There are several reasons to be AGAINST the NCAA's implementation of regional qualifying: 1. One of the reasons proponents cite is that it will reduce the time and effort spent by schools and athletes in "chasing marks" at so-called last-chance meets. My understanding is that there will be standards needed for athletes to qualify for regionals. The top-rung athletes may not to spend time going to the last-chance meets, but the next level of athletes will have to do so. 2. In the west region, how is it fair for any other school in the distances, except for Stanford? On the men's side, the Cardinal will hog a high percentage of the slots -- thus penalizing outstanding runners from that region. The same will hold true for the south for the sprints. It will be T.C.U. and virtually no one else. 3. Additional time and expense will fall on the universities for track and field programs that provide no net money to the schools. There will be additional time needed for the regional (two weeks after conference meets), so the NCAA meet will need to be pushed back a week. Remember that there is a mandatory dead period for most conferences for the final exam period, so there will be no choice but to move these events farther back on the calendar. The extra "regional" athletes remaining at the school, either on or off campus (food and housing), will necessitate a much greater expense to the schools. Also, those athletes who do make it to the NCAA meet will have to provided for by the schools for yet an additional week. 4. Because of the need to make qualifying marks, many schools will have no choice but to forego Penn or Drake because there just won't be enough time between the end of indoor season and the conference meets. There is also the cost element involved because the regional will be another travel meet. There are many other sound reasons why this whole scheme is a bad idea. The better idea would be to take the top 32 at every event, with a hard cut line, and reimburse the schools for those who finish in the top 16 at the NCAA meet. The schools can make the individual decision regarding their athletes who finish 17-32 on the list, as to whether or not the trip will be worth it. It would save an enormous amount of money (remember the half-empty arenas for NCAA Men's Basketball regionals because it is too expensive to pay for last-minute plane tickets), and enable family, students and fans to make their plans in advance to go to the NCAA meet (for those who automatically qualify). Finally, where are these regionals going to take place? I think we know the answer to that question. Here in the south, it would be either LSU or Texas. Great -- just give the bigger schools even more of an advantage, just as the NCAA Basketball Tournament selection committee does with their ridiculous seeding concept. Russell Henderson
