The Mail Bag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

---

Literary fools
Velo,
Hey, nice piece of writing, Hunter S. would be proud (see "Friday'sfoaming rant: Trick or treat").  Maybe it’s the water herein Colorado.Just one question, though: How the hell do you punks know about thereal Thomas Wolfe?Thanks,
Phil Struve
ColoradoPhil, we have to confess. O'Grady pulled the quote out of Bartlett's.The only "You Can't Go Home Again" he's familiar with is the ultimatumhis parents laid on him during the McGovern-Nixon campaign. - EditorTake a deeeeep breath
Dear Velo,
Seems like some folks have a hard time not taking themselvestoo seriously (see "Monday'sMailbag: O'Grady Rules! No, He Sucks! Testing, testing, testing").Thank God good 'ol Patrick O' isn't one of them.The references to Bush and Iraq were J*O*K*E*S, meant to support hiswhole masquerade theme.  You do know what jokes are, don'tyou, guys? I mean, jeez, they were two out of the three examplesused to support the premise of one sentence in his entire stream-of-semi-consciousness rant, not some cleverly structured subliminal liberal message capable of tilting the vote and unseating the incumbent. To do that would require a highly intellectualized writer to deliver his twisted political viewsin his trademark finely nuanced manner.  Anyone who's previously readeven one of O'Grady's columns snickers at the mere thought of it.Given the lack of public transportation here in the boonies of New Hampshire(the riding sure is nice though!), I'll gladly take O'Grady as the nextbest thing to a schizophrenic seatmate.But now that I'm a (work) week away from another rant, and given howsick I am of the spoon-fed gruel dispensed by three-second sound bites,I have decided to read something that will counteract all that closed-mindedhatred to which I'm constantly exposed.  Doesn't Ann Coulter havea new book out?Steve Power
New London, New HampshireAs long as you're asking...
...I vote for "No, he sucks."Paul Hurdlow
Austin, TexasPolling the readership
Dear Editor
Do you ask O'Grady to speak about politics near an election, just tosee the response of people in the "mailbag" to determine if it’s more Democratsor Republicans who read your magazine?Bryce Mead
Sterling, IllinoisNahhh, we don’t really care. We ask O'Grady to use the broad brushand offend as many people as he can. Give it time; he'll get to you, too.– EditorSaying it with a smile
Dear Editor,
I've gone a few rounds with O'Grady on his political views and whetheror not his articles on VeloNews.com are the appropriate venue or in hiswords "soapbox."I differ from O'Grady politically but I have to admit I enjoy readingthe sad results of his brush with schizophrenia.  If more lib's wouldadopt his tongue-in-cheek worldviews they might just become more appealingto the rest of the political spectrum.Julien Dufresne
Fair Oaks, CaliforniaWhy the fuss?
VeloNews,
I hadn't read the O'Grady article until I read a few of the readerresponses. Although I do not subscribe to his views, nor would I care to,the fact is he gets paid to be opinionated and provoke thought. In readinghis rant, it is difficult to believe that this is an article aimed at gettingall cyclists to examine their own beliefs regarding politics, doping, and,bike products. But, in retrospect, this appears to be his futile attemptat tongue-in-cheek humor and mental stimulation for VeloNews readers.
 
This is America, where people have a right to speak their mind evenif they are not completely lucid. O'Grady did his job and did it well.Just look at how many of us responded to his essay either in support, ordisapproval.Memo to O'Grady: didn't anyone tell you you're not supposed to mix alcoholand antidepressants?!?
 
Chris Horton
Indianapolis, IndianaHe knows that now. These days he just mixes alcohol with more alcohol.- EditorShort and sweet
Editors,
O'Grady is the man. Hands down.Steve Boehmke
Orange County, CaliforniaDouble standard? Or is it a triple?
Dear editors,
Boston is playing New York and Schilling is pitching with blood staininghis sock from pain killer shots.  The sports announcers play up whata hero Schilling is to be playing with a sore tendon.If this were cycling, Schilling would be called a “doper” and potentiallysuspended for two years.  There is a need for uniform doping codesacross international sport to make the rules clear.  There are somany messages sent out of the sport world it is hard to know what is rightand what is wrong.
 
Bob Smythe
Middletown, ConnecticutThere is an effort to establish a uniform doping code, which is whatprecipitated the creation of WADA in the first place. However, when itcomes to doping, MLB marches to - shall we say? - a “different drummer.”– Editor.

---

The Mail Bag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.