Walt Olson writes ...
 
>The reason for not practicing after a game is to avoid "punishment tours"
>for the players. This is a good rule. Mass punishment went out with
>World War II, I hope (although I occassionaly witnessed it during the
>the years I served in the Army.) When a team captain runs a team
>practice, which I doubt any player could forego,  after a losing game,
>particularly one where the loss is 6-1, the purpose is probably
>punishment whatever name you call the rose by. MY WAY of thinking is that
>this is in fact illegal regardless of whether or not one wants to
>quibble about coaches present or absent.
 
I have to disagree with your assessment of this being an act of punishment by
the Captains.  Yes, the captains called the meeting.  But they have no
special hold on the players.  My guess is that when the idea of a practice
came up, half the team jumped on the band-wagon right away.  When you see
half your peers interested in putting in some work to make the team better,
yes, its hard to turn away.  But it does not amount to punishment.
 
And yes, this is speculation on my part, but it is no different than what you
are doing.
 
Secondly, the NCAA has to draw the line somewhere and they chose to draw it
at the point where coaches become involved.  UW hockey players know the rules
and had the rule been more restrictive they would not have practiced.  You
cannot accuse someone of foul play when they are indeed being carefull to
follow the rules which you have clearly defined.  It doesn't work that way.
 
You have to draw the line somewhere.  What do you do if three hockey players
and their girlfriends go ice skating in some park.  Insist that no hockey
pucks are present ??? Require that they not speak about last weekends series
unless a coach is present ???
 
Get real.
 
The line was drawn by the NCAA and UW did not cross it.
 
---------------------------------------------------------
 
Steve Nieman
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
University of Wisconsin
1225 W. Dayton Street
Madison, WI  53705