Letters

Oh, Canada
Rick Reilly's latest diatribe (THE LIFE OF REILLY, April 30) illustrates two things. First, it shows that fans in Edmonton and Vancouver did behave poorly when they booed The Star-Spangled Banner. However, it also shows that Reilly is guilty, like so many Americans, of stereotyping an entire nation based on the behavior of a few of its citizens.
ERIC STEWART, Chicago

Rick, if you want to know why Canadians boo the American anthem, take a look at your obnoxious, disrespectful article.
FREDERICK A. VINET, Montreal

As a Canadian who lives in the States, I want to ask you not to stereotype Canadians because of the actions of drunken hockey fans. Canadians love Americans. We think everyone should own one.
SCOTT WIENS, Lindale, Texas

I laughed so hard I nearly choked on my whale blubber sandwich and woke up nearly every sled dog in the neighborhood. Luckily, the snow on the floor of my igloo prevented my bottle of Labatts from breaking. Close one, eh?
CAL HAWTHORN, Winnipeg

Reilly should have gotten his facts straight. Nobody keeps bait warm in his mouth because that's where the beer goes. Besides, it's unsanitary. Everybody knows when you need to warm up bait, you drop it down the front of your pants.
STEVE WIKHOLM, Dorchester, Ont.

Behind the Curve
The new NBA rules are a desperate change by a desperate league {Desperation Shot? April 30). Many older fans no longer relate to today's NBA players, and we don't want our children trying to emulate them either.
FRANK LALLY
North Providence, R.I.

Changes such as permitting zone defenses do not address the underlying problems facing the NBA. Astronomical compensation and the players' increasingly unpleasant (on-and off-court) behavior have taken a serious toll on the league's popularity.
ERNIE SMITH, Eugene, Ore.

The NBA can tinker with its rules, but why isn't anyone talking about the obvious cause of the league's poor play: allowing too many young players who haven't developed the fundamentals to enter the league.
ERIC KOLLMAN, Chicago

By permitting zone defenses, the NBA has legalized the very thing that will achieve the opposite of what the league intended to do: increase scoring and open up the game. David Stern & Co. have become their own judges, jury and, unfortunately, executioners.
HERMAN HAWKINS JR., Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Real Season
I couldn't agree more with Steve Rushin's sentiments about the NHL playoffs (AIR AND SPACE, April 30). What I don't understand is how a seemingly intelligent journalist like Rushin could be mystified at hockey's low television ratings. Look at what most people watch on TV: Survivor, wrestling, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Friends. I doubt that Ken Burns's Baseball won any ratings wars, but it was one of the finest sports telecasts ever.
MIKE FOLEY, Dallas