Letters
Glad to Be Mad
Your NCAA tournament preview included an enumeration of 65 reasons why March is the best basketball month of the year (Mad About March, March 24), mentioning many classic moments from tournaments past. I'd like to add this favorite, from 1990: Loyola Marymount's Bo Kimble shooting lefthanded free throws in honor of his fallen teammate Hank Gathers.
Marc Incerpi, Northridge, Calif.
We get the chance to hear Dan Bonner, one of the best color commentators, instead of Dick Vitale.
Sam Clarke, North Garden, Va.
As a Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter and former high school band member, I have to respectfully disagree with the idea of Rocky Top being the most infectious fight song. I defy anyone to get that I'm a Tar Heel Born ditty out of his or her head. My alltime nightmare game would be North Carolina--Oklahoma. That Boomer Sooner thing doesn't go away easily either.
Herb Gould, Chicago
Michigan State center Drew Naymick could also have made your men's All-Brainiac team. Naymick earned his bachelor's degree in finance last May with a 3.61 GPA and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field. Meanwhile, he anchored the Spartans' frontcourt this season and set the school record for career blocks.
Alex Frankfort, Okemos, Mich.
Murray State's Guffey twins—guards Amber and Paige, who both have GPAs in excess of 3.95—could have made your women's All-Brainiac team, and also your list of sister acts.
Dave Powell, Prospect, Ky.
Your story stated that the normally football-obsessed state of Tennessee had six men's and women's teams in their respective basketball tournaments. In fact, the state had nine teams, including the women's squads from Vanderbilt, Chattanooga and East Tennessee State.
Nathan Henderson, Sunbright, Tenn.
Right Turn
Senator John McCain squeaked out a win in your presidential poll of players in MLB, the NHL and the NBA (PLAYERS, March 24). But if you had included athletes from NASCAR and the PGA Tour, it would have been a blowout of historic proportions.
Gary Duff, Granite City, Ill.
There are only two reasons people ever vote Republican: They are millionaires or they are naive. Professional athletes are both.
Andrew B. Williams, San Francisco
A Soldier's Choice
I am a graduate of Annapolis, class of '56, and the son of a West Point alum. My son and daughter both served honorably in Iraq. I was disheartened by the article on Caleb Campbell (PLAYERS, March 24) and the possibility of his fulfilling his Army obligations by playing in the NFL. Yes, the rules have been changed to allow this, but what happened to the pledge of Duty, Honor, Country that all cadets are supposed to respect? And how will he look his classmates in the eye when they go off to war and he is playing special teams?
Bruce Dolph, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Let me see if I have this straight: Pat Tillman is in his grave, hundreds of G.I.'s with combat tours are being stop-lossed, and Campbell gets a top-notch education at taxpayers' expense and a free pass to the NFL. What's wrong with this picture?
Lee DeRaud, Anaheim
I hope Campbell is drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. Getting good players with character is just what they need.
Tino D. Thomas, Cincinnati
Dry Wit
I think Jack McCallum misunderstood the true reason the Suns brought in Shaquille O'Neal (Good News, Bad News, March 24). Sure, winning championships is nice. But in the Valley of the Sun, we pride ourselves on treating the elderly with reverence and respect, and it's no coincidence that our professional sports teams have given those in their golden years players to cheer for. Who can forget when the Arizona Cardinals signed Emmitt Smith in 2003? Four years later the Arizona Diamondbacks reacquired Randy Johnson. Now the Suns have Shaq. Next it would only make sense for the Phoenix Coyotes to announce that Wayne Gretzky will become a player-coach.
Scott Silberman, Chandler, Ariz.
Nails Mail
I am glad to see that someone is finally reaching out to professional athletes, although Lenny Dykstra (POINT AFTER, March 17) is not necessarily the person whom I would have expected. There are too many Denny McLains and Mike Tysons in this world, athletes who have too much and don't know what to do with it, so they blow it all. Dykstra should be applauded for trying to help these athletes out.
Jonathan Collar, Sterling Heights, Mich.
When I read about former athletes offering to help manage current athletes' money, I can only offer this advice: Hold on to your wallets. Buying annuities with 18.3% juice (a $550,000 fee on $3 million)? You can do better.
Scott Chambers, Encinitas, Calif.
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PETER READ MILLER (KEVIN LOVE)
