An Explanation From Councilman Hernandez

Re: “Will He Let a Fox in the Stadium?” by Mike Downey, May 12:

We have been dealing with the NFL-in-Los-Angeles issue for more than a year and Mike Downey still doesn’t get it. Why he has such disdain for the Coliseum and residents of Echo Park and Elysian Park I can only guess, but the fact is that the Coliseum is exactly where we believe the NFL should be when they return to L.A., not if they return.

Because I assume that the issues are simply too complicated for you and your pals Plaschke and Simers over at The Times to comprehend, I am going to try to break it down for you. See if you can stay with me:

Park space: Too scarce already in certain areas of the city.

Mortgage payment: It will take more than renting out a new stadium for “eight football games a year” to pay the bills for any new facility--get it?

Winning team: Give L.A. a winning team and the fans will travel almost anywhere to see them play.

I’ll add one more concept that you are probably unfamiliar with, so you may want to have a dictionary nearby.

Economic development: As in restaurants and souvenir shops in close proximity to the sports venue that extend beyond scalpers. Too deep? Sorry about that.

In spite of your articles, our commitment to the Coliseum has not swayed. If it takes you winning the Nobel Prize with your wife Princess Di, then grudgingly, you’ve got my vote. Just have the ceremony on an autumn Sunday because I’ll be at the Coliseum watching a football game.

MIKE HERNANDEZ

Councilman, First District