The athletic department at the University of Maryland appears to be imitating Wall Street ("Eight teams targeted to be cut," Nov. 15). Investments for the wealthy — football — have gone south, so bitter medicine is prescribed for the poor: cross-country, track and field, etc.

In sympathy, the athletic director offered the eight poor programs a biggest-loser-type challenge: Raise $1 million a month for the next eight months to save your program. That's a lot of pizza kits.

Unfortunately, the present athletic director has no historical perspective. The athletic director who elevated Maryland sports to national prominence in the 1970s, Jim Kehoe, began as a track and cross-country runner.

Mr. Kehoe then coached cross-country and track with great success before becoming the university's athletic director. Like the current director, Mr. Kehoe had a military background and favored buzz haircuts. But apparently he had a far superior decision-making ability beneath his closely cropped hair.

Bill Blewett, Bel Air