Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 4, 1994 TAG: 9406040028
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: KANSAS CITY, MO. LENGTH: Medium
Citing "many complex issues" and a lack of understanding among administrators, a special committee decided Friday to abandon its hope of presenting a plan for schools at the NCAA convention in January.
For playoff advocates, this is a defeat. It means there could not be a playoff game until January 1997 at the earliest and seems to confirm widespread opposition among the NCAA's major programs.
"I think there was certainly a feeling that the members of the committee heard from their various constituent groups that we're not ready to move to a playoff," NCAA executive director Cedric Dempsey said Friday at the conclusion of the committee's second full meeting. "There are too many issues to be resolved before we move in that direction."
"There has not been enough time to address these issues satisfactorily," said UCLA chancellor Charles Young, the committee chairman. "In view of that lack of time, the climate does not appear to favor the submission of legislation to establish a championship at this time."
Young and Dempsey will request that a task force continue to study the issue in the summer and fall with an eye toward possible legislation at the 1996 convention.
"I wouldn't say it's inevitable this question will come to a convention vote some day, but I'd say it's highly likely," Young said. He added that issues to be resolved are impact on players, impact on bowls, revenue distribution and format.
Two football players invited to join the committee - Derrick Brooks of Florida State and Rob Zatechka of Nebraska - were active participants.
"What we saw was a great sensitivity to the student-athlete," Dempsey said. "Their participation was welcome. The issues they raised were of concern to the committee. Some of those concerns have to be resolved before we move further."
Zatechka said in interviews before the meeting he would urge some sort of player compensation.
"Trying to balance the financial gains of a playoff vs. the impact upon the student-athlete is a difficult chore," Dempsey said. "Even though the committee had a voluminous amount of material . . . it did not have that kind of material that had to be addressed."
Young indicated many college executives had not reviewed the research material that covered several hundred pages and was to be distributed in May.
The Southeastern Conference voted 12-0 against a playoff on the eve of the committee's meeting. Other conferences, including the Big Eight, also had indicated general opposition. A competing plan by the bowl coalition to set up a No. 1-No. 2 matchup through the bowls is being floated by several major conferences, including the ACC and Big East.
"One reason we decided to put this off is it became clear that a much greater effort would have to be made in informing people generally in order to prepare the climate for serious consideration," Young said.
by CNB