Readers fed up with the loud noise at sporting events
Unfortunately, we don't have room in the print edition for all of the great reader feedback we're getting. For more of the letters, go to Dispatch.com. Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.
On noise at sporting events
To the editor: I wanted to provide you with objective evidence (see photo) of the volume level at Crew games and the health hazard everyone should be aware of. It is very similar at Blue Jackets games, as well. As a physician with hearing loss, I have become acutely and personally aware of prolonged high decibel sound exposure. The awesome environment would be just as much fun if the volume was turned down to a safe level. Here is a pic from my watch at a recent game.
Tom Bullock, MD
To the editor: I saw the letter from Mark Damico re: decibel levels from the sound system at the Crew stadium. My husband and I noticed the same at indoor sporting venues at Ohio State and shared our concerns, but they fell on deaf ears.
Lynn Giljahn
On the Columbus Crew
Dear Editor: I am a devoted Crew fan and love our team. However, after watching many games where the Crew allow very late game goals that either bring about a tie or a loss, the frustration is growing. At best, it's difficult to watch the all-too-often endof-game defensive collapse. Maybe the Crew should be reminded of the old saying often attributed to Vince Lombardi and others that, “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins the game.” Advice it seems the Crew could put to good use.
Chet Ridenour Sr., Worthington
To Chet: It's still a problem, but at least this year the late-game meltdowns have resulted mostly in ties, not losses.
On outdoors
To the editors: RE: The column "Sordid tales form wrong side of the wildlife law" by Dave Golowenski. Please convey to Dave that whatever he does from henceforth on, please do not stop writing very entertaining columns such as this! He is a tool — the exact tool that local media need to survive against the large stifling news media organizations that are swallowing up our world. More, please!
Bob Collard, Mansfield
To Bob: We have told our tool Dave of your admiration, and we promise more from him every week. Thanks for reading.
On Ray Stein
To the editor: I sure miss Ray Stein. He could find humor in letters. Plus he loved teasing the Pickerington readers about our love for the Steelers.
Roger Butler
To Roger: We, too, miss Ray dearly. The place hasn't been the same since he left. Legend.
On Cleveland baseball
Dear Brian: I read the story in Sunday's Dispatch about the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series, and the story did not include the nickname of the team at that time, Indians. To omit the Indians nickname in stories about past Cleveland baseball teams is sacrilegious to the game of baseball and offensive to many baseball fans, no matter what team they root for. You cannot erase the memory and the names of great Cleveland players such as Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby and all the other Cleveland players who wore the Indians uniform with the word Indians printed or written on it. The Indians are part of Cleveland baseball history. Your revisionist history of any sport or team to please the Woke crowd is not welcome here.
James Matuszak, Reynoldsburg
To James: The article was written by a fellow Gannett newspaper, The Repository in Canton, and the editors there followed a corporate guideline handed down in March 2021 to no longer use the previous nicknames of the baseball team in Cleveland or the NFL team in Washington, D.C. That includes any teams, including high schools or colleges, that currently uses those nicknames. As a writer who covered plenty of games involving those teams, I can tell you that makes the writing and flow of stories more difficult, but that's the company's guideline.
On Ohio State athletics
Dear Mr. White: According to the website, Ohio State fields teams in 36 NCAA sports. During his lengthy, twopart conversation with The Dispatch, OSU AD Gene Smith spoke about a grand total of one of those teams — or 2.8% of the OSU athletic arsenal. (OK, there was a tangential reference to hockey during a comment about facilities planning.) Takeaways include: Mr. Smith is extremely unhappy about the two-game losing streak to Michigan; his involvement with this particular OSU squad includes Friday sit-downs with the coach to eyeball the game plan and my eyes got blurry calculating the costs of NIL, winterizing the stadium, replacing the Woody Hayes Center, etc. Clearly, cash flow as much as college football and Mr. Smith's off-hand reminder that there are 30,000 area businesses (aka “donors,” perhaps?) was not lost on the readers. While Mr. Smith focuses on the daunting fiscal tasks ahead, I'm guessing there is a gaggle of associate ADS available to look after the other 35 sports?
Jon Armstrong, Columbus
To Jon: Yes, Smith has a large staff to take care of all of his sports. While I do think the money-maker that is football is most important to him, he does pay attention to the rest of the large department as an administrator.
To the editor: With few exceptions, Ryan Day has fostered a healthy and positive culture and attitude at Ohio State. You can gauge that by the recruits he has landed and the coaching staff he has maintained. The betting troubles of ex-buckeyes Rashod Berry and Nicholas Petit-frere would have put them so far into Day's doghouse that even Snoopy couldn't find them. You can bet on that.
Michael Oser, Columbus