Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.
On Ohio State jersey patches
To the editor: OSU is adding a JPMorgan Chase logo patch to all 36 varsity sport teams uniforms. The football team uniforms will also have a Nike logo and a Big Ten patch. In couple more years the uniforms will look like NASCAR driver suits. What next, naming rights for the team benches and medic tents? How about all the team support staff and managers having patches like the NASCAR pit crews? Next, they can add bus wraps for home and away rental busses with all kinds of additional sponsorships. Finally, we can start to add patches all over the uniforms of TBDBITL. Is the day very far away when the players and coaches will have to wear
custom gear anytime they are on campus? The quest to grab more money to buy more players and build bigger facilities is beyond the pale.
Raymond D'Angelo, Westerville
To Raymond: If that's what it takes to pay the next Jeremiah Smith, I wouldn't put it past them. And neither would most of their fans.
On LeBron James
Dear Brian: One thing became very clear after LeBron James announced his intent to take his talents (less than what they used to be) to Philadelphia: He never had any loyalty to the city, fan base or organization in Cleveland — a fan base that revered him, one that hoped he'd sign with the Cavs and end his career on a fairy tale note with one last hope of another championship. It was not to be. It was James' right to sign anywhere he wanted, no questioning that, but he was never the King of Cleveland, not even close. Yes, he helped bring a long-awaited championship to the city of Cleveland, and for that I am ever grateful! The Indians should have in 1997, but that is another story. It's apparent James didn't revere Cleveland as much as we would have liked to think. Remember him yelling "This is for you, Cleveland" after the Game 7 Finals victory in 2016? I think that was more about redemption for himself after he bungled the first free agency decision than about Cleveland ending its 52-year championship drought. The true face of Cleveland is Jose Ramirez. No doubt about it, not even close. The future Hall of Famer has shown his love for the city, the fans and the organization time and time again, signing extensions for less than what he could get on the open market. One could argue Joe Thomas and even Joel Bitonio are better representations of Cleveland than LeBron ever was. I'll always be grateful for the 2016 championship, but leave LeBron out of the King of Cleveland discussions.
Steve Roth, Westerville
On Penn State
To Brian: I see that 2027 Penn State four-star football commit Aiden Gibson has reclassified to the class of 2026 and will enroll at Rutgers in August. Rutgers has had other student/athletes making this sudden late change before, and I have to wonder, what about high school graduation? This may be a blow to Penn State, but they have a coach now in Ohio-bred Matt Campbell who did a remarkable job making Iowa State relevant, and I anticipate that with the resources and cache of Penn State, he will make those lions roar in big games again.
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
To Dennis: Campbell is a good coach, but I think there will come a time when Penn State fans realize James Franklin coming oh-so-close to greatness wasn't a bad thing.
On Ohio State athletics
To the editor: How much is too much? Ohio State reportedly spends about $15 million a year on assistant football coaches. I nearly choked on my $5 dollar Starbucks latte when I read it. I understand that's the going rate in today's college sports marketplace, but to this seasoned citizen it sounds outrageous.
I still remember dime-a-dog night at Jet Stadium and the days when Columbus businessman John Galbreath paid $20 per hour for no-show Buckeye football jobs of painting his fence. Now assistant coaches are making more money than my plumber.
Maybe that's progress. Maybe that's the price of competing in big-time college. I know Woody didn't need so many high-priced yes men and he could coach all positions with a grunt, curse word and a swift kick in the a--. Somehow I don't think he envisioned his assistant coaches earning Wall Street banker salaries.
I know the assistants work very hard and earn their pay, but it still sounds a little too rich for my cholesterol blood stream.
Michael N. Oser, Upper Arlington
More from the Mailbox
Enough football. Dispatch lacking in coverage of several Ohio State sports programs
Fans frustrated by more Columbus Blue Jackets bad news
Should Long Island be banned from holding major golf tournaments?
Maybe Ohio State AD Ross Bjork should sit in regular-guy seats, wait in line, etc.
Are luxury boxes really what Ohio Stadium needs?
Why don't girls wear helmets in lacrosse?
An appreciation of Muzerall's greatness; and should dunking be banned in basketball?
Rob Oller is right, and Rob Oller is wrong
Should Rob Oller be punished for missing Ohio State football bandwagon?
Reader comes to Rob Oller's defense, and what Is Ross Bjork doing?
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Ohio State adding sponsorship patches to uniforms overkill? Mailbox
