Letters To The Editor

Gain some perspective

With the excitement that has been raised over the use or non-use as some people see it of the nordic area at Mt. Spokane and Rich Landers’ perception that the skiers should quit whining, has there been any thought as to how the respective moneys are spent?

With the fisherman, they at least have college-educated employees from the State Department of Fish and Fame that are educated in their respective fields working for them or against them, depending on your point of view.

What do the nordic skiers have working for them? Has the groomer been trained in his field? Or is he a heavy equipment operator whose resume looked best when the job opened?

Just because I have a pen or a keyboard and spend considerable time outdoors doesn’t make me an outdoors editor and just because I have dental picks in my tool box at work doesn’t make me a dentist.

I agree the dollars are shrinking for use in the great outdoors and the cross country skiers have a pretty good thing going at Mt. Spokane, but we’re not comparing apples to apples here.

Before we choose to sling mud at each other, let’s look at the whole picture, not just what pleases or displeases us.

The only problem I have with even writing to you is the fact that I’ve been in the retail sporting goods industry for over 20 years and it’s hard not to come off being biased. Jordan M. Keough Coeur d’Alene

Rubes rely on reality

Bein’s us folks in Warshtucna aren’t considered worthy to recieve The Spokesman-Review on a daily basis, we has ta rely on the parts truck makin’ deliveries of used tires and chicken feed whenever it gets around to it. We weren’t told right off about that uppity column Mr. Landers wrote concerning the so-called improvements to our ways of life in Kahlotus and Warshtucna with a bicycle trail runnin’ thru town (“Franklin County needs to refocus its train of thought,” Feb. 12).

I was sorta surprised by the dumbness of Mr. Landers, bein’s he does such a good job of tellin’ us how to use them expensive fish finders and such, but frankly, he fell overboard this time and hit a rock.

First of all, I think he spends way too much time at the latte machine these days and not enough time out in that environmentally unfriendly weather called “SUMMER.”

Mr. Landers, when was the last time you rode your mountain bike through the scab rocks past 10 a.m. in July?

I realize you are a superb physical specimen and could hit that road in Cheney at 3 a.m. and be in Pasco by 11, but for the rest of us (the ones who have to work at a J.O.B.), our exercise is limited to the weekends, so we aren’t in as good a shape as you are.

Heck, I’d put in a worm farm if’n it would do any good… . know the boys would LOVE a microbrew pub. But how many bicyclists are going to drink more than one beer when they have another 50 miles to ride before dark when it’s 110?

And just how do you sell worms in the off-weekends - that is, the other 51 weekends other than the one that some 7,500 bicyclists are going to ride through and drink beer and buy toilet paper. Them worms cost money to feed the rest of the time.

Unless you’ve been sleepin’ with the Harders, there’s a whole lotta ground out there that NOBODY has access to … even a high-falootin’ sucker like yourself during hunting season.

Try it and see where you git. You must be married to a Harder girl, I bet. Because Ray Charles could see that from Lamont to Benge, that’s nothing but Harder Ground and ain’t NOBODY but Harders are gonna go out there for nuthin.

You’ve been foolin’ around, haven’t ya? Better not let THEM find out or you’s in big trouble, boy.

Cause I don’t see no condominiums sprouting up in Harder ground lest the Harders build them. And Benge ain’t voted in a sewer district … yet.

And I gotta little secret for ya. There’s already a road from Lamont to Benge. Unless I missed something, I ain’t never heard of a Lamont to Benge mountain bike rally yet. (All I was usin’ was your definition for a trail. That’s what we call our county roads out here.) But you city guys don’t ever get on them too much in the late winter, do ya?

And before you go and shoot off that e-mail, go talk to Rob Meline at Spoke-n-Sport. If your gonna walk the walk, you better talk the talk. Rob graduated from Warshtucna and he knows the terrain.

I think you spilled that latte on your keyboard this time, Mr. Landers. Or else your sportin’ for a job at the Seattle Times. Or as a consultant somewhere (sniff). Jack Guske Washtucna, Wash.

Faulty coverage

I must have missed it. Well, maybe it was covered in some press. I didn’t see it on the local news.

Did you know that we have a local young woman who competed at the novice level at the U.S. Figure Skating National Championships? Kim Ryan came in 10th overall. Think about that. Of all the U.S. figure skating clubs all over the United States - and there must be hundreds, if not thousands - Kim is rated 10th in the nation.

I think that is great news and I am sorry I didn’t see more about it in the paper. Congratulations Kim and keep up the great skating! Char Mills Deer Park

Hey, goalie, stand up

Having been a player and a spectator for the last 50 years I suppose I have no right to complain, but since I’m a season-ticket holder I will.

Since when do you shoot at a goalkeeper? I was told years ago that you don’t get any points for hitting the goalie. The only point is for putting the biscuit in the net. What about three men in the corner or clumped up behind the net fighting for the puck? Who scores? Usually the other team on a breakaway!

On the other hand, a goalkeeper that flounders around on the ice like a tuna out of water can stack his pads all he wants to but still gives up 60 percent of the net. Stand up young man, you can see more!

Defense? What defense? Clear the net and learn the basics of the box defense and the rest will come easy. There’s probably a lot left to say, but that’s the basics.

My only hope is that a man will ride out of the north that can preach these skills by June 1, ‘99. Dick Ripley Spokane

Writer is ill-informed

Marc Ramsey, you should not comment on subjects you have no idea on.

The quiet period in college football recruiting (“Price, Bellotti should be quiet,” Feb. 14 Letters) is an NCAA rule, not a Pac-10 rule, or an unwritten coaches rule. It is in place so coaches have a uniform rule to abide by. Visiting players during this quiet period is an unfair advantage and a serious violation.

Calling prospective players is allowed, but you cannot at any time call players from your former team asking them to transfer. That is a violation any time of the year.

I am not sure why you even sent a letter to the sports editor when you have no knowledge of the subject at hand. Please refrain from writing in the future. It will save everyone the pain that you have caused. Bryan Stevens Spokane

Participation counts

I attended the AAU fifth-grade girls basketball championship game in Cheney on Feb. 14. I was disappointed to see some girls did not get to participate and others played less than 10 minutes.

If these girls attend all of the practices and games, it is unfortunate that a coaching emphasis on winning would take precedence over game experience for these girls. Maybe the AAU should review its guidelines for participation. If you are not allowed game experience at the ripe old age of 10, when do you ever get it? L.M. Jensen Spokane