Sounders' Express goes nowhere fast at all

Did you hear the one about how almost 67,000 people sneaked into Qwest Field for a Sounders game and Sound Transit didn't know about it?

After the Sounders FC and Barcelona game, just when I was thinking Seattle's making it with mass transit, Sound Transit proved it can't handle a mass of only a few hundred people. The Sounders' Express (express what?) Route 550 Eastbound stop in the tunnel was so packed people gave up and stood in another line of a couple hundred upstairs waiting for regular bus service before giving up and resorting to taxis. The transit authorities were entirely unable to find extra buses to handle the surprise. The only representative there was unsupported and only had the solution of complaining to customer service. Do you think they would cover taxi fare?

After waiting almost two hours and watching only three Route 550 buses come through, we caved and spent money on a taxi.

Seattle Sounder FC needs to ask Sound Transit to change the name of the Sounders' Express service so there's no confusion about who's lagging on the field.

-- Don Chase, Bothell

An example of why many don't take public transit

I would just like to call attention to Sound Transit's failure of service after the August 5 Sounders' game.

Sound Transit didn't add extra buses to the night routes, despite e-mails from the Sounders and other outlets calling for people to arrive early and use mass transit.

At least 500 people were waiting for the Route 550 bus to Bellevue at the tunnel stop after the game, and the buses ran every half-hour. Not only does this decrease appreciation for the system and repeat riders, it caused a legitimate safety concern with people trying to force themselves on the bus through many families and their children.

I was lucky to get on the second bus to arrive at 10:30 p.m. But I am sure there were many people who waited for at least another hour to get home.

This lack of foresight or display of ignorance is unacceptable and is an example of why people do not want to ride public transit in Seattle.

-- Chris Tezak, Bellevue

Safeco doesn't need strip club neighbors, neither does Sodo

Editor, The Times:

I agree with your rationale in your editorial about the strip club moving near Safeco Field ["Safeco Field's raunchy neighbor," Opinion, July 1].

Children walk along First Avenue to go to Seahawks, Sounders and other Qwest Field events in addition to Safeco events because parking is available to the south in Sodo.
But regarding the comment that other "areas of Sodo" might be appropriate for the strip club: Well, we are already considered as the dumping ground of the city for operations nobody else wants. So, why not strip clubs too?

I don't think so. We are a vital, diverse and critical area of the city, and strip clubs should not be part of our future. Besides, our outdated zoning laws currently on the books won't allow it outside of the stadium area.

-- Mike Peringer, Sodo Business Association president, Seattle

Editorial didn't need swear word

Your harangue on Safeco Field's new strip club neighbors was fine reading until the word "damn" near the end. As it was used, it was inappropriate, unnecessary, superfluous, extraneous and also not needed, either. (Am I like you, being paid by the word?)

In your use, it was merely a classless swear word.

-- Don Riggs, Bellevue

Some new lines for the seventh-inning stretch

How about some new lyrics for an old standard?
"Take me out to the ballgame,
Take me out for some porn,
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
On the way home let's get a lap dance!
Now it's root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame,
But we'll bump, grind and watch a pole dance,
Near the old ballgame!"

-- Dianna Worth, Seattle

Strip club fiasco slight compared to Safeco's cost

Here's another moralistic harangue: Roughly a third of $1 billion in cost overruns during Safeco Field's construction were paid for out of public funds, against the will of the people as expressed in a ballot. To my knowledge, nobody has ever been indicted.

Workers, even sex workers, drawing a wage for services performed doesn't "insult and offend" me, but grand theft does and so does malfeasance in office. If the fans can stomach that, a little commercial sex should roll right off their backs.

-- Rod Klise, Bremerton

City officials must protect public

Strip clubs and family-oriented ball parks are not supposed to mix. Our elected officials have seriously failed us if a nude-dancing club is allowed only 400 feet away from the entrance of Safeco Field.

Where are our elected officials? How is it that the Seattle Mariners and the Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District are representing the public's interest in maintaining a high-quality civic experience surrounding Seattle's premier baseball park?

The City Council was supposed to carefully craft an ordinance that upheld our constitutional right to keep these two diametrically opposed venues from converging. If they have failed to do so, they must act quickly to correct their error.

As taxpayers, we funded this beautiful stadium to enhance the quality of our civic experience. We pay to enjoy the wholesome family pastime of watching professional baseball.

Now we must tell our city officials we expect our investment to be maintained.

-- Denise Derr, Seattle

Congrats to No. 1 Lawrie and team

UW softball pitcher Danielle Lawrie is the toughest competitor the Seattle sports scene has ever seen, bar none ["Champs!" page one, June 3]. No one holds a candle to her determination and ability to get the job done.

Congratulations to the entire Husky women's softball team on its national championship. This was a huge victory for the current team and all those who came so close before them.

-- Tom Spille, Kirkland

Ain't no stopping us now

I equate the re-signing of Lauren Jackson to the election of Barack Obama. Hope has returned to the Seattle Storm, as hope returned to our nation as we embrace the policies of our new president.

Well, I can't equate Jackson to our new president, but symbolically, she brings hope to my heart as we begin our only professional basketball season. This is such wonderful news; I may even purchase season tickets once again.

I am overjoyed that Jackson has returned home. She has shown me and all of her fans that she has true character.

As the Seattle Super Sonics' theme song went in the 1979-1980 championship season, "ain't no stopping us now" that we have LJ and company ready to win another WNBA title!

-- David Martin, Lynnwood

Thank legislators for school-funding problem

Why is it that school supporters always attempt to make it an argument about funding schools versus funding for sports stadiums? ["Time to put education ahead of sports," Opinion, Christine Johnson-Duell guest commentary, April 27] Sports fans never argue that we are providing too much money for schools. Why can't we have both?

I agree that teachers are underpaid and that class sizes need to be smaller. We also need more innovation in our schools and more effective methods in teaching.

State legislators didn't overturn the will of the voters with regard to funding Safeco Field and Qwest Field. The voters rejected a sales-tax increase to pay for those two facilities. The state implemented taxes on hotels and restaurants. Now the stadiums are funded mostly by tourists and not state residents. Some of these tourists or business people will stay additional days to take in sports events, increasing the money they spend while in Seattle. The stadiums are revenue-generators because of the taxes that are assessed on tickets and franchise fees paid by vendors, regardless of the financial conditions of the sports teams.

A 1 percent tax on the Seattle Mariners, as proposed by Christine Johnson-Duell, is absurd. The Mariners lost 101 games last year and also lost millions of dollars at the gate. This makes as much sense as taxing Boeing, Amazon or Microsoft, all of which lost money in the past year's economy.

We should keep funding our stadiums by taxing visitors to our state and not state taxpayers. As for school funding, we should thank our gutless legislators for not addressing the problem.

-- Stan Terry, Shoreline

Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times

The Safeco Field faithful stand and cheer Brandon Morrow as he closes out the ninth inning against Tampa Bay last week.

Editor, The Times:

Hooray for Christine Johnson-Duell! She has come up with a reasonable means to help fund education through a 1 percent tax on sports ["Time to put education ahead of sports," Opinion, guest commentary, April 27].

Most of our legislators seem to think that sports are more important than education. In this time of economic distress, it seems that the 1 percent tax is a great idea. Johnson-Duell is so right on about the alarming habit of the Legislature ignoring voter mandates and doing what they want despite what the majority votes.

I fail to understand the Legislature's thinking in passing the megabillion-dollar tunnel and cutting the education budget to the barest of bones. We, the voters, have said no to a tunnel and again we will have to sit back and take it while our schools continue to suffer.

I say let's tax those sports teams that have been receiving welfare for the rich for many years.

-- Nancy Dickerson, Seattle

Funding not tied to better education

I'll put aside the fact that Christine Johnson-Duell's premise is flawed -- no state money has gone to Safeco Field that might have been used elsewhere, such as education.

She acknowledged in her guest commentary that the stadium is revenue-positive for local and state government, not to mention local businesses. The real issue is that there is no correlation between dollars spent and the success of the educational process. Check the funding levels in Washington, D.C., against results.

Certainly, teachers want to make more money and have smaller class sizes. Why not? But at the end of the day, these likely won't improve education in some schools.

Real education improvement will only occur when the issues raised in Walter Backstrom's excellent piece in the April 27 Tacoma News Tribune (also in the April 25 Federal Way Mirror), "Faith can elevate education levels for blacks," are honestly dealt with.

The issues Backstrom confronts in his article, including parents who don't care, teachers who can't teach, poverty, drugs, no fathers and no positive role models, and others, are unlikely to be resolved through increased education funding.

I believe his message applies wherever these issues arise. A different type of community problem-solving will likely be necessary and I suspect money is the least critical resource.

-- Darrell Fisk, Federal Way

Ridiculous, clouded in secrecy

Sen. Ed Murray's Substitute Senate Bill 6116 was a ridiculous bill clouded in secrecy from the beginning ["KeyArena bill 'really dead,'." NW Thursday, April 23].

Moreover, it was a weak and foolhardy attempt to extend a tax for purposes not explicitly stated in the bill. This isn't a Cougs vs. Dawgs issue, as he would have people believe; this is about good government in very trying times.

What I find most deplorable about Murray's new, personal-vendetta amendment is the idea that it is OK for 6116 to try to literally slip one past taxpayers without a vote, but the idea that Washington State University students who voted to have fees applied for a specific purpose may be overruled by a petulant politician with a grudge.

While I applaud Murray's work on many of the real issues facing our citizens, the notion that he has time to come up with something this ridiculous not once, but twice, is great disservice to the people he represents.

-- Max McCain, Seattle

Chris Joseph Taylor / The Seattle Times

Washington wide receiver D'Andre Goodwin dives for some extra yards as he is tackled by a Washington State player during the first half of last year's Apple Cup at Martin Stadium.

Consider impact on fans with limited assets

Editor, The Times:

Ryan Blethen's commentary on moving the Apple Cup to Qwest Field was right on ["Apple Cup not about a 'Qwest' for money," Opinion, editorial notebook, April 21].

My only addition would be to add the impact to hundreds, if not thousands, of loyal Coug fans in the Palouse who, if they had limited financial or physical assets, would never see another Apple Cup if unable to travel to Seattle in the winter.

-- Ed Hall, Bellevue

Other options to fund Husky renovation?

For months I have read and listened to countless WSU alumni object to the concept of allowing the city of Seattle to raise tax money for the renovation of Husky Stadium. Imagine my shock, then, when I read unabashed Coug fan and Seattle Times heir Ryan Blethen's editorial notebook opposing moving the Apple Cup to Qwest Field, a move that would generate $4 million a year for the two schools from a private source.

Since the concept of using private-party money to help fund the infrastructure costs of an otherwise entirely self-sustaining Husky athletic program is apparently unappealing to Blethen, what legitimate option does he support?

Does Blethen favor using state-generated tax dollars to renovate Husky Stadium, as was done for WSU's Bohler addition, the Hollingberry renovation or countless other athletic projects on WSU's campus?

Or does he support a long-term athletic subsidy for UW, such as the $1-2 million used to prop up WSU athletics each year for at least the past 20 years?

Or does Blethen favor using locally generated funds, as has been suggested by the task force examining the acute need for renovating Husky Stadium?

The only thing clear after reading this particular editorial notebook is that the allegiance of our one remaining print newspaper continues to be anti-UW and pro-WSU. Yes, the Blethen family are "proud Cougs" and yes, The Seattle Times is a not-so-neutral newspaper.

-- Howard Mawhinney, Bellevue

All for money and beer

I believe that Husky Stadium and Qwest Field are about the same size. Unless ticket prices rise astronomically, the "gate" should be about the same. It doesn't seem like TV revenues would be any more than before.

Husky Stadium is the more beautiful setting. The only difference that I can see is beer and concessions. An extra million each, just because beer could be served? Any other plausible explanations?

-- Steven J. Albright, Seattle

Vic Condiotty / The Seattle Times

Husky quarterback Gene Willis (14) eludes tacklers in the 1969 Apple Cup.

Editor, The Times:

Where are the Cougar fans? Why are the Husky fans pushing for the Apple Cup to be played permanently in Seattle? ["Apple Cup at Qwest: It makes dollars and sense," Sports, Steve Kelley column, April 19] This is to their advantage, not ours.

What is the one thing that every die-hard Cougar fan hopes for before every Apple Cup in Pullman? Snow! It won't be happening if it's always played in Seattle. Yes, this past winter we had snow at the most inopportune times, but do you really think Cougar fans could count on snow in Seattle for the Apple Cup?

This plan was thought up by people hoping for better weather and a home-field advantage for the Huskies every year. Gov. Chris Gregoire will probably support it, but remember, she's a Husky. She may be the governor of the state of Washington, but when the Apple Cup comes around, she doesn't root for Washington State.

Yes, they would trade off on which team wore the home colors, but let's be honest: Who would really be the home team every year? Not Washington State.

Money is listed as a primary reason to endorse this deal. The schools would each make more money than they do now, but what about the merchants in Pullman or even Spokane? They rely on the influx of fans for their livelihood. In today's economy, don't we need to think about them, too?

Cougars, remember the times you had in Pullman? Have you shared them with your family and friends? Don't you enjoy going back? If the Apple Cup comes to Seattle permanently, you may not get back to your roots.

To paraphrase the words of WSU President Glenn Terrell when he spoke at a freshman orientation I attended, no matter where you go in life and what you do, "once a Cougar, always a Cougar." Wear that with pride and remember there is no better home away from home than Pullman.

-- Richard Johnson, Everett

Move all games, save on renovation

What a great idea ["Apple Cup on the move?" Sports, April 16]. It will generate school revenue of $2 million each versus $240,000 to $800,000.

Why not move all of the Husky football games to Qwest Field? This makes economic sense. Can they tear down Husky Stadium and save on the planned renovation? The stadium area could be used for expansion.

Cost estimates for the renovation of Husky Stadium range from $150- 600 million for a new stadium. There are seven home games planned for this season. The $150 million estimate equals $21 million per game the first year! What a waste.

Tear it down, use Qwest Field for the home games and use the land at Husky Stadium for university expansion. Doesn't this make sense?

-- Joseph A. Sasenick, Seattle

Is tradition irrelevant?

So, the Apple Cup deal is about money? Seriously, from a financial perspective the Cougs have been bankrupt for 30 years. They play in the smallest stadium, rarely on TV, in the coldest weather, 70 miles from the airport and a world away from big recruits. They go .500 if we're lucky and cash the financial windfall of the Sun Bowl every fourth year.

Nobody would argue that it has ever been about money. It is about forcing teams to play in a place that they hate, giving away 45 points, and winning by two in the ice and wind.

If tradition is irrelevant, maybe they should just play in Husky Stadium for six years and actually wear Husky uniforms. Or better yet, put Obama and a spotted owl on the helmet and play at Berkley.

If they want money this way, they can't have any more of mine.

-- Eric Meyer, Tempe, Ariz.

Wakamatsu article appreciated

Thank you, Jerry Brewer and The Seattle Times, for a great article ["A phenomenal legacy," page one, April 5] and a feel for what "news" can be.

I saw the headline about murdered kids ["5 kids slain in Graham," page one, April 5] and said to myself, "I am going to cancel this paper." I am so tired of papers and television mistaking the reporting of murder and mayhem as news. We create the emotional context for our lives by what we choose to celebrate.

Thank you for celebrating the courage, humor, talent, toughness, humility and humanity of the Wakamatsu family.

-- David C Hall, Seattle

Stop paying insane salaries for coaches

Our schools are woefully short of money for many of their core functions -- and yet they keep paying insane salaries for their sports coaches ["Bennett leaves WSU, accepts job at Virginia," page one, March 31] while there is less and less money available for students and teaching staff.

When do we finally realize that the primary function of our schools is not to run a sports business, but to teach? It is a myth that school sports bring in money; when all costs are counted, most school sports are breaking even at best.

Let our institutions of higher learning, once the envy of the world, focus again on teaching, for which we need the best teachers, not grossly overpaid sports coaches.

-- Wolfgang Mack, Seattle

A call for helmets on the slopes

Sonny Bono, Natasha Richardson and thousands of other skiers have lost their lives for the simple fact they are moving at highway speeds on nothing other than skis ["Natasha Richardson, 45, of British acting dynasty," News obituary, March 19].

Just like ballplayers and motorcycle riders never used to wear helmets, it makes no sense for skiers to wear no protection simply because it is tradition or inconvenient.

Moving here after growing up on the aptly named Plains, I always wanted to learn to ski. Since then, I've met too many people who have some skiing-injury horror story that eventually changed my mind.

For those who still want to ski, it really is time to consider requiring approved helmets on the ski slopes. Ski resorts will enjoy lower liability costs and these all-too-common tragedies may not end with so many devastated families and friends.

-- David G. Wright, Seattle

Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times

Jon Brockman stays well-grounded by remembering where he comes from, and returning there often. His parents keep a room in their Snohomish home with a small sampling of his awards.

Helping children with special needs

Editor, The Times:

How refreshing it was to see a front-page article on Jon Brockman, Snohomish's "Hometown Hero" [March 6]. In these days of so much gloom in our news, it was a treat to have an article about a wonderful human being.

Obviously, he has been a prime motivator for his Washington Husky teammates. His love of family and care of community are strong.

I had the privilege of getting to know Brockman when he was in middle school. He volunteered with an after-school program I organized for our athletes with special needs. He was at our weekly sessions both pre- and post-basketball season for several years from middle school until high-school graduation.

He came to our annual "Sno-Wheels Games." He often would be there early to help set up the gym, do registration and lead our Pledge of Allegiance.

When he became a Husky, he continued to come to our games and lead the Pledge. He worked with the athletes on basketball skills; the athletes always loved playing with Brockman.

-- Elinor Vandegrift, Kenmore

Get a clue

This morning at breakfast I was talking to my son, who is home from college for the holidays, when he told me that Congress was considering taking action to abolish the Bowl Championship Series system ["Despite economy, a record 34 bowl games this year," Bud Withers staff column, Dec. 14]. I was speechless.

There are a lot of serious problems facing the country but, I'm sorry, college football playoffs is not one of them. The fact that even a single member of Congress would propose addressing such an issue is very telling as to why the country is in such trouble.

Having failed to address important issues like Social Security, Medicare and the astronomical medical costs in the country, and having done a miserable job with addressing the financial meltdown, one can sort of understand why they might want to tackle something like the BCS system.

Hearings could go on for weeks keeping them busy, and in the end, regardless of what they came up with, they could declare a win. A "win" in Congress is desperately needed to help justify the pay raise they recently voted themselves.

Meanwhile, increasing numbers of taxpayers are becoming non-taxpayers as they lose their jobs, but they can take solace in the fact that our Congress will be addressing college-bowl playoffs to make them more fair.

-- Jim Beaty, Seattle

Ineffective and inefficient

The Seattle Public Schools' case against Tony Wroten has four huge problems: First, the district needs to learn something about statistics. The rule states that four nights of seven must be spent in the district. It does not say that four of every seven random days must be spent in the district. If exactly three out of seven of all nights over an extended period are spent out of district, randomly distributed, a child will spend two or fewer nights out of seven in the district about a quarter of the time ["Garfield students march to protest Tony Wroten's dismissal," High School Sports, Dec. 13].

Second, due process was totally denied. A district lawyer acted as judge, jury and executioner. Nights away from home are not random. If, as I have heard alleged, Tony's mother was out of town on business for some of the time period in question, or if Tony, like most teenagers, had a number of sleepovers, in or out of district, or if Tony lent his car, the case has a problem. The school district convicted without asking the questions.

Third, the "dew" evidence is suspect. A well-heated car parked late will have less dew than the surrounding cars. Finally, the persecution is hardly random. Of the 2,000 students at Garfield High School, how many were investigated? Sounds like profiling.

Whoever is responsible for this travesty needs to be held accountable, whether appointed or elected. This rogue persecution has two victims: a teenage boy who was jerked out of school without due process and the Seattle school community.

How is the district served by spending far more than it costs to educate a student on persecuting him while also doing millions in public-relations damage? The district needs to spend its scarce resources on education, not self-destruction.

-- Randy Cerf, Seattle

Smarter than a fifth grader

There has been an avalanche of commentary regarding the now infamous dew-marks portion of the Tony Wroten investigation.

While we can debate whether or not the investigation should have been conducted, we cannot refute the science. The formation of dew is based on scientific principles. Dew is formed based on the temperature of surfaces. We learned this in the fifth grade.

The investigator used a rudimentary, science-based technique for checking whether or not the car was parked in that location for the entire evening. No one can argue that the car was not there for the entire evening.

The fatal flaw in the investigation was that the respondent was never interviewed. It may not change the outcome, but it is a fundamental element of a thorough, complete investigation.

Study after study shows that Americans are lagging the world in math and science. Based on the commentary I'm reading and hearing about the "absurdity" of the dew-marks portion of the investigation, we now know the answer to "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?"

-- John Hebert, Bothell

Step up or step out

I awoke on Election Day with a sense of anticipation and hope. I felt we were about to enter a new era in our country, state and city.

My heart sank as I read of the brutal death of an icon of Seattle, Edward McMichael, the Tuba Man ["The Tuba Man, Seattle sporting events fixture, dies of injuries from beating," News, Nov. 4]. He was a gentle man who was a delight to see and hear as we walked to different events in Seattle. He died as a result of a mugging on Fifth Avenue and Mercer Street. This is all too common in Seattle.

My wife and I live on the edge of Belltown, the city neighborhood becoming renowned for muggings, shooting, drug dealing and killing. We have been awakened more than once by the sound of gunshots followed by the shrill of sirens and police cars roaring down the streets.

As we all know, Belltown is not the only Seattle neighborhood with these problems. It has been repeated in Pioneer Square, White Center and many other neighborhoods.

Yet as our neighbors and visitors are being beaten and shot, our political leaders appear to be numb.
Community safety is one of the prime roles of government. However, Mayor Greg Nickels, the City Council and the police chief are silent. More importantly, they fail to act. They fail to admit that Seattle is a war zone.

Thugs and gangs brutalize our streets, and the elected officials do nothing.

It is past time for action.

But on the day when this country turned a leaf in the election of a new president, I call for action -- for the elected officials to step up or step out. There has been a death of leadership. The Emerald City has lost its sheen. It is time to end the mouthing of simple words and the token patrols for a day or two.

If the mayors in New York City and New Jersey can provide the leadership to dramatically reduce crime, killing, mugging, rampant drug dealing and petty crime, we know it can be done.

This is a call and a challenge to the mayor, City Council and police chief to step up or step out. People are dying in our streets. If you are not up to the task, admit it and step aside.

-- Gordon Enk, Seattle

Now he's gone

Tragic news in the paper today: Seattle's Tuba Man [Edward McMichael] is dead. On Oct. 25, the Tuba Man was near a bus stop in the 500 block of Mercer Street when he was attacked, beaten and robbed by a group of young thugs.

For those that may be a little foggy on who the Tuba Man was, think about all the Seahawk, Mariners or Husky games you've been to and you've probably seen the Tuba Man sitting somewhere near the stadium playing his tuba. Now he's gone.

But hey, Mayor Greg Nickels has bigger things to worry about besides crime; he's fighting the great war against "paper or plastic" at the grocery store.

In the words of those great cartoons of the past, "Help me Mr. Wizard!"

-- Dennis Chandler, Seattle

Tears of sadness

Today feels like Christmas, New Year's Eve and my birthday all rolled into one. I am elated over the election. For the first time in more than eight years, I feel hope and promise that our country will get better again.

However, when I read about the shocking death of the Tuba Man, my tears of joy, became tears of sadness. He always made me smile whenever my husband and I attended numerous Mariners, Seahawks, Storm and Sonics games. I thought it was extra fabulous hearing his tunes as we entered the opera house to attend a performance.

His spirit, style and music made him a Seattle icon that is extremely hard to find these days. I will miss him. I hope that the local sports and arts organizations will find a fitting way to pay tribute to him.

-- Jen Kozel, Seattle

Sad day

I recently relocated to Boston and was saddened by the news of the loss of what I thought to be a Seattle icon. My friend at work used to give Ed [Edward McMichael] his extra ticket for the Sonics and marveled at the excitement Ed had when being able to see the game.

It is sad that a man with Ed's love for people would exit this Earth on a violent note. We only seem to notice the finer things in life when they are gone.

My son and I will miss the sound of the tuba as we entered Seattle Center for a hockey game, or listening to that hardy laugh and tuba sounds after the Mariner's game. My friend from work will truly miss the conversations he had with "Tuba Man" and he will never forget his real name, as his name is also Ed.

So long, Ed, yours sounds and good heart will be missed. Sorry, Seattle, for your loss.

-- Marvin Blaylock, Needham, Mass.

Don't ruin our hangout

Ever since anyone can remember, baseball has been a favorite pastime of the American family. They are events where fathers and sons, grandpas and grandsons and whole families come together.

For Seattle Mariner's fans it's a time to have garlic fries, fish and chips and crack peanuts with your son or grandson as they enjoy the game. But when a child comes home and talks about their time at the game, I am sure that no parent wants to have their child's highlights include the Deja Vu club that they walked by on their way to Safeco Field ["Strip club proposed near Safeco Field," News, Oct. 28].

No wonder the Mariners aren't happy. A new strip club right down the block is a detrimental blow to the classic American family hangout. The team is correct to say that the city should not allow a nude-dancing club to come into the vicinity. Not when there have been, and will continue to be, thousands of children filtering through the stadium.

An attorney who is arguing for building the club claims there would be no "garish signs" and that it would not be "a place where people would hang around." Well, if it's not a place where people are going to linger, and there's not going to be much advertising, then why even put it there in the first place?

This not only affects the Mariners, but also the Seahawks who are just a few blocks over, who also share similar values.

In addition to Seattle's professional sports teams, there are the local businesses to consider. What business wants to share a wall with a dirty, immoral, nude dancing club?

I commend the Mariners baseball club for not striking out on this one and maintaining their goal of a family-friendly environment and atmosphere at their stadium.

-- Jordyn Cline, Redmond