THE READERS SOMETIMES E-MAIL

Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007 | 7:48 a.m.

Readers have opinions and fill my e-mail box, letting me know when mine are right (sometimes) and wrong (often). From time to time, I'll share their comments.

You and your readers will love this. The NBA - you know, the league that deplores gaming and debates whether (Las Vegas) deserves a franchise - and its cohort, the Basketball Hall of Fame - the one that refuses to enshrine Jerry Tarkanian - capped off its Hall of Fame Weekend by taking the inductees to Foxwoods , a gaming establishment, for dinner and other activities. This was recognized as an official part of the ceremony.

Jerry Kissell

Las Vegas

Jerry: If Mendy Rudolph were still alive, he would have blown his whistle on somebody.

When I opened the paper and saw the picture of Tim Klosek ("21 forever and still remembered," Sept. 3) my interest was piqued. I played against Tim in baseball and football in high school and was as shocked as everyone when I heard about the accident that took his life. As you stated he was a gifted athlete and who knows where it could have led? The MVP of the 1969 Indiana all-star football game had it all.

Gary Ridgley

Las Vegas

Gary: Except for time. Thanks for sharing your memories about a chip off the block who was taken way too soon.

I have a question about FIBA rules. Is there a three-second rule for time spent in the key? This wasn't called in games I watched at the Thomas & Mack Center. Also, the clock seemed to run during the last minute of the quarter, even while the ball would normally be dead.

Warren S. Hill, Jr.

Las Vegas

Walter: Regarding three seconds, it basically depends on what games Tim Donaghy is working and whether he bet the over or under. As for the clock running during a dead-ball situation - what, this is a bad thing?

Tell the guys on ESPN radio to quit berating me for not attending the USA vs. Virgin Islands basketball game. They insisted I missed out on seeing the NBA's greatest stars for $10.

Well, I've also passed up chances to watch Joe Frazier jump rope, Richard Petty rotate his tires and Dennis Conner oil his teak. It's the significance of the event that creates excitement, not the participants.

James Price

Henderson

Good point, but I have a lot of friends who would probably pay $20 to watch Maria Sharapova oil her teak.

My sister sent me your article on Coach K of Duke and Team USA ("10 letters = 42 Scrabble points," Aug. 24) - I, too, have been Coach K for many years. I really enjoyed your article and can really relate.

Betsy Krzykowski

Albuquerque, N.M.

Betsy: Thanks for the note. Now pass the Polish sausage.

If Nellie Fox's real name was Nelson Fuchs, as you (tongue-in-cheek) suggested in your item about the 20th Century Fox founder, does that make the real name of the slugger who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox Jimmie Fuchchs? And does that make his nickname Double CH instead of Double X?

Terry Rhyne

Las Vegas

Terry: I'll let the poet Ogden Nash answer that one:

X is the first

Of two X's in Foxx

Who was right behind Ruth

With his powerful soxx.