I’m a huge Mizzou Tigers fan — but I see how unfairly the NCAA is treating Bill Self | Opinion
A quality coach
I am a very strong Missouri Tigers fan. I seldom say anything positive about the Kansas Jayhawks. Today is an exception.
I believe that Bill Self is a quality coach and a quality man. I wish him a quick and full recovery from his recent illness. I also wish him a quick recovery from the shabby and undeserved treatment he is receiving from the NCAA. It is shameful.
- Michael Braude, Mission Woods
Baseball bummer
I recommend that the Royals’ owners spend more time building a winning team and less time building a stadium downtown, which is not needed. (May 4, 1B, “KC Royals’ futility at Kauffman Stadium reaches historic level”)
There is no way they can replace the wonderful ballpark with its convenient parking that fans now enjoy.
- Joseph J. Weinrich Sr., Overland Park
Come home, Marilyn
In his April 9 column “At nearly 95, Kansas City’s Marilyn Maye wows NYC’s Carnegie Hall,” (1C) Patrick Neas tells us the Kansas City singer gave a two-hour concert with an 80-piece orchestra to a sellout crowd in March. She received a standing ovation before her performance. People are calling it legendary. And for her birthday, April 10, she put on a special show at 54 Below, the New York City cabaret where she has become a regular.
Marilyn may call New York her home away from home, but she also loves to perform in Kansas City. How about a show at the Folly Theater, or a concert with full orchestra at Starlight?
In April 1992, Liberty built a community center with an auditorium of 700 seats. We asked Marilyn to do a concert on our opening night. She said yes. We sold every seat and even had a few audience members standing.
So, if Kansas City doesn’t have plans to celebrate 95 years of Marilyn Maye, someone should call the Liberty Community Center. There’s a good possibility it could happen. She loves Kansas City.
- Patsy Triplett, Liberty
Profiles in courage
Against all odds, the Tennessee Three — state Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson — dared to stand up against an invisible wall of silence and a seemingly permanent and immovable chunk of granite to demonstrate against our insecure and overly armed society in hopes of getting rid of assault weapons. (April 28, KansasCity.com, “Polarization means punishment for minority party lawmakers”)
The Tennessee Three are the heroes and saviors of our society, if there can be any salvation for us against the money and power of the National Rifle Association, which walks in lockstep with our governing officials.
More guns don’t make a more secure society. Instead, they allow irrational fear to rule our society without security. God bless these brave lawmakers in their nonviolent protest.
- Father Terry Bruce, Kansas City
Poison pick?
President Joe Biden might as well adopt an old slogan for his 2024 campaign. “Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.” Is this a wise old adage or just a simple mindless platitude?
This catchphrase basically states that Donald Trump is terrible and Biden is better in comparison. The question is: how much better? Unfortunately, that would send a message to young people that there is no need to strive for personal excellence to outshine your competition. The present criteria or standards require candidates to be marginally better than their political opponents. Supposedly, this is good enough.
Biden is expecting the American voter to accept mediocrity as normal and to settle for less than the very best our country can produce. Selecting the next president based on a choice between the lesser of two evils is absurd and stupid.
Has it finally come down to “Pick your poison”? It doesn’t seem as if we are evolving as critically informed voters who demand more from our leaders. Instead, we are caught up in the dumbing down of America.
- Steve Shaw, Kansas City
