VIEWPOINT / LETTERS : Black Coaches’ Actions Not Being Met With Resounding Approval

There is some truth to the fact that an additional athletic scholarship and a change in SAT requirements would give an opportunity to some disadvantaged youth who might never have gone to college. But I find it ironic that these black coaches are as exploitative as the schools.

Rather than saying that higher educational standards and fewer scholarships might prompt these high school students to work harder and be better educated for a life after (or instead of) sports, these coaches seem to be more interested in the next Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson (some of whom can barely write).

These coaches should be imploring their high school counterparts, who with a wink and a nod allow these athletes to slide through school with the barest of scholastic ability, to be as vociferous about school work as they are about workouts.

ANDREW McINTYRE

Los Angeles

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I am having a difficult time understanding the logic of the Black Coaches Assn., a group formed to promote job opportunities for obviously under-represented black basketball coaches. Unfortunately, the BCA is on its way to becoming the main impediment to future hiring of black coaches and a dupe “running interference” for the white colleagues who will ultimately benefit from public and institutional disgust with this entire sorry episode.

ELLIOTT N. KRAMSKY

Woodland Hills

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A little college scholarship background: Full-time football scholarships are down from 120 to 85; men’s basketball from 20 or more to 13. Where did these scholarships go? To women athletes--basketball, soccer, track, volleyball, etc.--this was well deserved and long overdue.

Do these black men’s basketball coaches want these scholarships back from the women? Are these women athletes somehow less deserving than the men?

BUCK RAMSEY

Del Mar