Letters

Miller's Time
Thank you so much for finally putting Marisa Miller on the cover of your annual Swimsuit Issue. As this photo taken in the U.S. Virgin Islands shows, she is indeed a rare beauty. The only way you will be able to top this is if next year's cover features Marisa again, but with her phone number on her bikini.
Evan D. Bolick, Chapel Hill, N.C.

The morning after my husband's Swimsuit Issue arrived, he settled into his favorite chair, coffee cup in hand, and flipped slowly through the pages. Every now and then I heard him comment "Wow" or "Oh, boy," and then he looked up at me and said, "You know, honey, the swimsuits really are nice this year."
Kathy Cicora, Rochester, Minn.

I am the wife of boxer Roy Jones Jr. I was excited to see your 2008 Swimsuit Issue featuring "the better halves." Roy and I enjoy your magazine, but I was happy to see beautiful women I could relate to.
Natlyn Jones, Pensacola, Fla.

Who's Counting?
Tiger Woods's attitude toward his records (PLAYERS, March 3) is one that other athletes should take notice of. When he was interviewed about whether his Target World Challenge and the Dubai Desert Classic counted toward his current winning streak, he replied, "I'll let you handle that." He is focused on being the top golfer in the world and not on his statistics.
Paul Roveda, Pennington, N.J.

The Bear Facts
I enjoyed the article on the towns in which our Olympic hopefuls train (The Road to Beijing, March 3), but it was quite a surprise to me, and many other Californians I'm sure, that marathon runner Ryan Hall had to "shoo" a grizzly from his Mammoth Lakes home. Although this glorious animal still adorns the California state flag, the last grizzly was killed here in 1922.
Teague Weybright, Santa Monica, Calif.

Abusive Fans
I was a member of the Izzone (Michigan State's student section) from 2000 to '04, and I take pride in what I was a part of. It was my job to help make the Breslin Center a tough place to play for any opposing team. But students need to realize that there is a line that should not be crossed (Over the Top, March 3). Throwing things, insulting opposing players' families and making death threats toward the players is simply disgusting. These fans actually hurt the program that they intend to support.
Mike Olian, Battle Creek, Mich.

The biggest problem is fan anonymity and the lack of accountability. I sincerely hope that somebody's father, girlfriend or boss reads Grant Wahl's article and recognizes one of those insensitive jerks photographed screaming insults during the game at which Kevin Love's grandmother was brought to tears.
Michael Buie, Toronto

I was shocked to see, in a photo of the Oregon student section, my son partaking in the harassment of UCLA's Kevin Love. When he came home the following weekend, his car was taken away and he headed back to school on a bus. I am embarrassed and wish to apologize to Kevin and his family.
Armando Navarro, Clackamas, Ore.

A quick visit to the Oregon website reveals that of the 15 basketball players on the roster, only three are from Oregon. Do I detect a double standard? Looks like it is O.K. for athletes to come from all over the U.S. to play at Oregon, but quality Oregon athletes like Love should not have the freedom of choice to go where they wish.
Dan Peeno, Cheney, Wash.

In Pat Conroy's autobiography, My Losing Season, he wrote that Clemson fans had a reputation for trying to put cigarettes out on opposing players' legs during inbounds plays. That was 40 years ago. Wahl's piece on abusive college fans is the perennial "today's kids are causing the downfall of civilization" pablum.
Michael Ter Avest, Baltimore

One simple solution for controlling abusive student fans: Take their courtside seats away. Let the 10-year-old kids and their parents sit downstairs. Maybe they'll be able to enjoy the game for what it is—a game.
Chris Deveney, Philadelphia

As I read your article I was reminded of the saying: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. If these student-athletes cannot handle the heat, then maybe they should have gone to smaller schools.
Alan Esser, Chicago

In the last sentence of Wahl's article, Eric Gordon Sr. gloats that it was "karma" that allowed Indiana to overcome the difficult crowd and defeat Illinois. What a thrill it was as an Illinois alum to turn to the next story and read about the resignation of IU head coach Kelvin Sampson (Last Call, March 3) because of major NCAA violations involving improper phone calls to recruits. Now that's karma!
Rick Bruno, Centennial, Colo.

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PHOTO

RAPHAEL MAZZUCCO