Letters To The Editor
Sloan knows of ‘cheap shots’
I had to laugh when I read yet another account of how “dirty” Karl Malone and John Stockton of the Utah Jazz are reported to be.
I’m sure the rap is based somewhat upon their successes in the NBA, and to put up the numbers they have, they surely haven’t been ones to back down when the play gets a little rough. However, to call them dirty and cheap-shot artists is stretching it a bit.
With the number of cameras recording each game and the media’s frenzy to show anything wrong being done, they would have been fined countless times by now if they were such bad boys. The part that gives me a chuckle, though, is having (Jazz coach) Jerry Sloan saying he would “‘kick his butt” of anyone committing such indiscretions.
Anyone who had the experience of watching Jerry and his running mate, Norm Van Lear, during their tenure with the Bulls knows what rough play was. Two things were very likely when those two hit the floor. One, the Bulls picked up an L; two, someone would eat a tooth before the night was over. Being a Sixers fan and a young boy, I just loved to hate those two. Yes, Malone and Stockton aren’t choir boys, but in Sloan’s day, hockey wasn’t the only team sport with goons. Dave Knecht Spokane
M’s stadium deserves our tax support
Recently, the Seattle Mariners ownership and King County officials have taken baseball fans in the Pacific Northwest for an unpleasant roller-coaster ride. Because of an untimely and uncalled-for letter by four King County officials to John Ellis and the other Mariners owners, Ellis and company decided to put the franchise up for sale. However, thanks to other county, state, and national public figures, especially U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, our beloved Mariners were taken off the market.
Since this development, I have read and heard people argue about using public money to pay for high-priced sports stadiums, when the money could be better served by providing better education, more crime prevention and more human services. People argue public money should not be used to support private enterprise.
Well, I don’t like paying taxes any more than the next guy. However, let me point to the positives about supporting the ownership of the Mariners. They have lost $70 million since 1992. Still, Ellis and company have kept the franchise afloat, and even for the first time in Mariners history made them divisional winners in 1995.
When the deal was struck in the Legislature to build “New Century Park” for the 1999 season, the owners of the Mariners showed their commitment to the community by pledging $45 million toward the construction of the stadium.
The players who make millions also show their support to the community. Ken Griffey Jr. donated $50,000 to the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club and attended their annual Christmas dinner. Griffey also pays for 200 kids to attend every Saturday home game, and is part of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Jay Buhner and Randy Johnson raised $150,000 for cystic fibrosis. Alex Rodriguez speaks at area elementary schools about reading, being good citizens and staying off drugs. Dan Wilson is on the board of directors for First Place School for Homeless Children, helping the less fortunate kids in Seattle.
We have a great group of owners and players on the Mariners. We are fortunate they reside in this area and not in Tampa or any other city hungry for major league baseball. The Seattle Mariners are the highest-attended institute in the state with 2.7 million people in attendance and countless more who watch the games on television.
So as taxpayers, we should stop belly-aching, swallow our pride, and make the sacrifice to the Mariners owners, who have lost millions of dollars, to continue to provide entertainment for the thousands of baseball fans throughout the Northwest. For if we lose our Mariners, we will never, ever get another team. Dave Freeman Spokane
Boycott sports’ bad seeds
Being a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys (since the mid-1960s) I’m extremely dismayed at the new allegations against Michael Irvin and Eric Williams, both all-pros. Diane Pucin’s assessment in the Sports section (Jan. 1), however, hit it right on the nose. I’ve finally realized that sports figures are, indeed, accounted special privileges within this society. With all the accusations against sports figures, it’s hard to differentiate between the “good guys and the bad guys.”
We fans keep these teams going. We cheer them, buy their products, pad their pocketbooks each and every time we see them. To abuse their fans in this manner is totally unacceptable.
The owners must realize that these are the ‘90s, not the ‘20s and ‘30s when the public overlooked this type of indiscretion and players were not paid million-dollar salaries at the fan’s expense. We do not overlook sexual harassment in this day and age.
There will always be the diehard fan who overlooks these indiscretions as being “a man thing”, something Tim on the sitcom “‘Home Improvement” might say; however, it’s a fact that quite a few fans of both basketball and football are of the female gender and we do purchase merchandise for ourselves and our male partners. If a sports figure were to abuse a woman, that woman will not purchase that team’s product. Stand up, women of America, and boycott Dallas, Oklahoma State, Philadelphia and any other team whose players have taken advantage of women. We will not purchase your sports paraphernalia until the owners crack down on the jocks who consider themselves “macho-men” and who take advantage of women. Suzann O’Sullivan Embury Hayden, Idaho
xxxx S-R sports staff Sports editor: Jeff Jordan. Assistant sports editor: Joe Palmquist. Outdoors editor: Rich Landers. Columnist: John Blanchette. Reporters: Steve Bergum, Chris Derrick, Hilary Kraus, Greg Lee, Jim Meehan, Mike Sando, Dave Trimmer, Mike Vlahovich, Dan Weaver. Copy desk: Gil Hulse, David Oriard, Geoff Pinnock, Ralph Walter. Stats desk: Kory Boatman, Katharine Kumangai.