I usually don't respond to the doings of the NCAA, but some of these proposals
left me with an irristable urge to respond.
 
>Proposal 17
>Would give athletes five years of eligibility and do away with redshirting.
> [So much for Steve Shields' untouchable victory total.]
 
Does this mean that an athlete can play for 5 years?  I don't know if I like
this.  It would make the big sports even more of a "minor league" feeder
system to the pros.  Are we downgrading our educational expectations so much
now that it is the norm to take 5 years to complete an undergraduate degree?
 
>Proposal 24
>Would ban in-person scouting of opponents in football and basketball.
 
How in the ^$^%%*% is this going to be enforced?!  Are they going to start
nailing schools for a fan providing information to a coach on an opponent he
watched one day?  They (schools and NCAA) can barely control what boosters do
in their own time, why provide another means that turns honest people into
cheaters (can we say 55mph speed limit).
 
Besides, what are they going to do about it?  In my sophomore year, Potsdam
made it to the quarterfinals of the Div. III basketball playoffs.  They had
just beaten Stony Brook and were about to play a team from Virginia (can't
remember their name; they moved up to Div. II the following year).  The coach
from this school, who use to work at Stony Brook, asked SB to send him the
tapes of their game against Potsdam.  In Div. III, you are allowed to tape
your own games, but you MAY NOT provide them to anyone else for the purpose
of scouting (or any other reason), and you MAY NOT use other tapes of other
games, unless they were on regular tv.  Another words you can't trade tapes
like they do in football all the time. Potsdam found out and complained before
the game, and after the game (which they lost, but by such a wide margin, I
don't think the tapes made a difference -- they played very poorly).  What did
the NCAA do about it?  Absolutely NOTHING!
 
>Proposal 30
>Eliminates the position of recruiting coordinator.
 
Another unenforceable rule.  So, instead you hire an assistant coach and give
him the job assignment of recruiting coordinator.  Brilliant, NCAA.  you
wonder if they have any college educated people on their staff.
 
>Proposal 42
>Allows men's basketball to offer 14 scholarships, restoring one of the two
>scholarships that were taken away by the NCAA Presidents Commission.  [When
>was the last time you saw a team use 14 players in a basketball game?  If
>these proportions were transferred to hockey, we would have 30 scholarships
>and 5 assistant coaches.  Give me a break.]
 
I heard on the news yesterday that this was voted down, by a large margin.
Apparantly, many black coaches and administrators are planning some sort of
action.  They feel most of those extra scholarships would have been given to
black athletes.  It was voted down.  By a large margin.  By the member
schools themeselves.  I guess they don't believe in democracy.
 
>Proposal 120
>Would allow basketball players to make themselves available for the NBA
>draft and then have 30 days to decide whether to turn pro or remain in
>school.  [What's that?  I've been selected by Denver?  Well, I guess I can
>stay at Hoops U. with my full ride scholarship, $20,000 pocket money, new
>car and condo in the 'burbs for ONE more year.]
 
Okay!  Finally, I decent rule.  Why not?!  Athletes in most other sports have
been enjoying this sort of freedom for eons.  Baseball and especially hockey
(we should know!) have been like this.  Why should the other sports have
special privilages to keep their athletes "enslaved" to their school just
because they make a lot of money for the school.  They should have the right
to try out the draft and return to school to play just like most of the other
athletes in other sports do.
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Russell Jaslow         | Official Contact - Potsdam College Hockey|My employer
Eastman Kodak Company  |  Potsdam Bears - 1981 and 1986 NCAA Div. |has nothing
Rochester, New York    |   III National Basketball Champions and  |to do with
[log in to unmask]     winners of 60 consecutive games!     |my drivel.
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