Letters

Masterful Performance
As an avid golfer who loves the Masters but hates its pomposity, I busted a gut reading Rick Reilly's story on Tiger's third win at Augusta (Killer Instinct, April 22). "The unmistakable aroma of Eaa d'Oink" and other irreverent references made me think of Masters-exiled CBS announcer Gary McCord's reading the article and toasting Rick for the size of his, uh, chutzpah. I guess they'll be watching future Masters together from the comfort of the Augusta Hooters.
BILL EVANS
Gainesville, Fla.

I am shocked and offended at Reilly's relentless characterization of Tiger Woods as a killer—and your editorial acceptance of it. Despicable imagery, using such words as luger, tank, hit men, graves and tombstones, goes on and on. These metaphors for describing sports, criticized in a post-Sept. 11 SCORECARD (Oct. 1) essay by Jack McCallum, insult Woods's consummate and exemplary decency.
DALE MEAD, Cupertino, Calif.

Reilly's article was more informative and entertaining than watching the final round of the Masters on TV. The problem is that when Rick has an article and his column, I don't know which one to read first.
JOHN E. BETTELON
Navarre, Fla.

After reading how Tiger beat the enemy and got the money, the girl and a cold brew, we probably should be referring to him as Woods, Tiger Woods.
Joan Ackerman, Monterey, Calif.

Reilly's otherwise brilliant article on Tiger Woods's victory at the Masters was tainted by his penchant for quoting Earl Woods. Earl is the epitome of what's wrong with parental involvement in kids' athletics: an over-involved dad who takes the limelight away from his child and believes he is the reason for his kid's success. You'd think Tiger was a tennis player.
STEVE ALLEN, New Wilmington, Pa.

Marathon Man
It was nice to revisit Alberto Salazar (CATCHING UP WITH, April 22). However, the article begins, " Alberto Salazar has no desire to be known as the last great American marathoner, but that's exactly what he is." Well, in case you didn't notice—and it looks that way—an American set a world record in the London Marathon on April 14. Khalid Khannouchi broke his own mark in a long-anticipated, epic race against two of the greatest distance runners ever, Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie and Kenya's Paul Tergat. The often overlooked Khannouchi is an American citizen who was born and raised in Morocco, but this does not make him any less an American. Just ask Alberto Salazar, who was born in Cuba. The greatest marathoner in the world today is an American!
JIM HANSEN, Nashua, N.H.

Make-Believe Teams
It's comical that fantasy geeks waste their time cheering on their teams (THE LIFE OF REILLY, April 22). It's ridiculous that they spend hours in front of computers and televisions or at stadiums worrying about whether their collection of athletes will be able to win games that don't mean anything. And it's horrible that they're spending hours away from their families. They should instead spend that time cheering on teams created by guys like Bud Selig, Al Davis and Donald Sterling.
IAN ALLAN, Bothell, Wash.

I feel so shallow. No more cheering for my arbitrarily assembled fantasy team. Rather, I'll root for my arbitrarily assembled hometown pro and so-called amateur teams. Thanks for showing me the light.
BRUCE TAYLOR, Seattle

In my league, on Opening Day every team has a shot to win the whole thing, not the eight to ten teams that contend in MLB. If not for fantasy baseball I would have given up on a sport that meant the world to me just over a decade ago.
TOM CORBY, Hamilton, N.J.

The guys in the Security Baseball League not only do not fear women but also saw fit to invite me—a woman—to become an expansion team owner in 1999. This is especially significant since 70% of our owners are Yankees fans, and they voted me in despite my gender and my preference for the Mets. The only time they might have feared me was when I drafted an unknown rookie named Lance Berkman and they realized Team Gotham's owner was probably smarter than they had thought.
JODIE REMICK, Centerport, N.Y.