There has been some discussion about allowing students to transfer without
penalty, and I would very much like to jump on the side of making the student
wait a year.
 
In the infamous mass high school hockey soap opera, there is a story of abuse
of NOT making a student wait.
 
 
Back in the early 80's, Matignon was the power-house and won 4 straight
high school championships.  This was fine, but one of the students (I'm not
sure of the details anymore, but there are a few others around who probably
remember) was having major difficulties in his school-work, so he and the
school found a way around it.  He would start every year at a local public
high school and then transfer into Matignon when hockey-season started.  The
kicker is that he would then transfer out again when hockey season ended.
 
 
 
I am proud of the fact that the BU hockey team is made up of BU students who
have to survive in the BU classes.  I would not want to ever see (and would
cancel my season tickets) if we ever had students transferring in from UMass
Boston at Midnight Madness and then transferring back out again in April.
 
 
The college season is longer, but you get the point.
 
 
The mandatory wait is good because, without losing any eligibility time, it
forces the student-athlete to really think about the long-term effects of their
decision and not just the short term.
 
 
Picture this...
 
BU is one of the top teams in the nation... UMass is at the bottom.
 
That defenseman transfers to BU, making BU a favorite to win it all.
 
In a counter move, UND's Landon Wilson transfers to Michigan, making them the
favorite.
 
Maine, not to be left out in the cold, picks up Bullock from Lowell.
 
Team X, finally, gets 4 players in and suddenly is picked over everyone.
 
Now, in the second half of the season, BU, Michigan, Maine, and Team X all run
away from everybody, except each other.  Team X wins the national title,
plowing over everyone in their path by double digit scores.
 
 
By the end of that year, all four players at school X discover that they can
not hack it academically there, so they transfer back to their previous
schools.
 
Did the players really benefit?  Did the fans really benefit?  What about
the schools that lost these players?  WHAT ABOUT THE PLAYERS ON THE TEAMS
THAT GOT BEATEN BY THESE NEWLY BOLSTERED TEAMS???
 
Is it really in the best interest of the student-athlete to be transferring
from school-to-school every semester?
 
 
The way the rules are set-up now, the student-athlete does not have to *LOSE*
a year of eligibility for transferring, they just have to be willing to sit
out a year.
 
If someone is willing to sit out the entire year, then I would say their
wish to become a part of a new school is honest.  If they are not willing to
do so, then maybe they should think about their present situation and if it
really is *THAT* bad.
 
 
 
Well, enough from my soap box...
 
Tony  BU'92'93
Former Ogre