Tate as loathsome as Bruce Pearl

I write regarding sports columnist Loren Tate's Oct. 28 column on Illini football Coach Ron Zook.

Shame on him. His "letter" to Zook was poor reporting. He doesn't speak for 90 percent of the Illini fans I know. Why didn't he cite Zook's quasi-military lifestyle when he was hired or when we went to the Rose Bowl?

If anyone's time has come, it's that of Tate, not that of Athletic Director Ron Guenther.

As athletic director, Guenther has done more for Illinois athletics than any one man. For Tate to use football to question the status of Guenther puts Tate in the company of Tennessee basketball coach and former Iowa assistant Bruce Pearl.

Because Tate disagrees with the vote of confidence given Zook, he thinks he can push for his way.

Illinois fans have put up with Tate's wishy-washy reporting for years. Many times he has gone from supporter to detractor and back again, flipping when a coach does something he doesn't like.

I think he really believes he can influence what happens at Illinois. It's a safe bet that Tate believes that the Illini beat Michigan last week because of the fire he put under the program. Believe me, it had nothing to do with him.

STEVE WILSON

Champaign