Voice of the fan

Sporting News, The, May 13, 2002

Choice voice `As bad as things have gone for the Red Sox over the years, it was only appropriate that the team's highlight of the year was actually a Lowe light.--Joe Kapear, Bradley Beach, N.J.

Calling umpires out

Dave Kindred hit a home run on his story "A bad call by baseball" (TSN, April 29). Seeing umpires gamble on sports (whether it includes baseball or not) and get a promotion instead of public punishment is like a cop who robbed a bank eventually becoming chief of police. Yet Pete Rose is banned for life.

Richard Turner
Lancaster, Wis.

The Great mistake

Although it's true that Wayne Gretzky has helped build the Coyotes (TSN, April 29), Brian Shactman obviously neglects Gretzky's negative impact as a Ranger.

The resources depleted (salary, time and energy) were devastating. To accommodate an ailing former star on his Ahab-style Stanley Cup mission forbade the kind of rebuilding the Coyotes are doing, and the Rangers only regressed because of it.

Perhaps Madison Square Garden management wouldn't be so reliant upon big-salary, quick-fix hopes today if the precedent wasn't set when acquiring Gretzky years ago.

John Rau
Jersey City, N.J.

On the money

After rereading Ken Rosenthal's column concerning baseball managers on the hot seat (TSN, April 8), I think he might want to go into handicapping horse racing.

Four of the 10 managers he discussed are gone--and three of them were fired before the date Rosenthal cited. The Rangers and Blue Jays haven't pulled the trigger yet, but with their records at the moment, it's only a matter of time. Let me know when Rosenthal decides to pick his horses.

Richard Womack
Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Race to the mailbox

As a woman and a NASCAR fan, I wanted to say thank you for Lee Spencer's articles in THE SPORTING NEWS. The magazine is addressed to my husband, but I always get to the mailbox first and read Lee's columns first. I particularly enjoyed her fresh look at Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s newfound maturity (TSN, April 29). He will be a major contender for many years to come. The tragedy that his family had to go through has made him stronger where others would have been weak.

Lisa Liston
Cincinnati

Upon further review ...

In a May 6 story about Tommy John surgery, the identifying name lines were reversed on photographs of Yankees pitchers Steve Karsay and Sterling Hitchcock.

WEIGH-IN: Draft weekend winners

NFL draft picks always involve guesswork, but several teams made clear improvements. Which team took the biggest step forward on draft weekend? Yakin Patel of Buffalo nominates his hometown Bills, who, he says, made the right choice in trading for a veteran. "Drew Bledsoe is batter than any rookie," Patel writes. "In addition, the Bills got the top offensive lineman in college football, Mike Williams."

Patel ranked the Cowboys No. 2 in draft day performance, but Andrew Hartness of Gaithersburg, Md., thinks Dallas won the draft game. "Trading spots with Kansas City (No. 6 for No. 8) was sheer genius," Hartness writes. "The Cowboys still got the player they wanted, Roy Williams, and an extra third-round pick that they used to pick up Antonio Bryant. Bryant should be that over-the-middle receiver the Cowboys haven't had for a while."

Overall, Jason Moreno of Enfield, Conn., picks the Bills, but he says the Raiders picked up the best rookies. "The Raiders added the steal of the draft, cornerback Phillip Buchanon, and linebacker Napoleon Harris to a defense that struggled last season," he writes. "They added a reach at offensive tackle in Langston Walker, but if anyone can make Walker good, it's coach and offensive line expert Bill Callahan."

THE WEIGH-IN

Early in the baseball season, the standings have an unexpected look. The Expos, Reds and Pirates have been pleasant surprises for their fans, and the Indians, Cardinals and Astros have disappointed theirs. Though several preseason favorites have struggled, some eventually should return to their winning ways, and that would make for some thrilling divisional races.

Which race is shaping up to be the most exciting?

[check] A.L East

[check] A.L. Central

[check] A.L. West

[check] N.L. East

[check] N.L. Central

[check] N.L. West

Make your pick and send your comments to fans@sportingnews.com. Please include your name and hometown.

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