First, one question off topic: has anyone heard anything more on RPI
to HE?  I had heard that a decision was due by the end of April...now
it is June.  Just wondering.
 
For the record, it is true that an exemption is allowed for teams who
play in the preseason NIT hoop tourney, both men's and women's.  This
is a once-in-four-years exemption, and only one team from a conference
is allowed to take part.  The NC$$ manual specifies the format of the
tourney (16 teams, single elim, only one consolation game) and the
dates between which it must be played (Nov 15-30).
 
If such a tourney were to become popular in hockey, I would think that
it would be necessary to get the NC$$ to approve an exemption for it
like with basketball.  That may not be such an easy thing to do.
Also, hockey is sort of backed up against the wall as it is - if you
add in the game weeks, weeks off, etc., teams pretty much have their
schedules filled.
 
BTW, the exemption for the Great Alaska Shootout in hoop is once every
12 years.  And you cannot travel to Alaska/Hawaii and exempt as many
games as you wish...that too is limited though I forget what the
limitation is.  Hockey has the edge in that area.  I believe some
teams have played as many as 5 games in Alaska in the past (i.e. MTU
93-94 with 3 in the Great Alaska Face-Off and 2 WCHA games at UAA).
---                                                                    ---
Mike Machnik                                             [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                     *HMM* 11/13/93
>>>>>> Dean Borrelli (C, Tacoma, AAA) .348, 31-for-89, 3 HR, 15 RBI <<<<<<