Coverage Not Complete, to a Certain Degree

Jerry Crowe’s profile of USC linebacker Kurt Barber (Aug. 22) chronicled Barber’s development from a heavily recruited player at his Kentucky high school to USC’s leading tackler and 1991 All-American candidate. But I think your readers would also be interested to know that Barber is on line to graduate with a degree in communications.

USC’s Aug. 19, 1991, press release quotes Barber: “My No. 1 goal at USC has always been to get a college degree.” How can player profiles include “in-depth” coverage of the personal aspects of players’ lives, and not talk about the players’ development as college students? If universities and sports audiences are truly concerned about educating college athletes, and I believe they are, then we need to promote the importance of scholastic achievement and college graduation. Sportswriters would do a great service to the players and the public if they would cover units gained, as well as yards.

HARLOW B. SHARP

Santa Monica