As many readers know, TJHN has made no secret of not supporting the Big Ten proposal to penalize players who take more time developing before they enroll in NCAA programs.
Apparently NCAA Administrators are reading the many publications reporting on this issue. In a TJHN poll taken over the last few weeks, 92% of readers did not support the Big Ten proposal. This poll was taken simply from TJHN readers, and those readers voted more than 1000 times against this proposal.
The NCAA Legislative Committee has now voted against recommending the proposal be passed next month at the Legislative Council meetings.
While the Committee recommendation is not binding and does not kill the proposal all together, it is a critical component of the proposal process.
The Big Ten however is not going to take the defeat lying down. They will continue to lobby for the proposal to be accepted. Not following through at this point would be an admission of defeat, and would eliminate any future excuses for “not being able to compete” on the ice.
While everyone understands why the proposal was made, the great majority of hockey people are expressing the manner in which it was made. It is seen as a proposal that benefits the few and penalizes the majority.
It continues to become clearer every year that the NHL is taking more players form NCAA hockey after they have time to mature physically and mentally. The NHL wants those players and does not want development rushed. In the end it is the NHL that will always be the guiding force behind all rule making.
The Big Ten now has about two weeks to try to change the majority’s mind set. Can it be done? Sure, but it is not likely.
Joe Hughes
