> I have watched with curiosity at the outrage of the D3 fans with the
proposal
> put forth by their own division 3 representatives.  It is no surprise that
> the NCAA sees these schools as cherry picking a sport while the other
schools
> have the "burden" of fielding D1 teams in other sports. Apparently they
want the
> Division 1 programs separate from D3 to purify the stables so to speak.

"Cherry pick"???  All four of the D-III colleges that field D-I hockey teams
as well as JHU in lacrosse (I can't comment about the other three schools),
do so out of history and tradition.  It wasn't done with the reason of
making money, and I don't think that they do that anyway, certainly not as
much to make it worthwhile.  If I were to pick a sport to go D-I in, I would
never pick hockey which is probably the most expensive not counting
football.  It's tradition, plain and simple.

I feel that the D-III schools playing up should be subject to D-I rules in
that sport -- not D-III rules.  It should be as simple as that.  If they
want to do away with scholarships across the board in D-I, I probably
wouldn't be against that.

It was stated that the other sports in D-III schools get a benefit by the
fact that one sport is played at a D-I level.  Ask NCAA President, Myles
Brand, RPI '64, how the hockey and football teams did in the four years that
he was at RPI.  I realize that this was before there was a separation among
D-I, D-II, and D-III, but RPI did play a mainly D-I-quality hockey schedule
and an entirely D-III hockey schedule.  The answer is that RPI's hockey team
made the NCAA tourney twice while the football team was 0-28.  It sure did
help them. ;-)

> It is going to happen and then the affected schools will have to make a
> decision to go D1.

As Ben stated, there is nothing keeping the schools from going D-II, unless
D-II also makes a similar rule.  In that case, goodbye to all but three
members of the WCHA.

> RPI would be a natural for the patriot league.

Is the Patriot League looking to expand?  It probably would be as good a
match as any if RPI were to go D-I, but I don't expect that happen.

> As to the other
> schools I just do not know. There are non-scholarship 1AA football leagues
(the
> level of play is one step below 1AA scholarship programs and a step above
D3
> football). The challenge is probably hoops and putting together a decent
> program will require scholarships and I guess the Canton, NY area may
require a
> real recruiting genius. It would seem that schools will have to make a
decision
> and then move on.

Decisions will be made when necessary.  Currently the schools are fighting
the change.  As written on INCH
http://insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Features/reform_0146.htm , there is
no sense in playing a card before it is necessary.

> It would seem that someone should sue the Ivys as a restraint on trade
> (Colgate would be a good candidate) for not opening up the conference.
Just some
> food for thought. I wonder if the same schools (D3) that field D1 women
will also
> have to exclude those teams or will the PC police exempt them?

Ben has addressed these points already.  I agree with him completely.


Ralph Baer