THE MAIL

Austin Murphy's story on endurance events was inspiring and could not have come at a better time. I am an overweight working mom who is competing in triathlons to get into shape. Marathoner George Melichar said it best when he said, "You don't have to be an elite athlete to achieve an elite goal." That is the epitome of who I am and what I am trying to accomplish.

Audrey Natale, Littleton, Colo.

Age over Beauty

I loved the article on America's second running boom (Mud, Sweat and Beers). I am one of those rock and roll plus-sizers that Murphy writes about, and I'll be running my second Zombie 5K next month. It would have been nice if the article featured a few pictures of competitors who look more like me—a 53-year-old, 215-pound guy gutting it out and working his tail off despite the pain—instead of the predictable, physically fit twenty- and thirtysomethings.

Bob Wermers, Crown Point, Ind.

Personal Foul

The cross-check that Duke attackman Josh Dionne put on Syracuse's Brian Megill in your photo from the NCAA lacrosse championship game (LEADING OFF) is both illegal and dangerous. Thankfully, Dionne was called for the infraction and sent to the penalty box.

Bryan Fichter, Ellicott City, Md.

Fußball Lives

In his story on the Champions League final (SCORECARD) between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, Grant Wahl implies that German soccer wasn't cool between 1977 and 2013. Germany won the World Cup in 1990 and was runner-up in '82, '86 and 2002. It also won the European championship twice (1980 and '96). Before this season German teams won the European club championship three times (Hamburg in '83, Borussia Dortmund in '97 and Bayern Munich in 2001) and finished second eight times. That sounds pretty cool to me.

Steve Ferrier, Lawrence, Kans.

Forgotten Peaches

How is it possible to do a story about high school baseball talent in Georgia (Land of Plenty) and not mention current major leaguers Domonic Brown (Phillies), Chris Nelson (Angels) and Brandon Phillips (Reds)? All three all hail from Redan High in Stone Mountain, Ga., the same school that has seen a few dozen of its players taken in the major league draft since 1985.

Greg Goodwin, Snellville, Ga.

Great All Around

Is anyone really surprised that LeBron James is more than just a great power forward (The James Gang)? Does Barbra Streisand only sing ballads? Is Robert De Niro only a dramatic actor? Was Michael Jackson just a great dancer who was famous for the moonwalk? The answer is a resounding no. They are all artists who perfected every facet of their craft, just as LeBron has done in becoming one of greatest ever to play the game.

Jerry Schwartz, Alpharetta, Ga.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Do you think the recently retired Jason Kidd is NBA head coaching material?

Roger Hill Absolutely. He was the floor general in both college and the NBA. Kidd was never known for his shooting; however, he worked his butt off to become a better shooter and finished his career with 1,988 three-pointers. That shows a strong work ethic and good practice mentality.

Stacey C. Carden II It's too early for him to be considered for a head coaching job. Being a great player does not make you a good coach. He needs to pay his dues as an assistant and learn how to coach like everyone else.

Todd Lichter He was already functioning like an assistant coach, even as a player. He was brought to the Knicks for his leadership skills, not his abilities as a player.

Mike Fitzgerald They say those who can't do, teach. Those who can do, can't teach. Kidd most certainly can do, sooooo ....

Chad Johnson wasted no time addressing his Twitter followers after being sentenced to 30 days in jail on Monday for violating the terms of his probation following a no-contest plea for domestic assault.

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