SOUND OFF.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Underdogs rule

I get fed up with sportswriters and media hype that make predictions based on the "money winners" or the favorite based upon some other nonsense, such as who has the most endorsements on TV.

The Seabiscuits of the world are my heroes, the Davids that bring the Goliaths of the world to their knees.

The PGA golf, the British Open, the Masters at Augusta in 2003 were exciting events. My guys won, the underdogs.

Now we are faced with another fall season of football. If the media continue to endorse their "no-brainer" predictions, parity is going to defeat them.

The Notre Dames, Buckeyes, Sooners, Gators and Longhorns of the world have had their day in the sun. Horned Frogs, Owls, Beavers, Buffaloes and Gophers are now in season.

Long live the underdogs of the world.

CULLY VAUGHAN

Springfield

Arena too much, too little

Bill Penny brought up an interesting point in his letter on Sunday, Aug. 31, and that was most men's basketball games have only 5,000 or 6,000 people in attendance, and in a 15,000-seat arena, it will be hard to generate noticeable enthusiasm.

In his guest viewpoint on Wednesday, Sept. 10, Mike Russo says that a full arena will put too big a stress on the South University neighborhood to be located at Howe Field.

One writer is saying the typical small crowds do not justify building a large arena; the other writer is saying the large crowds will overwhelm the neighborhood.

Who is right? Well, both.

We have season tickets to both the men's and women's games. The women's crowds typically run 3,000 to 5,000 while the men's games run 6,000 to 7,500. Only a few of the Pac-10 games sell out at 9,000.

My guess is only five games will draw more than 12,000 fans each year. But, I agree, when that happens, the traffic around the South University neighborhood will be horrendous.

For most events, the arena will be less than half-full, for some of the women's preseason games, less than one-fifth full. If it is used for volleyball, then one-tenth full.

Somehow, only the university can see the logic in spending $100 million on a structure that will stand empty most of the year, and when it is used, it will be half to nine-tenths empty.

Is it true the University is doing this just to entice ten 18-year-old jocks to enroll at the U of O every fall? I must be missing something.

BOB BOTTGE

Eugene

Lost on the air

How lucky we Ducks fans are to have the chance to see Oregon's game against Arizona covered by TBS. An Atlanta station that is 3,000 miles from Eugene. They managed to have cameras with more than two angles. Wow!

Our local TV folks are fat and happy with whatever. The contract between the University of Oregon and KEZI is similar to the pro player that took the big bucks and stopped playing because it is in the bank. ... Why work?

Not only does KEZI miss the pass coverage on the wide angle, but they just can't seem to find even on replays who or where fouls were committed. It is not a question of naming the player, just where did it happen? KEZI is so out of it that against Nevada we were looking at ball boys during the kickoff!

How much more money does it take to get two or three more camera angles followed by commentators who know the difference between belabored sports jargon and true analysis?

For one, it would have been interesting to see a replay of a route run by our receivers or a defensive back's coverage. ... No, we are left with guesses as to what happened. The play-by-play commentators must be just as lost judging by the comments they make.

JEFF E. CUMMINS

Eugene

Give it your all

Regarding Duck football: Hey guys, you're not playing up to your potential. Try two halves with full effort and see what happens.

And cut out the juking and jiving and excessive celebrating over every good play. You are U of O, not the Beavers. Have some dignity, please.

I go into hock to pay for my Duck Athletic Fund pledge and season ticket. I love the Ducks, win, lose or draw, but I draw the line at half-hearted efforts. You guys could win it all if you give it your all.

N.H. KLUTH

Eugene

Returns department

In regard to returning medals won at the recent track championships: I'm all for it - as soon as every Russian, East German, Bulgarian or Romanian returns every medal won in any sport since 1964.

And most unequivocally, absolutely, positively, not until the Russians return the gold medals they "won" at the 1972 Olympics and the referees, judges and officials who awarded those medals are forced to watch the last 10 seconds of that basketball game over and over again until 2028 just to make things even.

By the way, those judges and officials shouldn't be hard to find. As recently as 2000, they were all living in Florida and working for the Secretary of State on the election commission.

JAMIE SELKO

Eugene

Clothes don't make team

I can't see any reason for a such a brouhaha regarding the color or style of the Ducks' uniforms.

The Ducks are my team, and I really don't care if they play in their pjs. Yellow and green maybe?

LESLIE DYLINA

Eugene