NCAA to look at the use of three-quarter face shields

It would appear that the NCAA isn’t to the point yet of approving the use of ¾ face shields for play in Division I college hockey. To be honest with you I hate the full shields/masks and I think they facilitate rough play and cause the players to think that they are invincible.

Ken Schott, Parting Schotts --- The NCAA hockey rules committee will examine the use of three-quarter face shields, the NCAA announced Friday.

The committee, which met Wednesday and Thursday in Indianapolis, didn't make a formal proposal, but will focus more on reviewing and collecting data on whether the three-quarter face shield will be safer than the full facemask. NCAA hockey players have been wearing full facemasks since 1978.

"We really wanted to make sure what we came back with is a measured approach to the entire community, not just the college hockey community, but the NCAA hockey committee understands where we're coming from," said Niagara athletic director Ed McLaughlin, who is chairman of the NCAA hockey rules committee. "We all feel we need more data. ... We all know, in our minds, it could be a safer way to play the game and not be less invincible."

A study recently conducted of over 1,000 student-athletes showed that 83 percent favored the three-quarter shield.

I also think that the NCAA is moving in the right direction and I hope that they decide to "finally" get rid of the clumsy full bird cage/clear maks and go to the shield... I don't buy the logic that the shield is more dangers than the full cage.

Personally, I have never understood the flawed logic of the NCAA for requiring that college hockey players be required to wear the full cage/mask. I can see making hockey players that have yet to get to their 18 birthday wear the full cage/mask, but the NCAA is making the decision for the most part about adult men who should be able to make their own decision what kind of protection they want to wear on their face. Current NCAA players have worn the ½ shield since they were in juniors and wear them when they play in the WJC.

Fighting Sioux nickname meeting with NCAA rescheduled for Aug. 12

Image via Wikipedia
Here is the latest from the meeting between the NCAA and the UND delegation.

BISMARCK — A meeting between North Dakota and NCAA officials to discuss the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname has been rescheduled for Aug. 12.

It's being held in the association's headquarters in Indianapolis. It is set three days before the NCAA intends to sanction the university for continuing to use its Fighting Sioux nickname and an American Indian head logo.

The NCAA considers the name and logo offensive, but a new state law says UND has to use them.

The meeting had been set for Monday, but it was postponed because of the death of the North Dakota Senate's Republican majority leader, Bob Stenehjem (STEN'-jum).

State Board of Higher Education president Grant Shaft says the meeting is likely to be in the afternoon.

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NCAA reaffirms: Policy on nicknames unchanged

Image via WikipediaHere is the latest on the Fighting Sioux nickname, the NCAA is unwavering and re-affirmed their opposition to the Fighting Sioux nickname.

I love the Fighting Sioux nickname and I bleed green and white but I am also fed up with political correctness run a muck, none-the-less,  I don't see any way that the University of North Dakota can keep the Fighting Sioux nickname without jeopardizing their Big Sky Conference affiliation and short of the Team North Dakota (Berg, Conrad, Hoeven) getting involved, they have shown no interest what so ever getting involved in the fight, I think the transition away from the Fighting Sioux nickname is a done deal.

Chuck Haga; Grand Forks Herald --- UND and state leaders will go ahead with plans to meet with the NCAA this summer despite the NCAA’s rather forceful restating of its position Friday concerning UND’s Fighting Sioux nickname.

The NCAA declared that it has “no intention of changing its position” and sanctions will apply if the name and logo are still in use after Aug. 15. But the association also has indicated to UND that NCAA leaders would receive a North Dakota delegation to discuss the impasse and provided two possible dates for a meeting in Indianapolis in late July.

UND President Robert Kelley, who confirmed that the NCAA had provided his office with the possible meeting dates, said he was “not surprised by the statement, as the NCAA is consistent in their position.”

“I think the issue now is to get our legislative and executive leaders to talk with the NCAA and see if there’s any final opportunity to turn the NCAA in another direction,” Kelley said.

“They’re trying to be as helpful as they can,” he said, “and they understand the difficulty” of UND’s position, caught between a legal settlement requiring that the nickname be dropped and a state law directing that it be retained.

Citing concerns expressed last week by leaders of the Big Sky Conference, which UND hopes to enter next year, the NCAA statement noted that the conference presidents’ position “is consistent with the spirit and intent of the settlement agreement the NCAA reached with the university (in 2007) to retire the nickname and logo.”

If UND follows the new state law and continues to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and Indian-head logo after Aug. 15, sanctions will be imposed, according to the statement.

Grant Shaft, the newly installed president of the State Board of Higher Education, said the language of the statement “is pretty black and white,” but he also said efforts to arrange a face-to-face meeting with the NCAA will continue.

“This really isn’t a change in what we’ve perceived the NCAA position to be all along,” Shaft said. “Shortly after the legislation (on keeping the name) was passed, their comment was they didn’t think the legislation changed their policy. They now make a more formal statement.

“I still think a meeting will take place between the NCAA officials and the North Dakota contingent because the North Dakota legislative leadership believes very strongly that a face-to-face meeting with the NCAA could change their position.

“However, this statement indicates that possibility is pretty narrow.”