In article <[log in to unmask]>, Greg Sorenson
<[log in to unmask]> says:
>
>RCANNE31 writes:
>
>>THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR THAT MAINE BLACKBEAR ATHLETES AND FANS
>>HAVE HAD TO PAY THE PRICE FOR A SCREW UP BY THEIR ADMINISTRATION.  WHAT KIND
>>OF PENALTY DO THEY HAVE TO FACE?  AFTER ALL THOSE OF US WHO PAY TUITION HELP
 
I agree players have been made to "pay the price" for administrators' mis-
takes. However, as far as the fans "paying the price," I have to disagree.
I go to all the hockey games, men's and women's basketball games, and
baseball games here at UMaine. I hate to see Maine's teams forfeit games
and be declared ineligible for conference playoffs. I also wonder how
the mistakes that have happened in UMaine's athletic department were
able to go unnoticed until it was "too late."
 
I have no argument for the contention college athletics is entertain-
ment. But I don't think fans have a right to say they are being robbed
by inept administrators. With or without fans, college athletics would
exist. As fans, we are merely watching the athletes show their skills.
What right do we have to say we're being robbed? All we do is buy (or
wait) for the tickets and sit for two and a half hours to watch talent-
ed athletes. We are not the reason college athletics exists. We help
to maintain the quality of the facilities by ticket sales and we pro-
vide support. But college athletics would still exist.
 
It is the players who are being denied. Everyone agrees with this.
And sure, it is everyone's goal to win a championship, be it at the
conference, regional, or national level. But championships aren't
everything.Getting a shot at a championship is a privilege, not a
right. And getting that shot depends on everyone on the team, and
that includes the coaches. Sports history is full of boneheaded
mishaps by players that caused their teams to miss out on champion-
ships. Fifty or 60 years ago a baseball player on first didn't know
he had to touch second for the tying and winning runs to count. As
a result, his team lost the National League pennant. Leon Lett
forgot to stay away from the blocked punt in the Dallas vs. Miami
game. It cost Dallas the game. It could have been worse. It could
have cost Dallas a chance at the Superbowl. As a farm league baseball
coach I've watched in disbelief as a 7-year-old caught a pop fly
and forgot to touch his base for a double play to end the inning.
As a baseball umpire, I've groaned at having to call a balk on a
pitcher because he forgot which foot to step off the rubber with.
 
Everyone makes mistakes. Playing the game is only part of winning
a championship. Playing by the rules is another part. But at
least the players are on the ice, on the court, and on the fields
playing. Winning isn't everything. The athletes out there have
already won the chance to have a chance.
 
Unfortunate things happen. But it takes mistakes to grow. We must-
n't penalize teams that do follow the rules. For the most part,
rules protect everyone involved.
 
>Agreed. Everyone knows the rules, and in both cases, the rules were broken.
 
Clarification: The University of Maine women's basketball team has
NOT broken any conference or NCAA rules. The team scheduled the
maximum number of games allowed, forgetting that the conference
tournament counted as one game. If the team were to compete in
the North Atlantic Conference tournament, it would be in violation
of NCAA rules, its title (if it won one) would be taken away, and
there would be no chance to make the NCAA tournament.
 
Ryan Robbins
Stodder Hall
University of Maine
 
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