Letters
KENTUCKY EXPERIENCE
With its sanctions against the University of Kentucky basketball program (Dodging a Bullet, May 29), the NCAA has made a strong statement that it intends to enforce its rules. But are those rules realistic?
As a former scholarship player at Kentucky (1971-75), I experienced the pressure, the temptations and the rewards of playing major college basketball. Nothing that I have done before or since has required as much discipline, hard work and emotional strength as was needed to survive in that environment. Between the demands of the classroom and the demands of the sport there was little time for reflection or fun.
I was fortunate to have the financial and emotional support of a good family to help buffer the highs and the lows. But I can easily understand how players who are products of poor and unstable backgrounds might be susceptible to the pressures and temptations.
In most cases, the athlete gives more to the university and community than he receives in room, board, books and tuition. He should be compensated in a reasonable way.
BOB GUYETTE, D.M.D., M.D.
Birmingham
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Dave Kindred's POINT AFTER (May 15) regarding the use of corporate dollars to support intercollegiate athletic programs was interesting. Unfortunately, Kindred doesn't realize, not having had a seat at the dinner table, that in the Georgia Tech plan, which is also in effect here at Toledo, there is no gravy to pass around. The corporate dollars are used to help balance budgets for all men's and women's sports. If Kindred is suggesting that we start paying our football and basketball players, then he should know that those dollars would probably come at the expense of nonrevenue sports like swimming, golf, tennis, wrestling, track, volleyball and softball.
I would encourage Kindred to do more homework. Corporate sponsorships are solicited to help support all student-athletes, not just football and basketball players.
ALLEN R. BOHL
Director of Athletics
University of Toledo
"The idea is to be fair," says Kindred. I wonder just how fair one can be. As a good student at a good college (3.84 GPA at Augustana), I drool when I think of the chance that athletes have to go to a big-time school on a full scholarship. It is the chance of a lifetime, not to be passed up by anyone. Yet Kindred suggests that these players are also entitled to a share of the revenues of their sport.
The opportunity to get a quality education for free, especially now with tuition costs soaring, should be more than enough for any person.
JEFF DUNLAP
Libertyville, Ill.
Come on, Dave Kindred, selling out is the American way. In fact, I hereby announce that my life is now available for merchandising. Just think, when I make a sales presentation in front of a client or when I smack a homer in my softball league, I can have SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE on my suit pocket or my jersey! In fact, for the right deal, my firstborn could carry SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE as his or her given name. Think of the lasting impression made on all those future consumers' minds when my son's or daughter's first-grade teacher calls out "SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE" during roll call every morning.
This letter has been brought to you by SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE.
ALAN J. MILLER
Oakland
LEADING JOCKEYS
Julie Krone (She Who Laughs Last..., May 22) and her female contemporaries owe a small part of their success to Barbara Jo Rubin. Rubin made racing history when she became the first female jockey in the U.S. to win a pari-mutuel race, guiding Cohesion to the winner's circle in the ninth race at Charles Town on Feb. 22, 1969.
Rubin started a tradition at Charles Town that still holds today. During this year's winter meet (Jan. 1 to March 31) our top three riders were women: Elaina Sheridan (above, center) was first, with 46 wins, followed by Lillian Kuykendall (left) and Lori Youngs, who each had 40 wins.
IRA KAPLAN
Director of Publicity
Charles Town (W.Va.) Races
PHOTO
SCOTT KITCHING
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