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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 1, 2001
What in the world could be wrong with Tom Weber? His letter to the editor (Commentary, June 24) regarding Tiger Woods was idiotic. There is simply no way to determine how Tiger would have done against Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and the other golfing greats. All one can do is measure an athlete according to how well he competes against his peers. By that measurement, Tiger already has done things that no other golfer, certainly none of his young age, ever has done. And he is doing it using the same equipment and balls that his peers use, no matter how said equipment and balls stack up to those used by golfers from an earlier era.
Suffice it to say that people far better suited to comment than Weber -- notably Byron Nelson, Nicklaus and Palmer -- acknowledge Woods' greatness. The depth of talent in today's PGA is probably much stronger than it has ever been; to say that the golfers competing against Woods are bad shows how little Weber really knows about the sport.
To make his letter even more ludicrous, Weber accuses the Times of putting Woods "on a king's throne because of his race." Is he blind to the fact that all those great golfers he mentioned may not have won as often as they did if they had had to compete against the great black golfers of their era? Black golfers were barred from segregated country clubs, as well as from tournaments played at them. When black golfers did play, they were subjected to harassment beyond belief. Golf is tough enough, mentally, as it is, but to have to endure what Charlie Sifford and Pete Brown and Ted Rhodes did, to name just three, is something many golfers, past and present, could not have handled.
Weber may not believe black golfers could have won against the best of those bygone years. I am old enough to remember when many people, including prominent sports writers in New York where I lived, said the same thing about black baseball players. Has Weber ever heard the names Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Bob Gibson, Ernie Banks, Roy Campanella, Henry Aaron, Lou Brock and the other black Hall of Famers? When will we see an end to this foolish racism in sports?
-- Robert Monroe, Tampa
This letter is in response to letter writer Tom Weber, who seems to think Tiger Woods isn't as good as he is made out to be. It is funny how Weber says this at the expense of other golfers, saying, "The other golfers are just that bad." I am sure Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson, David Duval and many others will appreciate you doggin' their game.
He also says to accurately rate Tiger, he'd have to go back in time to play Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer (and whomever else you'd like to pull from the heavens) when they were in their prime. For one, Weber says that because he knows it won't happen. Two, many of golf's greats have marveled at Tiger's talent, saying they have never seen anything like it.
It is okay to have favorites, but please don't publicly discredit an obviously great golfer and insinuate he is getting a free ride because of his race. Anyone with common sense knows minorities have to earn every bit of acknowledgment they receive. It is time Weber acknowledge the facts.
-- Shawn Mott, Jacksonville
Those ignorant idealists are at it again ... ban a school for post-season play because it is successful (A poor graduation rate would cost post-season, June 27)?
Colleges cannot stop players from leaving early, and many players have no intention of obtaining a degree. We also cannot expect a better graduation rate from athletes than from the college population as a whole. Colleges are under immense pressure to generate income to fund non-revenue sports and to fulfill Title IX requirements. Also, it has been proven repeatedly that successful athletic programs generate huge donations for academic purposes and libraries, not just for athletics.
-- Dave Suban, Valrico
I can't believe what Albie Lopez said (Still on the skids, June 23). This guy really has some nerve. He just about blames all the Rays' woes on the bullpen when, in fact, this is a team implosion.
Before Wednesday's game against Boston, Lopez had five straight losses -- to Oakland, Toronto, the Mets, Marlins and Yankees -- by a combined score of 55-6. His average outing has been 51/3 innings, and he has given up 39 runs (27 earned). This little equation works out to an ERA of 9.11.
His performance since his first two starts of the season have been totally unacceptable, and to blame the bullpen is just insane. When and if Lopez posts stats like Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux or Randy Johnson, he can then express his concerns about other players and the management of the Rays. Until then he should keep his opinions to himself and worry about his own problems on the mound, which seem to be getting worse.
-- M. Herbert, Kenneth City
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