Greetings -
The college hockey content is in here, so please bear with me ....
Several recent postings to HOCKEY-L have mentioned that they've been
intimidated (perhaps too strong a word) from posting/defending contro-
versial positions on the List because of the viciousness of personal
attacks they've subsequently endured, both on the List and in private
off-List e-mails. No one deserves that kind of treatment, but perhaps
I have a thicker skin than most; none of the sarcastic innuendo that
I've received in response to my (infrequent) posts over the past 5+
years or so has struck me as mean-spirited enough to drive me off the
List .... It'll take quite a lot to drive me away this time too ....
For now I'm going out on a limb again, although it's nothing more
that what I (and some others) have been voicing on the List for the
past year or so. Flame me if you wish, but my asbestos suit is snugly
attached ....
So what's the fuss ?? At breakfast this morning I open the Washington
"Post" - and am amazed to read about a species of college administrator
that I thought no longer existed: at last - a school president with the
conviction/fortitude to do the right thing .... I quote:
"Jim Harrick, who two seasons ago led the UCLA men's basketball team
to its FIRST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN 20 YEARS, was *FIRED* yesterday for
committing a recruiting violation in October, filing a false expense
report with the University, and providing "mis-statements" to school
officials during a subsequent investigation, University Chancellor
Charles E. Young said." [emphasis mine]
Note to Shawn Walsh: this is *NOT* 1 year of administrative leave.
Note to Doug Woog: this is *NOT* a 2-game slap-on-the-wrist suspension.
You may recall back in October that I wrote:
************
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 1996 18:57:39 -0400
From: Jim Love <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: University of Minnesota Sanctions Woog, program
> Probably of more concern than anything else is the fact that Woog
> appears to have known that what he was doing was wrong, but went ahead
> and did it anyway.
Where have I heard this attitude expressed before ?!?
This mind-numbing parade of DivI Ice Hockey coaches (and even certain
Conference officials) who have recently been accussed of varying degrees
of NC$$ "malfeaseance" is a blot on the sport that will not soon go away.
Nor does it reflect well on the administrations of the school(s) in
question that - with rare exceptions - seem to believe that (a) self-
reporting somehow absolves them from futher responsibility/recriminations,
and (b) the glare of the spotlight is somehow a magical balm that will
instill deep feelings of regret, remorse, and shame in the hearts of the
wronged parties, followed by a new outlook of goodness and light -
Father Flanagan himself could not be expected to behave more saintly.
Puulleeze .... It's time to stop coddling the egregious rule-breakers
and go for the jugular; do the crime - do the time .... no exceptions.
************
Among the several off-line responses I received was the following:
> I'm frustrated. I had no idea this sort of stuff was going on here.
> But, what would you suggest is an appropriate penalty?
Shall we ask UCLA Chancellor Young what *he* thinks is an "appropriate"
penalty ?? My list of academic role models is a short one (with UC-
Berkeley emeritus professor Garrett Hardin at the top), but Chancellor
Young sits there now, for having the courage to ignore the wailing and
gnashing of teeth of influential alumni, corporate backers, etc. and
standing up for both academic and personal integrity/responsibility.
Would that his peers at Maine and Minnesota had done the same ....
Cheers from the Chesapeake - Jim
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