After watching today's showing of "First Take" on ESPN, I felt compelled to write to The Observer about the stark contrast between the two student reporters from Boston College and Notre Dame. While BC's representative showed class and made intelligent points, The Observer's Chris Khorey came off as arrogant and disrespectful.
The show's weekly segment has been an opportunity to showcase two schools that will be playing an important game over the weekend and allow the nation to see a spirited but fun presentation of both schools. Given the historic rivalry (both academic and athletic) between the two schools, I expected to see an intelligent discussion between the two reporters. The resulting exchange, however, fell far short. I have never met Chris Khorey and surely do not mean to offer any judgments about his character based on a short television appearance. I graduated from an Ivy League school and have no college athletic affiliations to bias my judgment of either school. In fact, I have a high opinion of both schools and was sorry to see Notre Dame's representative resort to taunting BC as a "backup college."
I hope that the portrayal of Notre Dame that many sports fans witnessed today is not an accurate representation of Notre Dame students. Even a long and storied rivalry can be discussed and analyzed with respect and dignity, and we should certainly expect as much from two highly-regarded institutions.
James Healy
Norwich, Conn.
Oct. 11
