Upon receiving the July 7 issue of The NCAA News, I began reading through each article, as usual. I noticed that the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet had returned to the Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee the issue of zero tolerance as it relates to foul and abusive language. The rationale for this return was that such a policy should be applied Association-wide, not just to an individual sport.

One cannot help but flinch at such rationale since this same group, I assume, would have approved the increased penalties for fighting in men's basketball since 2001. How about the zero tolerance of tobacco products in baseball? Sport-specific changes, when approved and requested by sport coaches, have been welcomed over the years in all intercollegiate athletics associations. These men and women are on the front lines daily and have the opportunity to offer insights not privy to administrators and executives. When frivolous or shortsighted, then they have been defeated or returned. When merited, they have been approved and enforced.

In an edition of the News headlining an image campaign within Division II and recapping an address by NCAA President Myles Brand that focused on the difference athletics administrators can and should make, it seems ironic that this cabinet should ask the soccer officiating association to better police the NCAA pitch instead of welcoming the self-imposed policing requested by soccer coaches from within NCAA member institutions. Does anyone really anticipate that all sport coaching associations will embrace such a policy? No, but members representing one sport certainly did and instead of being applauded for their efforts they have been told to be sure future press releases recognize the necessity for approval by the cabinet when dollars, safety or sport image are to be impacted.