Letters

Face Time

What a great cover shot of the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James and the Miami Heat's Gary Payton (April 24). Kudos to photographer Bill Frakes for catching one of the best "I own you and there's nothing you can do about it" moments I've ever seen. Bravo!
Jeffrey A. Carey, Rio Rancho, N.Mex.

Frakes's cover photograph gives me an idea of how the gods look down on us mere mortals.
John Reggio, Old Bridge, N.J.

The rise of LeBron to NBA greatness is eerily similar to Michael Jordan's early career. And the team that stands in the way of LeBron's winning a championship also was Jordan's biggest obstacle: the Detroit Pistons.
Ken Lemieux, Clarkston, Mich.

Self-Destruction

Your special report on steroids was fascinating (The Mexican Connection, April 24), and The Human Cost sidebar included shocking before and after pictures of amateur bodybuilder Brad Cunningham. It should be clipped by coaches and placed on the door to every high school, college and professional locker room. If that story and graphic pictures don't wake up athletes to the evils of steroids, nothing will.
Bob Frisk, Arlington Heights, Ill.

Ode to Joy

Leading Off (April 24) features what is one of the greatest sports photos of all time. It shows a dozen St. Louis Cardinals players waiting to greet Albert Pujols as he heads to home plate after a walk-off home run. The unrestrained joy on the faces of the players--particularly Yadier Molina, the Cardinals' young catcher--wipes away all thoughts of steroids, juicing and arbitration. These players, several of them multimillionaires, for one moment have returned to their boyhood, when they played the game because it was fun.
Joe Marziotti, Sugar Land, Texas

Frank Assessment

In his column on the Nets' Lawrence Frank, a less-than-great player who became an NBA coach, Steve Rushin profiled one of my biggest inspirations (Air and Space, April 24). I am a student-manager at Division III Brandeis and hope to start a career in coaching after my graduation next June. At age 11 my inability on the basketball court was matched only by my love of the game, and I announced to my friends that I would one day become an NBA coach. Frank and Jeff Van Gundy, among others, have inspired me to continue on the difficult road ahead.
Phil Keisman, Waltham, Mass.