If you use YAWYW, firstly you're basically ruining anyone's story branches that go on "post high school" by saying, "Nup, the root stor is canon, everything else is fan fiction/non-canon" etc... Sorta takes away from other threads.
Not to mention there are a lot of unresolved questions that have to be resolved in the root episode to make it viable, like "what happened to the stone?" "What about Karyn's wishes?", etc...
It's easier to start fresh. Hell, if Adama doesn't mind, we can easily steal Brand New Day and start stories with Jim, Sharon and Rick ;) Or we can come up with something completely original.
It shouldn't be that hard to create 3 or 4 starter characters, give them decent and unique personality and then go nuts on em.
