While I am guardedly pessimistic about the upcoming football season, I agree that Lombardi's dismissive and inaccurate comment about Duke football was unwarranted. To that end, I sent him a polite note and, a propos of his new university's priorities and history of excellence, I quoted the former president of the University of Oklahoma (where both my parents went): "We are working hard to create a university that the football team can be proud of."

Oh, and if you'd like to say hello, I reckon that his old email is still working: lombardi@umass.edu