SOUND OFF.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Learning right lessons

Assorted pampered, posturing, preening, puffed-up professional and college athletes have been acting like sociopathic thugs recently. They give sports a bad name.

Reading Triangle Lake High School senior running back Stormy Bateman's sportsmanlike words after a recent disappointing Class 1A playoff loss, therefore, did my heart good: `To get all the way to the semifinals feels outrageous. It was a dream of all the seniors ever since we were freshmen,' he said. `But give credit to Perrydale. They came to play.' (Register-Guard, Nov. 28)

The gracious words of Tony Hammock, his coach, also earned my admiration: `My hat's off to Perrydale. What an outstanding football team. ... Even if we had played our best game, I don't know if we could have beaten them.'

Triangle Lake's team and coach lost an important football game. Perhaps they won something more important. Their community should be proud of them.

JEROME GARGER

Yachats

Proper perspective

Based on recent observations in this section, our community and in the sports world abroad, we have a problem keeping sports in proper perspective. It's past time people need to rediscover hobbies for their spare time.

Coaches, parents and spectators - from the local Babe Ruth baseball diamonds to the 80-yard gridirons of Kidsports flag football, from some prep sports venues to U of O venues - are demonstrating the `entitlement mentality' that is fostering progressively worsening behavior.

Fouls/penalties, `Johnny's' scholarship opportunity, all-league balloting and personal issues have taken the focus away from where it should be - sports being a supplement to the educational process. Sports has become a reflection of the times instead of a pastime.

The cost of this behavior is chronic shortage of referees, lay volunteers, good kids and eroding reputations of teams' coaches and followers.

Provocation and lack of self-control lead to unnecessary violence, injuries and imminent emotional trauma to children (a la the Detroit brawl).

Young players will either follow bad examples displayed by adults or get turned off from sports altogether from the experience.

This pandemic is ruining sports. Paying the participation fee for a young player or buying game season tickets is not an entitlement to exhibiting abusive behavior toward referees, players or others.

G.S. WARREN II

Springfield

Some excitement, please

For God's sake, Mike Bellotti - put some excitement in your football team! I'd rather see three 50-yard passes to the end zone fall incomplete than watch meaningless three-yard completions at the line of scrimmage. All those short passes do is eat up the clock.

What happened to reverses, laterals, halfback passes, spread formations, fake punts and other crowd-pleasing plays?

Free your fans from your frumpy phase of football.

GEORGE DORSEY

Eugene

Make big changes

I love college football. I am an avid Ducks fan. I have been a season ticket holder for the past six seasons. I fully support the University of Oregon football team and have traveled to bowl games to show this support. I am a successful recruiter for the U of O in my high school classroom, where I teach chemistry and a love of the U of O.

I am appalled by the changes I have seen in the style of football played by the Ducks in recent years. What has happened to our vertical passing game? Our willingness to throw the ball deep was what defined Oregon football for many years. What has happened to our willingness to take risks and have fun on the field? Why has the offensive play-calling become so conservative?

The Autzen advantage and mystique are gone. Visiting teams used to enter Autzen with apprehension and awe. Now they expect to win. More often than not, they do. The fans of Autzen have shown rabid loyalty and devotion despite the mediocre performance of the team. We cheer roaringly for each defensive series.

Mike Bellotti, I respect you and the success you have brought to the football program at Oregon. I genuinely appreciate your dedication to the players and to the University of Oregon. However, you must accept responsibility for the inconsistent performances of the offensive squad this year.

Therefore, I call for the firing of your offensive coordinator, Andy Ludwig. His time has come. Ludwig does not deserve the trust you have placed in him. He is not worthy to follow the line of offensive coordinators that has come before him. If you are not willing to fire him, then you should resign. The tough decisions rest with the boss, and it is time for you to act. Fire Ludwig or resign.

Finally: "Bend but don't break defense?" Ridiculous. Fire Nick Aliotti as defensive coordinator.

RICHARD MASON

Medford

Sack the coaches

I agree with Tim Pyatt (Sound Off, Nov. 28). Mike Bellotti has lost interest in coaching at Oregon. He's just drawing the big paycheck and giving nothing back.

The past is the past. Let's look to the future. Duck fans deserve better than they've been getting the past three seasons.

The Ducks have the talent to be winners, but the coaches (all of them) are not using it to the best of their abilities.

Make a change now and not wait until the program is in the toilet, as it is at Penn State with Joe Paterno.

Let's remember that recruiting will be affected. Get some coaches on board who not only have the ability to coach a winner but also the fire and drive to help the players grow and blossom into the best players they can be.

Bill Moos, you've been loyal to Bellotti for three years. As tough as it might be, it's time for a change. And, please, the change should not be to Mr. Aliotti.

MARTY HAMILTON

Lebanon