To the editor:

I have recently read in your July 6 edition, the piece entitled, “Random Thoughts: The ‘Hamilton’ Revolution” by your columnist Phil Blackwell. While the subject matter and content of this piece was timely and quite interesting, I was reminded of how fortunate both you and your readers are to have a columnist of such broad knowledge and excellent writing ability on your staff.

The talents of such writers for alternative media in Central New York such as the Eagle Bulletin, Syracuse New Times, etc., are extremely beneficial and appreciated.

However, the fact that has always surprised me about Phil is the juxtaposition of his numerous weekly sports stories which provide basic information primarily about high school sports teams and individual sporting events in a pro-forma manner and the nuanced and carefully crafted “Random Thoughts” columns about a broad range of non-sports subjects. This combination of such varied work product from a single individual writer for any publication is highly unusual.

As a reader of Phil’s columns and an Eagle Bulletin subscriber, I thank you for sharing his talents with us. Please continue to allow Phil to show his writing “chops” for the benefit of all your subscribers.

J. Thomas Bassett

Manlius