A Letter to Myself

I was sitting in an editor’s meeting one day when the topics of writing of letters to the newspaper came up and someone made the comment that I should write a letter. To myself. I laughed at first with everyone else but soon thought it might be a good idea. There are a lot of things I would like to say, to well, me. So here we go.
Dear Mr. Grandeur: I have been reading your column since it began over a year and half ago. I would first like to say that I am very impressed that you continue to publish despite the fact that you’re payment for it is about the same as everyone’s favorite baseball Fenway Park snack: peanuts. I’m also impressed that you continue to publish despite the fact that you’re reading base is probably no bigger than the average attendance at a Memphis Grizzlies’ basketball game. But all that aside, I would like to say that your column as great points and the dumb comments; the same kind of ups and downs as the greens at Augusta.
The thing that you do the best is remind us all of what sports are all about. You remind us that is more than just a game. You remind us that it is part of our culture, part of who we are; that sports builds the relationships that last forever. You remind us that sports give us something bigger than we are as individuals because it brings us together.
Of course, you bring up the question of whether sports and culture should clash. Your takes on John Amaechi’s coming out, Michael Vick’s and Don Imus’ legal troubles and Kelly Tilghman’s comments raise issues that many of us have trouble dealing with. Do you bring our society justice by taking a candid look at these stories or are you just another sportswriter with a blowhard opinion.
And with those opinions, your sarcasm is almost overwhelming. It’s funny yet bridges absurdity at times. Do you really mean what you say or do you have an underlying message or is it just your only way to be funny.
You also stick up for the privileged and the powerful. It’s almost reverse-charity. You root for the favorite and despise the underdog because you would rather see greatness prevail than an upset destroy it. You back those being accused, like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, when everyone would want to see them fall because of they have supposedly done harm to the game. You make the tough decision of upholding the laws of the land before you protect the sanctity of the game.
So Mr. Grandeur, we have come to admire and admonish your column. We appreciate the passion you have for the game even if it borders on obsessive. We like that you have an opinion even if we sometimes despise it. And maybe that’s we keep reading, you say what you think is right. Its why love you and love to hate you all at the same time.
P.S. If you ever actually do make a nice buck of this column, please remember us.