Who's giving you a rash this week? Overpaid player? Underhanded agent? Obnoxious team owner? Some other sports wretch? Well, take your best shot. Sign your name, if you dare.
Just remember, Ray Buck, CBS SportsLine national columnist, has the last word. E-mail your comments to: rbuck@sportsline.com
E-mails over cocktails ... while readers try to get Dwight Gooden's number.
Oops, almost forgot. Hideo Nomo already has it. Too bad, Doc.
"Why, in that big bag of bull, didn't you print Gooden's and Seaver's lifetime winning percentages with the Mets? Seaver: (198-124) .615; Gooden: (157-85) .649. Now you feel stupid.
"If you've got something better and more truthful than your ditzy article, bring it on! I'd love to hear from you. If not, swallow the truth, know what you are and try to grow.
"By the way, guess who has a much better lifetime winning percentage Gooden or Greg Maddux?
"You could look it up."
(signed) Yours truly, Frank Alagno, a self-acclaimed Mets fan of 30 years.
Buckshot: Frank, let's talk. If I lie, you hallucinate. While you've shown you can add and divide, you're lousy on logic. Whom would you take? Gooden or Maddux? Thought so. As for making me feel stupid ... nice try.
(Editor's note: Despite an abysmal 8-28 start with the '86-87 Chicago Cubs, Greg Maddux (193-110) has a .637 career winning percentage ... and about three more Cy Young Awards than Gooden. Among active pitchers, Maddux also trails Roger Clemens (220-124) in winning percentage (.640) but none can touch Whitey Ford (.690), Lefty Grove (.680), Vic Raschi (.667) or Christy Mathewson (.665) among pitchers of the last 100 years.)
the difference between retiring a number and not reissuing a number?
"Dwight didn't expect to have his jersey retired just yet, but he sure didn't expect to have it reissued either. Can't blame the guy for being angry."
(signed) Matthew Reed
Buckshot: My point: It's an organizational decision -- not a former player's decision. Begging doesn't look good on Gooden ... or anyone else.
"If you're the Mets organization, why put your past behind you by issuing 16 to Nomo? Instead, embrace the history.
"Do you really think the Mets will never retire 16? Of course they will, but policy is to wait until a player's career ends completely before retiring a number. In the meantime, don't give it to someone else.
"Without being a shrink, I can tell you that's where Dwight feels like he's been slapped in the face, and I agree with him.
"In fact, it's bad enough Keith Hernandez's number 17 is being worn by Luis Lopez! Ugh!"
(signed) Sincerely, Matthew Wintner
Buckshot: Maybe the solution is to give a player the choice of any number he wants. Just remind him that the uniforms of past greats haven't been laundered.
"To me, 'accountability' means taking responsibility for your actions. Rodman never denied he went to WCW Monday Nitro, nor did he state someone else made him do it. This does not equal a lack of accountability in my book.
"Rodman is recalcitrant, irritating, and probably loony -- but he is accountable."
(signed) simpsome
Buckshot: Try telling that to Michael Jordan, who may have preferred spending his Monday between Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals playing 18 holes rather than talking to the press and practicing his jumpshot.
"Rodman's getting it done between the buckets. That's where it counts."
(signed) Florida Cubs fan
Buckshot: Too bad he has nothing between the ears. It counts there, too.
"I know people I can't stand, but I just let them be. Are you just making money on him? So, what does that make you? Or is it just the honesty of Rodman?
"Maybe people prefer a smooth-talking razzle-dazzler. Me? I'll take honesty any day."
(signed) bbeissel
Buckshot: Actually, I like Rodman -- in small doses. The problem with The Worm's honesty is that he needs a giant stage to perform it.
"I wonder if you are the whiner, because he complained about the media making too much out of nothing?"
(signed) maskio
Buckshot: No, no, not The Cellar! Marge Schott is down there!
"I don't know if I want my children to look up at sports figures, but they probably will. When they do, I hope they don't think this is how teamwork is defined."
"I'm afraid he will retire with his name in the Whine Cellar."
(signed) J.B. Palma
Buckshot: Among Whine Cellar alums, (b/member/whine/whinearc.htm) Rodman already has a place in history. He's three-peat offender ... and each time with a different colored 'do.