Glad to see we rattled some cages! ;-)

Quotes excerpted from ([log in to unmask])'s recent post ...

>Just to add my opinion to this topic, I must admit that
>I'm a bit torn.  I agree with Nonni that the Olympics
>are supposed to be all about the amateurs.  ...

Having the *best* at their sport is good for me.  I don't care if the
Olympics uses amateurs or not.  I like thinking of the Olympics as
contests with world-class *experts*.

   amateur 1 a person who engages in some art, science, sport, etc.
           for the pleasure of it rather than for money;  a
           nonprofessional;  specif., an athlete who is variously
           forbidden by rule to profit from athletic activity ...

Having Home Depot hire 200+ athletes, work them 20 hours per week
around the athletes schedule, and paying them for 40 hours is great
support for the Olympics and I'll applaud Home Depot all day for it.
But don't call those athletes amateur, IMHO.

   And that's why I don't consider D-I college athletics amateur.
   But I like it anyway, and hope the experience helps enough
   people (athletes) to be worthwhile.

cheers, wayne

Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
The College Hockey lists: Hockey-L and Hockey3 at http://lists.Maine.edu/