THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995 TAG: 9512060145
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines
Those hockey comments were so unsportsmanlike
Your ignorance of hockey (The Sun, Nov. 26) became apparent as soon as you compared Christians and hungry lions and hockey players. It always has been my belief that the Christians were thrown to the lions because they failed to accept a king or dictator as their spiritual guidance. Comparing a hockey game to such religious atrocities was inexcusable.
I suspect from this column that you do not support any type of sporting events. If you think hockey is barbaric, what about football? I guess the concussion Aikman received last year was just part of the game.
If you feel it is not adult to ``see if one can topple the other's block,'' I assume you feel Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Riddick Bowe are all juveniles. I'll let you take that one up with Evander yourself.
Talk about unsportsmanlike conduct - you've obviously never been to a baseball game where the benches have cleared for a brawl. I can only imagine the team manager was addressing the umpire with a comment on the weather. I could continue pointing out your inconsistencies in claiming hockey is not a sport, but I feel it would be a waste of my time and yours. You are truly not a sporting fellow.
You stated that you left as a woman was starting a fight with a security guard. That was no guard. We have Norfolk's finest men and women in blue present for all of our home games. There were less than five minutes left on the clock. Why did you stay so long if you thought it was such a waste of your time and money?
I enjoy the Hampton Roads Admirals. We have one of the finest franchises in the ECHL. Each of our players is a true gentleman. I have never seen or heard of any instances in which a player acted in a way to discredit the team or our area. These young men work and train too hard to simply wave off their efforts as uncivilized.
Hockey games are a great way to beat the winter. You are surrounded by friends and fellow fans. We support our home team! The night the Admirals won the Jack Riley Cup on home ice is a memory that still puts a lump in my throat.
I would suggest that, in the future, you at least try to learn a little bit about a sport before you try to slash, board, charge, hook or high stick it. One of these days, it just might come back to haunt you as an off-sides call.
Admirals are the best!
Rebecca Hobbs
Section 112, Row D
Caring, good humor marked Dr. Woo's life
It was with great sadness that I read of the passing of Dr. Hong Y. Woo. I consider his death a great loss, not only to the medical profession but to our community as well.
I recall the time, a number of years ago, when I worked part-time (mostly nights) in the old emergency room as ward secretary when Dr. Woo was on call for ophthalmology problems or other eye emergencies.
I remember how the room seemed to light up when the good doctor came striding in, always with a humorous aside, no matter how serious the injury seemed to be. Yet he efficiently, almost elegantly, solved most of the problems. A boy was brought in with a fish hook caught in his eye, and we all thought, ``Oh, God. He is surely going to lose his eye.'' Of course, we should have known better; the eye was saved!
I had many thoughtful conversations with Dr. Woo - some humorous, others serious - and I was always struck by his ability to combine superb professionalism with true compassion and, above all, never to lose sight of the funny ways of the world.
I remember once teasing him gently and asking, ``How is it, Doctor, that you are the only Chinese gentleman I've ever met who speaks with a Southern accent?'' He laughed heartily, saying, ``What do you want, honey chile? I was born and raised in Richmond!'' That cleared that, all right.
It seems that the mark of a fine physician and human being is not only his or her ability, but also how they are regarded by the staff, and Dr. Woo was certainly well loved. I am sure he will be long remembered and sorely missed.
Rest well, Doctor.
Renee H. Brady
Sadler Drive
Suffolk
Higher limits better, but boost enforcement
The column by Ronald L. Speer (The Sun, Nov. 30) contained a lot of realism, and I agree with everything he said, especially his statement that ``. . . perhaps it IS time to boost the speed limits, if they're enforced.''
I have been driving for 57 years and have always considered 65 mph to be a comfortable, controllable cruising speed. Nowadays, I set my cruise control for up to 62 for urban interstate driving, and just about everyone passes me. Of course, hardly anyone uses their turn signals. Fewer use them properly. We need more enforcement of non-speeding violations.
For urban interstates, I believe that 65 would be a good speed limit, with that raised to 70 or 75 on the rural interstates. Almost everyone drives at those speeds now. Speeds in excess of that could be controlled somewhat by lowering the reckless driving limit to 5 mph over the speed limits.
I believe enforcement would be easier because fewer people would exceed the limits. One sure way to limit excessive speeding would be to require manufacturers to install speed limiting devices on cars so that they could not exceed 75 mph.
Edward F. Unser
Oyster Bay Lane
Suffolk by CNB