Al McGuire speech in ADS-L archives; Safire Watch

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

AL McGUIRE

   Basketball legend Al McGuire has died.
   Look for the "Al McGuire glossary" in the old ADS-L archives, from March of 1997.  The glossary is taken from a sports publication of 1980.

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SAFIRE WATCH

   Unlike the New York Times, most people are actually kind to me.
   On January 17th, the Toronto Star got "the Big Apple" wrong.  I found this during a routine search on Dow Jones, and I sent the newspaper an e-mail.
   The Toronto Star called me the next day.
   I wasn't in.  I was told to call the Toronto Star collect.  My letter to the editor was published within seven days of the original piece.
   I've received responses from the Dear Abby (who published Gerald Cohen's letter and called me), the New York Post (which did a new Big Apple article), the Christian Science Monitor (which published a letter), the ABA Journal (which published a letter), the Guardian (which published an e-mail), the Financial Times, and others.
   Only ADS member William Safire refuses to talk to me at all.
   For the fourth straight month, I beg him to correctly spell a dead man's name and correctly quote his words.
   For the second straight week, I beg ADS members to e-mail his assistant, Elizabeth Phillips, at phille at nytimes.com, and request that she talk to me.
   This week, William Safire's column discusses "Gotcha!"--something he's done before.  Yet he neglects to mention my important work on "Gotcha!" that I posted here on 4-4-2000.  This goes with my work on "La-La-Land" and "Put Up Or Shut Up" and "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff"--my work will simply never be mentioned.  My corrections will never be published.
   If an ADS member ignores work by African-Americans or Jews, people would speak up.  But if it's me, hey, I'm garbage.
   And if I die tomorrow, it's OK with everyone that the New York Times has errors permanently associated with my name and work.
    I have done everything right.  I've written letters.  I've enclosed self-addressed stamped envelopes.  I've waited nine years.  I've even tried bribes with ADS and ANS memberships.  (The ANS is turning 50, by the way.  A Safire column would be nice.  But it won't happen.  It starts with joining the darn thing.)
   Again, I beg (what other professional must constantly BEG?) all ADS members for help.  E-mail Elizabeth Phillips.  Get her to talk to me.
   This request is pretty darn reasonable.