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Letters to the Boston editor, June 10, 2011

Letters

Bad sports

I agree with Mark Jurkowitz (“Muckrakers in the Outfield,” News and Features, April 7) that there are mostly yes men reporting sports, but I’d focus my analysis differently. I’d focus on the control MLB and ESPN have — to manipulate info and stats — through MLB Advanced Media, political cronyism at ESPN, a complete breakdown of voting procedures in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and bias. I’m less enthralled about reports based on secret grand-jury testimony — there’s plenty available without going that route.

Susan Mullen
via thePhoenix.com

A fair wind
Once again, in “Enter the Wonk” (April 7) you have misstated the circumstances surrounding the rule that allowed Chris Gabrieli to obtain signatures from about 20 percent more delegates than he might otherwise have been able to do. Contrary to your article, the add-on delegates are not appointed: they are elected by the Democratic State Committee. Jim Roosevelt, our counsel, is not aligned with any candidate. His ruling was made strictly on the basis of the history and intent of the rule. It was not done to help or hurt any candidate. I am committed to running a convention that is straightforward and transparent. You may feel that certain decisions help or hurt your particular candidate, but everyone should know that I meet regularly with the campaign managers of all statewide candidates to discuss our actions in advance and to give them an opportunity to have significant input. The “resentment” you describe among delegates has been difficult for me to find. But I am sensitive to these concerns and I encourage delegates to contact me if they wish to communicate with me or our staff about them.

Phil Johnston
Chair, Massachusetts Democratic Party
Marshfield

Class act
As a fan of NECW and one of the male “lumpy” fans at the show in Framingham, I was shocked, but not surprised, that you would go out of your way to insult your potential readers (“Slam-bam Ma’am,” March 24). The reporter obviously realized that the fans in attendance were not the class of people that read your rag. They are not the type of people to hire the prostitutes that advertise in your paper. These are the people who would rather read the true news as reported in the Boston Herald or the Boston Globe. I have never read your paper in the past and won’t in the future, either, because of the ignorant attitude and disrespect shown in this one article.

J.P. Griffin
Via thePhoenix.com