LETTERS
Rose should be allowed in baseball hall of fame
1/27/2013The hall of fame in any sport is for the best to be recognized for their contribution to the sport. With no one being elected to Cooperstown this year, a judgment of dishonesty is made on the character of some first-year players eligible for hall voting.
The system of nomination should be changed. Any time the best of the best, Pete Rose, has a lifetime ban and is ruled ineligible for nomination is wrong. His career stats qualify him for the hall of fame. Until this ban is lifted and Pete becomes eligible based on his record as a player we should disband the Baseball Writers Association Of America.
Reinstate Pete Rose right now. We need the best of the best.
Jetta F. Packer
Toledo
There’s hope for our rivers, streams
Matt Markey's outdoors column on steelhead in Ottawa River gave me a glimmer of hope for our area's rivers and streams.
He indicated the removal of several dams appears to have partially restored the health of the Ottawa River. As evidence, researchers at UT have found a very healthy amount and variety of fish in the river including steelhead. The corp of engineers also has plans to remove several dams in the Sandusky River in Fremont.
However, there are no plans to remove the dam at Grand Rapids in the Maumee River. The Maumee is the crown jewel of rivers in northwest Ohio, but remains neglected. A variety of fish spawn in the Maumee but get stopped by the antiquated dam at Grand Rapids that has no fish ladders. The technology of these old dams is similar to going back to the horse and buggy days and do a tremendous amount of unintended damage to the ecosystem.
Certainly, the dam is totally ineffective in flood control just like the removed ones on the Ottawa were and soon to be removed dams on the Sandusky are. If the dam at Grand Rapids was removed, the Maumee could also be partially restored as a world class fishing river. Hopefully, some action can be taken before I get too old to see the rebirth of the mighty Maumee.
Bruce Thompson
Waterville
Hoax nothing like Penn State scandal
While Manti Te’o may have been the victim of a hoax or a participant in the hoax, this story, scandal pales in comparison to scandals involving Penn State, USC, and numerous other schools.
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and coach Brian Kelly have been upfront and honest about what they know. Had Notre Dame been involved in a scandal comparable to Penn State’s, ND officials would have imposed a moratorium on the football program.
In conclusion, nothing about the Te’o story can deny Notre Dame football is once again prominent and relevant.
Pat Gorman
Toledo
Nothing changes for Browns, Lions
New year, same old story.
Alabama wins another national championship under Nick Saban (Mr. Personality). They should put the Lions and Browns on their future schedules.
Of all the NFL coaching openings, nary a word about Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, or Herm Edwards as possible coaches. Of course all three have cushy jobs as analysts, but it seems like a lot of lost talent there. Maybe when they go on social security they will resume their coaching careers.
And speaking of the Lions and Browns, I don’t see much improvement from either team in 2013. The Browns hired a new coach again but have no decent quarterback. The Lions just the opposite. Stick with Jim Schwartz for another miserable season.
Bill Thorpe
Toledo