Give and Take: Sunday letters

A running game?

Perhaps Jacob Thorpe (“Cougs Pound Ground”) scarfed down too many chunks of aged Cougar Gold cheese well past their expiration dates. Or maybe he chugged an excess of spiked crimson and gray Kool-Aid last Saturday in the Martin Stadium press box.

Whatever the reason, I certainly cannot see how gaining a grand total of 76 yards rushing against Portland State qualifies as “establishing the running game.”

Let’s get real: PSU (an FCS school that finished in 9th and 12th place in the Big Sky Conference the past two years) actually outgained the Cougars on the ground by 17 yards. Averaging 3.3 yards per rushing attempt versus the Vikings might be a cause for Mike Leach to celebrate at Stubblefields, but it is not going to keep opposing Pac-12 defensive coordinators up at night devising complicated schemes to stop a “balanced” WSU offense.

Dave Ayres

Spokane

Maris true HR king

Retiring baseball commissioner Bud Selig, when asked who should be the all-time season home run record holder, said “Barry Bonds set the record.”

Bonds and Mark McGwire are at the top of the list for home runs for a season. Both cheated by taking illegal steroids while playing the game. Roger Maris did not, and should be the legitimate home run leader of all time. If Bonds and McGwire are recognized by the new baseball commissioner as the leaders, then Lance Armstrong should be given all of his Tour de France wins and medals back in his possession.

Cheaters are cheaters. Let’s be fair.

 Jock Swanstrom

Spokane Valley

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