NCAA Championships for Men Must Die!

While poking around the NCAA web site the other day (I need a life!), I came across the proposal sponsored by the PAC-10 to make men's rowing an NCAA sport with an NCAA championship. I've posted about this before, once here and once here. My first post was in September so I've been ringing the alarm bell about this one for quite a while. Just to remind you, the problem with this proposal is that it would most likely end the IRA regatta and with it, the lightweight women's and men's national championship races. Lightweights would be pushed to the fringe and the NCAA's separate but equal doctrine would continue to take hold of rowing. Think about it yourself, but I have a hard time coming up with one reason why this would be a good thing.

If you look at the proposal, you can see its history. The Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet recommended defeat, but the Championships/Competition Cabinet and the Management Council's 1st Review recommended approval. It looks to me like it's closer to approval than defeat. We are currently in the Comment Period and I suggest you ask your coaches about this. Now is the time for them to let the NCAA know where they stand. First ask your own coach if she or he has registered her opposition with the NCAA, then ask your men's lightweight coach if he's registered his opposition. You also want to know where your heavyweight coaches stand on the matter, since opposition from a men's heavyweight coach ought to carry some special weight. How about it Stanford lightweights, it was your conference that brought the proposal, ask your coaches to explain their position to you. Now is the time to act. You don't want to find yourself standing on the deserted banks of the Cooper River in June 2007 asking yourself why you didn't do more today.