First, Gnatt states that Metallica looked "a bit silly" with their short hair and "alterna-gear," whatever that is meant to mean. I guess that if T-shirts are considered alterna-gear, a lot of people must look "a bit silly." Also, the author continu ally refers to Metallica "the way the band used to be." That shows his complete ignorance of what Metallica is about. Metallica is not Slayer, Ministry or Motorhead, bands that were formerly popular but put out the same stuff over and over again. Me tallica does what it wants to do, exactly how it wants to do it, and that's why they are one of the best bands ever.
Gnatt's ignorance of matters concerning the band in this article is appalling. His surprise at them opening up with "Last Caress" is unwarranted, since the band changes their set list slightly every show and had opened with another cover, "So What," the night before. This is only one example, but there are several more throughout the article.
Next time the Daily wants to cover a show, they should send someone who knows something about the band which they are covering. Maybe if Gnatt worked as hard at writing a good article as he did at whining about Metallica, he would be able to write a n intelligent article.
Lawrence Suwinski
LSA first-year student
I think students like Galligan who can no longer take a joke must really do some deep soul-searching. Perhaps Miller is not the one with the problem. It's about time for our student population to stop being so freakin' "politically correct," backas swards and intellectually anal!
I am proud of the fact that the Daily columnists continually expose all the "yo-yos" on campus and hope to read many more hilarious and oh-so-true depictions like those Miller so eloquently expressed! So I am asking the columnists, especially Miller , to disregard such closed-minded comments and just keep on truckin'!
Lara Hamza
LSA junior
I would like to publicly state that neither I nor the Review blame the members of the University CR for the action of their president, Nick Kirk. The vast majority of CR members are decent, honorable people. I do not feel that the dishonest actions of Kirk should reflect upon the reputations of the CR members. Ideally, someone with the leadership ability of Kirk would not have resorted to such deplorable actions.
However, given that the ideal does not often occur, it was my hope that, when faced with evidence of his wrongdoing, Kirk would live up to the ideals of leadership, and admit to his wrongdoing, and accept responsibility for what he had done. That he would protect the interests of the CR and accept responsibility for his actions.
However, he turned out to be more concerned with protecting his own interests. Instead of resigning and ending the conflict, he chose to throw his own group into chaos and force them to impeach him. His actions have brought negative attention on not only the CR, but on the conservative members of this campus.
I wanted to write this letter first to reassure the members of the CRs that the Review does not bear ill will toward them. The Review and the CRs have a long history of cooperation - indeed our founding publisher was the chair of the University CRs when the Review was created in 1981. We applaud the CRs for taking quick action against Kirk and restoring friendly relations between our groups.
Second, I wanted to make sure that that the University community not hold the actions of one person against the entire CR. I do not feel that the recent coverage that this event and the Review have received in the Daily have sufficiently conveyed th is sentiment.
Finally, it is my hope that the future leadership of the CR will work toward positive goals and work with the University community rather than against it.
Geoff Brown
LSA senior, Editor in chief, The Michigan Review
Combining the pathetic showing of the Wolverine basketball team over the last three years with the pathetic showing of the Wolverine football team over the last four years, I have to wonder what people at the University Athletic Department are think ing. These two sports are the ones that give the University the most national exposure. What the nation is exposed to every year are two mediocre teams living off a grand tradition. (While I take pride in the hockey team, how many people nationwide know about it, let alone know it won a National Championship last year?)
How long before the University name no longer draws top recruits? How long before people stop wearing University apparel? How long before alumni stop giving money to a mediocre program? Soon people will realize what the University football and bask etball programs are - mediocre programs - and then what will become of the University Athletic Department?
As an alumnus, I am bewildered and angered by the athletic department's inability to find decent coaches for the football and basketball teams. Lloyd Carr? It is plausible that Fisher and Carr are fine human beings. It is certain that they are ineff ective coaches. Why can't the athletic department find coaches who are both fine people and good coaches? Sure, easier said than done. But even if your goals are purely humanitarian, it is hard to believe that the coaches are really doing much for t he players - how else can you explain game after game of sub-par, unmotivated, lack-luster performances? Maurice Taylor can't make an impact on a game, yet every year he considers leaving for the NBA. Is Fisher providing proper guidance for this you ng man? Perhaps Fisher's niceness is actually a detriment to the development of players like Taylor, both as basketball players and as people.
Carr and Fisher have both been loyal to the University, and for that I should thank them. (But maybe not too strenuously - I'd be pretty loyal to an employer who hired me despite my inability to produce - no one else would hire them, so why shouldn 't they be grateful to the University?) Now it is time to put them out to pasture. If we do not do it soon, the "Michigan tradition" will become a tradition of mediocrity.
To that end, I am starting a grassroots campaign to mobilize against the University Athletic Department until it wakes up and hires good coaches.
James Koukios
University alumnus