Nothing fair or equitable for Maryland taxpayers I read...

Nothing fair or equitable for Maryland taxpayers

I read in The Sun on July 7 about the Orioles winning their dispute with the Maryland Stadium Authority, claiming disparity in their stadium deal vs. the Ravens' deal.

Now, let me see if I have this picture right. The taxpayers of Maryland pay to build both of the stadiums at practically no cost to the owners of either team. Next, the officials, elected by the taxpayers, grant sweetheart concessions, bonuses and freebies to the team owners to entice both teams to play in the taxpayer-built stadiums.

Then the taxpayers pay handsomely, including, in some cases, permanent seat license fees, for the privilege of being spectators at sporting and other events held at these stadiums.

Finally, when it comes time to name the stadiums, the owners are given sole and absolute authority to name, or sell the naming rights, of the stadiums to whomever they wish, and they get to keep every red cent of the profit from those deals.

The taxpayers and the fans have absolutely no say in picking the name, nor do the taxpayers benefit from the sale of naming rights. Do I have it right so far?

Really sounds like a good deal for the taxpayers and fans, doesn't it? God bless our governor, the Maryland Stadium Authority and all of our elected officials for standing up for the taxpayers and fans of Maryland.

Talk about fairness and equity!

Ron Parsons

Glen Burnie

Obnoxious Yankees fans will keep this fan home

I would like to respond to Brian L. Greenwald's recent letter to The Sun regarding the lack of Orioles fans at Orioles-Yankees games at Camden Yards. From a recent experience, I now know why many Orioles fans do not attend these games.

My family and I had the misfortune of attending the Orioles-Yankees game on July 5. We were seated in left field and surrounded by obnoxious, rude and disgusting Yankees fans.

A Yankees fan sitting two rows behind us decided to taunt my 7-year-old son and call us "Baltimorons." He then proceeded to make a lewd gesture toward my son.

Needless to say, we will not be attending any more Yankees games at Camden Yards. I would tear up the tickets and throw them away before selling them to Yankees fans.

Robin Holevas

Baltimore

Orioles much more than `one player away'

Having seen the Orioles' pathetic performance recently against the Yankees, I am convinced that the attempted brainwashing from the sports announcers and talk shows about the team being "one player away" needs a lot more said.

In Baltimore, if you can't beat the Yankees you should give up your job, and that applies to the manager as well as the owner.

It is extremely frustrating to sit in the stands and watch the Orioles always find a way to lose. It seems moreover that the stands are being filled more and more by Yankees fans.

As patsies of the Yankees, we are becoming a Yankee Stadium outside of New York.

Raymond D. Bahr

Ellicott City

Long gone? Sampras remains a champ

I am an avid reader of The Sun's sports section. However, the issue on July 3 had an article by Bill Glauber that sported a headline: "Sampras: Lawn Gone." Cute headlines like that bother me.

Also, the article stated, "With bald patches in his once thick black hair, his legs not quite as quick and his serves not quite as devastating, Sampras looked, at 29, like a spent champion, making way for [Roger] Federer, making way for the future."

The paint had hardly dried on his loss and now Sampras is long gone? It reminds me vaguely of Shakespeare's line, "The good that we do lies interred in our bones and the bad that we do lives after us."

Glauber's articles smelled of the "what have you done for me lately" attitude. Sampras is a legend on the lawn. The American fans' love for him is as perennial as the grass.

Diane Kohan

Hamilton