Letters

In response to a recent story about bicycle polo, John Bush, who hears "Only A Game" on WEPR in Greenville, South Carolina, wrote: "I was transported to 1969 and a field in Aiken, South Carolina, where boys were riding fire engine red Schwinn bicycles and laughing in heated competition. Thank you so much for the delight you provided me."
During last week's program, I spoke with Sports Illustrated writers David Epstein and Selena Roberts, who had collaborated on a story about the on-going investigation of whether Lance Armstrong instigated the use of performance-enhancing drugs among his cycling teammates. Cyclist Gene Dixon, who listens to the program on WUGA in Athens, Georgia, was not pleased. He wrote, "To me, even if guilty, Lance beat everyone because he was the best in the field using the same equipment as everyone else. If he's convicted of fraud, can I sue to get my money back for every baseball ticket I ever bought because the league wasn't diligent in doing their job? Of course not. There is only one icon in the sport of cycling. How about helping create some new ones? Do a positive story soon."

Last week's program also included a story about kite-skiing in New York. Teri Brunsman, who hears the program on WFPL in Louisville, Kentucky, enjoyed it. "I especially liked the music button you used to finish the story," she wrote. "That song, 'Kites Are Fun,' was a favorite of my dad's and hearing it (and singing along this morning) brought back wonderful memories of him. Your show makes me laugh and think: my favorite combination."

This week's e-mail also provided evidence that some listeners are thinking ahead to next week's program, during which we will once again unleash the "Only A Game" Hut-Hut Haiku Players for another edition of "Super Bowl Haiku." From Tim McCusker, who listens to the program on WRVO in Oswego, New York, comes this aquatically-themed verse:

Longing for water-                                                                                                                                               Green Bay: Monongahela                                                                                                                                         I dream of football

Another rather liquid haiku came from Daryl Desmond, a WBUR listener:

A hot bowl of soup                                                                                                                                                   A frigid day, the big game                                                                                                                                     Far from soup or bowl.

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