At the moment, this is not directly related to college hockey, so I apologize
in advance for going off-topic... but depending on what happens, there could
be some heavy ramifications.
 
Today's _Ithaca Journal_ had an article by sports editor Frank Benson, in
which he discussed a federal lawsuit that Cornell assistant men's lacrosse
coach Bill Hall recently filed against the NCAA.  Hall is a restricted-
earnings or "entry-level" assistant, and under NCAA rules, his pay is limited
to $12,000 during the year and $4,000 during the summer.  He has filed suit
to challenge that rule, enacted by the NCAA in 1992.  The suit could poten-
tially cover several thousand entry-level coaches (including those in hockey)
who are in similar situations.  Another lawsuit, which may become a class-
action one, on the same issue was filed against the NCAA earlier this year by
an assistant basketball coach (the school was not identified).
 
During his interview with Benson, Hall made the point that there are probably
a lot of potentially good coaches who would not be interested in taking a
$16,000-a-year job, saying, "It's taken the whole free-market system out of
whack."  He also said he believed the rule was put in place to "level out the
playing field" so that richer schools would not have an unfair advantage in
hiring coaches.  His boss, Cornell lacrosse coach Richie Moran, said it was
done to cut costs; John Kitchen, a lawyer for the NCAA, "agreed with both
points."
 
I was wondering when something like this was going to happen.  I think Hall's
point is a good one; I don't know what coaching salaries are at the various
levels, but if I were looking to get into coaching, I might steer clear of
the $16,000 college jobs in favor of positions with high schools, prep
schools, junior leagues, or wherever the pay was not so limited.  It seems
like it would be pretty hard for a head coach to keep his staff together
through the years when one of his assistants has a restricted salary (and I
get the sense that there has been a fair turnover in hockey entry-level
assistants since this rule was put in place).  I'm not fond of lawsuits, but
hopefully, something good will come of these two.  Anyway, it's a situation
that probably bears watching.
--
Disclaimer -- Unless otherwise noted, all opinions expressed above are
              strictly those of:
 
Bill Fenwick                        |  Send your HOCKEY-L poll responses to:
Cornell '86 and '94.5               |  [log in to unmask]
LET'S GO RED!!                                                  DJF  5/27/94
"Cozza, there's a train leaving at 4:00.  Be under it."
-- from a letter that Yale football coach Carm Cozza is supposed to have
   gotten when he lost his coaching debut in 1965