Your Voice | Letters to the Editor

Philly Diner is a safety issue

To the Editor:

In response to Monday's "Winnowing Options" editorial, I would contend that shutting down Philly Diner's late-night hours is the right choice. As a bartender at Cav's across the street, I'm often outside the Diner in the early morning hours, and while the atmosphere is festive, the late-night hours created a serious accident waiting to happen. Not only is the Diner on the fringe of campus, but past events have also shown us how quickly a situation can escalate into violence. I feel safer now that the Diner shuts at 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Students looking for late-night eats can go to FroGro or Wawa and find plenty to choose from.

Merrill Wasser

The author is a College senior

Energy in basketball program gone

To the Editor:

I don't understand how or why we lost Coach Dunphy and all of the energy in our program. When I first went to the Palestra four years ago after moving back to Philly the place was packed, fans were enthusiastic and going to a game was as magical an experience as it was in the early '70s when I attended Penn.

I went to a game last fall and the place was dead - few fans, no chanting and the atmosphere was stale. I have been reading articles all winter. Coach Miller whines and cannot say anything positive about his players. Many are injured - whose fault is that? and he couldn't figure out a starting line up all season. If you read quotes by any other Big 5 coach, you can see that they are all class acts. I would never put Miller in the same category.

I will recommence my financial contributions to the school when we rightsize the Athletic Program, starting with coach Miller and the athletic director, who has to be responsible for this unfortunate and unnecessary gutting of what was a successful men's basketball program. The only way I know how to express my displease is this note and my pocketbook.

Kate Galletly

The author is a 1974 Penn alumna

Plans could include outdoor courts

To the Editor:

As a Penn alum and frequent tennis player on campus, I am excited by the recently unveiled PennPark (DP 2/27/2009 "Penn Park model unveiled") which includes a 12-court tennis center. The displayed model suggests that the Levy Tennis Pavilion will be expanded from 8 to 12 courts, all indoors.

Why couldn't at least 3 of the 6 outdoor courts be preserved? The Van Pelt courts are an ideal tennis site, protected from the wind and accessible to the Penn community.

The preserved outdoor courts needn't be "cricket club grass," just surrounded by grass.

Laurie Friedman

The author is an alumna of Fels and the School of Social Policy

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