Letters To The Editor

WAYNE GILMAN

As a coach, he’s a great teacher

I went to Ferris from 1979 to 1982 and played basketball. I experienced three coaches in four years. A lot of talent was wasted in those years. It took a coach like Wayne Gilman to bring out the potential at Ferris. I wish he would have come earlier.

What touched me in the article (“Gilman’s gift,” Dec. 17) was Coach Gilman’s perspective on life. He hopes for simple things like seeing his daughter graduate, even simpler for another day to be alive. My life would be much more vital if I lived each day as if it were my last. Indeed, Wayne Gilman reminded me of both the frailty and enormous potential of life with just a few words. This isn’t surprising since I have come to find every great coach is also a great teacher.

I suggest another article or two more on this great man, perhaps one where his ex-players speak of the things he taught them. Great teachings are hard to come by. Kerry Johnson Spokane

Ultimate game is life itself

The article last Sunday (“Gilman’s gift”) about Wayne Gilman’s career left some meaningful points for all who coach, or have coached.

1. As coaches, we need to be willing to learn from our players, other coaches, and from our experiences.

2. Some teams and players perform better under a structure of “less control,” especially those with sound fundamentals and superior court sense.

3. Neither winning nor losing is fatal nor final.

I wish Wayne Gilman strength in his battle for life, the ultimate game. Chris Wellman Rose Lake, Idaho

OTHER TOPICS

Baseball pricing out fans

Yes, I think the Texas Rangers are nuts. No man is worth that much money. When will all this end? I think baseball is getting out of control with what players want. Some day, there will be no one at a game. Ticket prices are too high. When you think of the price of a soda, hot dog or popcorn at a game, I think it’s a big, big joke. Albert R. Diott Spokane

`Renegades’ really `outlaws’

For a number of reasons, I am disappointed by Fenton Roskelley’s unfocused Dec. 20 column entitled “Renegades a threat to all.”

Although like myself, Roskelley is disgusted with the unethical behavior of an unfortunately high percentage of people who choose to recreate with rod and gun, he does himself and the rest of us a disservice by referring to them as “renegade hunters and fishers.” Those who disregard game limits, trespass laws, and even common safety practices, should not be mentioned in the same breath as “hunters and fishers;” they are outdoor outlaws.

Unfortunately, these outlaws go largely unpunished because the hands of our wildlife agencies have been tightly bound to protect the rights of Everyman. What good does it do to have a poacher hotline and e-mail if officials can’t act with authority in a timely manner?

Also disturbing was that in the middle of his invective, Roskelley threw in a negative personal opinion regarding the National Rifle Association. There was no connection, so I must assume he was trying to make his word count.

I am a member of the NRA and the NRA does not always please me. I do feel, however, it is the only organization fighting to preserve my hunting rights. By combining his personal misgivings about the NRA with the larger issue of outdoor ethics, Roskelley not only diluted the message, he played into the hands of the anti-gunners he professed to dislike. Alan W. Liere Spokane

Picture captures the moment

I usually pass over the ubiquitous sports photos with nary a glance, but the photo on the front page of the sports section of Thursday’s (Dec. 21) Spokesman-Review was truly a great moment in time. Action, determination, perseverance, alarm, wonder, all exuded from the picture as not only players were captured in the stark moment, but a coach and the fans’ reaction as well. What a great shot! And the lighting was superb. Dave Keyston Priest River, Idaho