning fights anymore and i personally think he will loose this next one, but he sells tickets like no other person in the history of boxing, that alone would make any big company or franchise want his statue at their building.
    I'll bet the statue will bring people to the Staples/ Nokia live area then eventually they will be entering one of the new bars,clubs,resturants and YES you guessed it SPEND MONEY.
    enough said.
  12. Ed
    12. Posted by Ed Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    I read the Plaschke column and agree with him. Here are some beloved LA sports figure who are more deserving of a statue at Staples than Oscar Dela Hoya. How about statues for Shaq, Kobe, Phil Jackson and even Jerry Buss. While I'm at it lets add Derek Fisher, Robert Horry and lets not forget Mark Madsen. Lets go back to the 80s and I demand to know why there is no statue of Kurt Rambis, Michael Cooper, Bryron Scott and James Worthy. Heck they might as well put a statue of the immortal Laker great Mike Smerek. They usually immortalize you with a bronze statue after you have retired and are considered one of the all time greats and not while you are still actively participating in your sport.
  13. Craig
    13. Posted by Craig Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    I like and respect Oscar as a boxer, and as a person. He always fought the best, and never ducked anyone. He always speaks of "we" instead of "I" when referring to a win, loss, or training of one of his fights, which shows that he is a team player, that gives credit to his team. I was at the fight in The Staples Center when he lost to Shane Mosley, and it was an electrifying event for the whole city of Los Angeles that evening. Oscar has done a lot for the sport, and the city of Los Angeles. He definately deserves a statue somewhere. However, I don't feel that it is appropriate that he has a statue at a venue that has been there since Oct. of 1999, and he has only fought there once in that nine year period. Many of his hometown fans would have loved to see an Oscar De La Hoya fight. But, Oscar chose big money over his hometown fans, and had his fights in Las Vegas for the most part. I am O.K. with that. A man has to do what's best for him. But, to have a statue erected at a place where they play basketball, hockey, indoor football, and an occasional fight, just doesn't make any sense at all. Just goes to show what can happen when when a business deal is made. Maybe in the future if Fernando Valenzuela decides to sign a deal with AEG, then he too can get a statue of himself over there.
  14. Nutcracker
    14. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    Odlh doesn't deserve a statue not because he is a 'bad' person, but because he is not a great fighter. he beat who he was supposed to, but every time he stepped up and fought a good boxer in his prme, he lost.. mayweather, mosley, bhop, all boxed his ears off (bhop took his liver).. i dont dislike odlh the personality, but as a fighter, possibly the most overrated of his generation. as for giving back to the community in east l.a.?? seriously?? he gives a little, but he doesn't give a turd about east l.a. he pays it lip service, but is more happy in big bear or pr dressing up like a chick..
  15. Nutcracker
    15. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    Take the statue and stick it in east l.a. where it would be more appreciated. he doesn't deserve to be in the same neighborhood as statues of all time greats like magic and gretzky.
  16. Jake d
    16. Posted by Jake d Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

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    eject de la hoya's statue.... put it in east LA..lolssss
  17. KandyDivaCutie
    17. Posted by KandyDivaCutie Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

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    in this case, for fairness, maybe MannyPacquiao should put also a statue in staple center, win or loss.. .. lols...
  18. GiovanniL
    18. Posted by GiovanniL Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    Why does Magic get a statue? He played in the Great Western Forum not the Staples center. I think Magic got the statue because he has done alot for Los Angeles fans. I also firmly believe De La Hoya deserves one because he does alot for his old community and has always claimed East LA as his home and LA is where the Staples Center is so why not honor him with a statue like Rocky Balboa? BTW the idiot fan Rubin I -who said you have to be an athlete to post a blog should be punched in the face, but I should take it easy since he cannot even spell athlete correctly
  19. Josh
    19. Posted by Josh Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    Anyone who knows anything about this knows that in fact this is directly related to the people who own Staples getting in bed with Golden Boy Promotions. I could care less usually but when the man getting the statue is a business partner with the group "honoring" it just smells of horse [profane].
  20. El Feroz
    20. Posted by El Feroz Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:25 pm EDT

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    I got no problems with DLH getting a status at Staples Center, they just need to make it more accurate, put a chicken head on his shoulders and some wings on his side...Chicken De La Hoya, who ran faster than Carl Lewis on his fight against Trinidad, got a statue due to his friendship with the owner of Staples Center...Money can buy anything these days...
  21. Bhon G
    21. Posted by Bhon G Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    Yes He Deserves a Statue, But not at the STAPLES!!!! Maybe in East LA park or somewhere Relevant..
  22. IDGAD
    22. Posted by IDGAD Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    There are thousands of statues that have no relevance just ten years later. Like it or not, ODLH has a lot of LA, not just restricted to ELA, fans. Staples is relevant to him only so far as it is a very prominent venue for a prominent figure, a fighter who has not become a 'victim' and, warts and all, is worthy of recognition. Is he an all time great boxer, of course not.
  23. tu padre
    23. Posted by tu padre Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    Oscar Should be an actor, He's more like a movie celebrity, I do not know how famous he is in LA, but it does not bother me at all the freaking statue
  24. Jimmy
    24. Posted by Jimmy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    oscar all the way! my prediction, oscar by k.o. with a hook!
  25. j j
    25. Posted by j j Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:31 pm EDT

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    "It's interesting that Plaschke left out that Shane Mosley beat De La Hoya in that June 2000 fight by rallying to win the final round avoiding the draw to gain a split decision victory."
    BECAUSE HE USED STEROIDS!!!!

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