> > People like Miss McNeill have no business in any academic instituoon >in a democratic society. She would have been very comfortable working in >Nazi Germany or behind the Iron Curtain. >
Okay, Ed, you need to get a grip. While I don't think I entirely agree with McNeill, she has a point. I was basically a walk-on at the U. of Texas in 1986-87 (they gave me some books to get around a stupid admission requirement), and, while I love telling people I ran track for the Longhorns, the truth is I contributed absolutely nothing to the team in the one year I ran, and it's questionable whether I ever would have. I might have broken 15 minutes in the 5K before I graduated if I had kept it up -- not the kind of time that will ring up points at the NCAAs. Most of my fellow walk-ons also contributed about as little as I did (which is not to say they didn't work very hard). The only notable exception was Harry Green, who became an All-American distance runner. Frankly, I don't think Harry really disproves her point, though -- let's face it, a kid who ended up running in the 28-minute range in the 10K (maybe sub-28, I can't remember) probably would have found his way onto the team one way or another. While I thought McNeill's assessment of walk-ons was a bit on the harsh side, I find your assessment of her offensive and vulgar. If you think she deserves to compared to Nazis or Iron Curtain Communists, maybe you need to consult your history books and refresh your memory about the crimes they committed. Your perspective is a way off. -- Lee Nichols Assistant News Editor The Austin Chronicle 512/454-5766, ext. 138 fax 512/458-6910 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/authors/leenichols.html
