Letters

Syracuse Nationals
It was indeed a Sweet Victory for the Syracuse Orangemen as they won the school's first national basketball championship (Orange Crushed, April 14). As all Syracuse fans know, the school is legendary for the number 44, made famous by Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little and others who wore it. It's fitting that the Orange's hoops title comes 44 years after the school's first and only national football championship, in 1959.
JAMES Q. ROEMER
Findlay, Ohio

My mother-in-law, Jo Santelli, fried the best meatballs in Lyons, N.Y., and Jim Boeheim—her oldest son Tony's best friend—ate more than his fair share. On the eve of this year's March Madness she passed away, but not before filling out a bracket and picking the Orangemen to win it all. Jo saw it coming. Her grandson, Syracuse walk-on Andrew Kouwe, even made SI; he's in the background of the photo showing Carmelo Anthony shooting over Nick Collison.
BILL CONLEY, Baltimore

I enjoyed "The Jim and Juli Boeheim Story" The pictures were very good. When are you going to do an article on the game"?
J. MCCULLOUGH, Overland Park, Kans.

Boeheim is playing above the rim on and off the court. Well done, Jim.
JOHN J. GERBUS, Milford, Ohio

Syracuse proved it's the best team in the NCAA tournament Under college football's BCS system, however, the Orange would not have had the chance. Arizona and Kentucky would have met in a title game, and we would have a bogus champion. It's time to scrap the BCS and have a legitimate national champ in college football.
JIM CLARK, Sweetwater, Texas

The group of devoted fans who got tickets to see their Marquette Golden Eagles in the Final Four may have paid $190 each, but they also appeared in SI's LEADING OFF (April 14). A great deal at double the price.
MARK DUCLOS, Nashua, N.H.

Club 500
Mark it down for a follow-up in 2010. Of the 16 hitters you are projecting to reach 500 home runs later this decade (The 500 Crowd, April 14), I'll take four: Rafael Palmeiro, Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez.
ROBERT FRICK
Granger, Ind.

Gridiron Maidens
Kelley King, I loved your article on the Women's Professional Football League and the Houston Energy (SCORECARD, April 14). You captured the essence of our league. We're just women who are competitive and like to run, show our skills and hit with aggression—same as the men. We're not trying to prove a point, we're just enjoying the opportunity to play.
KAREN MONES, Houston

After making the WPFL team here in Philadelphia as a wide receiver, I thought I would live out my ultimate wish—to be a professional athlete. Unfortunately, when you sign the contract, you're not only signing your money away to pay to play, but your life as well. The league expects players—most of whom also have full-time jobs—to contribute countless hours to fund-raising and making guest appearances, and also to obtain their own medical insurance.
TAMMY WOLFORD, Collegeville, Pa.

Tired Humor
Hasn't Rafael Palmeiro been a spokesman for Viagra for more than a year now? Why is it suddenly material for a joke in The Show (SCORECARD, April 14)? Was it a slow sports week? And if you're going to make jokes about such dated topics, at least have some standards. That A-Rod line is lame and obvious. Talk about underperforming.
JENNIFER CORCORAN, Freehold, N.J.