** Reply to note from Mike Machnik <[log in to unmask]>         Tue, 13 Aug 1996 00:47:52 -0400
 
 
> I think there's a certain amount of truth to the idea that ignorance of the
> rules isn't a solid defense, and I'm sure some people will feel this way
> and say that Maine should have lost the title anyway as a result of this.
> But on the other hand, many people who say this don't comprehend what
> they're suggesting.  The bureaucracy of the NCAA has resulted in a wide
> array of rules that take up 600 pages just to list in the 96-97 NCAA
> Manual, and many more in the way of interpretations of those rules handed
> down by the NCAA staff.  It is truly a mind-boggling effort to try to
> assure complete and total compliance.
 
This is indefensible. We're not talking about a mom & pop operations here. We're
talking about instituions of higher education. I find it a little hard to believe
that the institutions that are charged with educating our children and with
creating a foundation for the future can't find ways to comply with NCAA rules. The
first controlled fission reaction was performed at the University of
Chicago. What you're saying is that it's easier to control nuclear fission
than to interpret and follow the rules of the NCAA. I don't think so. Consider all
the things that are done at universities. Consider the brain power you have at
universities. We're smart enough to split the atom, develop new drugs and surgical
procedures, but we're not smart enough to follow the NCAA rule book. It's
incomprehensible.
 
I'm not saying complying with the NCAA is easy, but it can't be any harder than
some of the other things that are done at universities every day.
 
> But even though USA Hockey did provide incorrect information, and even
> though the Dunhams perhaps should have known to seek out answers from a
> "professional", there isn't any evidence to suggest that they deliberately
> avoided getting those answers or acted with knowledge of the rules.
 
They're probably no different than any of the rest of us. Once they found the
answer they we're looking for they stopped looking. How many of us don't balance
our checkbooks because we don't want to know how little money we really have?
 
> Therefore, the decision to leave the title in Maine's hands was a good one.
 
I think it sends the wrong message. We tell our kids, "winners never cheat and
cheaters never win". I realize it's a bit trite but still, it's something we want
children to learn. Educational institutions are suppose to be paragons of virtue.
We're suppose to lead by example, to do things right no matter the cost. And when
we get caught cheating we should be adult enough to take our medicine. We did
something wrong, and we'll suffer the consequnces. This is what we teach, or
attempt to anyway, our students. We should live by the same rules.
 
I recently saw a result of a survey about cheating in a college of pharmacy (not
mine). The results showed that a majority of students cheated regularly (i.e.,
whenever possible). The reasons given for cheating were what we might expect: I
was prepared for the test/quiz (even though I new about it 2 months ago), I had
something other than studying to do (work), it's easier to cheat than to study.
 
However, the reasons given most often by students were 1. Everybody else is doing
it and 2. Even if I get caught I won't be punished.
 
I think these are the reasons why we continually have problems with cheating and
athletics. Which university in a major athletic conference, in any sport, is going
to unilaterally declare that they'll follow the NCAA rule book by the letter. None.
Basically because they're affraid that other "less honest" schools will have an
advantage, and even if caught the punishment is generally slight (the present
case).
 
When this first came to pass Maine should have said we used ineligible players
(knowingly or not) during the season, this violated NCAA rules and as a
consequence we cannot accept the National Championship. This certainly isn't fair
to those students who were not invovled in the violation, but it's responsibility
of Maine, and no one else, to make it up to those students. This would have sent
the right message to their students, the citizens of Maine and the rest of the
nation. I would have admired Maine for doing the right thing.
 
 
 
Mike Smar ([log in to unmask])
 
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