THE MAIL
How can you do a profile on Joe Buck without once acknowledging that he is one of the most criticized and reviled sports announcers on the air? Not even one mention of his many detractors, who cringe every time his mouth opens to call a game? Nothing about his failed HBO talk show, Joe Buck Live, which was canceled after only three episodes because it was such a ratings flop? He is definitely not as beloved for his "craft" by sports fans as your article suggests.
David Hiltbrand, Wynnewood, Pa.
Passing the Buck
It seems that almost every person who considers himself a die-hard sports fan goes out of his or her way to make fun of Buck (Mr. October). I get that Buck rubs some people the wrong way, but you can't deny that the story of Joe and his father, Jack, is comparable to that of many father-son duos who were prolific athletes. Joe had enormous shoes to fill following in Jack's footsteps, and in doing so he has lived up to the hype.
Keenan Donath, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
All Pros
In his article on Sporting KC (INSIDE F√öTBOL), Grant Wahl makes the error of equating the word pro with major league when he calls Sporting KC Kansas City's only winning pro team. Although they are minor league teams, both the Kansas City T-Bones (baseball) and the Missouri Mavericks (hockey) are still professional. The Mavericks reached the Turner Conference finals before losing in Game 7 to the Fort Wayne Komets last season, and the T-Bones beat the Gary (Ind.) SouthShore RailCats to win the Northern League championship in 2008.
Blair D. Tarr, Topeka, Kans.
Lightning Rod of Controversy
I thought Phil Taylor was right on in his column about Alex Rodriguez (POINT AFTER). Wearing Yankees pinstripes once meant you played the game with class and respect. A-Rod, with his admitted PED use and constant melodrama on and off the field, is the antithesis of this.
Howard A. Simon, University Park, Fla.
Perfect Pick
I loved Lee Jenkins's article on the pick-and-roll (Merrily They [Pick and] Roll Along), but I have to wonder how Jeremy Lin went unmentioned throughout the story. While Lin was definitely a much-needed spark for the Knicks last season, he wouldn't have been as successful without his teammates setting him up.
Travis Mewhirter, Hampstead, Md.
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THE HONEY BADGER
OCT. 22
JOE BUCK
OCT. 29
FOOTBALL'S GREATEST
OCT. 22
LANCE ARMSTRONG
OCT. 22
TWEET OF THE WEEK
"SOMEONE ON THE TOM JOYNER MORNING SHOW TEXTED, 'WHEN I DIE, I WANT TONY ROMO TO BE MY PALLBEARER, SO HE CAN LET ME DOWN ONE LAST TIME!'"
KENNY (PAPA-BEAR) (@ZOOT580)
FEEDBACK
Matt Ryan has led the Falcons to their first-ever 8--0 start. Should he be considered one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks?
Paul Kimo McGregor: No way. You don't become an elite quarterback in the NFL until you win the big one. But he is definitely getting there.
Cory Holkesvig: Ryan helped turn the Falcons' franchise around, so yes, he is elite. And he's only going to get better now that they have a defense that can actually play aggressively.
Ricky Matheson: He needs to first win a game in the playoffs. Then we can talk about being elite.
Adam Cox: Ryan is not quite there yet. There are still things he needs to work on with his mechanics. Plus the stats that he puts up aren't consistently mind-blowing. When he gets to the Super Bowl, he might be elite.
Harris Gray: Everyone saying Ryan has never won a Super Bowl needs to remember something. Dan Marino, one of the best to ever play the game, never won a Super Bowl.
Neil Macias: Marino at least won a playoff game. Ryan has not.
Michael Elseroad: He's not on the level of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. So if that's your definition of elite, then no, he is not.
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FOR Oct. 29, 2012
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