Sunday, June 22, 2008

Tiger Woods's decision to have knee surgery and miss the remainder of the golf season will have a major impact on the PGA Tour, including his own AT&T National. But the disappointing news should not detract from Woods's marvelous accomplishment of winning the U.S. Open with a stirring playoff victory Monday over Rocco Mediate. Woods is, of course, invited to Congressional July 3-6 to just hang out.

You're absolutely correct that it's not healthy when one person/company/team controls the sports airwaves. I cannot listen to Dan Snyder's radio stations since the broadcasters, to me, seem to be under strict censorship guidelines. It's particularly sad to hear the former WTEM staffers working for Snyder sound like shadows of their former selves. I guess Snyder is adhering to the standard corporate model of, "If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em."

Eric Leifer, Washington

I don't think there's a law against another station emphasizing sports and taking on Snyder's stations.

* * *

I don't think it's healthy to have one person, especially a team owner, to have a lock on the sports airwaves. But at least Snyder's acquisition of WTEM will allow those of us who live in Washington to hear ESPN feeds again, various basketball games, and so on. The 730-AM broadcasts have poor reception.

Steve Kroll, Washington

It will be interesting to watch how Snyder's program directors operate and the choices they make.

* * *

I am a lifelong hockey fan having grown up on the "original six teams" of the 1960s and I think that the way that Olie Kolzig was treated at the end of the season was wrong. During the past six weeks, management rarely mentioned Kolzig, seemingly putting him out to pasture. Is this the same treatment Alex Ovechkin should expect when his career is ending?

Clarence Clark, Stafford

The Capitals can still do right by Kolzig, even if they're late by four months.

* * *

You mentioned on Sunday that "Potomac was the [Nationals] organization's first affiliate to clinch a playoff berth since the move from Montreal in 2005." The 2007 Dominican Summer League (DSL) Nationals Team 1 won the DSL Championship in 2007, defeating the DSL Yankees.

Brian Oliver, Alexandria

The Nationals consider the Dominican League a "summer league" -- not a full-season league.