> The other six ECAC teams play 32 games a year
 
30, actually.
 
> As to the gripe that Prop. 31 will limit scholarships
 
One thing these guys are *really* pissed about is that you can no
longer switch scholarships indiscriminately among sports. For
instance, Shaun MacEachern went to BU on a *basball* scholarship! I
see no problem with this new limitation - all it is is a rule that
you can't willfully misrepresent where your scholarships are going.
Geez, follow the spirit of the rules at least....
 
I must admit that my patience with both extremes in this argument is
growing thin. IMNSHO, coaches like Parker are only concerned about
the perpetuation of their hockey team's (and their own personal)
success, and could care less about the academic and intellectual
development of their players. But at the same time, the Academe
Purists among us (and I'll admit I'm an ex-card-carrying-member)
should consider that that's likely all the players care about
themselves! I'm not a big fan of paternalism, in politics or in real
life, and I don't see much virtue in assigning one's own motivations
to people who may be oblivious, or even hostile, to them.
 
There's also the philosophical question of "what is a university"?
Obviously it shouldn't be a sports factory (does anybody even go to
class at UNLV?), but a strong argument could be made that it is a
structure which allows you to be trained in your chosen field. There
is no normative judgement of the relative worth of various pursuits
in that charter. The Cornell University motto is, for instance, "I
would found a university in which any person could find instruction
in any field of study," (or something like that - the copy on my shot
glass is too small to read (irony, irony...)). Well, my field is
right wing - gimme a stick and let me do it!
 
AS LONG AS ATHLETES DO NOT RECEIVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT in the
evaluation of their admissions qualifications, I have no problem
making them paid employees of the university (which is what a
scholarship, after all, is). By handing out scholarships to centers
rather than playwrights, the university is saying that they're more
interested in subsidizing a good slap shot than a good Pinter Pause.
Fine with me; just check the sanctimoneous nonsense about "education"
at the door.
 
Greg
Cornell '86, BA Playwriting
Somerville, MA
Let's Go Red!