Letters

Don't Resurrect "Jesus"
I must complement your paper on this new web page design -- it is so ... conservative. Thank goodness you got rid of the "Gilstrap -- Jesus of the Week" articles which headlined your old web page. That column was one of the reasons that I quit accessing your web page.

Andrew Kreston
via Internet

Closed Minds, Closed Street
I do indeed appreciate the item on Councilman Joe Roach and the proposed sale of a city street to a private religious school ["Vested Interest," by Tim Fleck, November 19].

I sat right in front of Roach and Councilman Jew Don Boney at the meeting in Montrose Branch Library. I guess my big disappointment was that it was immediately apparent that both of them had already made up their minds on this issue. Nothing anyone in the neighborhood said or showed could change their position. And you heard a lot from many opponents.

Their real purpose at the meeting was to prepare the neighborhood for the bad news, sort of soften the blow. Go through the motions, have a process. Make us feel better. I felt like a chump.

What I wanted was some kind of just and democratic process where views and information are presented, and a decision or compromise is made. How naive! Boney said that even a compromise was not likely. Why not just close the street during school hours if safety is the issue? Annunciation Orthodox School does not care for this because it wants to own the land. The issue is power, not people.

Does Boney not represent us? Did we not vote for him? He was our only hope. Instead, he sides with what is essentially the big money and developers.

Dave Pevear
via Internet

The Marshall Plan
I was struck by the complete lack of objectivity regarding Joe Roach's role in the Marshall Street closure. Your slant was completely one-sided. Where was the underlying concern for the safety of Annunciation Orthodox School children? What about the child that was hit by a car on Marshall a couple of months ago? How about a hint of objectivity?

I have enjoyed the Press for years. Part of your appeal is that you cut to the quick when it is due. You have done a tremendous job of exposing items the Chronicle wouldn't dare touch. I commend you for daring to be controversial, but I would hate for you to lose your credibility. (Houston needs a second opinion!)

Name withheld by request
via Internet

Editor's note: The item focused on Roach's failure to disclose publicly that his own son attended the school, rather than any examination of the street closing or purchase issues.

Jogging the Feelings
I wanted to thank the Houston Press for organizing the Dome Run. This was the first time I ever attended a race, and I found the event memorable. Hundreds of people from all walks of life came out to run in this race.

As I watched them, I thought about how each had different interests, jobs and stresses, and that they would return to these after the event. But for a few hours, they shared the common goals to have fun, feel good and accomplish something. I was reminded that sometimes we get so caught up in our everyday lives that we forget there is more out there.

I saw people of all ages, races, religions, sexual orientations, etc. I saw single people, couples and entire families together. Everyone was sharing in this moment. It is the moments like these which rejuvenate the spirit.

Lynn Womack
via Internet

Coaching Motivation
Carrie Covington wrote that Rice should be about keeping athletes happy and that a coach's job is to "help his or her athletes continue to love their sport" [Letters, November 19, in response to "Bad Sports," by Bob Burtman, November 5].

That reminds me of when Jimmy Johnson took over coaching the Dallas Cowboys from Tom Landry. An insightful analysis was that Tom Landry was of an era when the athletes came motivated and with a love of the game. His job was to help them become the best players they could be. He could not succeed, however, in an age when athletes were better paid and better conditioned, but too spoiled to be motivated to actually play.

I long for a time when it was assumed that athletes were motivated by a love of their sport; and if they weren't, that they would pursue other opportunities and make room for those who had that motivation.

Rebecca Leppala
via Internet

Swimmer's Ear
I see that Carrie Covington was entertained, but she missed the main point -- specifically what did coach Kris Wingenroth do, after ten years of coaching, to enrage the students?

I am sure Carrie is gainfully employed. Would she not want to know the specific reasons and complaints, if her boss calls her in and says she is fired because all her subordinates have a conflict with her?

I am sure Carrie would want to know if such conflict is justified, and exactly what those conflicts are that forced the students to act. Readers are awaiting your answer: Why did the students hate Wingenroth?