PUMP UP THE DOLLAR VOLUME

Although until now I never paid a great deal of attention to the celebrities who endorse an endless array of products, your article on the fight for the Olympic advertising dollar (“Mr. Robinson vs. Air Jordan,” by Edward Kiersh, March 22) struck a nerve in my wallet. I was raised to believe that the quality of merchandise was usually tied to the quantity of money one had to spend. Now it seems that instead of getting what you pay for, one must pay $75 to $150 for a pair of tennis shoes so that their makers can pay ridiculous sums to athletes and their agents. Such shoes seem to smell bad even before I put them on my feet.

BILL GRAHAM

Adelanto