Letters

The conversation on last week's program about the future of the nickname "Fighting Sioux" at the University of North Dakota provoked a long e-mail from Dave Tiedman. He was upset that our reporter in North Dakota failed to mention that the "Fighting Sioux" logo was designed by a member of the Sioux tribe who graduated from the university in the 1930s. Mr. Tiedman contends that "there is nothing inherently derogatory about the name 'Fighting Sioux." He further speculates, "If the teams were known as the Whimpering Papooses, that would be acceptable to the NCAA."

I'm not entirely sure that's true.

In last week's program, I described the Westminster Kennel Club best-in-show winner, a Pekinese, as looking like something you might find under your bed if you hadn't vacuumed in a while. Eric Bittman e-mailed to say he agreed. "It's outrageous for a rodent to have won Best in Show," he wrote. "Perhaps a new breed can be developed in the spirit of the cockadoodle. This would involve crossing a mastiff with a Pekinese, and the result could be called a Massapequa."

Another listener who, perhaps fearing repercussions, only provided the name "McMahon" piled on. "I've lost all respect for the Westminster Dog Show, now that they have allowed a cat with split ends to win Best In Show," he or she wrote. "If Malachy is going to retire to chase squirrels, someone had better make sure he has legs under all that hair."

Richard Burke, a WBUR listener, came to the winner's defense. "I think you are being a little hard on poor, little Malachy," he wrote, "even though I, too, prefer big dogs. My Labrador, Watson, is 90 pounds."

Shannon Koenig was moved to write by our report two weeks ago that the investigation of Lance Armstrong had been dropped, according to one source perhaps in part because the government didn't want to continue pursuing charges against such a popular fellow. Shannon Koenig wrote, "One of the hallmarks of mature people is the ability to acknowledge and accept uncomfortable truths, both about themselves and those they admire. One could argue that is also the hallmark of a mature nation. I'd say we still have a way to go."

And finally Darrell Windle, who's been listening to the show in south Florida, e-mailed to say that although he enjoys Only A Game, he has a complaint. "I listen to your show as I run on the boardwalk in Miami Beach," he wrote, "and quite often people look strangely at me as I laugh out loud."

You can tell us what problems Only A Game is causing you by contacting us through the web site, onlyagame.wbur.org. You can leave a comment on the listener line by calling 617-353-1860. Don't dog it. Bark about whatever you like. You can also Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.