In article <[log in to unmask]>, Greg Sorenson <[log in to unmask]> says: > >RCANNE31 writes: > >>THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR THAT MAINE BLACKBEAR ATHLETES AND FANS >>HAVE HAD TO PAY THE PRICE FOR A SCREW UP BY THEIR ADMINISTRATION. WHAT KIND >>OF PENALTY DO THEY HAVE TO FACE? AFTER ALL THOSE OF US WHO PAY TUITION HELP I agree players have been made to "pay the price" for administrators' mis- takes. However, as far as the fans "paying the price," I have to disagree. I go to all the hockey games, men's and women's basketball games, and baseball games here at UMaine. I hate to see Maine's teams forfeit games and be declared ineligible for conference playoffs. I also wonder how the mistakes that have happened in UMaine's athletic department were able to go unnoticed until it was "too late." I have no argument for the contention college athletics is entertain- ment. But I don't think fans have a right to say they are being robbed by inept administrators. With or without fans, college athletics would exist. As fans, we are merely watching the athletes show their skills. What right do we have to say we're being robbed? All we do is buy (or wait) for the tickets and sit for two and a half hours to watch talent- ed athletes. We are not the reason college athletics exists. We help to maintain the quality of the facilities by ticket sales and we pro- vide support. But college athletics would still exist. It is the players who are being denied. Everyone agrees with this. And sure, it is everyone's goal to win a championship, be it at the conference, regional, or national level. But championships aren't everything.Getting a shot at a championship is a privilege, not a right. And getting that shot depends on everyone on the team, and that includes the coaches. Sports history is full of boneheaded mishaps by players that caused their teams to miss out on champion- ships. Fifty or 60 years ago a baseball player on first didn't know he had to touch second for the tying and winning runs to count. As a result, his team lost the National League pennant. Leon Lett forgot to stay away from the blocked punt in the Dallas vs. Miami game. It cost Dallas the game. It could have been worse. It could have cost Dallas a chance at the Superbowl. As a farm league baseball coach I've watched in disbelief as a 7-year-old caught a pop fly and forgot to touch his base for a double play to end the inning. As a baseball umpire, I've groaned at having to call a balk on a pitcher because he forgot which foot to step off the rubber with. Everyone makes mistakes. Playing the game is only part of winning a championship. Playing by the rules is another part. But at least the players are on the ice, on the court, and on the fields playing. Winning isn't everything. The athletes out there have already won the chance to have a chance. Unfortunate things happen. But it takes mistakes to grow. We must- n't penalize teams that do follow the rules. For the most part, rules protect everyone involved. >Agreed. Everyone knows the rules, and in both cases, the rules were broken. Clarification: The University of Maine women's basketball team has NOT broken any conference or NCAA rules. The team scheduled the maximum number of games allowed, forgetting that the conference tournament counted as one game. If the team were to compete in the North Atlantic Conference tournament, it would be in violation of NCAA rules, its title (if it won one) would be taken away, and there would be no chance to make the NCAA tournament. Ryan Robbins Stodder Hall University of Maine [log in to unmask]