Letters

On the Money

I loved your article on Tiger Woods (Tiger 2.0, April 2) and the many ventures he is succeeding in. But when asked about his business goals, Woods stated he wants to get to "a place where my family can be financially secure." Really? Tiger, you had your family financially secure the second you turned professional!
Matt Ammerman, State College, Pa.

Fair Game
As a fast-pitch softball umpire who has worked Canadian national championships, I read Tom Verducci's story in which he umpires a spring training game (My Trip to the Show [Part II], April 2) with great interest. Thank you for taking a fresh look through our eyes and informing the sports community about our love of the game. Now if only we could convince the athletes and managers that most of us love the game as much as they do.
R. Murray Patzwald
Regina, Saskatchewan

I give Verducci credit for going out there and working the bases during a spring training game. However, I would like to see him call balls and strikes at any level, then write an article about how hard being an umpire can be.
Mike Johnson, Troy, Mich.

As an amateur umpire, I know that if you call close to 200 pitches and make a handful of safe-out calls correctly, one kicked balk call is all anyone will remember. That is how it is for a writer, too. Verducci notes that umpire Fieldin Culbreth signaled and shouted, "Fair ball!" during the game he worked. But it is doubtful Culbreth vocalized that call, since umpires are taught to yell "Foul ball" and to only signal on a fair ball to avoid confusion.
Peter Corbett, Scottsdale, Ariz.

TOM VERDUCCI REPLIES: Upon further review, Culbreth properly signaled fair without a vocal call. The audible "Fair ball" may well have come from the Baltimore bench or coaching box in the grand tradition of attempting to influence a call—especially with a rookie umpire on the field.

In Denial
I'm going to save the April 2 LETTERS page for my grandchildren to look at 20 years from now. Three letters variously reference global warming as 1) an excuse for expanding government; 2) an Al Gore joke; or 3) an alarmist cult. I want my grandchildren to see what kind of simplistic, backward thinking had to be overcome for the benefit of our nation and world—or, in the pessimistic scenario, led to their having to live in a much altered, degraded environment.
Bill Minning, Bethesda, Md.

Life Swapping
After reading Michael Silver's story about goalie Roberto Luongo being traded from Florida to Vancouver (Mr. X Factor, April 2), my husband and I were laughing. We too are Luongos (no relation), but we are from Vancouver and now live in Miami. Like Roberto and his wife, we moved nine months ago. And while they battle the weather, we have not gotten used to all the sunshine—can't it just rain one day, or feel gloomy?
Jennifer Luongo, Miami

Goodbye, Columbus?
I understand the arguments for a player like Greg Oden to stay in school for at least another year (LIFE OF REILLY, April 2). But would any of us who had 'the college experience' not trade it in a heartbeat for the kind of immediate payday he will see? Mr. Oden, however much we would love to watch you play at Ohio State for another year or so, do not deny yourself a payday that none of us would blame you for taking.
Daniel Mallipudi, Cottage Grove, Ore.

I found your list of reasons why Greg Oden should stay in college or go to the NBA entertaining, but I was saddened to see in the "Go" column, "If you get drafted by Portland, you'll see your teammates in orange jumpsuits." Granted, not too long ago this joke would have been fair. But now the Trail Blazers are finally on the rise again with a nucleus of young talent that the community is proud of.
Timothy Stout, Portland