Flak Magazine Letters
Letters for Kick Out the Sports!,12.08.03
Controversy over the December 8 edition of Kick Out the Sports! resulted in a tidal wave of mail. Here it is, unabridged and unvarnished. Send general letters to letters@flakmag.com.
12-10-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
I write this in response to your "Kick Out The Sports" article. First, if I had the time and inclination, I would comment on your many stylistic errors. Instead, I will simply refer you to Strunk and White, Elements of Style. Who knows, that may help you get a paying gig some day. As for your attack on Ohio State, well where do I begin? Gee, I am sure every "honest" school would have fired a Hall of Fame coach like Woody Hayes years before Ohio State did. I am sure your exhaustive research for this "well written" article showed how Woody stressed education, had graduation rates in excess of 80%, and has the almost unanimous loyalty and respect of his former players. But that would not get a journalist like yourself published in such a prestigious national journal, would it?
As for Clarett, Ohio State suspended him, and the investigation is closed. There is 0, let me repeat that for you because I suspect you are not all that sharp, 0 chance of any sanctions being brought against Ohio State. THE INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED! Wait, I forgot this is your America, where you are guilty, even if proven innocent. I mean it is one thing to try to be controversial, and another to be mean spirtited, ill informed, and wrong. Golly, gee, I am guessing this is not the first, nor will it be last time you will be guilty of those sins.
Mathew Voltolini
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Fuck you.
Barry Crowell
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
You are an absolute idiot.
Michael Bruno
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
I'm sure you will be getting plenty of email on the subject, but you need to be set straight on a couple of things.
First off, Bama wasn't up for the Death Penalty for the 2nd time in three years. In 1998, an assistant coach tried to set up a fund for a prospective student athlete. He was fired and the NCAA praised Bama for the way they handled the situation. They come back in 2002 and use the same situation to establish a "culture of cheating" even though Bama had only been investigated twice in its 100 year history before 1998.
I'm not saying the Tide was innocent of everything, but there is a lot of misinformation out there about the whole thing.
How do you leave Michigan out after their little run-in with the NCAA and the millions of dollars that the late Ed Martin gave out. It almost led to Chris Webber going to jail.
Do a little research next time.
Matthew Carden
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
You are an a$$hole. Get all the facts.
Charles Gloeckner
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
I am sure your article was written to get a rise out of Alabama fans, so I'll make this short: If you had spent the time doing actual research of facts that you spent thinking up your cute witticisms, you conclusions about Alabama football would have been different.
William Grooms
Univ. of Alabama 91/94
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
Your article was a good read, but here in the South, it is pretty well known which schools are cheating the hardest. You can talk to most any high school coach down here, and they will tell you that LSU and Tennessee are the two biggest cheaters in the South. Or talk to some coaches on the West Coast and see what they have to say about UT. All those players don't leave California to go to UT because of bluegrass music!! It's more like for free rides and ATM slush fund money that never runs out. The Memphis deal is far from over, and there is a good chance the NCAA is going to end up on the LOSING end of a $60 million dollar lawsuit. They are more corrupt that UA, AU or even Miss. State ever thought about being. It should be interesting!
Stefan Fudge
Athens, Alabama
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
ALL PROGRAMS CHEAT AND JUST HAVEN'T BEEN CAUGHT. If you think differently,you are in Michael Jackson's neverland. I really hate we cheated, but move on to the others who haven't got caught. Alabama hired a qualified coach in SHULA, BLACK OR WHITE WAS NOT AN ISSUE. Croom would have been fine too, but color doesn't decide who gets the job. We hire who we want just as your boss hired you (black or white?). Blacks need to understand that this world wasn't built to please them,just as it wasn't built to please whites. It was built to please everyone,regardless of race. GOD built this earth to please all Christians.
Keith Mcguire
12-09-03
To: Bob Cook
Re: Kick Out the Sports!
You are a no talent idiot. What does Mike Price have to do with Alabama cheating? For the record Alabama has only been on probation twice in school history. You should do some research before you spout off meaningless clichés. This is a very original article, why don't you just type what Paul Finebaum says on his show everyday.
Bert Robinson IV
