LETTERS

Force Majeure
The Aug. 22 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED cover is terrific, even if Phil Mickelson is not really the people's choice. The real people's champion is Tiger Woods: Take him out of the mix, and golf would be about as popular as ice hockey.
Grant M. Hill Lake Forest, Calif.

The Mighty in the Majors chart accompanying SI's account of the PGA Championship should have included U.S. Open winner Michael Campbell. Even though he did not play in the Masters, Campbell deserves recognition for his three top six finishes and his average finish of fourth, better than anyone except Tiger.
Matthew McEvoy Dallas

Pro and Con
Steve Rushin shouldn't feel bad about not loving the NFL (Air and Space, Aug. 22). In the southeastern U.S. college football Saturday is the hallowed day in the fall and the NFL is an afterthought. I don't even watch the NFL until the bowl season ends. Even then the NFL playoffs are only a way of weaning fans off college football before NASCAR starts again in February.

Andrew Arbaugh, Kingsport, Tenn.
Who doesn't like college football better? If Ohio State loses, I don't smile for a week. If the Browns lose, I get another beer.
Jake Meinerding, St. Marys, Ohio

Long Division
The Indianapolis Colts haven't been a division rival of the Buffalo Bills since 2001, despite what you wrote in Who's Hot/Who's Not (Players, Aug. 22). The Colts were moved to the AFC South in 2002 when the Houston Texans came into the league.
Scott Lebowitz, Stormville, N.Y.
EDITOR'S NOTE: SI regrets the error.

Pedaling His Agenda
After I read Spin Cycle (Scorecard, Aug. 22), it was clear to me why the President would rather ride a bike with awe-inspired "sports journalists" than meet someone who might challenge his policies, such as Cindy Sheehan. The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, she was waiting for face time with Mr. Bush just outside the compound at the time of Austin Murphy's regrettable ride. Nice of you to not bother mentioning her presence.
Lance Harke, Miami Shores, Fla.

Unsportsmanlike?
Why must Karl Taro Greenfeld write that South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier ran up the score while at Florida (Meet Mr. Humble, Aug. 22)? Spurrier often had his second- or even third-string quarterback in the game from the end of the third quarter. Yes, those guys passed the ball, but the backups deserved their chance to get some game experience. Steve, should your Gamecocks somehow find themselves with a two-touchdown lead late in the game against my beloved Gators on Nov. 12, feel free to keep passing.

Owen Lockwood, Gainesville, Fla.
The real sign of the apocalypse in the Aug. 22 issue is that it's O.K. for an NCAA football coach--Spurrier--to receive a new car every 5,000 miles, but Dan Miller, who is helping to stabilize Iraq by training Baghdad police officers, can't be given a trip to see his son play for Boise State (Scorecard). The NCAA has unfair rules that need to be addressed.
Mike Fazzio, Pleasanton, Calif.

Card Sharp
After reading Rick Reilly's column on getting his football trading card (Life of Reilly, Aug. 22), I wondered, Will the card company come out with an update to his Fans of the Game card that will feature column-worn swatches of the pants he wore while writing that piece?

Robert Smathers, Albuquerque
Rick was smart to write about his trading card. After reading his column, I quickly logged on to eBay to try to snag one. They were going for $50.
Casey Todt, West Portsmouth, Ohio

Junior Achievers
Was that Tom Verducci's All-25-and-Under Team (The Next Generation, Aug. 22) or the 2015 N.Y. Yankees' roster?
Justin Lamontagne, Boston

Pitching Image

The picture of Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez on the Aug. 22 LINEUP page immediately brought to mind a photograph SI published in 1967 of St. Louis Cardinals great Bob Gibson. The angle, body position and facial expression look amazingly similar. Am I right?

Dave Nelson, Mangilao, Guam

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PHOTO

ROBERT BECK (COVER)

PHOTO

JOHN W. MCDONOUGH (RODRIGUEZ)

TIMELESS FORM

Thirty-eight years later K-Rod (top) evokes Gibson.

PHOTO

WALTER IOOSS JR.

 [See caption above.]