Letters

Carl Everett does more in his article to prove the existence of
Neanderthals than any biology text I've ever read.
--STEPHEN CECIL, La Grange, Ky.

Let's Hear It for Hockey

Thanks for the article on the 2000 Stanley Cup (Devil of a Time,
June 19). The photograph of Martin Brodeur jumping for joy is
one for the ages. Too bad Robbie Ftorek wasn't there. This was
his team, not Larry Robinson's.
MIKE KASTERKO, Torrance, Calif.

I was disappointed by your article. The extraordinary passion
and courage that are required to win 16 playoff games should
have been the focal point; apathetic chatter about missed
scoring opportunities, fashion faux pas and elusive false teeth
did a great injustice to the Devils and the NHL playoffs in
general.
AARON HOILAND, St. Paul

I found your comment that "hockey is the most random of sports"
interesting. Hockey may appear as chaos on the ice, but quite
the opposite is true. All teams operate in a system. Coaches
like Ken Hitchcock of the Stars demand such rigid play of their
teams that most flow and spontaneity are removed from the game.
When players tire during overtime in a long playoff, systems
break down, and natural instinct and talent take over.
MARK SAWYER, Elkford, B.C.

Bruce Springsteen on the LETTERS page and the Devils on the
cover. I thought I died and went to heaven! Thanks for
highlighting the two best reasons for being from New Jersey.
JOSEPH EVANS, Roselle Park, N.J.

Your cover upset me. The Devils win a Stanley Cup and make the
cover. The Red Wings won not one but two Stanley Cup
championships in a row, yet they didn't make the cover. It shows
that Detroit gets no respect.
CHESTER LATRA JR., Macomb, Mich.

De La Hoya's Detractors

Thank you for exposing Oscar De La Hoya for what he is, a
man-child who abuses women, stiffs his business acquaintances,
openly insults his stepmother and thinks he'll be the second
coming of Ricky Martin (Gladiator, June 19). I always thought
Oscar was a good guy, based on his Golden Boy image; now I know
better.
RICK BUETI, Chappaqua, N.Y.

De La Hoya's treatment of women makes Pokey Reese seem like a
candidate for the keynote speaker of the Million Mom March. Hey,
Oscar, you think if someone treated your mother the way you
treated Nicole Rao that Cecilia would have grown up to be such a
caring parent? Whatever happened between you and Rao that night
will have enduring consequences.
TODD GUREN, Charlottesville, Va.

The Price of Free Speech

Carl Everett's attitude and bravado are a relief from all the
hokey, new-age beliefs that plague the world (Mighty Mouth, June
19). I admire anyone who speaks his mind, however unpopular the
words. These people may not always be right, but they tell it as
they see it.
ERIK ANSCHICKS, Naperville, Ill.

Everett dissing Derek Jeter, Paul O'Neill and the New York
Yankees? C'mon! Everett says that he doesn't believe in
dinosaurs because he never saw one. How then does he believe in
the World Series? He's never seen one of those either.
JEFF HABER, New Rochelle, N.Y.

By the Numbers

In trying to understand the magnitude of Tiger Woods's victory
at the U.S. Open (Open and Shut, June 26), consider this: If you
add together the margin of victory of all the Open winners in
the '90s, it would not equal Tiger's margin this year.
JOHN THIBAULT, Mansfield, Mass.

I agree that Woods has become the greatest golfer of all time
(THE LIFE OF REILLY, June 26). In this year's Open, Tiger beat
everyone in the field on three of four days. Jack Nicklaus, on
the other hand, played in 44 Opens and he beat the rest of the
field only once in any round.
ROSS D. ALEXANDER, Wichita, Kans.

COLOR PHOTO: NEIL LEIFER

Terry Terrific

In your top 8 quarterback analysis, you said the deciding factor
between Steve Young and Joe Montana was Super Bowl victories
(SCORECARD, June 19). Montana has four and Young one. Well,
Terry Bradshaw (left), whom you failed to rank, has four too. He
was Super Bowl MVP twice. He has the third-highest Super Bowl
quarterback rating, behind Montana and Jim Plunkett. He is first
in average yards gained per attempt in the Super Bowl(11.1).
Don't even start with "Well, Franco Harris..." Harris had a
combined 114 rushing yards in Super Bowls XIII and XIV.
BRUCE BISHOP,
Redondo Beach, Calif.