Letters To The Editor

WASHINGTON STATE FOOTBALL

UW defense wasn’t hurting

How is it that the mighty Huskies of UW can, in the space of three short hours, go from smelling roses to smelling the south end of a bunch of sitting Ducks?

Could it possibly have been due to the loss of two key offensive players (quarterback Brock Huard and running back Rashaan Shehee)? If so, I’d like to know how these two gentlemen, had they been healthy, would have stopped the now 2-4 (Pac-10, 5-4 overall) Ducks from scoring five times on an intact Husky defense.

Perhaps heartbreakers like these comprise just those lumps a team heroically facing the “the second toughest schedule in the nation” must take en route to glory. Or maybe the Ducks just got sick of losing home games to legitimate forces in the Pac-10, such as the Cougars, and decided to go on the road, tar and feather a beatable team in their own house, and do all Washingtonians the favor of strapping a muzzle on the snout of some overly talkative and presumptuous Dawgs.

Whatever the reason, for the Husky loss, I offer both my sincerest condolences and a suggestion to those admirably patriotic, if ever so slightly less than MENSA-quality Husky fans who grace us with their wit every Sunday on this page: If you’re sick of pulling for a loser and think you have what it takes to win an Olympic Decathlon in Sydney a couple of years from now, we Cougars might just find it in our hearts to adopt you. Michael Sanders Pullman

Allegiances divided

Now I realize that even though Pullman is a good hour and a half drive from Spokane, the people of this city still consider the Cougars their own. But who is one to root for next year when, in keeping with their tradition of scheduling tough non-conference football opponents, WSU takes on Ferris, Mead and Lewis and Clark high schools? Ron Stathes Spokane

Huskies’ stance OVERstated

Arley Bischoff (Nov. 10 letter) seems to have jumped the gun on his Rose Bowl prediction. It seems to me the OVERconfident Huskies as well as the OVERzealous Husky fans ran into a bit of problem in their meeting with the Ducks.

Could it be that perhaps they were OVERlooking the Ducks in preparation for the Bruins the next week and the Cougs the week after? And why would a team such as the Huskies need to copy the Cougs’ offense since they have an OVERabundance of talent in their OVERflow of star athletes? Could it be they are not as OVERly impressive as they want us to think? What that game showed us, Arley, is that your dear Huskies are the team that is OVERrated, are not able to OVERcome unranked teams in front of their own OVERconfident fans. If the Huskies are not careful, they might be the ones getting OVERrun in November! So tell us Arley, who is going to be OVERhauling their team this week? Jackie Conley Spokane

A Cougar responds

I am replying to Mr. Arley Bischoff’s letter (Nov. 10).

As for Washington State’s loss to Arizona State, a ranked team in front of 73-plus thousand people, it was a last-minute loss coming from a 24-point deficit. Oh, by the way, it was an away game.

Recently, I’m sure you were watching the UW game against Oregon. You know the Huskies, the team that’s OVERranked and OVERplayed. How can the Cougars be OVERranked when the Huskies lost to a non-ranked team in front of 60-plus thousand at home?

Hopefully, the Huskies don’t get too OVERconfident again and lose to another team the Cougars beat. The University of Washington better wake up or it might find itself 6 and 3, OVERwhelmed, and playing in the fourth-place bowl.

Forever Cougar, Jason Santos Cougars redshirt football player

OTHER TOPICS

A cross country nightmare

I attended the Regional cross country meet for 3A and 4A boys and girls in Spokane. I left thoroughly disgusted with the whole event. For the majority of the participants, this was the culmination of a season of hard work and effort. Teams and individuals qualify from this meet to the state meet in Pasco, but less than 20 percent of those who participate make it to this next level.

Since this meet marks the end of the season for so many, and because the stakes are so high, it would seem to me that those organizing the meet would do their best to make it a showcase for the athletes and their sport. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The meet was held in the middle of the day in the middle of the week at the extreme eastern edge of our state. Attendance required taking a day from work, which was possible for me, but not possible for many others.

Then we come to the venue: Hangman Valley Golf Course. Maybe a lovely site for a golf tournament, but a perfectly lousy site for a cross country meet. My wife and I arrived 1 hour before the first race and 2-1/2 hours before the 4A boys race and parked on a narrow two-lane road approximately three-quarters of a mile from the entrance. This wasn’t because there was a huge crowd, but because there was almost no parking. But the biggest disappointment was that, after all my efforts to get there, I could have climbed to the top of Selah Gap and seen about as much as I was able to see from the spectator area at Hangman. The runners were completely out of view for a majority of the time, and were tiny specks in the distance for most of the remainder.

Watching a cross country meet requires some effort, and under the best of circumstances can be a challenge. However, I have yet to see a course that is as unfriendly as Hangman for a person trying to watch a race.

I was shocked Spokane couldn’t do better and I would encourage the Big Nine and Mid Valley leagues to consider withdrawing from their association with the Spokane leagues and returning to holding their own district meets unless those responsible can assure that some improvements will be made. The athletes and their sport deserved much more than they received. Jim Delfel Yakima

Playfair forgets its public

As an avid horse racing fan and ex-parimutuel employee at Playfair, I would like to respond to the article (Nov. 4) on Playfair battling the changing times.

Playfair Race Courts has had such history; almost 80 years’ worth. In a few short years, we have seen the Playfair management single-handedly destroy this local event due to mismanagement, inept public relations and poor marketing. Granted, the racing industry is going through changing times, but there are many things Playfair can do to clean up its act and gain local support once again.

Workplace representation is imperative. Playfair management should focus more on great customer service, and the total ambiance (seating and structure). This all says a great deal to the people who plan to spend money there. Why would consumers (Playfair regulars or novices) want to spend their hard-earned money on a business that does not focus on them? Playfair was once known for its fabulous dining experience in the Turf Club, as an entertaining night out, an inviting environment, great customer service throughout the facility, as well as reasonable prices for food and beverage. Aside from a few longtime employees who genuinely like their work and are dedicated to the racing fan, the rest is a figment of the imagination.

Playfair management can come up with grandiose ideas such as harness racing, but be careful not to forget who made Playfair what it once was and could be again - the public. Stick to the basics and build from there. Get that right and then move on. Connie Woodward Spokane

Mt. Spokane rates black mark

As the parent of two sons who have played football at Lewis and Clark High School, I have always had a great deal of respect for Mead and its athletic dynasties. At least that is the way I felt until recently.

Lewis and Clark’s JV football team, which until recently had not lost a game, was the unfortunate victim of a Mt. Spokane High School football coach who has decided that winning is everything.

In his attempt to boost the morale of a team with a losing season, he elected to field players who normally play varsity teams this season. Furthermore, after running up the score by 40 points and taking out his first string, he replaced his second-string players with the first string again, after LC finally scored its first touchdown in the fourth quarter. Then in an attempt to deprive the LC offense of perhaps scoring another touchdown, he decided to fake a punt.

Makes one wonder what other treats Mt. Spokane High School has in store for other GSL teams such as basketball, baseball and wrestling. Perhaps if no one showed up to play their teams, Mt. Spokane would take the hint that schools in the GSL value ethics, morals and fair play in all athletic events. Connie Alexander Jay Spokane

GU: Reinstate Fitz

Returning to Gonzaga University this past weekend to play in the women’s alumni basketball game was well worth the 11-hour drive from Wyoming through death-defying conditions. The people were as friendly as ever and the campus as beautiful as I remember.

However, one major aspect was lacking this weekend - the presence of legendary Dan Fitzgerald. Living in Wyoming, I am removed from all of the changes the university undergoes daily. This is one change, however, that hit too close to home for me to ignore.

When I think of Gonzaga, Fitz automatically comes to mind - he has been a fixture at GU for 20 years. He has enhanced the lives of a number of people too numerous to count - including my own. He has exemplified the Jesuit ideal in hard work and service to others and, by example, has always encouraged the same from student athletes. It is because of this dedication, loyalty and generosity to the university, its employees and all its student athletes that I encourage people to support him during the investigation of certain violations of NCAA rules.

After four years as a Lady Zag, I found Fitz’s loyalty to be well founded. I returned to campus after graduating to work in the undergraduate admission office for four years. As an athletic liaison working with potential student athletes, I talked with several coaches about the academic standards at GU. Fitz strived to recruit Gonzaga-caliber athletes that would contribute to the program and graduate from the university with a degree to go on to gainful employment. He cared about his players’ lives after GU and emphasized academics above athletics at all times. I still use the phrase, “Play Hard, Play Smart.”

Most every student-athlete I know, male or female, feels the same way - Fitz puts their personal progress above all else, even above basketball. It is this type of commitment to the athletes and the athletic program at Gonzaga that makes this school stand out from the rest.

Fitz exemplifies what Gonzaga tries to uphold - loyalty, caring and commitment to others. It is in the best interest of the university, as well as the Spokane community, to reinstate Fitz as athletic director. Lisa Nicholls GU Class of 1991, Sheridan, Wyo.