Letters

What are all these stories about golfers, Michael Jordan,
Michigan State basketball, etc., doing in my copy of "True
Crimes and Confessions?"
--ROBERT H. SEALS, Carson City, Mich.

Yin and Yang

The Feb. 14 issue vividly illustrated everything that is right
and wrong with sports nowadays. Right: His Airness returning to
the sport he excelled at; Tiger using his skill and determination
to carry the day; and those kids in the Dominican Republic
playing their hearts out. Wrong: agent David Falk, Ray Lewis,
Kevin Stevens and Tamarick Vanover.
FRANCIS KINNEY, Kendall Park, N.J.

Painful Lessons

Regarding Kevin Stevens's night of insanity (Life of the Party,
Feb. 14): Being a pro athlete does not prevent someone from
falling into the throes of addiction, as we have unfortunately
found out so many times. Rather than judge and joke, as Rick
Reilly did in that issue (THE LIFE OF REILLY), we should try to
salvage what we can of these athletes' lives. It's time for the
Stevenses of the world to grow up. The arrest outside St. Louis
might have saved his life instead of ruining it, as he first
perceived it would.
THOMAS LESCROART, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Your article did a great job of showing what type of person Kevin
Stevens truly is. With help and prayers the "other" Stevens will
be buried, and the real one can continue on with his life.
JOHN HOKANSON, Duxbury, Mass.

Failing Report Card

Your NBA Midseason Report (Feb. 14) was comprehensive and fun to
read. However, I have two disagreements with your awards. First,
Steve Francis, one of your runners-up for Rookie of the Year,
leads the Houston Rockets in points and assists. Lamar Odom, your
Rookie of the Year choice, is the leader in neither department
for the Los Angeles Clippers, who at this writing have 12 fewer
wins than Francis's Rockets. Francis is ahead of Odom in points
per game, assists, steals and free throw percentages. Francis
deserves your award. Second, both the San Antonio Spurs' Tim
Duncan and the Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett should have
been included on your All-NBA first team. If you want proof of
their worth, look at your Player Ratings two pages later.
JACOB HONIGMAN, Brooklyn

How could you rate the benches of nine teams ahead of that of the
Miami Heat? With Clarence Weatherspoon, Voshon Lenard, Otis
Thorpe, Anthony Carter, Mark Strickland and Rodney Buford,
Miami's bench is as good as any.
ANDREW M. ABRAMSON, Cooper City, Fla.

All about Mike

Michael Jordan is the ultimate winner (I Own You, Feb. 14). His
knowledge and passion will revive the Washington Wizards.
RICHARD E. RUGGERI, Warwick, N.Y.

We knew everything that Jack McCallum wrote regarding Michael's
new position with the Wizards: He'll make the job his number 1
priority, he'll make all hiring and firing decisions, and owner
Abe Pollin won't stand in the way. But, wow, Michael ate salmon
for the first time in his life at Abe's house. Now that's
interesting!
DIANE M. BRANAGAN, Falls Church, Va.

With all due respect to the greatest basketball player of all
time, the likely-to-be-greatest golfer of all time deserved to be
on the cover. Tiger Woods's sixth straight Tour victory was an
epic feat. Michael Jordan's becoming the Wizards' part owner and
head of the team's basketball operations was much less
significant and, three weeks after the fact, far less timely.
CHUCK HADDEN, Arlington, Va.

Room to Stretch Out

In your Feb. 14 SCORECARD, you say that Penny Hardaway has a
6,000-square-foot master-bedroom suite. Tell me that was a
typographical error. My house is only 2,300 square feet.
RICHARD RUTH, Sierra Vista, Ariz.

To Ban or Not to Ban

Your comments about baseball and androstenedione are right on
(SCORECARD, Feb. 21). The reason baseball doesn't outlaw the drug
is that, by doing so, it might take away credibility from (or
cause an asterisk to be placed next to) Mark McGwire's record.
McGwire's seasonlong competition with Sammy Sosa helped pull
baseball out of the sewer after the strike.
BRUCE SAGE, Troy, Mich.

Up with Isiah

I never liked the Detroit Pistons, but I could never say anything
bad about Isiah Thomas (I Got a League! Feb. 7). Now he has
impressed me even more. How great to see somebody truly give back
to the game. The required daily workouts for a player in the
league, the suit and tie, the anti-double-teaming rule. Nice job,
Isiah!
JON HOOD, Omaha

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN BIEVER

Brand Is Grand

Your selection of Lamar Odom of the L.A. Clippers as the NBA's
Rookie of the Year misses the mark. Elton Brand (above) of the
Chicago Bulls is in the top 25 in the league in scoring and the
top 10 in rebounding. Odom may do a little bit of everything,
but Brand does the most important things far better.
JOE SPITZZERI, Elburn, Ill.