Letters

Upset Special

Only four pages onAppalachian State's glorious defeat (Silence in the Big House, Sept. 10) of thehated Wolverines? Clearly you've underestimated the depth of schadenfreude weMichigan haters possess. You could have dedicated a special issue to that game,and I would have read it cover to cover.
Shane Snoke, Hollywood

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As someone who wasat the Appalachian State--Michigan game, I can tell you that the result couldhave been much worse. Without a dropped touchdown pass and a field goal attemptoff the right upright by the Mountaineers, Michigan would have been embarrassedeven more.
Mo Talley, Conyers, Ga.

Some of usAppalachian State graduates don't see the Michigan loss as the huge upseteveryone is making it out to be. Yes, it was unexpected and thrilling. But ASUwas a two-time national I-AA champion that returned loaded with experiencedplayers who had already won eight do-or-die playoff games in the last twoyears. I am sure that experience was a factor in this result.
David Lee, Taylorville, N.C.

AppalachianState's win over Michigan, instead of being regarded as some kind of miracle,should be a reminder that rankings are a bunch of hocus-pocus and that playoffsare the best way to determine a national champion. It's a shame ASU, as alower-division school, wouldn't be included, as this Michigan fan would love tosee them take on Ohio State in the first round.
Dave Evensen, Champaign, Ill.

I am a longtimeWolverines fan who finally made it to Michigan Stadium for the first time in mylife, only to witness the biggest upset in team history. But it was almostworth it to see the awe and elation on the faces of the two ASU alumni seatedin front of me, who were also first-timers to the Big House.
Michael Alward, Hamilton, Ont.

My thanks to AdamSandler for his karmic contribution to the success of the Appalachian Statefootball program. In his 2005 movie The Longest Yard he made an offhand commentabout how Appalachian is a powder-puff team; since then the program has takenthe I-AA championship twice in a row, and now it has defeated Michigan.
Margie Forrest, Wellington, Fla.

Randy Shannon

After reading GarySmith's article on Miami's new head coach, Randy Shannon (Hiding in PlainSight, Sept. 10), I am very proud to say that, while I am not a Hurricanes fan,I am now a Randy Shannon fan. Too often people feel the need to push theirproblems on others. Randy didn't, and now he has a Notre Dame fan rooting forhis personal success. Good luck, Randy. God knows you deserve it.
Dave Sonkin, Babylon, N.Y.

As a Miamialumnus, I applaud Shannon's ascent from a tragic and traumatic childhood, butwhat I find troubling is that he has four children from three women, and thosechildren are not an everyday part of his "compartmentalized" life. Iwould gladly accept a mediocre football team coached by someone who could teacha generation of Miami players that the most important mission in life is to bea constant, daily, in-house presence in the lives of your children.
Chandler Dora, Tampa

I don't knowwhether to be in awe of Shannon for all that he has dealt with or to pity himfor a life that seems devoid of emotion.
Lonnie Burstein, Studio City, Calif.

Tim Dandy

Rick Reilly'senjoyable column on Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (LIFE OF REILLY, Sept.10) left me feeling that SI could easily do a follow-up on what a class actWakefield is. When he was left off the Red Sox' 1999 playoff roster, he didn'tengage in the crying or whining you would have heard from most players. Start,middle relief, close—as the ultimate team player he's done it all withoutcomplaint. He is heavily involved, with little fanfare, in charities in Bostonand in his home state of Florida. only a guy as respected as Wakefield couldgive up a home run to Aaron Boone to end the 2003 ALCS and not be run out oftown by the usually unforgiving Boston fans.
Greg Colwell, East Bridgewater, Mass.

Correction

A PLAYERS story inthe Aug. 27 issue on couples in pro volleyball showed a photo of Priscilla Limainstead of Angela Lewis. Here is Lewis, with fiancé Anthony Medel.

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PHOTO

TONY DING/ICON SMI (COVER)

PHOTO

ANTHONY MEDEL (LEWIS AND MEDEL)