Letters To The Editor

Mencke deserves to play

To some, the quarterback choice is always a tossup; but to others it is Paul Mencke all the way.

Mencke’s game with USC wasn’t considered good, but I wouldn’t say it was all that bad, either. Consider how many times over the years the Cougars scored on their first possession. They did at the USC game against a Top 25 team, and in just 10 plays. After a USC interception and touchdown, Mencke seemed to tighten up. That can and does happen with lots of teams, including the pros.

To a lot of us 20/20 viewers, Mencke has the building blocks to be a top quarterback. Give him a Fab Five, and he will break Leaf’s records, and have the Cougs smelling roses again.

Sure, he had six interceptions against USC, but did he? On one, the ball bounced off the numbers of the receiver and dropped into the hands of the USC player. Should Paul have to take the blame for that interception? Several passes on third downs hit the intended receivers’ numbers, but were not caught. Mencke can’t throw the ball and catch it, too.

Mike Price, the ball is in your court. Your judgment will win. Dan W. Eagle Spokane

Help wanted

I would suggest Seattle Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson give up his day job before he is “requested” to give it up.

The Seahawks didn’t win last Sunday; San Diego lost. When you let the lowest-rated quarterback in the NFL run up season-high numbers on you and when you have no running game and you meld that with the personnel you have, I suggest the coaching job leaves an awful lot to be desired.

Face it, Dennis Erickson is in over his head. William J. Hiatt Spokane

Just the facts

This is in response to a letter to the editor in the Oct. 25 edition, titled “More Cross Country.”

While I agree that you should have more coverage in other sports like cross country, I feel the letter writer should be updated. He said East Valley’s girls cross country team’s feat of maybe getting five straight state championships has “never been accomplished in any sport in Washington State athletics.”

Well, here’s a question for him: What about the Mead cross country boys state titles from 1988-1996? At last count that would equal nine straight state championships. This is not to say that East Valley’s feat of four straight is not amazing, but maybe this person should get his facts straight. Sam Lagrou Mead