Letters To The Editor

Spokane losing hockey edge

Top 10 signs Spokane is no longer a hockey town:

10. The Arena is WAY too clean.

9. Beer spilled on me only once.

8. You get dirty looks for rooting too loudly for OUR team.

7. People watch like being at home and watching Leno.

6. Not one mention of death or physical harm to the referees.

5. No Wave.

4. People using cellular phones during the game.

3. No cowbells, foghorns, or other noise devices present.

2. No cheers or chants - unless big screen displays it.

1. ABSOLUTELY no squid thrown onto the ice.

I remember as a child going to the “barn” and being enthralled by the spirit the fans had for hockey. The Spokane Chiefs fans were famous for bringing about strange and humorous chants that could spring out of nowhere, rocking the Coliseum.

A sense of pride was prevalent, a mood of enjoying something that few get to enjoy. But something has happened to the spirit of the fans in Spokane. They no longer take pride in our hockey club, or at least do not show it through direct support at the games.

The lack of enthusiasm unquestionably makes a difference to the players and the visiting teams who, as seen on Wednesday, Jan. 3, have a special advantage over an uninspired team. Spokane has a great thing with the Chiefs, and I am afraid that the lack of pride in the Chiefs may have a lasting effect on the morale of the club, and result in a much less successful team. Aaron Moss Spokane

Rose Bowl selfish

A Pacific-10 Conference source was recently quoted as saying:

“We don’t want to destroy the Rose Bowl to be part of something where every four years you get to host the national championship. Look at how no one cared about the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl this year.”

I assume the very wise Pac-10 source won’t be offended if I respond that “no one cared about the Rose Bowl, either.” I guess it’s OK to destroy the national championship hopes of a college team by locking them into their nowhere bowl, as long as they don’t destroy the Rose Bowl.

Rose Bowl officials are doing the Pac-10 and college football fans everywhere a disservice by denying them a legitimate national college I-A football champion. They should get over their superiority complex. Hosting a national champion every four of five years beats hosting one every 10 years as they are likely to do if they don’t join the alliance. Jack O’Dea Colville

No excuse for rout by CV

As a longtime basketball fan, I am ashamed to admit I live in the Central Valley district in light of the disgraceful CV-NC score. Sorry Dale Poffenroth, there is no excuse for a score of 113-22. If you don’t know how to hold down the score, you should resign.

I am writing this after seeing the Ferris-NC games. My niece and nephew play for Ferris and yes, Ferris beat NC - but not by 91 points. Take note, Dale: The Ferris coach managed to keep the scoring differential reasonable.

The NC girls team and coaching staff should be proud of the way they played - not sitting until the final buzzer. NC, you have class - something CV sadly lacks. Shame, shame on you, Dale. Susan E. Holcomb Spokane

Krieg, American hero

Is Dave Krieg currently the eighth-rated quarterback of all time? Did Dave pass for 300 yards or more in several games this season for the Arizona Cardinals? Is Dave third on the career list behind John Elway and Dan Marino in the number of fourth-quarter saves?

Dave comes from a small college that no longer exists. He probably didn’t get a big, fat signing bonus and a lucrative contract because he wasn’t touted as the franchise player for his team. I followed Dave with the Seahawks because, well, they were the “local” team. And I followed Dave when he was with the Detroit Lions. And I cheered when “streaky” Dave did well, and I suffered when “fumbly” Dave did poorly. Why? Because I thought Dave was an overachiever - a hard worker - someone who focused on his job, worked to improve himself, went out and did his job to the best of his ability and didn’t complain.

I understand that Buddy Ryan, this season’s coach of the Arizona Cardinals, called Dave a true pro. Has Dave really played quarterback in the NFL for 16 seasons? Has Dave taken the Seahawks, Chiefs and Lions into the playoffs? Do Dave’s statistics really compare favorably with the likes of Joe Namath, Fran Tarkenton, Joe Montana and Warren Moon? Does Dave go out and do his job like millions of Americans do, because he values the American work ethic and takes pride in his performance? I think all of the answers to the questions are yes. John Dormaier Spokane

Milloy knows opportunity

A recent article stated that Lawyer Milloy is the first Huskies football player since Steve Emtman to come out early and declare himself eligible for the pro draft. However, this fails to count Billy Joe Hobert, who left the program with a year of eligibility remaining after he admitted accepting a $50,000 loan from his roommate’s father. This admission not only led to the sanctions placed on the Huskies by the conference, but also left them without an experienced quarterback for the next season.

Lawyer Milloy’s decision was probably influenced by being forced to sit out the last three quarters of the Apple Cup and the Huskies’ dismal Sun Bowl appearance due to an injury. It had to have occurred to Lawyer that the injury Steve Emtman suffered in his first pro season would have cost Steve millions if it had instead occurred in his senior year as a Husky. The loss of a consensus All-American will certainly hurt (again), but even a die-hard Huskies supporter would have to admit it’s hard to put loyalty to the program ahead of the opportunity the pros represent for Lawyer Milloy. Unlike Napoleon Kaufman, who upgraded his standing with the pros by staying for his senior year, Lawyer is going out at the top of his game, just like Steve Emtman. Michael Helland Elk Wash.

TV criticism undeserved

The TV view by Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News (Jan. 4, The S-R Sports) was the opposite of how we felt about Terry Donahue’s performance on the Fiesta Bowl broadcast.

We liked his low-key, pleasant way of talking and the pauses were welcome.

I am tired of the hysterical shouting of many of the announcers lately. I join a lot of friends in pressing the mute button during some games. Maxine Patterson Pullman