One comment I hear constantly from both the subjects of our stories and the readers is, "You guys have to sell papers. That's why you focus on the negative.'' Or some variation of this. It tends to follow stories that are, to be honest, negative. At least the stories are about something that's negative to the subject and is perceived as negative to the readers if it's about their favorite player or team.

All writers tend to get a lot of letters, phone calls and e-mails when, say, news breaks about something bad a player or team did, especially if it involves some entanglement with the law. The letters and such inevitably are about how we just want to find negative stuff to write about and how it would be nice once in a while if we'd do something positive. Why don't we ever read any good news in the paper? Players are doing this and that all the time, but it's never in the paper, only things that are bad, and make them look bad.

There are times when that's not completely false. Of course, nothing in our job description says we're obligated to write either all good or all bad about anything -- just to write the truth about it. Still, sometimes we all think, during a particularly trying time, "Man, I'd like to write something good about these guys once in a while.'' Believe it or not, we actually enjoy it. Good stories about good people and great accomplishments can't help but lift everybody's spirits. And, we have to admit, it has to lift the readers' spirit and contradict their feelings about us being butchers and vultures and naysayers and haters.

Well ... in Monday's paper, I wrote about how the Orioles would be better off firing Sam Perlozzo as manager. By definition, a very negative take. I'm still getting e-mails about it, and was getting e-mails suggesting it the entire week before that. Everyone's been discussing the topic ever since. In doing so, the entire miserable last decade of Orioles history has been brought into the conversation. Pretty depressing, unrelentingly so.

The next day, I wrote about a pair of athletes at UMBC who graduated this week with high academic honors, are going to prestigious post-graduate programs and brought pride and honor to the school and its athletic programs. One of them, Isaac Matthews, was from Maryland (Oxon Hill). It tied in nicely, I thought, with the success the UMBC men's lacrosse and women's basketball team had this season, and it contrasted with what often seems like an endless procession of bad stories about academic struggles throughout college, including the ones here.

Just what everyone swears they want to read more of, don't see enough of, and complain that we outright ignore in favor of negative stuff.

You should see the e-mails that have come in since then.

Specifically, the e-mail. Singular. One. Exactly one reply to that supposedly heartwarming, uplifting story you rarely see in the sports section.

Here it is, from reader John Leahy:

"Your column this morning is a refreshing start to my day. It must have been fun to write this story!
Hope you have a fun day.''

Mr. Leahy, thank you very much, It was fun to write it. I am very glad it gave you a good start to your day. And my day was more fun, largely because of your appreciative note.

The next time you, Mr. Leahy, write in to tell me there's not enough good news in the paper and that you truly wish there was more, I'll buy it. You're on record as having put your keyboard where your mouth is.