A.D. should get rid of Mackovic now, or be fired along with him

I am familiar with Cedric Dempsey (who hired coach Lute Olson) as my athletic director. This was the single best hire the university has made since its inception. In contrast, coach Mackovic must be the worst hire the UA has made since its inception. The athletic director must have the balls to admit his mistake and fire coach Mackovic or the President should fire them both.

Coach Mackovic should not blame his predecessor, who created two of the most successful years in UA football history with major bowl victories over Nebraska and Miami. He should not make whining comments like, "This one hurts the most." He should not cry over injuries. Injuries are part of the game.

Coach Mackovic needs to realize he does not have what it takes to win at the Division I level. Think about it. He could not contend for the national championship at the University of Texas. Texas has as much high school talent in football as I remember the UA has hot chicks. What a shame he could not score. His only legacy at the school is Route 66.

I do not keep up with all the scores of all the games he has coached for the Wildcats. However, I do realize the UA has been on the losing end of these routes more times the last two seasons than the state has built freeway miles.

Coach Mackovic sounded stiff on TV both as an announcer and on a two-part ESPN review of the previous season. This is not the man I want firing up my alma mater before a football game. BTW: What is up with the sideline coat and tie? He looks like a schmuck who is dressed for success; however, he is too stupid to realize he is dressed for the wrong profession. Coaches need to look the part. Otherwise, players feel like they need to be polite to address their professor. I want players with an attitude who want to place a focus on winning. I want players who are trained to contend for the national championship each year.

If the budget is tight, how about having coach Olson consider coaching both sports? The UA would have a better record in the Pac-10 under coach Olson than what coach Mackovic has mustered. Basketball season cannot start soon enough.

Bruce Lerner
Arizona Class of 1989

Budget woes just one reason UA should not be teaching abortion

In response to Nov. 7 full page ad on Students For Choice wanting our legislators to have UMC give abortion training: First of all, there is a budget crisis right now. Not every class is available, so why should a class on abortion training suddenly be available? Also, why should a class be taught on killing those least able to protect themselves? We all need to be grateful that our parents chose to give us life.

There is enough evil in this world without learning how to end defenseless lives. Yes, I am a Christian and I call it what the Bible calls it ÷ murder. I thank God that our medical center has concentrated on giving life and healing, rather than ending life.

Don Rohrback
grounds department

Extremist Israeli views are just as ignorant as extremist Islam

Recently, a friend of mine showed me a disturbing booklet that supported the most extreme and ignorant pro-Israeli views. The booklet's only purpose was to provoke hatred, and to justify the illegal and horrendous actions of the Israeli government against Palestinian civilians. When I asked him where he got this biased booklet filled with extremist propaganda, I was not surprised to hear that it came from the Arizona Israeli Alliance, but I was appalled to learn that the booklet could be picked up at Hillel.

Perhaps this helps explain why so many American Jews are convinced that Israel is right, that the Palestinians are wrong, and that it is as simple as that. Hillel should be ashamed of supporting the views of extremists and fanatics, instead of supporting moderate Jewish views that support dialogue and understanding.

Hillel is supposed to be a cultural center for Jewish students to come together and celebrate their culture, but some pro-Israel extremists are using it as a base to spread lies and propaganda. It is dishonest and deceiving to use such an organization to promote any political belief, especially one that is so radical. It is an abuse of the organization and the trust that Jewish students place in Hillel. Unfortunately, this deceitful tactic has proven to be very effective for Israeli extremists. They are in a position where they can hide behind a cultural organization, while promoting intolerant beliefs and dismissing any valid and appropriate criticism as anti-Semitic. Hillel is responsible for allowing itself to become corrupted and polluted with such ignorance.

Israel is a very important issue to Jews around the world. If Hillel feels the need to address the conflict in the Middle East, it should only promote those views that are worth supporting (i.e., Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel). Just like it would be wrong to claim that Hamas' view of the Middle East conflict is worthy of attention, it is also wrong to claim that those views held by extremist Israelis are worthy of any attention. It misleads some Jewish students to believe that as Jews they must support whatever the Israeli government does and that it is wrong to be critical of the Israeli government when it violates international laws and ignores human rights issues.

All people, regardless of race, should move away from extremists on both sides and support understanding and dialogue.

Armand Navabi
computer science senior

Durrani, media could take lesson in morality from Pakistani killer

The murder of innocent civilians for political means is continually justified by the media everywhere. The Wildcat is no exception. In an ignorant attempt to be considered open-minded or liberal, journalists have made great efforts to smudge the line between militant and murderer. Strangely enough, while Mariam Durrani is busy justifying militant Islam's killing of hostages in Russia, arguing we shouldn't use the term "terrorist" to describe them, a man who killed two CIA agents draws the line of acceptable use of violence very clearly.

In Friday's Wildcat ("Pakistani killer asks Muslims not to retlite for his execution"), Aimal Khan Kasi clearly stated that the murder of innocent civilians is morally reprehensible and never justified! This is coming from a man who walked in front of a car and shot to death two CIA agents in cold blood. Yes, that's right, even a murderer with misplaced hate toward Israel has greater moral sensibility than so many in the media who continue to minimize and justify the targeting and murder of noncombatants, namely women and children.

Seth Lesky
computer science sophomore

Calling Pink Floyd, Tool one-hit wonders a Îsacrilege' to sanity

If you want to do something so insane as calling Pink Floyd and Tool one-hit wonders (On the Spot, Nov. 12), you shouldn't be doing something like working for a campus newspaper ÷ you are committing a sacrilege beyond comparison.

Floyd is the epitome of rock greatness, and Tool has been around for almost ten years now, and is one of the most respected progressive metal bands in business right now.

Do you listen to music? Because if you do, then you really need to get your senses back on Mother Earth. If not (which seems to be the case here), then I am really sorry for you!

Hemant Badgandi
Ph.D student, biochemistry
and molecular biophysics

Campus needs to stop whining, get behind Wildcat football team

Uh oh . . . too many kids at the football game acting like they're at the new Learning Resource Center.

If you hit up the Homecoming football game like I did, you know something's up with Arizona, and it's not our rushing yards. Don't tune out quite yet girls, this letter's really for you.

I'm talking about the fans, the team, and the school. This was my first time back in three years, and it was depressing how flat the crowd and team were. What wasn't depressing was the abundance of fine little ladies. Thanks for the memories.

Then I log on to see a Wildcat online poll that says 52 percent vote that coach Mackovic should be axed after this year. Wow! That's harsh! Do those voters realize that half the team has been destroyed by injury this year? How about that this is the man's second year? Just like your pretty hair and nails, girls, building a team takes time.

And lord knows Arizona football is 10 times as exciting as in the Tomey era. Keep it up, Mac!

Here's my call to action: Step it up, Cats, whether you're a student, a player, a coach or a cactus. Don't go to a football game to "watch your team lose;" go to support them. Imagine what a little energy might do to spark your team's spirits. You've got one chance left: ASWho?

By the way, I had to tell the cheerleaders when something good had just happened; and, for the record, I annihilated Wilbur in a freestyle dance battle. I got spirit, yes I do. I got spirit, how 'bout you?

"Ranger" Rick Dickow
Arizona Class of 99

Sports column didn't rip band, letter writers are just Îconfused'

This is in response to letters written by Scott Pederson and Melanie Cooley, printed on Nov. 12 ("Band more important, athletic than some give it credit for," "Band members more athletic, appreciated than sports writers"). I am not going to get into the topic of band vs. athletics specifically, but as I read their letters, it became painfully obvious that some of their arguments were confused and poorly guided at best.

I'd like to start with asking just how Ross Hammonds "ripped apart" the song "Dead Man's Party." After apparently becoming personally offended by Mr. Hammonds's comments that it was an inappropriate song to play during that particular halftime, Ms. Cooley went on to defend the composer, Danny Elfman. What are you talking about? Nowhere did Mr. Hammonds say anything about the song itself or its writer. He didn't even say that he didn't like the song. I simply don't understand what that particular paragraph in Ms. Cooley's sarcastic tirade had to do with anything at all. It would be like me saying that beef is an inappropriate dish to serve to vegetarians, and then someone else refuting that point by saying that farmers raise other tasty foods such as chicken and pork. Yeah, it makes little or no sense.

My next problem deals with the point brought up that certain sports reporters have never tried marching in one of the band's shows. Since they have never tried this themselves, they obviously shouldn't be allowed to write about the physical endurance needed to perform such a task, right? This is akin to saying that Bob Costas shouldn't be allowed to commentate on professional basketball because he was never a member of the Lakers or 76ers himself. Hey, we shouldn't allow all of this Olympics coverage because none of those reporters have actually competed on the U.S. bobsled team or run the 100-meter dash against Maurice Greene.

Come on, this is their job. They do interviews with people who are affiliated firsthand with the sport or activity. They also didn't personally attack the fitness of band members. To quote a few things from Ross Hammonds, "Again, nothing about work ethic, it's always been about the songs," and, ". . . We don't question your dedication; we just sometimes question your selection."

Mr. Pederson, Ms. Cooley and anyone else thinking of writing a letter like theirs: It's nice to feel the need to defend something close to your heart, but try not to sound like a bumbling idiot while doing so.

Scott Bivens
operations management junior