READERS WRITE

SATs in sports

Responses to “College athletes: Academic performance: Behind the lines on grades,” A1 and Sports, Dec. 28

Leagues should get involved

The AJC story was a reminder that athletes for years have enjoyed special admittance at universities with high-profile athletic programs. The solution is for the NCAA and institutions themselves to force the NFL and NBA to create a minor league system similar to that of Major League Baseball.

This would allow the talented athlete who is also academically marginal to pursue a career in professional sports when a college education was never a goal. For years the NBA and NFL have used colleges to finance their “minor leagues.” By implementing a minor league, colleges could eliminate “special admits” for athletes and still keep the “playing field” level to ensure competition for recruiting athletes remains fair.

JIMMY TAYLOR

Braselton

Give athletes same treatment

Athletic directors say that winning is necessary to remain competitive, and good players, coaches and facilities are necessary to win. University presidents will say that they are giving these young men “a chance they otherwise would not have” and that winning programs attract students and donations from alumni and others.

The reality is that many if not most of these young men will struggle in standard courses and will take classes created to keep them eligible to participate. A few will benefit and go on to solid careers outside athletics, having taken courses with real intellectual content. A small minority will end up in professional sports, but most will exit college with few skills, having been exploited to benefit the university.

There is only one way to change this situation and restore some semblance of integrity to the process, not that it has been “pure” in the past: Require all athletes to meet the same SAT average as their classmates before admission and before granting any athletic scholarship.

EDWARD A. WATKINS

Lilburn

New Falcons ‘nest’ would be a waste

The proposal to build a billion-dollar football stadium in Doraville (“GM site touted as Falcons’ new nest,” Page One, Dec. 25) when there is a perfectly good stadium in Atlanta is just another sign of our broken society where money is too often spent on things, especially real estate development, when it might be invested more productively in trade and manufacturing.

I also resent the way cities permit themselves to be held up by sports franchises, and my response is to let others watch the millionaire players while I attend amateur and high school events where players still play for the love of the game, not for love of their investment portfolios.

ROBERT J. THOMAS

Lilburn

Georgia GOAL a worthy objective

Thank you for the positive front-page article on the Georgia education income tax credit (“Tax credit plan yields few scholarships so far,” Page One, Dec. 27). My wife and I made contributions to Georgia GOAL for 2008 and plan to contribute again in 2009.

I have been frustrated in my attempts to get others to take advantage of this credit. The process is a little cumbersome and requires some effort. Hopefully, the article will encourage others to participate and help make scholarships available for deserving students.

T. KENT HAMMOND

Sandy Springs

Kennedy no less qualified than others

Why all the brouhaha about Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg seeking the Senate seat and her lack of experience? Democrats are about to elect Al Franken, a writer and comedian, to the Senate. Hillary Clinton had about the same level of legislative experience. As much as I disagree with Caroline Kennedy’s liberal views, how can she be worse than most of the others already in Congress, on either side of the aisle?

We all understand that politicians are primarily concerned with raising money to get re-elected. At least Kennedy, whose estimated worth is about $400 million, shouldn’t have her hand out, above or under the table.

EARL HIDER

Snellville

GMAC bailout perpetuates problem

GMAC is using bailout money to make credit easier to get. Isn’t too-easy credit what got us into the mess in the first place? After all the homes are foreclosed on, will repossessed cars be the next trend?

STEVE WARREN

Atlanta

Choice of Warren solely up to Obama

I didn’t vote for Barack Obama. I have, however, followed the controversy over his choice of Rick Warren to give the prayer at his inauguration. What right, God-given or constitutional, allows any group of people to protest his choice? Warren’s prayer will not be a political speech; it will not single out any group for discrimination; it will not interfere with the workings of government. It will simply be a request for guidance in the troubled months to come.

Wake up, America! This inauguration is Obama’s day. Your objections don’t count. I doubt whether Warren’s prayer will even be remembered as this nation faces the challenges ahead. It’s time to suck it up and move on. There are many more urgent matters to consider as this new presidency begins.

SUZANNE SWENSON

McDonough