This is in response to John Mehno's article "Giving thanks for good quarterbacks," from the Nov. 4 edition of the Mirror.
Like most people from this area, I am an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan.Ben Roethlisberger and his most recent opponent, Eli Manning, are both quarterbacks who I enjoy watching, and I cheer for both of them week after week.
Both the Steelers and the Giants have enjoyed successful seasons for the past few years, and I have to agree that both sports teams have a great deal to be thankful for in having these two exceptional players on their roster.
The Kansas City Chiefs, however, should be just as thankful for Brady Quinn.
I know Kansas City has not had the greatest start this season, but is it fair to not give thanks for their players as well?
Quinn struggled in the NFL, but that does not mean that the team needs to regret him. At Notre Dame, Quinn was an outstanding quarterback who holds countless records like the total number of touchdown passes and the total number of passing yards in a single season.
Along with an extensive list of records such as this, Quinn also received the prestigious Maxwell Award. I may not be a football coach, but the last time I checked, these statistics were not something you regretted.
Unfortunately, the NFL has not been the easiest transition for Quinn, but then again maybe he has simply not found the correct fit.
Mehno's article itself questions if Roethlisberger and Manning would have been as successful if they had been traded to each other's teams.
The answer to this question will probably forever remain a mystery, but the opposite can hold true for Brady Quinn. Maybe he has just not found his perfect fit yet.
At Notre Dame, Quinn proved there was something in him that a football team could be thankful for. Now he just has to find a team that will give him what Pittsburgh has given Roethlisberger and New York has given Manning.
If Quinn can find this fit, then the only people who will have regrets are the ones who refused to give him thanks earlier. The bottom line is that I still give thanks for being a Brady Quinn fan, and I have no regrets.
Jessica E. Mills
Huntingdon
Pirates' toughness needs sealed
I doubt that any of the Pirates' minor league players have been put through anything close to Navy SEAL type training.
In fact, I'm pretty sure they've never been put through anything like Marine Corps Boot Camp at Paris Island, S.C., where I was for 12 weeks in the summer of 1966 preparing for deployment to Vietnam before doing another four weeks of Advanced Infantry Training in North Carolina.
If you haven't been there and done it then I'd say that Navy SEAL type training might be a bit of a stretch. Being in great physical shape meant nothing, but when they talk about mental conditioning that's what the Marine Corps does best.
If the Pirates are serious about military style training, then there is still time for them to send some of their players through Marine Corps Boot Camp before spring training.
They'll be physically fit and as mentally tough as one can be.
And if some of those players don't make it in baseball, the Marines are still looking for a few good men.
Will Walk
Spring, Texas
