Pete Rose, gambling and the hypocrisy of MLB

Re: “Baseball icon: Pete Rose found a home in Vegas,” Oct. 2 sports story

Pete Rose’s passing is another reminder of baseball’s hypocrisy regarding gambling. On the one hand, Pete Rose, one of the greatest players in baseball history, was denied the opportunity to be in the Hall of Fame. MLB needs to get a grip on reality — since when has good character been a criterion for HOF membership? If that were the case, some people (notably Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth) would not have been elected.

In my opinion, the HOF is a travesty without the inclusion of Pete Rose, warts and all. By the same token, there are other great players who should be included (e.g., Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens).

Then there is the hypocrisy. Today, a primary sponsor of MLB is the gambling industry. We are inundated with gambling ads when we watch baseball games. In fact, all of the professional sports have the gambling industry as a major sponsor. So, it’s OK for sports fans to have a gambling addiction, with all of the obvious repercussions, but the athletes are not allowed to gamble. I get that there is a “slippery slope” when it comes to athletes betting on their sports, so I really don’t object to the restraints on the athletes. However, the professional sports industry should not encourage fans to gamble.

James W. Craft, Broomfield

Glen Canyon Dam: a monument to “stupidity”

Re: “When Lake Powell reaches “dead pool,” tear down the Glen Canyon Dam,” Oct. 2 commentary

Thanks for publishing Zak Podmore’s opinion piece, published with the headline “When Lake Powell reaches ‘dead pool,’ tear down the Glen Canyon Dam.”

Zak gave Post readers a thoughtful update on the situation at Lake Powell and a well-informed view of what needs to happen if Colorado River flows do not increase significantly.

He specifically did not state that the Glen Canyon Dam should be torn down. I wonder if the headline writer even read Zak’s piece. I don’t think any of the many serious people who are trying to figure out what to do about the Colorado River problem advocate tearing down Glen Canyon Dam.

Aside from the tremendous cost of demolishing the dam and carting away 4.9 million cubic yards of concrete, leaving the dam in place as a monument to the stupidity of building giant cities in the middle of harsh deserts is much more appealing.

Let’s just dig tunnels at the bottom and let the river flow on as if the dam were never built.

Eric T Gertler, Boulder

Why make toll lanes confusing?

Re: “Drivers hit road blocks trying to dispute fines,” Sept. 27 news story

Thank you for this article exposing the sham of the fine system for C-470.