Thanks for the wonderful contribution, Nonni!  Right on.
 
Those of you new to being "close" to the Maine hockey program may have
gotten a hint from Nonni's letter that she has been involved with the
Maine hockey program for many years.  (What a retirement, Nonni!)
 
"Involved".  What an understatement.  Nonni and John, like Cathy and
Jack, really love those kids .. those kids that quickly become young men.
 
When one tries to define MAINE HOCKEY over the years, and why it is so
outstanding, I believe it is because of a very short list of people.
No question; Nonni Daly is on that list.  Thank you, Nonni!
 
On the subject-line topic ...
 
Nonni wrote, in part..
> Gee, I am also old enough to remember when the NC$$ consisted of a
>director and a part-time assistant.  ...
 
Hee.  Now the NCAA consists of hundreds of well-paid bureaucrats and
lawyers.  But it really bugs me that they all get reimbursed for flying
first class.  Talk about "extra benefits"!
 
Nonni wrote, in part..
>The NC$$ runs on fear and rumor-mongering and a huge book of regulations
>that are so contradictory in nature that in reading any six pages, one
>will find one rule contradicting another. ...
 
Just for chuckles, I thought I'd bring out the NCAA Manual and see how
long it would take to recognize contradicting (my view, not necessarily
that of a lawyer) regulations.  It took about 60 seconds.
 
<quote> 16.12.1.1 GENERAL RULE.  Receipt of a benefit (including
otherwise prohibited extra benefits per 16.12.2) by student-athletes,
their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA rules if it is
demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the
institution's students and their relatives or friends.  </quote>
 
Sounds pretty clear and reasonable?  Read on.
 
<quote> 16.12.2.1 GENERAL RULE.  The student-athlete shall not receive
any extra benefit.  The term "extra benefit" refers to any special
arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the
institution's athletics interests to provide the student-athlete or his
or her relatives or friends with a benefit not expressly authorized by
NCAA regulations.  </quote>
 
Clear as mud.  It's just a warning that anything might be inappropriate!
 
Let's say a coach will be driving home to Veazie after practice and he
passes one of his players walking or hitch-hiking on College Avenue to
downtown Orono.  It would be a violation of NCAA rules for him to stop
and offer a ride, even if the player offered to share gasoline expense!
 
Common sense and reasonable has little to do with NCAA regs.
 
Thanks again for the contribution, Nonni!  Now that you've broken the
ice, I hope we will see many more over the coming months and seasons.
 
Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
Co-owner of the College Hockey lists - Hockey-L and Hockey3