Listeners' Comments

Last week's story by Doug Tribou about blind drag racing crew chief Jay Blake provoked a response from somebody at trackside. "I just wish we'd known of this feature while we were in the press room this weekend at zMAX Dragway," our anonymous correspondent in Charlotte, N.C., wrote. "Jay and his team were way down at the other end of the pits, but we might have played it over the PA. Thanks!"

Beth Richardson of Alexandria, Va. was dismayed by what she termed Charlie Pierce's "ill-informed opinion" about the decision of the Washington Nationals to shut down pitcher Stephen Strasburg's season, because they didn't want to overwork his surgically-repaired arm. "We know that there is more to this team than Stephen Strasburg," Ms. Richardson wrote, "and as for the doctor saying he wasn't consulted, so what? It wasn't his decision."

Ms. Richardson added that she enjoyed a lot of the rest of the show, especially the story about Jay Blake and my conversation with pick-up soccer player and world traveler Gwendolyn Oxenham about her book, Finding the Game.

Following the arrest of two Boston University hockey players for sexual assault, the university issued a report and on last week's program, Karen Given explored the culture of men's ice hockey at the university and beyond. One listener who identified herself as the mother of a fourteen-year-old player opined that coaches set the tone for the team. She feels a lot depends on whether the coach "develops good people who are in turn good athletes," or "denigrates and otherwise runs roughshod over the athletes and engenders ill will."

A listener who identified him or herself as an alum of Boston University wrote, "colleges and sports don't mix well. The money of sport is corrupting our educational system. It seems like sports are poisoning our colleges and teaching athletes very bad values of life."

Another listener who identified herself as M. Terrier, a B.U. alum and a feminist, wrote, "I am disgusted by the continued witch hunt against Boston University Men's Hockey Coach Jack Parker. To say that one man alone has the power to change behavior is outrageous, ridiculous, and wrong."

And finally, Michael Behuniak, who hears the program on WMHT in Albany, New York, wrote to second Charlie Pierce regarding a musical matter. Charlie was unhappy that NBC did not show Ray Davies singing "Waterloo Sunset" during the closing ceremonies at the London Olympics. "Thanks so much to Charlie," Mr. Behuniak wrote. "For true British rock fans, this faux pas ranks with NBC's leaving the Jets-Raiders game in 1968 with a minute to go in order to show the movie "Heidi."

Let us know what you think. You can leave a comment on the listener line: 617-353-1860, and you can find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.