A few days ago, my sportswriter colleague Rahul Rohatgi wrote an excellent column on how incoming Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers should use Harvard's millions to purchase the Boston Red Sox. Don't get me wrong, that would be a great idea for Mr. Summers. However, in the meantime, there is a far more pressing need Harvard students are demanding.

What do we want? ESPN. When do we want it? Now.

Both the NHL and NBA playoffs have boasted terrific post-seasons thus far. Mario Lemieux and Ray Bourque are still in the hunt for a Stanley Cup. In the NBA, both Eastern Conference semis were decided by a seventh game yesterday. The Lakers have dominated their competition in every game, spearheaded by excellent performances by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

At least, so I hear.

I actually don't know because the only games I'm able to watch are weekend showcases on ABC and NBC. Yes, there are a few House Common Rooms that contain cable televisions. However, unless you live in DeWolfe, it is very easy to lose touch with professional sports without access to cable.

Looking back on my first year at Harvard, I cannot fathom how I survived without ESPN's SportsCenter, Sunday Night Football, and Wednesday Night Baseball. Additionally, sports fans can only watch half of the Red Sox games because NESN might cost the administration a few extra pennies. Celtics games on Fox Sports New England are unavailable to college students in dorm rooms, as well as any regular season sports on TNT, FX, USA, WGN, etc.

This is a travesty. What is Harvard's excuse for failing to provide its students with cable, a bare necessity of life? Is it that having cable in dorm rooms would take away "quality studying" time?

Honestly, readers, did you spend much time "studying" this year in your rooms? Unless Harvard's definition of studying is playing with the broken antenna on my network TV to try to get any sort of reception whatsoever, I would have to answer in the negative.