While fans of college hockey wait interminably for the NCAA to decide whether
or not Maine will forfeit its games or not, let me add my two pence to the
discussion.
 
Assuming that the Boston Globe correctly quoted an NCAA official that Maine
might be banned from post-season play, mightn't the holy fathers of that
illustrious body be waiting to see how Maine will fair through the rest of
the season?  If they do well (which even I, a die-hard fan, have come to
realize is little short of wishful thinking), then banning them would surely
make a large portion of college hockey fans seriously pissed;  not only would
Maine fans thirst for blood, but so would any honest Joe/Jo who thought that
the National Championship should be decided by the best teams, even if those
that had done wrongly and paid the penalty.  On the other hand, if Maine
continues to play at its current mediocre level -- how many have they lost at
Alfond this year? -- then the big chiefs of the NCAA could conceivably ban
the team with no harm done, while at the same time proving to everyone how
impressive and powerful they were.  Either way, the NCAA bigwigs -- let's
see, how many more derogatory epithets can I come up with...? -- cannot fail
by waiting things out.  If Maine does well they let them through and dismiss
talk of a ban as "rumors";  if Maine continues to falter they ban them and
pat themselves on the back for exerting control.  What a wonderful system.
 
Ever the cynic,
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*Jason A. Pierce, UMaine '93                          [log in to unmask]*
*University of St Andrews, Scotland                 M-A-I-N-E Go... BLUE!!!*
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