Some Unkind Words for What’s-His-Name

It amazes me that Jim Murray thinks that Southern California is the end-all for college and professional sports. First, he ridiculed the state of Iowa because of a couple of football games and now he puts down the city of Milwaukee because an athlete (Marques Johnson) did not receive the worldwide attention Mr. Murray felt Johnson deserved.

Mr. Murray must be surprised that sports, sports teams and fans are still alive in the Midwest. Some athletes may even appreciate performing in these areas to full houses, rather than half-filled arenas in sunny Southern California. I recommend that Mr. Murray go to a couple of Big Ten basketball games (if he can get a ticket) and he may discover why so many of the great young players are in the Midwest.

He seems to think that a USC-Arizona “thriller” at an empty Sports Arena is superior to a Michigan-Indiana matchup at a college gym full of hicks. Jim Murray is a writer of considerable talent and his opinions are sometimes very insightful (the columns on drugs and free agency, for example). I only wish he could expand some of his positive thoughts east of the San Gabriel Mountains.

TIM VANSOLKEMA

Culver City