Brian Stow, a family man and a fan

It happened on opening day at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles this past March 31. 56,000 fans, a sellout, leaving the stadium after another rivalry game against the visiting World Champion San Francisco Giants and the home Los Angeles Dodgers. Departing Dodger fans were happy they beat their division rival 2-1. Giants fans just wanted to get home...safely and that is not a given in hostile Dodger country.

Lately, Dodger Stadium and Chavez Ravine parking lot is about as safe as South Central LA. For reference, see the movie Training Day and you'll get my drift. Now the rest of this tragic story.

Longtime Giant fan, paramedic, and divorced father of two small kids, Brian Stow, 42, was leaving the stadium that night, dejectedly. His beloved Giants lost to the Dodgers in a close game. Brian was heading for his parked car when he was attacked viciously by two drunk "Dodger fans." Brian's offense. He was wearing Giant colors.

Brian was blindsided from behind, body-slammed to the ground and stomped on the head repeatedly in the parking lot. His skull cracked like a coconut. No one came to his aid. No fans. No police. Nobody. Alone. Ambushed by hate. He was left for dead with his skull in pieces and bleeding to death in a parking lot. The thugs vanished. The ambulance finally arrived and took Brian to the nearest emergency hospital.

For the last two plus weeks, Brian has been in a medically-induced coma to reduce seizures. Half of his skull was removed to allow the injured brain to swell. His grieving family remains at his bedside as Brian fights for his life. His prognosis is not good.

Meanwhile, the owner of the Dodgers, the hapless and near bankrupt Frank McCourt, said after the "incident" in the parking lot, "I'm very satisfied with the security at Dodger Stadium. You could have 2,000 policemen there and it's not going to change random acts of violence." His perceived callousness of this tragedy is mind-blowing. But this guy is no Walter O'Malley. He's a fool. Rumor has it, he's borrowing from Fox, the previous owner, to meet monthly payroll. His ongoing sordid drama with his wife of 30 years, Jamie, is daily fodder for TMZ. What was at one time the National League's most venerable franchise, the Dodgers, is now the laughingstock of baseball. Tommy Lasorda and Vin Scully, two holdovers from the revered past of Dodger blue yesteryear, must be writhing quietly in revulsion.

I don't know if any of you have been in Dodger Stadium in the last few years but it's not Disneyland. Profanity, vulgarity, and now violence dominates. I think it's the only Stadium in the country that has an unofficial "Gang Nite" sponsored by Smith and Wesson. For the first 10,000 gangbangers, you either get a free sleeve of hollow point bullets or a new tattoo. You see, South Central is not too far from Chavez Ravine. An easy low-ride up the freeway. "Bring mace" is the battle cry from those crazy enough to brave the new Dodger fan base.

Back to Brian. The Giants have rallied around this man. And he needs rallying and prayers from all civilized people. His medical expenses will be astronomical. His family has no bread winner anymore. His kids have lost a father...for now. The Giants have staged auctions for Brian, raised almost $100,000 to date from kind and generous donors. One such donor is my orthodontist, Dr. Gary Palma, of Carmel, California. Gary, another lifelong Giant fan, bought at auction a signed and framed jersey of #55 Tim Lincecum, 2 Time Winner of the Cy Young award, to benefit Brian's cause. (See above photo of Gary.)

So, as sad and tragic as this story is, there are still decent men like Gary Palma willing to help a stranger in time of need. Bravo, Gary and to all who have helped.

For LA, this is just another confirmation from the people up north of their worst opinion of you.