Sporting News, The: Your turn

Matt Hayes' article (TSN, November 1) about former Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel's lawsuit against the NCAA falsely implies that the NCAA intimitated, caused the firing of, and then ultimately exonerated Neuheisel for violations of the NCAA's gambling rules. Hayes states that the NCAA cleared Neuheisel of gambling violations in order to avoid negative ramifications from Neuheisel's lawsuit.

The article demonstrates Hayes' gross misunderstanding of how the NCAA operates. The NCAA Committee on Infractions, a volunteer body composed of individuals from NCAA member schools and the general public that is completely independent of NCAA employees, found that Neuheisel violated the NCAA gambling bylaws by betting on college sports. Our decision specifically stated, "the Committee finds that a violation of the Bylaw 10.3 (which addresses gambling issues) occurred."

There was no exoneration. There was no finding of a violation of ethical misconduct because the Infractions Committee decided to accept Neuheisel's explanation that he relied on erroneous interpretations of the rule from Washington's compliance officer, not because he did not wager on college basketball. While improper advice from the compliance officer mitigated the consequence of Neuheisel's actions, it did not change the fact that he violated NCAA gambling bylaws and was untruthful about it--something even Neuheisel now acknowledges.

It also is worth noting that when initially questioned on this matter, Neuheisel failed to tell the truth twice, only doing so in the third interview. Hayes can try his own method of exonerating the coach all he wants. The facts are still the facts: Neuheisel gambled, and he was not truthful.

Hayes should understand that the president of the NCAA is not consulted about nor does he determine Infractions Committee findings or penalties. Threats of litigation against the NCAA or discussions about litigation strategy are never communicated to the Committee. The Committee on Infractions has the sole authority to determine what findings should be made and what penalties should be assessed, and does so independent of the NCAA staff.

The bottom line is that betting on college sports is as wrong as it ever was, and those who engage in it--especially those who are with the job of coaching and setting examples of behavior for student-athletes--will continue to risk undermining their own integrity and the integrity of college sports.

Thomas E. Yaeger, Commissioner, Colonial Athletic Association

Chair of NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions at the time of the Neuheisel decision

* Dear Red Sox fans:

Congratulations. You have ruined everything, torn a gaping hole in your own cosmic fabric. You people just don't seem to realize there is a reason Sisyphus never reaches the top, why the nerd never gets the girl and why Ray Kinsella never steps foot into that mystic cornfield. Your beloved Red Sox were once an archetype, and by pulling for them, you held a privileged status among baseball fans. Now, you might as well be wearing teal or purple and rooting for the Marlins or Diamondbacks. Save the Cubs, it seems nothing is sacred anymore. You will never again approach spring training with the same fervor or utter the phrase, "There's always next year," with the same conviction.

Whereas you once vowed to sacrifice your mint '67 Mustang convertible and your first-born at the altar of the World Series gods, you now might be willing to scrap your kid's Huffy or your pet ferret to bring a repeat. The next time the Sox blow it, it will probably hurt you as much as losing a game of Snood. I hope it was worth it. Enjoy football season because baseball will never be the same.

Benjamin A. Converse, Canandaigua, N.Y.

* Every year, I enjoy your list of the NBA's top 50 players (TSN, November 1), but there was a big mistake this year. Allen Iverson has been a top 10 player in the NBA for the past five or six years. It was an insult to see him ranked 17th. It was an insult to see Yao Ming, Andrei Kirilenko, Elton Brand, Sam Cassell and Ben Wallace ranked ahead of him.

Doug Ulrich, Fort Wayne, Ind.

* Kobe Bryant ranked fourth? You guys are nuts. Look, I know he's no saint. He chased Shaq and Phil Jackson out of town. Whatever. There is no player in the NBA better than Kobe. When was the last time Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan took a big shot and made it? Enough said. Kobe is the only guy in the league who wants the ball every time there's a big shot to be taken. He never disappears in the fourth quarter like Garnett and Duncan.

David Codron, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

* How is the ACC any different from the NFL? On any given Saturday, anything can happen. Look at teams such as Maryland and North Carolina. This league is going to be filled with something college football has been waiting for: parity.

Ryan Restivo, Commack, N.Y.

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