Letter: Prep star defended

Friday, Aug. 3, 2001 | 9:59 a.m.

Your headline on the Big Time Tournament championship game story "N.Y. team overcomes star player's defection" (July 30) is irresponsible and ignorant. Lenny Cooke has probably played a total of 8 or 10 games, over the past three years, with the Long Island Panthers. Because he has played in some events with them doesn't mean he is a Panther and it certainly doesn't give you the right to smear his reputation.

Lenny has a great relationship with Gary Charles, the Panthers' coach, as well as the team members. On occasion he has played with them as part of their team. This does not mean that he defected. What it means is that he made a commitment to (another) team several months ago and he was mature enough to follow through on his original commitment, despite the enormous pressure exerted on him to change his mind.

No less than six AAU programs tried to get him to play with them in Las Vegas.

Why didn't you write something about the strength of character it took for him to honor his original commitment?

-- DEBORAH BORTNER

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