Letters

Thanks to Rick Reilly for covering an underrated player lost in
the shadows of John Elway and Terrell Davis. The story was so
good, it made my ears hurt.
--JERRY SPRAGUE, Cape Coral, Fla.

MILE HIGH MOTORMOUTH

How can you not love a guy like Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe
(Lip Shtick, Feb. 1)? Should Sharpe's career end today, he will
have no trouble finding one in show business.
PATRICIA ZUPPE, Old Bridge, N.J.

After reading Rick Reilly's article about Sharpe and catching my
breath, I have only one word to say to Mr. Sharpe:
Ssshhhaaaddupp!
CHARLIE CARTER, New Lenox, Ill.

Considering that all Reilly did was transcribe Sharpe's words,
crediting him with authorship is like giving a W to a relief
pitcher who comes on in the top of the ninth, throws one pitch
and then sees his team rally in the bottom of the inning.
NICK RICHARDS, Ossining, N.Y.

Sharpe is the epitome of everything that is wrong with
professional sports: He's overpaid, self-centered and doesn't
seem able to handle the responsibilities of being an adult.
KEITH BEENE, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

How convenient it is for Sharpe to ignore his parental
responsibility by blaming the mothers for his failure to spend
more time with his children. Should we believe that each of
these women forced him into having unprotected sex?
BOB HURLEY, Milford, Conn.

SPORTS AS RELIGION

After reading your article on basketball prodigy Tamir Goodman,
I reflected upon the pressures that I faced as a high school
athlete in electing to observe religious holidays that
conflicted with scheduled games (An Unorthodox Player, Feb. 1).
One can only imagine the pressure that will be placed on Goodman
by fellow players, coaches and fans if Maryland is selected to
compete in future NCAA tournaments. The real madness is that it
appears some prefer to treat college basketball as a religion in
and of itself.
EVAN SHWEKY, New York City

Goodman could be a role model for athletes twice his age. To be
able to differentiate between what is truly important and what
is simply a game is inspiring.
ARIEL DAVIS, Shaalvim, Israel

SACK SAMARANCH

How can IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch plead ignorance to
the charges of corruption against International Olympic
Committee members (Breaking Point, Feb. 1)? Since the members
involved were appointed by Samaranch, he should be held
responsible for their conduct. If he didn't know about the
corruption, it is a reflection on his leadership. If he did, it
is a reflection on his character. In either case, he must go.
MARILOTTE BLOEMEN, Vancouver

Anyone who goes through life insisting that he be addressed as
His Excellency should be forced to participate in the Olympic
javelin-catching event.
EDWARD N. MOLLER, Needham, Mass.

Amid all of the allegations of bribery, free cars and epicurean
living, my question is, How do I become a member of the IOC?
NATHAN P. WENGER, Indianapolis

The Olympics bidding system is corrupt? What a shock! Next
you'll be telling us that professional wrestling's not on the
up-and-up.
MURRAY TONKIN, Toronto

GET A GRIP

Thank you, Frank Deford, for the fine story on P.J. Carlesimo
(Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner? Feb. 1). I was enthralled by
the character of Carlesimo and his family almost as much as I
was dumbfounded by the inane theory of New York Times columnist
William Rhoden, who in a column on Jan. 21 blamed the victim and
the victim's father.
DAVE WELSH, Houston

Deford caught the essence of Carlesimo as not just a coach
forever linked to the Sprewell incident but also as an honorable
and loyal man whose grip on life, family and friends is stronger
than Latrell Sprewell's hold could ever be.
MICHAEL SZAJENKO, Warren, Mich.

A FRIEND INDEED

It may be acceptable for Peter King to go after now deposed
Bears president Mike McCaskey for erroneously announcing that
Cardinals defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis had been appointed
Chicago's new coach (Scorecard, Feb. 1). But by saying that
Chicago had to "settle" for Dick Jauron, King slammed a fine
man. I know Jauron from our playing days in college and am proud
of what he has done since. Let's give him a reasonable chance to
succeed.
D. MICHAEL HINKLEY, Yokosuka, Japan

B/W PHOTO: JOHN DURANT

SLAMMIN' SAMMY

Who wouldn't have been impressed by David Duval's 59 at the Bob
Hope Chrysler Classic (59 in the Shades, Feb. 1)? It may indeed
have been the greatest final round ever, as Jaime Diaz
suggested. While his article chronicled other competitive scores
of 59, it left out an important round by Sam Snead. Snead shot a
59 in the Sam Snead Festival--a non-PGA Tour event but a real
tournament nonetheless--on May 16, 1959, when he was 46 years old.
LORAN R. SMITH, Brevard, N.C.