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What angers many Penn State fans and alumni is the way the media have portrayed a sex scandal involving a former football coach as an indictment of the entire university, the football program and Joe Paterno ["Penn State of Mind," Dec. 12]. The university should not cancel the 2012 football season any more than it should disband the English department if similar charges were brought against an English professor. I believe that at the end of the day, this story will be about one smart, devious pedophile and how we can prevent these tragedies in the future.
Jason Birnbaum, ALLENTOWN, PA.
Your Dec. 12 story on the Penn State scandal included imprecise information about the graduation rates of football student-athletes. You report that only Northwestern, Boston College and Duke graduate 90% or more of their football players. I know you limited your scope to 65 schools with "major-college-football programs." Still, it is difficult to understand how Notre Dame could not be considered a major program, and it's especially notable since according to the NCAA, we have had the highest graduation rate for the past five years.
Dennis Brown, Spokesman, University of Notre Dame, NOTRE DAME, IND.
A Woman's Place
I rarely agree with Joel Stein, but in the case of why women watch sports, I would have to agree that it is not to attract men ["A League of Their Own," Dec. 12]. I have a 75-year-old mother who has always been a football and baseball fanatic. She doesn't even know I exist when a game is on--very much the same treatment I get from my brothers. Her husband tolerates her obsession but, unlike some women referred to in your story, refuses to make her sandwiches.
Kimberly Merenz, RICHMONDVILLE, N.Y.
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