> >From: Paula Weston <[log in to unmask]>
> >USCHO is real media.
>
> Yes, but is it "real"?  Did the NC$$ actually snub electronic media at the
> Phinal Phour?
 
First, I agree with Paula.  Compare the quality of depth of stories on USCHO to
your paper (not to mention the attitude and professionalism of the respective
reporters in Milwaukee). USCHO surpasses most, and stacks up favorably to the
others.
 
Now ... the NCAA denied access to on-line media at the men's and women's
basketball tournaments.  This was supposed to be across the board, but luckily,
the NCAA people that take care of hockey had enough sense to allow USCHO and
USA Today (and Around the Rinks, for that matter) to get credentials.
 
Thursday, however, it was a touchy situation, as USA Today filed a lawsuit
against the NCAA over the basketball Final Fours, and USA Today's people in
Milwaukee were concerned their credential would be stripped.
 
I am very pleased to see USA Today take a stand ... and I just hope that any
suit they bring also covers places like USCHO.  Heaven knows that USCHO doesn't
have the resources like USA Today to fight such an absurd decision.
 
The key here is this:  The people in the NCAA that handle their respective
sport (Phil Buttafuoco and John Painter for hockey) need to be the judges of
which on-line medium is qualified enough to deserve a credential. They should
know their sports well enough to be the judge.  Luckily, for hockey, they were.
 
AW
 
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