Letters

A Blizzard of Money

Living in Abilene, along I-70, I figure the traffic going west
to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City will be heavy. I am
requesting an appropriation from Congress to build a bathroom
addition to my home to accommodate weary travelers. This is an
urgent matter that needs immediate attention with the Games so
close at hand. I believe it'll take $5,000 for the main
construction and another $500 for one of those government toilet
seats.
CHARLIE GATSCHET, Abilene, Kans.

Orrin Hatch is the epitome of what is wrong with our politicians.
This nominal conservative says he wants to reduce government, yet
he is in favor of everything from the drug war to the excessive
spending on the Olympics cited in your article. The rich
businessmen who have access to him are given more money, while
those who seek to protect the environment are vilified. This
welfare for the rich must end.
TOM ARTH, West Plains, Mo.

Can one continue to wonder why the U.S. is seen in such a poor
light by those of lesser means, both at home and abroad? The
avidity of the already rich and the obscene political corruption
associated with events leading up to the Olympics can only be
described as repulsive.
DOUG LINDLEY, Ottawa

You pulled your own snow job by including a decade-overdue
freeway renovation and a light rail system as Olympic expenses.
Money for these projects was coming to Salt Lake City even
without the Games, as it is for similar projects in cities
across the country. When you subtract the expense of these two
items, your estimate of federal dollars spent on the Olympics
drops by more than half! It sounds as if you're practicing the
same suspicious accounting practices of which you accuse the
Salt Lake City organizers.
STEPHEN F. NEELEY, Providence, Utah

SLOC stands for Spend Loads of Cash at the expense of American
taxpayers.
GEOFF NORMAN, Springfield, Ore.

Auto Adultery

I, too, have another love that my wife tolerates (THE LIFE OF
REILLY, Dec. 10). She's petite, with smooth white skin, gorgeous
curves and looks great with her top off. She even has a name:
Barbie. She's a 1990 Miata. I'm removing the FOR SALE sign
today. Tell Rick Reilly thanks for bringing me to my senses.
BRIAN ARNOLD, Rowlett, Texas

At what point am I supposed to feel sorry for Reilly--the point
at which he owns the 1961 Vette or the point at which he has to
trade it in for a new Lexus? Like a lot of your subscribers I
don't have enough money to even look at either car. Perhaps I'll
go pick up a Road & Track at the bookstore and see if it's got a
worthwhile column about sports to read on its back page.
NICK GEORGANDIS, Houston

Money for Nothing?

Is Broncos linebacker John Mobley serious (SCORECARD, Dec. 10)?
His comment that lumberjack competitions are not a sport because
"they've got to do that to make a living" is ridiculous. Unless
he's got a second job, doesn't Mobley have to play football to
make a living?
ANDREA BEER, Kenosha, Wis.

Teammates in Opposition

You often spotlight spoiled athletes and make me wonder about
all the greed in sports, but the four paragraphs Albert Chen
wrote about Warrick Dunn's helping a single mother obtain a
house (SCORECARD, Dec. 10) showed me what an outstanding person
he is. More athletes should take note of Dunn's contributions.
His teammate Keyshawn Johnson, who in the same issue (INSIDE THE
NFL) referred to the perfect day off as "Anything that makes me
money," should get a life!
LEN MAIOLATESI, Jarrettsville, Md.

Linked

I enjoyed "The Strongest Link" by Ivan Maisel (INSIDE COLLEGE
FOOTBALL, Dec. 10) featuring the Florida Gators' chain crew. On
the Washington Redskins' chain crew, Lewis Randolph Clark Sr.
pulled the chains for 30 years. He passed the stick to his son,
Randy, who held it for 29 years before retiring after the 1997
season. His daughter Jennifer inherited the job and has been the
chain gang's crew chief since '98. Randy did briefly substitute
for Jennifer during this past season while she was attending to
the birth of her first child. Jennifer returned to the chain
gang on Dec. 2 and looks forward to handing off to a fourth
generation on the Redskins' chain gang, her son, Conor.
ALEX HEIN, Arlington, Va.

COLOR PHOTO: TODD BIGELOW/AURORA

Sign of the Times

After reading your story on Salt Lake City businessmen using
U.S. tax dollars to fund their private ventures, I am appalled
(Snow Job, Dec. 10). As if the bribes and illegal dealings to
land the Olympics weren't bad enough, they have the gall to
mooch off their fellow Americans. I call on all taxpayers to
boycott the Winter Olympics and the Utah slopes in general. I
will never snowboard in Utah again.
JOHN HEARIN, Cocoa Beach, Fla.