Dear Mike Woodson,
Let me start by saying I’m sorry.
Last season, I wrote (endlessly) in this space that you were the main culprit of the Knicks’ failures. It was your switching defense that turned New York into one of the worst units on that end of the floor in the NBA. It was your inability to hold all your players accountable in the same way without playing favorites that killed chemistry. It was the isolation offense that put too much onus on Carmelo Anthony that stagnated the offense. It was your late-game play calls, or lack thereof, that often ended in contested Melo 22-foot jump shots after a boring isolation play that turned potential wins into losses.
It was terrible to watch, and all those things were, in fact, your fault. But it was better than the first 24 games we’...
Sport
Dear Dr. Rabinowitz,
Last Thursday afternoon, a good friend died and a piece of who I am went with it. When you shut down the football program with no warning; no cries for help; no rallying of the troops…all I have left is a burning empty feeling that used to be Hofstra University. After it sunk in, I was shocked at whose hands were on the killing trigger.
What you did was equivalent to a mafia hit. We all know you did not give the Hofstra football family a chance to “save” the program because maybe you knew we would have been able to keep this program a float, even if we had to fund it ourselves. There are too many great people who Hofstra football calls as alumni that would not let this program die; you obviously never connected with that group.
I regret your...
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Mr. Mark Emmert,
I am a current senior at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. I am about to enter my final season on the Allegheny Women’s Lacrosse Team this upcoming semester. My experience with this team has seen its ups and downs but they are my family and I wouldn’t trade my experience with this team for the world.
Only one thing has hindered me from having the truly amazing experience that every collegiate athlete should get—injuries, of which I have had my fair share; a separated shoulder, a broken hand, two stress fractures, and two very awful concussions. The first concussion I received was my freshman year in one of my first conference games against the College of Wooster; I was out for almost the rest of the season because of this concussion. And my second was...
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Florida has long been considered a state for racial discord and racial injustice.
In October of 1920, there was the racial injustice of four Black men being lynched in Macclenny, Florida under suspicion of being connected to a man who potentially killed a White farmer. Due to the lynch mob continually seeking justice, most of the Black citizens in Macclenny deserted the area for fear of further violent attacks.
In January of 1923, another racial injustice was the massacre of the predominantly Black town of Rosewood, Florida after a White woman made rape accusations against a Black man, which led to the violent riots and the murder of several innocent African Americans.
In 1946, while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers Triple A team, the Montreal Royals, Jackie Robinson was ran out...
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A tell tale sign that things aren’t right at a football club is the emergence of supporter open letters being published in local newspapers and club-related websites. MOMS has had a few emailed in during the past month or so. This very thorough one by Andy McKeon is certainly a great example of the kind of concern Villa supporters are feeling right now and it’s certainly makes some valid points. UTV
With Aston Villa lumbering from one crisis to another I think it’s time that the owner and board were finally held to account for the disastrous state the club currently find themselves in. In any other walk of life in a failing organisation those in charge would at least be expected to explain themselves, yet at Aston Villa the continued silence and lack of communication continues.
Not...
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Dear Basketball,
From the moment
I started rolling my dad’s tube socks
And shooting imaginary
Game-winning shots
In the Great Western Forum
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind...
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I write to you regarding an alternative proposal for the changes to the Formula One technical regulations for 2017 and beyond.
I have been employed as an engineer within various F1 teams for ten seasons now, so am aware of the political manoeuvring that can be involved in the process of changing regulations; I do not expect anything to come of my writing but hope that it may raise a few questions or result in some lateral thinking in the minds of those who are deciding the future technical direction of the sport, for the good of the sport.
Instantaneous power of a Formula One car's internal combustion engine is currently limited by the installation of a mandatory, homologated FIA fuel flow sensor; a value for maximum allowed fuel flow is set, dependant upon engine speed, and if...
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Dear UST Growling Tigers,
In just a few hours, you will face the most formidable foe you could possibly go up against for the UAAP crown. Make no mistake about it. This foe is tenacious, unrelenting, talented and well-coached.
I don’t mean the FEU Tamaraws that you swept in the elimination round. I’m referring to the other FEU Tamaraws, the ones who experts preordained UAAP champions even before the first whistle was blown, the first ball was jumped.
These Tamaraws are legit champs-in-waiting. Logic says you will get swept in this best-of-three Finals series, so go ahead, double-book those promises for ringside tickets to Game 3. Basketball sense says even if you force it to a KO match, you’re the one who’s going to get K’d the fuck O, so save up your preciously sparse allowance...
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Hi Datuk Nicol,
For the purpose of this open letter, I hope you don’t mind me addressing you as ‘Nicol’ – it’s a lot more relatable for every Malaysian out there.
Times have definitely been tough, especially for Malaysian sports. Of course, there were bright sparks, here and there. Our diving squad for instance, were absolutely brilliant at the SEA Games and they’ve been independently carrying the nation’s hope for next year’s Rio Olympics. But in general it’s safe to say that we’ve not had a memorable year.
In football, the national team slumped to a new low earlier this year, losing 10-0 to UAE. Our junior hockey team have failed to qualify for the Junior World Cup next year – which is a clear regression in standards.
Even in badminton, we struggled. Datuk Lee Chong Wei was...
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Tennesee Titans fan Rosemary Plorin of Nashville attended Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers with her fourth-grade daughter. On Monday, she sent us this note she wrote to Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton:
Dear Mr. Newton,
Congratulations on your win in Nashville today. Our team played well, but yours played better. Kudos to the Panthers organization.
That game happened to be my nine year old daughter’s first live NFL experience. She was surprised to see so many Panthers’ fans sitting in our section of the stadium; that doesn’t happen much at fourth grade football games. And she was excited we were near the end zone, so we would be close to the “action,” particularly in the second half.
Because of where we sat, we had a close up view of your conduct in the fourth...
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