Oates Made His Point, but Readers Are Ready With Their Rebuttal
Was the sports editor on vacation when Bob Oates turned in his Point of View column, “Soccer Can’t Make it Here,” (Oct. 2), or perhaps just in awe, as I am, of Oates’ arrogance? Or perhaps you just needed some letters to the editor?
It must be a wonderful thing to be Bob Oates. To delude oneself into believing that one’s own opinions represent those of everyone around him, this is the essence of ignorance being bliss. What a pompous, bombastic fog of rhetoric is puffed by Oates’ pseudo-intellectual pronouncements on American values and the values of a sport that--I hesitate to make assumptions in the manner that Oates does--he has never played.
While the hopes, fears, plans, failures and successes of the upcoming Major League Soccer deserve to be analyzed, Oates fails to put forth a single pertinent point. Oates’ argument--in a broad sense of the word--is full of more holes than the cheese hats worn by Swiss fans.
MARTIN SCHLAGETER
Los Angeles
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After reading Bob Oates’ article, I have come to the conclusion that he is a wonderful satirical writer.
However, if his comments about the sport and his suggestions to improve it are serious (regardless of whether soccer makes it here), I believe there must be a couple of billion soccer fans worldwide who would consider him a prime candidate for an insane asylum.
NORMAN SOLOVEI
Long Beach
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I agree 100% with Bob Oates regarding how soccer will not work in America. This is true because people like Mr. Oates in the media say it will not. Without media coverage, nothing can be popular in the U.S.
RONNIE GRANT
Tustin
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After reading Bob Oates’ comments about soccer, I think I understand why golf is such a great imported sport:
1. Lots of scoring, especially my game.
2. No goalie.
3. Limited number of hooligans.
4. Golf cart racing, but only on public courses.
5. Golf cart can carry a six-pack of beer.
Well, there is a downside to golf. It’s too traditional. They just don’t change the rules enough. Can you imagine how the scoring would be if they made the ball bigger or the cup smaller? Wow! Or maybe each green could have a moat. Or if your caddie was allowed 10 “gotchas.”
This guy Oates might be onto something.
TOM WILLIAMS
Lake Forest
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When I read Bob Oates’ hilarious suggestion that soccer muster up the courage to abolish the goalkeeper, I fell on the floor laughing at the inane absurdity of the suggestion. It then occurred to me that perhaps The Times should muster up the courage to abolish Bob Oates.
CRAIG JOYCE
Venice
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In a country where sports fans are spoon-fed instant gratification scoring, exaggerated point systems and twilight zone time frames, soccer may well remain just a foreign sport. If so, oh well. A sport this popular does not need acceptance in the United States to continue to grow, and it certainly does not need a prattling bore like Oates to rearrange its rules.
SHANNON CREAM
La Habra
