Letters

The residents of Parkersburg, Iowa, are in fine hands—their own. It seems that they took the strength and grace of coach Ed Thomas's example to heart, and his spirit is alive and well.
B.J. Hicks, Cincinnati

I spent several days in Parkersburg after the 2008 tornado helping residents pick up the pieces of their broken homes. Now, after the shooting death of Ed Thomas ("He Was the Rock That This Community Was Built On," July 6), I can only pray for their broken hearts.
Bill Rakers
Marshalltown, Iowa

Beckham Controversy

After reading Grant Wahl's book excerpt on David Beckham's coming to America (How Beckham Blew It, July 6), I'd much rather shoot it straight like Landon Donovan than bend it like Beckham.
Brian Lee, Pittsburgh

Beckham's impact on Donovan and American soccer? Positive and profound. Donovan was a better teammate and a better leader in the Confederations Cup—and the U.S. team was much better for it.
Glenn Martin
Royal Palm Beach, Fla.

In Beckham's defense, how can you be mad at a guy who wants to play for AC Milan instead of an MLS team that can't make the playoffs in a league not comparable with Italy's Serie A? Remember, Donovan once left the MLS on a loan deal to play for Bayern Munich for three months. You could absolutely blame Beckham for being a bad teammate, but I think it's unfair to blame him for wanting to play on one of the best teams in the world.
John Kirby, Fulton, Mo.

If soccer fans in America prefer to watch two European super-clubs collide instead of watching MLS, why is it so surprising that Beckham would rather play in Europe? Don't blame adults for not wanting to sit at the kids' table.
Daniel M. Lal, Brooklyn

Punch Line

After reading about another hotheaded baseball player—in this case the Braves' Jeff Bennett—breaking his hand out of frustration in or near the dugout (SCORECARD, July 6), I wondered: Why haven't teams installed a punching bag in the adjacent tunnel to safely absorb all that fury and protect their multimillion-dollar investments?
James Jacquette, Ambler, Pa.

Hatch on the BCS