Well, that's clear as mud.  The right answer!  But I don't know why. ;-/
 
>The NCAA will not talk about specific institutions, but I asked the member
>of the legislative committee what the rules were when an institution gets
>their exemption aspect of a rules violation penalty moved to the next year.
>
>According to the NCAA, if you are eligible for the postseason than you get
>an exemption for those games.  No mention was made of Maine having to leave
>one or two games open.
 
I see nothing in the NCAA Manual to support the answer that post-season
play and exemptions are independent.  Here's the text of a portion of
the Infractions Committee report:
 
   "3.  The institution's men's ice hockey team shall end its 1996-97
        season with the playing of its last regularly scheduled,
        in-season contest and shall not be eligible to participate in
        any postseason competition.  During the 1996-97 academic year,
        the men's ice hockey team may not take advantage of any of the
        exemptions provided in Bylaw 17.10.5.3."
 
           http://www.ncaa.org/databases/register_960902/maine.html
 
Bylaw 17.10.5.3 is crystal clear. There are a maximum number of games,
yet many games are exempted from the count.  Included are conference
and NCAA playoff games. (There are a dozen or so other exemptions).
 
It would be a serious stretch for me, and I would hope most of you would
stop writing NC$$ :), if the NCAA separated the exemptions ban quoted
above into "post-season" and "other", and applied one this year and the
other next year!
 
But the questions Deron asked presume the exemption ban can/will be
moved to next year.  Does Maine "know" this from precedent or private
conversation?
 
Finally, the NCAA response to Deron discussed NCAA tournament as if it
was not an exemption, but did not deal with the conference tournament.
 
I've got a headache :(
 
Great weekend, Black Bears!   The way to a great season is played
one game, one period, one shift at a time.
 
Yours in college hockey,
 
Wayne T. Smith                         Systems Group -- CAPS
[log in to unmask]                    University of Maine System
Co-owner of the College Hockey lists - Hockey-L/Info-Hockey-L/Hockey3