He’s Not Sold on Vick’s Ability

Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer is a victim of his own hype. Calling Michael Vick the best quarterback in the country might help you receive higher rankings in the polls, but believing it cost him a shot at the national title.

Vick is not even the best quarterback in his conference. He may not be the best quarterback on his team. He has been outplayed nearly every week by opposing no-name quarterbacks. And against Pittsburgh, he was outplayed by his backup, who bailed out the team in a come-from-behind victory.

There’s nothing wrong with Tech’s offensive line. The problem lies with Vick’s inability to make quick reads and exploit defenses. And now that opposing teams have adjusted to his speed, he is easy to defense. Coach Beamer is not doing his quarterback any good by hyping his ability. He has a long way to go even to be the best quarterback in the conference. But someone has to tell him that.

MICK TAYLOR

Los Angeles

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Chris Dufresne bitterly complains that the national championship is in the hands of “computer nerds” [Nov. 9]. Moving past his kindergarten-level polarizing comment, his gripe is that BCS No. 3 Miami beat BCS No. 2 Florida State and they have identical records. True enough, but how, in “Chris the sports genius’ ” world, do you place Miami over Washington, which beat Miami and has an identical record?

The obvious answer is you can’t, and the solution to a tough problem is a system that will likely pit the two best teams together in the end. As of today, the BCS thinks that is Oklahoma and Florida State, and frankly, I agree. So would Las Vegas, and a whole lot of other very knowledgeable sports enthusiasts.

So Chris (who picked Texas at the beginning of the year), you keep on writing your opinion and calling people names. After all, everybody’s something.

DOUGLAS DOUGLAS

Arcadia

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Chris Dufresne’s column “The No Fun League Can’t Beat the College Game” [Nov. 6] justifies my longtime passion for college sports and complete lack of interest in professional sports.

What I can’t understand is why college sports are given so little space in the sports sections of major newspapers while pro sports dominate these sections--what some of us call the world’s great free advertising sections.

But then if pro teams did not get so much free space, they would have to pay for advertising and then couldn’t pay their performers--er, players--their huge salaries.

Right on, Chris!

MARTIN A. BROWER

Corona del Mar