Ron,

I read your recent rodeo article with dismay, whatever happened to responsible sports journalism?

True, No tobacco ad ever killed a kid, but the product has clearly led to the death of a number of adults who learned about the product as kids, Kent Cooper to name one.

Tobacco is not part of rodeo, research it back to the 1800’s when the Spanish word Rodeo was used to refer to the roundup and there was no such thing as chewing tobacco at that time. Everyone keeps saying that tobacco is part of rodeo, it is not, tobacco is part of Cancer and painful suffering leading to death.

So, next time maybe you can reserve your editorial comments for yourself and not a child that may end up dead one day as a result of reading one little tobacco ad or one misguided sports reporter's article.

Ask former PRCA cowboy - Kent Cooper’s family if those tobacco ads contributed to his addiction and eventual death.

I have been involved with rodeo my entire life and have covered the sport as a credentialed journalist for national media outlets, and tobacco has no place in rodeo.

I think your comments were poorly chosen and suggest that maybe it is time for you to decide to step up and serve as role model for aspiring athletes - who may think your opinion actually does matter to someone.

Cowboy Ted Hallisey