19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

I MARRIED A COACH...
Sirs:
Whatever else the Reverend Theodore Hesburgh may have accomplished by his explanation of the firing of Coach Terry Brennan (SI, Jan. 19), he can certainly take credit for starting a new semantic fad.

Now it's Dal Ward of Colorado, fired not because of a poor record (heaven forbid!) but because he didn't provide "inspirational leadership." What a lovely, high-sounding phrase!

Ward's case is like many another—the men who fawn upon a coach while he's winning and call him a great leader of men (they said that about Ward) backtrack and run for cover the moment their opinion is challenged. Ward didn't give inspirational leadership? For years his teams have been the only ones in the Big Eight to look as if they belonged on the same field with mighty Oklahoma. Ward got his inferior material "up." That's inspirational leadership. But it doesn't seem to carry any coach through a full season.

I am married to a coach, and these men and all their ilk may have my public apology the day I read of a coach being fired after a highly successful season.

Please withhold my name and city. I freely admit the reason. Why should I be braver than the gallant men who run our institutions of higher learning?
Name withheld
Address withheld

BULLFIGHTING: OL�!
Sirs:
Two ears and tail for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. You did it again, another magnificent bullfight article (Hail a Torero de Epoca! SI, Jan. 26).

It is too bad that SPORTS ILLUSTRATED was not around when Manolete was alive.
DAVID A. LAMENZO
Manchester, Conn.

Sirs:
The great thing about Mr. Tynan is his ability to comment very correctly on the corrida and its members.

Now for the matador in question. I suppose that Antonio Ord��ez would be considered the torero de �poca at this time. Certainly there are no Mexicans or South Americans who can dispute the title with him, nor are there any Spaniards. But I am not fully convinced of Ord��ez myself. The two great holdbacks he has for me are his fits of apathy, against both bulls and public, and his feeble and listless attempts with the sword. Another thing is his lack of decision in the ring. I've seen him "walk through" more corridas than any other matador, including Luis Miguel Domingu�n. In fact I've seen him so bad and undecided that I was ready to quit going to bullfights. He was not punctilious, either toward himself or to the public. Pundonor, as the Spaniards say, was lacking. I had the good fortune of being present at the first Feria de Guadalupe at Mexico City in December of 1956, where Ord��ez performed his wonderful faena on Cascabel of San Mateo. That certainly was a great afternoon for himself, and I recall that he attempted to kill recibiendo before he finally sunk in a half thrust in the withers. I, too, believe this was the turning point in his career.
ANTHONY H. BRAND
Beverly Hills, Calif.

Sirs:
In a magazine notable for the extraordinary felicity of its writing quality, Tynan's piece shines brightly.