Letters
DangerousGame
I laughed when myOct. 2 SI arrived just as I was leaving to visit my orthopedic surgeon. In anill-advised act of Steelers fanaticism, while watching the game I broke my handpunching the floor. My subtitle to your headline is, EVEN THE FANS FEEL THEPAIN. (For others similarly afflicted, drywall is more forgiving thansubflooring—unless, of course, you find a stud.)
Doug Fairchild, Aston, Pa.
Wait, it had been15 years since the Cincinnati Bengals won a division championship(Breakthrough, Oct. 2), and in that time the Pittsburgh Steelers have had 11winning seasons and eight division championships—and a Super Bowl title in theyear that the Bengals again won the division. Rivalry? The bug doesn't have arivalry with the windshield.
Stephen Comer, Charlotte
Ice Time
Thank you foryour 2006--07 NHL Preview (Oct. 2). I'm glad to see the best sports publicationwas willing to give the NHL the 20-plus pages it rightly deserves.
Stephen Britt, Mission Viejo, Calif.
Good Catch
SCORECARD (Oct.2) named Padre Trevor Hoffman's backstop in his record-breaking 479th save asPaul Bako. Who's Paul Bako? Pictured is one of three outstanding San Diegocatchers, Josh Bard. (The other two are Rob Bowen and future Hall of Famer MikePiazza.)
Kevin Rose, San Diego
EDITOR'S NOTE: SI regrets the error.
Dirty Dozen
In Who's Hot,Who's Not (PLAYERS, Oct. 2), Seahawks wide receiver Darrell Jackson impliedthat the fans in Seattle were the 12th man. I'm sorry, Mr. Jackson, but TexasA&M University is the Home of the 12th Man and has been since 1922. That'sgreat if your fans are loud, but really, do they stand the entire game, neverboo, and stay till the end no matter what the score? Please, get your owntradition.
Kevin Pesek, College Station, Texas
A Noble Death
I read yourrevealing story on the death of American hero Pat Tillman (Remember His Name,Sept. 11) and the letters to the editor in response (LETTERS, Oct. 2). I takeexception to reader Laurence C. Harmon's saying, "But there's no nobilityin the way Tillman was killed." Horribly, friendly-fire deaths are as mucha part of war as enemy-inflicted deaths. Fully a third of the casualties Iwitnessed as a U.S. Marine in Vietnam were from accidents or young peoplemaking mistakes under unbelievable chaos and pressure. Such deaths are not anyless noble but are all the more tragic when caused by friendly fire. I grievefor the Tillmans and for those who fired the shots that killed Pat Tillman inthose horrific surroundings and conditions. What an awful burden to carry therest of your life. The officers responsible for the cover-up of this tragedyshould be dismissed from the Army.
Michael C. Metzger, Phoenix
Tarnished Cup
I love the RyderCup (Same Old Scene, Oct. 2). When it's almost here, the days seem to passslowly. But this year, just one hour into Sunday's singles matches, I actuallyturned it off. The uninspired American team achieved the most difficult thing Ican imagine—they made me not care.
Joseph T. Healey, Clarks Summit, Pa.
Perhaps we shouldrefer to the Ryder Cup as "one of golf's major tournaments." That termis the only known kryptonite to the Ryder Cup Supermen of Europe.
Dipak Rajhansa, Oviedo, Fla.
The European Ryder Cup golfers showed the world that by trusting theirteammates, playing for pride and enjoying the sport at its purest, you can earna victory. The current generation of American golfers will never win anotherRyder Cup as long as money, sponsors and clothing are more important than theirdesire to win for 11 other men, which is how the Europeans played.
Tony Nocera,Bristol, Conn.
The Europeanswere able to keep the Ryder Cup because they simply had a stronger squad withmore depth, and all their putts were dropping. What I did find appalling wastheir lack of humility and graciousness as evidenced by remarks attributed toformer European Ryder Cupper Sandy Lyle and Capt. Ian Woosnam. Even if thecomments were tongue in cheek, they showed a lack of class and belittled thespirit of the Cup. Perhaps Lyle should get the same "handicap strokes"he suggested "giving the Americans" when he next plays at the Masters,since he certainly has been noncompetitive at Augusta for a number of years. Asfor Captain Woosnam's wanting to have a word with Paul McGinley for concedingthe 18th hole after the Cup was clinched, compare this remark with JackNicklaus's concession of a short putt to Tony Jacklin in 1969, which gave GreatBritain a tie in the Ryder Cup.
Jeffrey Udell,Huntington Station, N.Y.
Closing In
I know you needto keep an eye on the entire world of sports, but can't you give justice to thework of a man like Brett Favre? On Sept. 24 he threw his 400th, 401st and 402ndtouchdowns to come within striking distance of Dan Marino and the alltimerecord.
Brian T. Ganther,Shorewood, Wis.
Change ofPosition
One of thereasons I recently subscribed to SI is for articles like Michael Lewis's TheBlind Side (Sept. 25). I grew up thinking that the second most importantposition next to the quarterback was the center. Now I know that it is, infact, the left tackle.
Kevin Agot,Henderson, Nev.
The Running Man
I enjoyed readingabout Dane Rauschenberg's "marathon of marathons" in which he plans torun a 26.2-mile race every week. (AIR AND SPACE, Oct. 2). We in Canada areaware of an even more amazing marathon that took place in 1980, when Terry Foxbegan his Marathon of Hope for cancer research. He ran the equivalent of amarathon a day in his quest to raise awareness of this disease and money forresearch—and he did it on one leg. Terry was only 18 when he received adiagnosis of bone cancer and had his right leg amputated. Unfortunately, Terryhad to stop his run after 143 days because of cancer. This Canadian hero diedin 1981 at the age of 22. Since then the annual Terry Fox Run has raised morethan $400 million for cancer research.
Kevin MacDonald, Whitby, Ont.
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STILL GOING Fox's foundation funds cancer research 25 years after his death.