The May 7 Portland Press Herald editorial page once again called for
the dismissal of UMaine hockey coach Shawn Walsh.
Renewing its editorial attack from last December, when Walsh was
given a one year suspension, the paper called on campus officials to
"Let right be the prize, not winning games," and said that "Sports
teach the wrong lesson at UM as long as they include Shawn Walsh."
The paper accused university officials of trying to "hoodwink"
both the NC$$ and Maine citizens with their response to the NC$$
allegations.  "As far as university explainers are concerned,
Shawn Walsh wasn't running hockey by a rogue set of rules aimed
at winning, whatever the cost.  He (1) simply did not know the rules
of his trade, (2) saw no reason not to interfere as he liked with
people likely to be questioned in the NCAA's investigation, and
(3) thought $1,700 given to him in prohibition of NCAA rules
during a previous suspension was only an innocent "Christmas
present.
If there are professors on the Orono campus who'll give that lame
chain of explanations a passing grade, we'd like to meet them."
 
The paper then praises the changes in personnel and policy in the
athletic department and compliance system, but says "Fred Hutchinson
needs to decide what his administration will teach new generations
of Mainers.  If the answer is to be integrity, honesty and
choosing right over expediency, the place to start now, as it was
in December, is by firing Shawn Walsh."
 
*Quotes and all quoted material from the Portland Press Herald*
 
John Forsyth
 
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