Mailbox: Are critics of Columbus Blue Jackets coach Mike Babcock out of line?

Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.

On the Columbus Blue Jackets

To Brian: In his column (For Jackets to succeed, a "new" Babcock is needed), Mike Arace typifies the hubris that afflicts his sports pundit colleagues who designate themselves prosecutor, judge and jury in the court of public opinion. They become the mouthpieces for thin-skinned and entitled athletes whose feelings are hurt because the coach won't coddle them like they want. Then they demand apologies from the malefactors and, not getting one to their liking, further demonize them in screeds like this.

Mike Babcock has coached thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of hockey players in over 35 years at the collegiate, junior and professional levels. It is a gross injustice and breach of common courtesy, if not journalistic ethics (if there is such a thing), to cherry pick a few examples and claim it is the mark of the man. Of course, it's much easier to cite stories that have played in the press instead of putting forth the effort to learn more from the other players who benefited from his coaching in order to present a fair picture.

Mike Babcock does not owe Mike Arace or any journalist, or the public for that matter, an explanation, mea culpa, apology or proof he has changed to a "new" man. He's a professional hockey coach and he only owes wins. And Mike Arace and his colleagues would do their readers a favor by shedding their self-righteousness and spare us further wrong-headed rants.

Brent D. Rosenthal, Westerville

To Brent: Babcock will get another chance, and nobody is denying his track record of coaching success. But it would be foolish to overlook a reputation he has built and the bridges he has burned. He is not overlooking it himself, as he claims he is different now and learned during his time off how to treat people better. When you are inflexible and don't win, things can turn ugly. The Toronto Maple Leafs ate a lot of money by firing him three-plus years into an eight-year, $50 million contract.

On the Columbus Clippers

Hey Brian: Did you happen to see where the center fielder of our beloved Clippers (after exchanging a few pleasantries) shoved the home plate ump out of the way and punched the catcher in the mouth with his mask on? What does this say about his level of intelligence? My right fist hurts just writing this letter!

Rick Higgins, Columbus

On Bob Huggins

Dear Mr. White: He’s back! Worried that Pat Fitzgerald and Wildcat-on-Wildcat hazing might crowd him out of the sports pages’ Miscreant section, Bob Huggins has fired another shot. While one team of Huggins' attorneys negotiates terms of his severance package, another set of lawyers has been retained to argue he never resigned in the first place. (Huggins finding wiggle room in the phrase “I resign” reminds one of Pete Rose finding ambiguity in the term “lifetime ban.”) While, to be certain, this has nothing to do with money and all to do with honor, university service and bettering the lives of youngsters, I’m guessing there’s “a number” out there in the ether that just might make this little dust-up go away. Then, the only thing left to determine is this: Will “Huggie” still be required to attend those sensitivity sessions that were part of his Misdeed #1 − the radio bloopers − punishment?

Jon Armstrong, Columbus

On sports journalism

To the editor: The sports department at The Dispatch is not what it was, but it covers lots of different ground and local sports. Contrast that with the snobby elitist Old Gray Lady New York Times that is closing down its sports department. This is another reason that I prefer to live in Columbus and read the sports coverage in The Dispatch than in NYC and be subjected to the eastern liberal mess known as NYC and NYT.

Michael Oser, Columbus

To Michael: It was a shocker to many of us when The Times shut down its sports department in favor of using content from The Athletic. Especially surprised were those fine sports journalists at The Times who now are told they won't be let go but can't cover sports anymore.

On Major League Baseball pitching

To Brian: Teams used to have four-man pitching rotations and complete games by pitchers who pitched 300 innings in a season, and there were few injuries. Today, they treat these guys like China dolls from the time they draft them, and all we have are injuries. When I saw the Reds had a dozen injured pitchers at one time, I'm thinking there is more to it than just saying injuries happen. They've already had 31 different guys pitch, and we're only halfway through the season.

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

To Dennis: Nolan Ryan must cringe when he watches baseball today. Ryan (look him up, kids) threw 222 complete games in his career, an average of eight per season. MLB had a total of 36 complete games last year among all its teams.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mailbox: Are critics of Columbus Blue Jackets coach Mike Babcock out of line?