Tuesday's column by Jack McNeel surmised that NIC's best option for its athletics is to take the ball and go home. What a stunning miscalculation to think shutting down a program for any length of time is beneficial. The SMU Mustang football program is a perfect example of how a "death penalty" or multi-year hiatus affects a program - they've never recovered. Mr. McNeel has somehow missed the best lessons that are derived from athletics - the striving and toil for greatness. The point of athletic programs is the enrichment of the academic setting and not an ego stroking exercise so fans can strut around town like barnyard roosters. Furthermore, the idea that moving laterally to the NWAACC would be a step down is flat wrong and insulting to the thousands of athletes who chose to attend these member schools as an overall part of their academic and athletic coursework/Brendon Hill, Coeur d'Alene Press "My Turn." More here.

Thoughts?