Initial Soccer Reaction: Blame TV

Mike Penner left out the most important item on his WSCMIITUS list (Why Soccer Can’t Make It In The United States, June 10). Not enough commercial breaks.

Wake up, Mike! Don’t you know WRRSITUS (Who Really Runs Sports In The United States)?

STU HARRIS, San Diego

*

This morning [June 9] I was excited to find that The Times had devoted an entire section to the World Cup. However, in the forecast of Iran’s team, you wrote “Three games and back to sand soccer.” As an editor of the hometown paper of the largest Iranian community outside of Iran, you should be a little more tactful in your humor. Sand always seems to be the prefix of choice for pejoratives about my ethnicity.

It is not political correctness or excessive sensitivity. I simply expect you to be more respectful to the national origin of thousands of your fellow Angelenos, the way you learned to be toward Japanese Americans and African Americans. The prestigious stature of your publication demands it.

HAKHAMANESH MORTEZAIE, Los Angeles

Editor’s note: The Times does, indeed, regret the lack of common sense and sensitivity shown.