Fans must share blame in UT case

5/15/2009

As a member of the University of Toledo's first MAC football championship team in 1967, I am appalled but not surprised by the recent allegations of point-shaving dealing with UT athletes.

Years ago, I wrote a letter published in The Blade when Dan Simrell was let go by the university's athletic department. At that time I pointed out the pressures of winning put on coaches and teams by the fans, boosters, and the press at the collegiate and professional levels.

With winning comes glory and money, but at what price? Illegal drugs and gambling seem to be just the surface of what's going on in the sports world today. Some coaches and athletes will do anything to get an edge or make money.

Part of the blame goes to us, the fans, who demand a winner at any cost and to coaches who recruit or sign athletes with questionable backgrounds. The solutions are tough. Coaches and institutions of higher learning need to sign players with outstanding character and loyalty and we the fans need to back off a little.

If the sports world can't accept this, then the slide will continue to a point of no return.

John A. Flynn

Overland Parkway

In a letter to the Readers' Forum, and in a recent news story, there have been accusations and allegations that the Diocese of Toledo and Bishop Leonard Blair operate in a state of nondisclosure regarding allegations of sexual abuse by clergy or employees.

The reality is that all occurrences of sexual abuse known to the diocese have been addressed and handled appropriately, under diocesan policies, under the law, and above and beyond the law.

The diocese has publicly and repeatedly announced that anyone who has knowledge of, or has been a victim of sexual abuse, should bring it to the attention of the diocese and the civil authorities immediately.

In a message to local Catholics, Bishop Blair affirmed that he has "never covered up anything" and that "each and every allegation, past and present, has been taken with the utmost seriousness and handled according to the requirements of civil and church law. Above and beyond the law, our diocese has reached out to victims, and the outcome of clergy cases has been made public."

SALLY OBERSKI

Director of Communications

Diocese of Toledo

It appears that money isn t the only thing that Toledo is in short supply of these days; there s also a severe lack of leadership.

JAMES THOMSEN

Dorr Street