about academic changes that should probably benefit Tulsa and some other smaller schools. I thought they were pretty serious when I saw that a Vanderbilt AD was the chairman of the group setting policy!! The council has approved the elimination of the 5/8 rule. They approved the elimination of exhibition games against anybody but collegiate related teams, including foreign teams!! That means our exhibition games will be against D-2, NAIA, etc, teams. I like that because some AAU teams were really being supported by some colleges in return for sending players to their college!!! They also approved not getting a replacement scholarship if a player is ruled academically ineligible. There will also be penalties, losing scholarships and No bowl or tourney appearances without a certain graduation rate or academic success. OU and some others may not have a BB team in a couple of years since some of these rules will take effect in 2005!! OU seems to be working on their graduation rate, if you check out a couple of guys at the end of the bench that never play!! Academic requirements could even the playing field a little bit for teams like Tulsa!!

It is about time that the NCAA does something regarding academics. Eventually it would not surprise me if we see the "power" conferences split from the NCAA to form their own governing body I dont think that they are going to stand for member schools to be denied post season play because of low graduation rates.

It wouldn't surprise me either if the BCS conferences fight the changes or at least try to water them down, but my understanding is the Presidents are playing a big role in this and I don't know how good it would look if the Ohio St President was against minumum academic success of the football or other sports teams!!

One thing the presidents understand more than anything is money and I dont think they will do anything that will cost them money.

Watch for major changes to the way they measure graduation rates.

Great Post, JF. I learned something

The NCAA has decided to postpone any change in the lane or the 3-point line. Otherwise everything stays the same, the NCAA will not go to the international lane or extended 3-point line. I'm glad about the lane, although Tulsa's team is more designed for the international lane, but they could have moved the 3-point line back and it would have been fine with me!!!