We got this nice letter from a guy who grew up near Julio and who has since
disappeared into the vast North American populace. We're really happy to hear
from him. We'd like to take him up on his suggestion that those who
empathize with what Tamir Goodman and Harold Katz have been through recently
write Goodman and Katz through DBR. We remind you that, among other things, Katz
lost his job and has not profited from his relationship with Tamir. Some
people wrote in and said he was self-promoting. Well that's not very good
self-promotion if you lose your job and have some significant conflicts with
members of your faith. Tamir has learned some painful lessons, but so has
Katz.
Incidentally, we had a typo in that article. Where we had Gary
Williams saying "wll you let me finish talking godammit?"
we should have left the "godammit" out. That was in a nearby
line and it wasn't a quoted line and we got our lines crossed somehow.
Speaking of Gary, the Poop Sheet is out and there is a big feature on this
very issue and the Poop Sheet also is of the opinion that information was
"planted" in the Baltimore Sun. We think we had more specific
information, but their account of things generally parallels ours, so those of
you who think we're just bashing Maryland, there are other sources you can look
at, specifically the Poop Sheet and Ken Rosenthal's column. Our column and these
two basically discuss the same things.
Anyway,
please do write and wish these guys well. They've had a difficult time,
their characters have been smeared, and they've been pretty much called
fakes. They have paid a price, and it'd be nice if they knew that some
people were supportive.
Hey Julio and Bos,
You guys are really doing the right thing by Tamir and
I appreciate the effort you put into talking to Katz and publishing his side
of the story.
I would like to congratulate Tamir for his willingness to
fight for what he believes in. I think it is better that he was able to see
the true side of Maryland basketball before he actually started in the
program.
I am appalled at the way he has been treated. I am an atheist,
but I was heartened to hear of a kid with religious convictions so deep that
it was an easy choice to sit out games on Saturday. I was also glad to hear
that a major univeristy like Maryland did not consider that an obstacle.Â
Now that their story has changed, I hope that Maryland gets skewered by the
press,
the alums, and the public for lacking the very thing that makes Tamir
so great, a backbone.
Anyway, I am sure that there are many others
who feel the same way and would like to express their support for Tamir if
given the opportunity. Since your site would be an appropriate mouthpiece,
I propose you publish a request for notes and forward them to Katz or
Tamir.
Really, all I'd like to say is that I look forward to seeing him
play wherever he ends up going. Even if he turns out to be a mediocre
basketball player (not very likely), he will add more to a basketball
program than an athletic talent and mental midget like Steve Francis ever
will. Really I don't even care if he ever plays basketball again, I just
hope he doesn't give up.