What a surprise, HE decided to wait for someone else to make the decision
for them...this group of people moves slower than molasses when it comes
to making decisions..it took what, 3 months for a resolution to the Jeff
Tory case?
Ah well, I'll stop picking on them and get on with today's news...
 
The latest, as reported in the Portland Press Herald.  Three of the
grad students in question are currently enrolled in a course called
"Athletes for Sexual Responsibility", but, up until this point, they
were not paying the tuition fee (IE: were basically volunteering) and
were not getting the three 3 credits available for taking this course.
University officials are going to find out if they may now choose to
pay for the three credits, and therefore regain their eligibility.
Patrice Tardif has been reinstated in a course on collective bargaining
which he had dropped on January 31, because he already had 6 credit
hours and believed that was enough to remain eligible.  However, he would
still be ineligible for the 23 games he played in prior to Jan 17 (when
UMaine began their second semester).  It would seem to me that if he is
once again carrying 9 credits, his eligibility should be reinstated.
As has been pointed out by others, these students are not the ones the
NCAA should be trying to mandate, Patrice and the others have proven
that they are students.
 
The reason that this became a problem this year is that the University
changed its own rules regarding graduate students.  I believe that prior
to this year, UMaine required a full-time grad student to carry 9 credit
hours, and so the NCAA requirement of 8 was never an issue.  When the
university reduced the requirement to 6, SOMEONE should have looked up
what the NCAA rule was.  Just like someone should have realized that
the basketball coach scheduled one too many games, and didn't.  Woody
Carville and Joanne Polumbo (the coach) took the blame for those mistakes,
but there are more people than just Woody and Joanne that have copies of
the NCAA Rule Book in theor offices.
 
I just hope Allyson Lowell and Patrice get theireligibility back intime
for it to actually mean something.  Pat has one week to one month left
in his season, Allyson has more time since she also competes in spring
track.
 
Oh, in case I didn't already answer the question about Pat turning pro,
he isn't at this point.  He is staying, plans to complete his 9 credits
this term, which will put him about half way to getting his Masters.
 
Thats all for now from Black Bear Country.
 
John Forsyth