19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

MAD ABOUT JOE
Sirs:
Regarding your horror cover of Aug. 17, what was it?

1) A zombie recently escaped from some moldy crypt?

2) A new and even more horrible version of Wolfman?

3) A mindless creature dreamed up by the proverbial mad scientist?

4) The quarterback of the onetime football champions of the world and a supposed ideal for American youth?

Whichever choice you make, the hand painted dunce cap goes to the editors of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED for the most hideous, pointless, disgusting, supremely distasteful cover picture in the history of your or any other sports magazine. What woefully sorry days we have fallen upon!
NEIL H. SHREVE
Fairmont, W. Va.

Sirs:
A great quarterback must also be a great sport, and Namath has to be on the bottom of this list. Here's hoping no one's son wants to grow up to be like this creep. Let's keep Hollywood off the cover and out of sports.
VERN SHAW
Windham, N.H.

Sirs:
Finally you have pictured Joe Willie as I have always seen him. However, I would much rather see him as pictured on page 31 (A Game That Gets a Good Man Down, Aug. 17), where Buck Buchanan does a good job on him. The game of football hardly needs publicity, especially of this kind. I would have preferred a cover photo of Lance Alworth making a diving catch or Johnny Weissmuller riding an elephant. Mr. Namath just docs not make it.

Once my present subscription expires, it will be my pleasure to return my renewal card, folded, spindled and mutilated.
MICHAEL LESNIAK
Prince George, Va.

Sirs:
No wonder Joe turned to acting; you won't see him ad-libbing with Pete Barnes or Buck Buchanan.
RUSS HESS
Sacramento, Calif.