Readers Kick Back on Soccer Stories

Bill Plaschke (“Sole of the Matter,” June 5) explained why we Americans don’t like soccer. We never see articles explaining why we don’t like track and field, swimming and diving, etc., but we’ve been told by countless columnists and commentators that we don’t like soccer. Why does soccer merit this sort of cockeyed attention? Because, as Plaschke quoted Glenn Dickey of the San Francisco Chronicle, most sportswriters don’t understand soccer, don’t try to understand it and simply dismiss it as insignificant.

That’s the U.S. sports media/soccer relationship in a nutshell. If soccer does reach its potential and becomes a part of this country’s culture, that leaves a bunch of sports media members--sports experts, if you will--with absolutely nothing intelligent or insightful to say about this “new” sport.

MEL GRIFFIN

Altadena

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In response to Randy Harvey’s article about England’s failure to qualify for the World Cup (June 8), it should be noted that FIFA’s geographic qualification system is not designed to produce the best 24 teams in the world. England, which at the time was ranked 10th in the world, was forced to compete with second-ranked Norway and sixth-ranked Holland for two spots in the finals. On the other hand, 16th-ranked Mexico’s toughest competition was No. 38 Costa Rica, No. 39 Honduras and No. 46 Canada. I’m sure England would have gladly traded assignments.

BRENDA TANEDO

Manhattan Beach

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If the basket in basketball was so small that only a few points could be scored in a game, the NBA would have to pay me to watch. If the soccer folks are looking for something to make games more interesting, a larger goal might do it.

RICHARD MEASURES

Somis, Calif.