Astrodome and Garden - Some Love For "60s Buildings To the Sports Editor: Re "Dirty and Dated, but Irreplaceable," May 27: While the abandoned Astrodome is still standing in Houston alongside its dreary replacement, Reliant Stadium, Madison Square Garden - soon to complete its billion-dollar renovation - is also the subject of a fierce battle for survival in New York City. Texans can see that the addition of a few parking spaces is a poor trade-off for the Astrodome, but New Yorkers seem more focused on retribution for the loss of their monumental Penn Station than grasping what will replace the Garden. The Astrodome and the current Garden, 1960s-era arenas, are not only significant structural accomplishments, but also cultural landmarks that merit preservation. Great concerts, important political conventions and athletic firsts occurred in these places. It is time for the nation to appreciate and preserve these landmarks, while improving their surroundings. New York The writer is president of the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility. Rutgers Salary Is Scandalous Re "Rutgers Goes From Scandal to New Crisis," May 31: So Julie Hermann, the new athletic director at Rutgers, is embroiled in a scandal involving past indiscretions at other universities. At a time of decreased state aid, higher tuition and general belt-tightening, the real scandal at Rutgers is the $450,000 salary paid to an athletic director. Troy, Mich. Horses at the Fair Re "A Sport Less in Need of a Strong Runner Than a Strong Voice," May 20: How about we go back to a time we brought our healthy homebred horses to a state fair track and ran them to see who was the fastest? The side bets would satisfy the gamblers among us, and the true horse lovers could watch them run like the wind. Ronkonkoma, N.Y. No Equity in Bullfighting Re " (Bull) fighting in a Male Arena," May 29: That a woman is participating in bullfighting, a male-dominated sport - if you wish to call it a sport - does not change the fact that it is nothing but a cruel pastime reserved for those who derive a thrill from brutality. There is no honor in vainglorious destruction. There is nothing special about Lupita López. If she wishes to stand out as a trail blazer, perhaps she should try something more constructive. It is easy to destroy; it takes skill to create. Dallas Golf's Technology Disconnect Re "Anchored Putting Will Be Banned Starting in 2016," May 22: Anchored putting offers no more advantage to any single player than using drivers with oversized heads, high-tech irons with metal alloys or balls designed to fly farther or spin differently. If players choose not to adapt to different technology, that is their decision. This debate is being fueled by big-name players who refuse to adapt and by equipment manufacturers who are behind the curve. Lebanon, Conn.