Ross,

I broadcast a syndicated 30-minute sports nostalgia program every Saturday, heard in the Pittsburgh area and Martinsburg, West Virginia.
I’m featuring your 6 hour, 14 minute solo game broadcast story on my show of May 22nd.
I love your website. Very organized and the subject matter is excellent.
Congratulations.

Bob Tatrn
Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
www.doubledribble.com

ROSS:

Very nice of you to check in, Bob, and thanks for remembering the 22-inning game in 1989. I enjoyed seeing your website and love the attention you gave your grandchildren. Continued success.

Ross:

You seem like an honest guy so tell me the truth. Did you expect the San Diego Padres to have the best record in the National League after 34 games at 22 and 12?

Tom Mills
Oceanside, Ca.

Ross:

No way, Tom. I’m as surprised as everyone else, but happy for manager Bud Black, one of the nicest guys in baseball. Here are a couple of views on the Padres.

Jon Heyman of S-I.com points out that San Diego closed 37 and 25 last season, and finished 2010 spring training 15-2 and 2.
Jon writes, “Most folks inside the National League West division seem to feel the Rockies are the strongest team of the five, but all their injuries have given extra hope to the others, including San Diego.”
The Padres’ first year general manager, Jed Hoyer, says, “Our offense has to be more consistent.
Right now, we’re striking out a little too much.”
Only Arizona and Toronto batters have struckout more than San Diego in the major leagues.

Hi, Ross:

It was fun running into your website and looking through it. While I now live in the Pittsburgh area, I am a transplanted Angelino. I listened to you many years broadcasting the Dodgers and if I remember right, I remember you doing sports broadcasts on KNBC-4.

Anyway, hope you are doing well and I’ll always appreciate your work.

Thanks.

Chris Enoch
Pittsburgh

Dear Ross,

I was thrilled to find this web site. I listened to you all those years with the Dodgers thinking they found someone as good as Vinny. I also enjoyed you on channel 4. Thanks for the memories and hope all is well with you.

Don Elm

Ross:

Thanks, Chris and Don. It’s always nice to hear from loyal listeners like you. Visit our website often.

Hi,  Ross,

It  was  a  real  thrill  for  me  to  meet  you  and  your  grandson.  You  were  very  kind  and  gracious,  and I  really  miss  your  work  on  the  Dodger  broadcasts.  You  were  always  prepared,  informative,  and  a  true  baseball  announcer.  I  love  your  website.  Be  well,  Ross,  and  thanks  again!!

Jim  Kaplan
Calabasas, Ca.

Ross:

Jim,  it  was  a  pleasure  to  meet  you  and  learn  what  a  fan  you  are  of  both  radio  and  sports.

Ross——

Just  wanted  you  to  know  how  much  I  enjoyed  listening  to  you,  Jerry  and  Vin  in  LA  back  in  the  day.  I  now  live  in  Norman  and  my  son  goes  to  OU,  but  those  days  of  listening  to  the  Dodger  games  with  the  3  of  you  were  the  best  times  of  all…………thank  you.

Chuck  Billbe
Norman,  Oklahoma

Ross:

Great  to  hear  from  you,  Chuck.

Dear  Ross:

As  a  former  highschool  football  referee,  I  am  happy  to  see  the  NFL  has  decided  to  try  to  protect their  umpires  more.  That  was  long  overdue.

Curt  Griffin
Denver

Ross:

You  are  right,  Curt.  The  NFL  will  have  their  umpires  positioned  in  the  offensive  backfield  next  season  and  not  on  the  defensive  side.  They  were  a  few  yards  from  the  line  of  scrimmage,  leading  to  some  injuries  and  many  knockdowns.  That  was  a  change  that  needed  to  be  made.

Hi, Ross:

Terrific website. I want to peruse and get back to you later.

Mike Milligan
West Hills, Ca.

Ross:

Thanks, Mike.

What do you think of the NCAA expanding March Madness from 65 to 68 teams?

Gina Trimble
Costa Mesa, Ca.

Ross:

I’m relieved, Gina. My worry was that they were going to expand the field to 96 schools which, in my opinion, would be awful and would water down the regular season. It would be a good plan now to have the eight lowest ranked teams meet in four “play in” games to get down to 64. Every game in the tournament will now be nationally televised, and coaches love that.

Dear Mr. Porter,

Were you surprised as I was by the penalty given to Cincinnati pitcher Edinson Volquez for his drug use? He got a slap on the wrist although he did lose money.

Eduardo Contreras
Palm Beach, Florida

Ross:

Yes, Eduardo, I was shocked. Volquez was suspended April 20 by Major League Baseball for 50 games following a positive test for a banned fertility substance. An All-Star and a 17-game winner for the Reds in 2008, Volquez missed much of the second half of the 2009 season with back spasms and an elbow injury. He has been recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, and won’t pitch until late July at the earliest. The suspension could cost the Dominican pitcher nearly $ 134, 000 of his $ 445, 000 salary this season.

But, here’s the part that is not understandable. Volquez has already started serving the suspension while continuing his rehabilitation at Cincinnati’s spring training complex in Arizona. He’s not going to have to sit out any Reds’ games. When he’s ready to pitch, he can pitch. Teammate Bronson Arroyo, a fellow pitcher, said what others are thinking, “I’m actually surprised they’re letting him do that.”

Dear Ross,

I enjoy your website and radio show and hope you and your family are well. I really miss you on Dodger broadcasts and guess I will just never get over that.

Your friend.

Guy Gruppie

Ross:

Thanks, Guy, for your kind comments.

Hey, Ross,

What surprised you most about the NFL draft? Your Sooners were very much in the spotlight with three of the top four picks, and four of the first 21. That shows what kind of talent Oklahoma has.

Best wishes,

Gary Nichols
Denver

Ross:

I was shocked, Gary, that Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was not taken until the 48th player in the draft by the Carolina Panthers. I thought Clausen would be one of the initial 15 selections. As it turns out, even though he was snubbed for so long and lost millions of dollars for not being a first round choice, Clausen may become a starting quarterback in the NFL faster than he would have had he gone high in the draft.

Dear Mr. Porter:

I am disappointed that Lorena Ochoa is going to leave the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. She is still such a young woman. Why do you believe Lorena is retiring?

Gail Crawford
Poway, California

Ross:

Lorena is only 28 just as the great Bobby Jones was when he retired after winning the Grand Slam of Golf in the same year—-1930. Ochoa, who won 27 tour events, including two majors, was ranked number 1 in the world in each of the last three years. She admitted, “Once you reach your goals, it’s really hard to find that motivation.” Lorena was married in December, Gail, and says she wants to start a family soon. She plans to use her foundation to build schools in her home nation of Mexico.

Lorena Ochoa displayed her humility and grace on and off the golf course, and was a positive influence. She goes out on top, and Real Sports Heroes congratulates Lorena while wishing her a happy life.

Hi, Ross:

It is no surprise to me that you recognize the importance of positive things as that is what your valuable column is about. I love checking it out and I have referred it to a lot of my friends, both in and out of sports. It must give you a lot of satisfaction to produce something such as that.

I am glad baseball season is here again, but the college basketball season-endings for both men and women produced a lot of fun to watch.

Best wishes.

Monte Moore
Porterville, California

Ross:

Monte preceded me by a few years in the radio school at the University of Oklahoma, and then we both broadcast minor league baseball in the Class D Sooner State League. Monte went on to be an outstanding announcer with the Kansas City and Oakland A’s for 27 seasons while I turned in 28 with the Dodgers. His father-in-law was Bruce Drake, who originated the Shuffle offense and is in the Basketball Hall of Fame after coaching Oklahoma between 1938 and 1955.