Sometimes, the sins of the father are to blame
Huntington Station, L.I.: About one year ago, I wrote to this page about what I saw as a lack of respect by the victorious Indiana Pacer, Tyrese Haliburton, donning the Reggie Miller “choke” hoodie after his team eliminated a war-torn Knicks team in the playoffs. I now know where he gets his lack of sports etiquette: his father’s in-your-face flag-waving and jawing to gentleman Giannis Antetokounmpo is testament that the apple surely doesn’t fall far from the tree.
I believe these two moments shine a spotlight on a very real problem by some (specifically the Haliburtons) who believe belittling your opponent is the way to experience victory (see quote by the late, great Walter Payton). Being happy and celebrating like crazy — of course! Tyrese and father should have waited until after the game to engage in such behavior. Being a crazy Knicks fan, I realize the dig last year was personal for me. However, for Haliburton to show such disregard — yes, complete disrespect — to one of the greatest players in the game? When is that ever OK? Sure, your kid bested him to lead his team to the next level of play. So exciting! But your behavior, sir, will forever be associated with that win.
Heck, even Patrick Ewing and Miller were seen hugging during the recent Pistons games, with Shaq O’Neill yelling, “Don’t hug him, Patrick!” And although there has always been face-to-face jabbing between players, and even punches and actual fights, if you can’t summon the courage to shake the hand of your opponent, just go to the locker room. Nancy Macri Kennedy
Foreign-born victor
Queens Village: Congrats to Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty in a thrilling victory on a very muddy track. It was jockey Junior Alvardo’s first Derby win. He is very popular among his fellow jockeys. But I hear a very upset President Trump was watching. You see, Junior Alvardo is from Venezuela. I guess we can expect to see a Photoshop of MS-13 on his jersey or his knuckles! Lawrence Krasner
Unsportsmanlike behavior
Darien, Conn.: Kicking a horse is brutal. Beating one with a stick is vile. When will the horse ever get its chance to reciprocate? Dan Singer
Bad attitude
Manhattan: I’m not a big college football fan. I was unfamiliar with the top players in college. So, when I saw Shedeur Sanders telling the press before the NFL draft that he was the best and expected to be the No. 1 draftee, I immediately hoped he would be taken last. I do not like braggarts. I never have, no matter what sport. Cary Goodman, whose life’s work seems to be counting numbers of Blacks and whites, etc. and throwing the stats up in the air, would seem to think I am a racist (“Why the NFL fumbled the Sanders draft,” op-ed, May 4). Team officials who spoke anonymously about Sanders called him unprofessional, brash, arrogant and entitled. I wonder why they didn’t mention his race. Maybe it’s because race had nothing to do with it and they simply do not like braggarts. Steven Fromewick
Thanks for the laughs
Hallandale Beach, Fla.: I’m saddened to learn of the passing of Ruth Buzzi. She was a legend. She brought many smiles to the world. She was hilarious playing the lady with the handbag on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.” My condolences go out to her family and friends. Paul Bacon
Dirty laundry
Henderson, Nev.: Prince Harry’s latest pathetic attempt to get back in the good graces of England’s royal family has once again backfired. The boy just doesn’t learn. He had the nerve to say he has forgiven his family. Excuse me? They neither want nor need his forgiveness. Why can’t he just keep quiet and live his own life? Why is he always holding press conferences and airing past grievances? What an insincere showboat! David Tulanian
A problem at the start
Brooklyn: Whenever I read the smug pronouncements of Zionists like Voicer Richard Sherman that justify the horrors committed by Israel, I can’t help but remember the old TV show “White Collar,” where the con artist Neal Caffrey often gives lame excuses for his own bad behavior, whereupon his sidekick Mozzie says multiple times, “But Neal, you left out the part where you stole the painting.” So, when Sherman and others play victims, I empathize with Mozzie because Zionists stole Palestinian land. Humanity would be a lot better off if people heeded the Mozzies who inhabit this troubled world of ours. Nick Smith
Masked menace
Brooklyn: Let me get this straight: Republicans want protesters for Palestinian civil rights to be unmasked for the “safety” of the community, but are OK with masked ICE agents who refuse to show ID bursting into people’s homes to drag them away in unmarked vans? Make that make sense. Joe Ferra
Decision under duress
Rochdale Village: To Voicer Charles T. Compton: The deported mother of the 5-year-old child with cancer did not have knowledge that she was leaving the country. Of course she would’ve had the child’s chemotherapy continued! You should try to ascertain the facts while taking your head out of the Faux News bubble. Saul Rothenberg
Without means
Monroe, N.J.: The smug comment from Trump regarding tariffs on Chinese-made toys — that “children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls” — shows his complete inability to understand life in America. What about families that struggle to buy one doll for their children? Maybe in Trump World, Ivanka received 30 dolls as a gift, but that’s his world of excess, not real American life. Katherine A. Moloney
Embracing division
Utica, N.Y.: To Voicer JoAnn Lee Frank, who lavished so much praise on Trump’s supposed actions as president: People like you are the problem this country seems to have. You love to believe all the Trump lies, you love for him to destroy the Constitution, you love for him to makes friends with our enemies and turn against our friends, you love for an indicted felon to be above the law and rule like a king while you sit in your house — probably in some underground bunker hating and blaming all the “left-wing radical left Dems,” as you put it — and all this time, you’re a bigoted hypocrite who sows the hatred that Trump generates daily with his speeches. We need a real, law-abiding president who can bring the country together, not split us apart like a new civil war. Francisco Matos
Better off dead
Danbury, Conn.: I saw a great post on BlueSky and had to share: “William Henry Harrison had a better first 100 days in office than Trump. And he was dead for 70 of them.” Michael Eddy
Millions Thrown Away
Bronx: If the MTA needs to save money, it should stop paying thousands of people to sit in station booths and play on their phones for eight hours. These agents do not sell MetroCards. As a matter of fact, they perform no service to the public. Yet, each agent is paid an average of $60,000. Now the MTA has added two people to many stations who earn $23 an hour to stop fare-beaters. Does it work? Of course not. They have no authority to do anything to those who jump the turnstile. Even at night, crews that clean stations will have three to four employees cleaning while six others sit and watch. Millions of dollars are thrown away due to poor management. If the MTA needs to save money, it must start with its own mismanagement of money. Stephen Hill
Free rides
Brooklyn: Last week, I took the #79 bus from the Staten Island Mall to Brooklyn. I was surprised when the driver thanked me for paying my fare. On the way to Brooklyn, I found out why. I lost count of the number of people sneaking in the back door. Not just kids, but adults too. This is a disgrace. Vito Labella
Up late
Midland Park, N.J.: To Voicer Mary Caggiano: They are showing cartoons on TV in the middle of the night because you and others are awake! Anthony Merlino
