Voice Of The Fan

Sporting News, The, August 6, 2001

Choice voice `There is a new breed of quarterback in town part man, part machine, all heart. Daunte Culpepper ... you can't catch him; you can't tackle him. Nobody can outthrow him. Best you can do is try to look good when you're bouncing off his thighs.' --Robert Warwick, Lake St. Croix Beach, Minn.

Where's the passion?

In reference to Rick Ballou's "Sound Bite" on baseball's All-Star Game (TSN, July 23), he is absolutely correct about the Midsummer Classic and the game of baseball in general. I am only 13 years old, and although I probably would be labeled with the rest of young America as only caring about the long ball and flashy plays that would get me on some highlight reels, that couldn't be a more incorrect assumption. It seems a shame that more kids aren't as passionate about baseball as they should be. Baseball is supposed to be something that whenever you get the chance to go play it with others, you take that chance. It's really upsetting that people in general aren't more passionate about the game of baseball.

Mike Valdes
Carteret, N.J.

Stained Games

* Dave Kindred speaks out against the 2008 Olympic Games being awarded to China, a country "that ordered tanks against its own people" (TSN, July 23). We have failed to recall, however, something similar that happened only a few decades ago. In 1965, police brutally attacked activists who were peacefully marching from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery, Ala., in the hopes of securing their civil rights. Fifteen years later, that country hosted the Winter Olympics. It's sad to admit that the country I speak of is our own.

Jonathan Griffin
Boston

* Berlin, 1936. Mexico City, 1968. Moscow, 1980. Seoul, 1988. What do these places have in common? They all hosted Olympics despite the fact that all were thoroughly anti-democratic and routinely violated the civil and human rights of their citizens.

Come now, Mr. Kindred. Are you honestly surprised that Beijing was chosen to host the Olympics and that its deplorable record on human rights was either ignored or not seen as problematic? And what possible reason is there to make China the first country not granted an Olympics or sporting event due to violations of human rights?

Nicolas Agrait
New York

Money talk

I agree with Todd Jones' column about keeping the radicals out of the game (TSN, July 23). Where I don't agree with him is his take on a salary cap and money issues. He stated that we should not judge him because he can't quit if he doesn't like his job and find work in the same field like we can.

Here's a dose of reality. I work for a major telecommunications company and make a little over $50,000 a year, which I consider pretty good for someone without a college degree. Do you know how many years I would have to work at that salary to make the major league minimum? God granted players special skills that make them great athletes. Jones' take on the salary issue and those taken by his fellow players show me nothing but greed.

I have a compromise where baseball wouldn't need a cap. How about one-year contracts? You do great, you get a raise; you do poorly, you make less money the next year.

Stephen Gorczany
Waukesha, Wis.

More praise for good guys

Please give us more articles like the "Good Guys" feature (TSN, July 16). As a sports-crazed kid in the '60s, I was consumed by statistics and who wore what number and the success of my teams. As a parent, I am appalled by the fact that our society pours so much money into professional sports that players receive millions per year. It makes me feel better about supporting that industry knowing that many players are turning that money into the things it should be used for in the first place. Thank you to the "Good Guys" and thank you for publicizing them.

Brian Kinel
Syracuse, N. Y.

Baseball revival

All my life I have thought that baseball was a boring, slow sport. What winning and one very special player can do to you. This season, ever since Ichiro Suzuki started getting highlights, I have slowly grown to like this game more and more. Now I read every Mariners recap on the Internet and read every article I can find about them anywhere. Players like Ichiro make the game interesting and draw more fans to what was once America's favorite sport.

Andy Rodriguez
Santa Rosa, Honduras

He's got the upper hand

On what basis does reader Todd Stawicki (TSN, July 30) believe that Toronto's Chris Michalak deserves A.L. Rookie of the Year over C.C. Sabathia? Except for ERA, in which the two are comparable, Sabathia's stats are far superior. Michalak is a nice player, but the A.L.'s best rookie pitcher? No chance.

Tom Pauloski
Highland Park, Ill.

A weekly wonder

I have been a subscriber to your weekly for over 20 years now and have witnessed a lot of changes to the world of sport and to your weekly itself. I must admit that your newest design is the greatest thing since sliced bread. You not only address the articles that sports fans like to read but the humorous side of sport as well. I happen to think so much of your weekly now that I don't even subscribe to that "other" weekly. Keep up the good work, and I hope to stay with you another 20 years.