Letters to the Editor 06-02-2000
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Defends Bob Knight - BMX Conditions
Defends Bob Knight
Editor, Times-Union:I couldn't believe anyone of normal intelligence would write such a hypocritical letter (Times-Union May 23) as the former Michigan resident did. She apparently is in love with the University of Michigan, sometimes know as California Berkeley East, with her making the usual boorish tirade against Coach Bob Knight and our great state.
She states Coach Knight is an embarrassment but overlooks the tainted Michigan program with a basketball coach of a few years ago being fired for possible illegal distribution of tickets with the same wimpy coach allowing his players to go undisciplined after an auto accident in the early morning hours a day or two before an important conference game, I believe, with IU.
Incidentally IU's record against the Fab Five was four wins and two losses and against the same coach.
Just last season, a freshman player was suspended for only a few games because of peculiar living arrangements in Seattle provided by a U of M alum or booster. Don't tell me these coaches did not know what was going on. And, does she forget about the football coach being fired, I believe, for public intoxication in a restaurant?
I don't consider Michigan being disgraced by the aforesaid coaches. I, too, don't like Coach Knight's use of profanity and his temper but give me a coach who is 100 percent honest, cares for and graduates his players who stay at IU, does many unpublicized good deeds, raises many dollars for IU and other charitable organizations. I believe the New Paris residents are happy to accept the $50,000 plus raised in a Coach Knight speech, at no fee.
With the exception of one former player and NBA coach, not the Cleveland NBA coach who had $1,000 in unauthorized phone bills apparently charged to the athletic department, the present and former players who did not leave back Coach Knight 100 percent with some of the present players threatening to leave if Coach Knight is fired. Tell me, who else is better qualified to know Coach Knight rather than an almost 100 percent biased press and malcontents who have left and in most cases are never heard from again?
Incidentally, the malcontent who blabbed to Sports Illustrated has a father who was coach at two colleges and a high school with his subsequently being fired from University of Southern Mississippi a few months ago.
The lady makes a snide remark about Indiana taxes with my also not liking taxes, but I did live in Niles, Mich., before I saw the light and moved back to Indiana, with income and sales taxes being higher in Michigan.
Did she not see the South Bend TV station's story on Michigan residents crossing the line to buy gas in Indiana? Why do they? The answer is obvious. She has one last blast at Coach Knight's sportsmanship. My, oh my, hasn't she ever seen a coach yell at a referee or heaven forbid, his own players?
Win or lose, Coach Knight has always congratulated the other coach and especially players from the other team who have performed well.
If she doesn't like Indiana, there is also an obvious option for her.
John W. Harman
Plymouth
BMX Conditions
Editor, Times-Union:For the past two years my husband and I have enjoyed watching our nephews from Fort Wayne race BMX. This is the only true family sport that we know of. Everyone comes out to the track, from grandparents to newborns.
The National Bicycle League officiates the races. The way it works is if you are 30 or over, 5 and under, or somewhere in between and have the proper safety equipment and a safe bike, you too can participate. Many families have more than one generation that races. These same people selflessly volunteer countless hours to build and maintain their local tracks as well as other duties. Riders pay a nominal fee for each event. Spectators watch for free and they get little support elsewhere. So you can see how important these volunteers are.
The reason for their dedication is the children. They love it! You wouldn't believe how many chores are finished and how many grades are improved or maintained all because of raceday! BMX is big. It is nationwide and year-round. These riders and their families travel all over the U.S. We have been to many out-of-town and out-of-state events.
As residents of Kosciusko County we were happy that one of the five Indiana state races was at Hire Park in Warsaw two weeks ago. Families from all over the state were there. This was a two-day event. Depending on the number of riders, everyone spends about seven hours per day at the track. Many families must rent hotel rooms, eat in restaurants, buy groceries and gasoline.
Warsaw BMX at Hire Park should be proud of their track. However, the facilities were deplorable. Frankly we were embarrassed to call it our hometown BMX park. There was one portable toilet for nearly 1,000 people. The line was long and it was full before the first race started on Saturday. Sunday it was unusable. How do you tell a 3-year-old to hold it until his brother, sister, mom or dad's race is finished so that they can drive to the gas station and back hopefully in time that they don't miss participating in a race that they drove five hours and rented a hotel room for?
These families sacrifice a lot. So much for rewarding family values. We have riders of all ages that are state, regional and national champions right here in Kosciusko County. That is an honor not easy to achieve.
Warsaw BMX will host a regional event June 3 and 4. People from five states will attend. Many more than attended the state race. These families deserve a place to wash their hands, change a diaper and flush a toilet.
So I ask the Chamber of Commerce and the Warsaw Parks Department, what good is a 21st Century Visitors Center when their first impression is 14 hours of intolerable, unsanitary, primitive conditions? That is not much incentive to make this trip to Warsaw a week-long vacation.
BMX is here to stay! It is fun! I encourage everyone to come and see for yourselves. As every rider knows, in order to succeed you have to pedal! pedal! pedal! Get it! Get it! Go! Do you get it?
Anita Gillespie
Leesburg
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- Defends Bob Knight - BMX Conditions
Defends Bob Knight
Editor, Times-Union:I couldn't believe anyone of normal intelligence would write such a hypocritical letter (Times-Union May 23) as the former Michigan resident did. She apparently is in love with the University of Michigan, sometimes know as California Berkeley East, with her making the usual boorish tirade against Coach Bob Knight and our great state.
She states Coach Knight is an embarrassment but overlooks the tainted Michigan program with a basketball coach of a few years ago being fired for possible illegal distribution of tickets with the same wimpy coach allowing his players to go undisciplined after an auto accident in the early morning hours a day or two before an important conference game, I believe, with IU.
Incidentally IU's record against the Fab Five was four wins and two losses and against the same coach.
Just last season, a freshman player was suspended for only a few games because of peculiar living arrangements in Seattle provided by a U of M alum or booster. Don't tell me these coaches did not know what was going on. And, does she forget about the football coach being fired, I believe, for public intoxication in a restaurant?
I don't consider Michigan being disgraced by the aforesaid coaches. I, too, don't like Coach Knight's use of profanity and his temper but give me a coach who is 100 percent honest, cares for and graduates his players who stay at IU, does many unpublicized good deeds, raises many dollars for IU and other charitable organizations. I believe the New Paris residents are happy to accept the $50,000 plus raised in a Coach Knight speech, at no fee.
With the exception of one former player and NBA coach, not the Cleveland NBA coach who had $1,000 in unauthorized phone bills apparently charged to the athletic department, the present and former players who did not leave back Coach Knight 100 percent with some of the present players threatening to leave if Coach Knight is fired. Tell me, who else is better qualified to know Coach Knight rather than an almost 100 percent biased press and malcontents who have left and in most cases are never heard from again?
Incidentally, the malcontent who blabbed to Sports Illustrated has a father who was coach at two colleges and a high school with his subsequently being fired from University of Southern Mississippi a few months ago.
The lady makes a snide remark about Indiana taxes with my also not liking taxes, but I did live in Niles, Mich., before I saw the light and moved back to Indiana, with income and sales taxes being higher in Michigan.
Did she not see the South Bend TV station's story on Michigan residents crossing the line to buy gas in Indiana? Why do they? The answer is obvious. She has one last blast at Coach Knight's sportsmanship. My, oh my, hasn't she ever seen a coach yell at a referee or heaven forbid, his own players?
Win or lose, Coach Knight has always congratulated the other coach and especially players from the other team who have performed well.
If she doesn't like Indiana, there is also an obvious option for her.
John W. Harman
Plymouth
BMX Conditions
Editor, Times-Union:For the past two years my husband and I have enjoyed watching our nephews from Fort Wayne race BMX. This is the only true family sport that we know of. Everyone comes out to the track, from grandparents to newborns.
The National Bicycle League officiates the races. The way it works is if you are 30 or over, 5 and under, or somewhere in between and have the proper safety equipment and a safe bike, you too can participate. Many families have more than one generation that races. These same people selflessly volunteer countless hours to build and maintain their local tracks as well as other duties. Riders pay a nominal fee for each event. Spectators watch for free and they get little support elsewhere. So you can see how important these volunteers are.
The reason for their dedication is the children. They love it! You wouldn't believe how many chores are finished and how many grades are improved or maintained all because of raceday! BMX is big. It is nationwide and year-round. These riders and their families travel all over the U.S. We have been to many out-of-town and out-of-state events.
As residents of Kosciusko County we were happy that one of the five Indiana state races was at Hire Park in Warsaw two weeks ago. Families from all over the state were there. This was a two-day event. Depending on the number of riders, everyone spends about seven hours per day at the track. Many families must rent hotel rooms, eat in restaurants, buy groceries and gasoline.
Warsaw BMX at Hire Park should be proud of their track. However, the facilities were deplorable. Frankly we were embarrassed to call it our hometown BMX park. There was one portable toilet for nearly 1,000 people. The line was long and it was full before the first race started on Saturday. Sunday it was unusable. How do you tell a 3-year-old to hold it until his brother, sister, mom or dad's race is finished so that they can drive to the gas station and back hopefully in time that they don't miss participating in a race that they drove five hours and rented a hotel room for?
These families sacrifice a lot. So much for rewarding family values. We have riders of all ages that are state, regional and national champions right here in Kosciusko County. That is an honor not easy to achieve.
Warsaw BMX will host a regional event June 3 and 4. People from five states will attend. Many more than attended the state race. These families deserve a place to wash their hands, change a diaper and flush a toilet.
So I ask the Chamber of Commerce and the Warsaw Parks Department, what good is a 21st Century Visitors Center when their first impression is 14 hours of intolerable, unsanitary, primitive conditions? That is not much incentive to make this trip to Warsaw a week-long vacation.
BMX is here to stay! It is fun! I encourage everyone to come and see for yourselves. As every rider knows, in order to succeed you have to pedal! pedal! pedal! Get it! Get it! Go! Do you get it?
Anita Gillespie
Leesburg
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