Letters

Last week's show featured a story by Maria Bakkalapulo about the songs fans sing during soccer games between Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, and the attempt to ban some of those songs. Kyle Darcy, who was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, appreciated the reminder of the soundtrack that accompanies those games. "The story was right on target, and it brought back memories of my youth," he wrote. "Well done."

In connection with story based in Scotland, Jeffery McComb e-mailed to say that I should have said "Glaz-go," not "Glas-gow." He also wrote that Scots say Glaz-goo.

George Espy, who lives in Montville, Pennsylvania, found himself thinking about the nine billion dollars over which the NFL and the league's players have been arguing. "It would be wonderful if they would not be so greedy, and would donate all the money to the states and municipalities, considering the condition they are in," Mr. Espy wrote. "I don't live in a city that would benefit from such a gift, but I'm sure it would be accepted by those who have supported the teams and players."

Jeffery Goldwasser, a rabbi in Williamstown, Massachusetts, e-mailed as follows: "You and Charlie Pierce had some fun with one of St. John's basketball recruits, the six foot nine forward from Nigeria with the unlikely name, God's Gift Achiuwa. While I agree that this young man has an interesting name, you might want to consider that the common English names "Jonathan" and "Nathaniel" are both based on Hebrew names that mean - wait for it - 'God's gift.'  Maybe it isn't as unusual as you thought."

Last week we irked Cary Seidman, who hears the program on WCPN in Cleveland. "You and Charlie Pierce referred to 'somebody named Jim Bottomley,' Mr. Seidman wrote. "It figured that you two guys didn't have a clue to who he was. He didn't play in Boston. The Red Sox and Celtics do not define American Sport, except in the mind of Mr. Pierce."

Charles Hewitt, who hears the show on KWMU in St. Louis, wrote to say that he loves "Only A Game," and he asked "Do you have any eponymous baseball hats for sale?"

If there's more noise on behalf of those hats, I'll see what I can do. That would be with "Eponymous" on the front, right?

Finally, my notated copy of Leigh Montville's book about Evel Kneivel that we offered to somebody joining us on facebook went to Laura Romains, who listens to the  podcast in her home in the Netherlands.

Congratulations, Laura. I don't know whether to hope you can read my handwriting, or that you can't.

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