Letters

I wonder if I could get into UMass with 630 on my SATs. Probably not—I'm only 5'6".
CASEY B. COOK, WOLLASTON, MASS.

Coach Calipari
I was appalled by your Oct. 31 SCORECARD about Massachusetts basketball coach John Calipari. Six years ago he came to a campus that had lost its athletic and academic motivation from a decade of budget cuts. In two years Calipari has turned a losing atmosphere into a winning one.
RON NATHAN, Amherst, Muss.

As a UMass graduate, I did not enjoy your trashing of Coach Calipari and his program. You failed to consider the positive aspects of a successful big-time basketball program. For better or worse, recognition results in more alumni donations, more student applications and, most important, more support from state politicians, who control the university budget.
JIM NORTON, Marshfield, Mass.

Glenn Robinson
Excellent POINT AFTER by Leigh Montville (Oct. 24). Glenn Robinson worth a hundred million dollars when he hasn't played any pro basketball? Sure, he was like a Michael Jordan at Purdue, scoring almost at will, but did he ever do that on Charles Barkley? Did he ever grab a rebound on David Robinson or Patrick Ewing?
JOSH LACASSE, Colchester, Vt.

While I agree with Leigh Montville's point, I take exception to his statement that Glenn Robinson's teams "have never won anything." In fact, Robinson led Purdue to the 1994 Big Ten title and Roosevelt High in Gary to the Indiana state championship in 1991. These accomplishments are in no way minimal.
BILL RICHARDSON, Lawrenceville, Ill.

Enough with untested rookies making exorbitant salary demands. Every player entering a pro league should get a standard one-year contract with no incentives or bonuses. Those drafted in the first round would receive three times the league minimum and second-rounders two times. Undrafted rookies would make the minimum. This would eliminate holdouts and contract squabbles and get rookies into camp. After their first year, players could negotiate any contract they wanted, but by then the owners, the coaches and even the players would have a better idea of what their talents are worth.
MICHAEL HASLET, Alexandria, Va.

Andre Rison
Andre Rison says he's misunderstood {The Rap, Oct. 24). How's that? Speeding tickets for driving 128 mph and 111 mph, paternity and child-support actions and now the latest episode with his girlfriend. I noted the examples of goodwill and family responsibilities that you documented, but so what? It's another story of a selfish athlete, like those who callously dismiss the value of the free education they receive, who take trips to other countries where they never stray from McDonald's and video games. Finally, the photo of Lisa Lopes with the condom eye patch. Wonderful. Maybe the strikes, lockouts and work stoppages have hardened me, but I am quickly losing all interest in pro sports.
E.G. EVANS, Rockland, Mass.

Five words for that misunderstood, unappreciated, victimized, world-class nice guy Andre Rison: Cry me a river, millionaire!
JEFF A. CHRISTIAN, Hoboken, N.J.

I've never read so much nonsense in my life. Rison thinks he is "better than Jerry Rice and all the other pros"? If I want my son to look up conceited, he won't need a dictionary. I have the SI story.
JOHN B. TURNER Lamar, Mo.

Finding a good person is almost as hard as finding a good sportswriter, and after reading the article on Andre Rison, I think I have found both. I don't know if I understand Rison even now, but he makes some good points, and I realize why he does some of the things he does.
JASON OSKAMP, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Payoff
Webster's defines coach as one who teaches or trains. What exactly did basketball coach Rollie Massimino think he was teaching while at UNLV—greed, misrepresentation and treachery (Divorce, Vegas-style, Oct. 24)? A salary of more than $500,000 is ludicrous in itself, but for it to be padded with booster money is a sad commentary on the state of athletics in our colleges.
JODI M. RINKE, Chandler, Ariz.

Only in America do you have to pay someone $1.8 million for the right to fire that person.
BARRY E. BURUD, Minneapolis

PHOTO

DAVID LIAM KYLE

Will Robinson be worth his sky-high salary?

Letters to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED should include the name, address and home telephone number of the writer and should be addressed to The Editor, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, N.Y. 10020-1393.