Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 242 Editor's Choice: 20
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Not Mark Twain. George Landry!
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Funny that the poem Ali made up in 1974 would remind Mr. Kaufman of Mark Twain. What I thought of was a song written by George Landry and recorded by the New Orleans group the Wild Tchoupatoulas in the 1960s. The lyrics are different, but the phrasing and imagery are definitely in the same vein:
I'm an Injun ruler from the thirteenth ward,
A big Chief Kahuna and I can't be bought.
I walk through fire and I swim through mud
Snatch a feather from an eagle, drink panther blood!
Yes, it's a Rudy Poopalina and a hoo-na-no!
Big Chief Jolly everywhere I go.
Don't you touch my flag, yeah, steal my queen,
You have more trouble than you ever seen.
Bob Marley re-recorded the song in the 1970s, and it is possible that Ali would have heard it through Marley's version.
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Bears vs. Saints (America's Team)
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The problem with the "America's Team" label is that it is too subjective. What we need is an America's Team Rating, like the quarterback rating, determined by a formula.
I propose A.T. Rating = number of wins x number of jerseys sold on NFL.COM in last season x number of catastrophic natural disasters suffered by the city in the last 5 years x number of times the coach has stated that his quarterback "gives us the best chance to win" divided by the number of appearances of players in the police reports.
That should take care of that.
Now, as a Saints fan I am very much hoping for a Bears-Saints matchup in the playoffs. The Bears can't outscore the Saints. The game will be Saints offense vs. Bears defense, and since the Saints have already rolled up more than 500 yards against the Steelers (in a 38-31 loss), I'm going with the Saints. Even if it's 10 degrees in Soldier Field.
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Does This Really Have to Do With Katrina?
[Read the article: Not in my backyard, either]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As a former New Orleans resident, I am a little sensitive about the Katrina comparison. It strikes me as a non-sequitur. Ms. Dickerson makes no effort to draw concrete parallels between Houston's problems and her own, nor does she sort out the fact from fiction regarding Houston's issues with Katrina evacuees.
While 100,000 refugees is a lot, in a city like Houston with nearly 5 million people, 100,000 is a small number. It is difficult to believe that less than 2% of the population is responsible for all of Houston's crime.
It is also worth pointing out that politicians can be very slick about designation people "refugees." I moved from New Orleans to Mississippi, and immediately bought a house and started working. I have never been called a "refugee." I am sure Houston has many transplants like me that they classify as residents instead of refugees because they are homeowners and gainfully employed.
At any rate, while I sympathize with Dickerson's plight, I have seen people like her neighbors everywhere. Katrina has nothing to do with it. Her story would have been just as strong without mentioning Katrina, and only serves to intensify the stigma Katrina refugees have to carry.
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Running Up the Score
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If I were a pro coach, I would think nothing of running up the score. Who cares?
In college sports, there can often be a huge talent gap between teams. When USC plays North Texas, a blowout is inevitable. A coach in that circumstance should ease up on the throttle when the game is out of reach.
But in the pros, in theory, teams should not be so mismatched. If Jacksonville beats Indianapolis by 45 points, whose fault is that? The Colts aren't some sandlot team. They have a payroll of almost $100 million. They should not be 45 points worse than anybody.
Fans pay to see stars play. If I am in Madison Square Garden, having paid $200 for a ticket, I want to see Carmello Anthony play to the end. The Knicks suck. The only enjoyment I will get is watching the Nugget stars light it up. As a fan, as far as I am concerned, the longer the starters are in, the better chance I have of seeing an eye-popping play.
What do I care about the feelings of a bunch of overpaid losers?
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Chastity Is a Virtue, Just Not the Only One
[Read the article: Sexless and loving it]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I appreciated this article, and what Ms. Eden was trying to say, namely, that promiscuity may not be emotionally productive. Someone has to say it, but unfortunately, in recent years those who did were usually labeled prudish or lunatics. Neither of these has to be the truth.
But Chastity is not a virtue in an of itself. A person can be chaste and still mean-spirited and cruel. Chastity has to be placed in context with greater moral virtues such as kindness and love for others. Only then is it really worth anything.
Ms. Eden, intentionally or unintentionally, leads us in the direction of thinking that chastity is necessary to have productive friendships and love relationships. In fact it is the opposite that is true. Only a person who feels truly loved can possibly succeed in being chaste. Perhaps this is why studies show that daughters who have good relationships with their fathers are more likely to delay their first sexual encounter.
I think chasity is a valuable personal decision. But I also think it comes easier, and means more, to a person who has a strong sense of identity and self-confidence. Not having sex cannot create that, nor is it a substitute for it.