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Letters to the Editors

Wrestling story sparks very different opinions

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 4, 2001

I was close to not wanting to read Darrell Fry's columns anymore after I read his views on the NFL teams that did not interview the Ravens' Marvin Lewis for a coaching job (Jobs, not excuses, for minority coaches, Feb. 10). Then I read his article Family First (Thursday) about the cousins who refused to wrestle each other. He said the FHSAA was wrong to not give the boys medals and to possibly strike them from the record books.

It just goes to show that even a very good writer can make a mistake once in a while (as he did with his NFL opinion). Family values should always come first, as these two young men have shown, and as he pointed out.
-- Jack V. Saccente, via e-mail

In 1968, at the U.S. Olympic trials, twin brothers faced each other for a berth on the team. They had wrestled as teammates for eight years, through high school and college. The brothers entered their match knowing one had to prevail, or they would both be eliminated. They wrestled to a draw. The UPI photo of their tearful embrace ran in all the papers in Minnesota.

The two Tampa Bay youngsters who refused to compete for the state title because they would have been "uncomfortable" competing against each other disgraced the tournament, the sport of wrestling, their coaches and their schools. That one of their fathers refers to wrestling as "fighting" speaks volumes about the lack of wrestling knowledge in Florida.
-- James Payne, Temple Terrace

NASCAR hard-headed about soft walls

It was frustrating to watch NASCAR's Mike Helton reiterate his opposition to soft walls during the Earnhardt seat-belt news conference.

Now that the track owners (including NASCAR's France family) are swimming in tons of cash from their billion-dollar TV deal, NASCAR should demand the tracks install soft walls. It's easy to stick car owners with escalating safety equipment bills, but that addresses only half of the equation.
-- David DalCason, Largo

Perspective needed regarding Earnhardt

As a active duty Chief Warrant Officer Four, I take some exception to the coverage Dale Earnhardt's death is receiving. Don't get me wrong, he was a great person, but those seven soldiers who died in Hawaii (several weeks ago in a training accident when two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided) were, in my opinion, greater people. They gave their lives so that people like Earnhardt could accomplish the things he did. Yet what are the names of those seven? Do you even know? Richard A. Pearson, via e-mail
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From one Thomas to another: Honor thy deal
Frank Thomas' recent decision to buck practice because he wants more money added to his contract only provides further credence to my theory that some baseball players have been hit in the head by too many pitches.
Players sign long-term contracts for security. In return for the money they receive, they are supposed to put up big numbers. Why is it then that guys like Thomas never want to honor those contracts for the duration of the agreement?
You can bet Frank would have screamed loudly had the White Sox said they wanted to pay him less than the agreed upon amount after he hit just .265 in 1998.
Thomas should have signed a one-year contract if he was so concerned about being paid more money every year. Sorry Frank, but you're way off base.
Steve Thomas, New Port Richey

Getting an autograph is a privilege, not a right

Is it just me or are others getting tired of fans that think they have a right to autographs? I'm refering to Peter Ostrowsky's letter to your paper (Commentary, 2/25).

He thinks that all the players have time to do is sign autographs. Get off it. No one owes you an autograph.
-- Nick A. Costanza, Tampa

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