The trials and tribulations of the Northern Ohio League and its membership needs little introduction to this website - or any area message board these days. It's all been well-documented.

And while some people may not be happy or admittedly like it, for the first time since the first domino fell late last winter, it feels like the NOL has drawn a line in the sand and made the somewhat pro-active move of making a solid committment.

So let's review:

Galion, Upper Sandusky and Fostoria are out. Sandusky is in, joining mainstays Bellevue, Norwalk, Willard, Shelby and Tiffin Columbian for a total of six teams. And that's where the line in the sand comes in.

Since the three schools made their intentions clear about leaving for 'greener pastures', the rumor mill has been into full swing like never seen before by yours truly. Where to even begin? Shelby is going to the Ohio Cardinal Conference or maybe even in a stretch to the North Central Conference with Galion and Upper. They are 'too far south' for those other teams in these 'tough economic times.'

Let's see, another popular one was Margaretta and SMCC closing its doors and having Norwalk and Bellevue fill those two slots in the Sandusky Bay Conference...then there was the recent rumor that Willard was making it known that they wanted to also be in the NCC...and if any of the above happened, the NOL as we know it would be dead.

Rumors...misinformation...a whole big FOUNTAIN of misinformation. It can really do more harm than people think, as I can tell you officials from these schools are frustrated to no end with having to answer false rumor after false rumor on a daily basis.

And for what it's worth, the latest rumor killer on the Willard-to-the-NCC front is an email in my inbox from a high-ranking school official that reads "We have not considered it at this point (NCC). We have committed to the NOL through the 2012-13 school year."

There you have it. That's the news...the six schools have basically thrown their hats in the ring, put on the hard hats and dug a trench that says we are what we are, a six-team league looking for more members. For at least two years starting in 2011, the NOL is going to try it as six teams and see how it goes. If they get a new member or two before that, great, but as Bellevue AD Brian Schubert said 'We have six strong schools who made a committment to each other and want to keep the NOL together."

In closing, you wouldn't believe (unless your one of them?) the amount of people on the Internet who appear to want the NOL to fail. They want to see it die. The fans of schools that have left say the NOL has reap what they sowed for not acting sooner, etc., etc. I think it's a shame people think that way, due to the possible ramifications of not having a league or conference to be a part of, however, I digress.

All I can say in closing to defend the NOL is, hey, it's a start. It seems like a good portion of misinformation can be squashed (for now) and the six remaining league schools have finally put a foot down. We know three school years from now there will be an NOL.

Now the next step is probably in somebody else's court (ex: an outside school showing interest). Let's see what happens and for now, let's give this entire thing a rest and move on...just like the NOL is doing.