Attention in the deregulation fight within the NCAA has been focused on recruiting rules. And rightly so. Recruiting is the lifeblood of a program and a necessary evil in the minds of most coaches. They would rather be doing other things, but they have to recruit. So any change that might require them to recruit […]
One of the many amazing aspects of social media in general, and Twitter in particular, is that it allows you to make enemies of people whom you have never met. I seem to have succeeded in that regard this week, and I thought that my experience might provide a valuable lesson for all of us. […]
“Crossroads, seem to come and go, yeah” “Melissa”, The Allman Brothers Band It happens every March in Manhattan. The Big East tournament invades Madison Square Garden while some 42 blocks uptown at another hallowed New York City landmark, the Beacon Theater, the Allman Brothers Band take the stage. Neither event is a one-night stand. […]
The NCAA’s plan to simplify its bylaws hit a snag last week when the NCAA Rules Working Group suggested that two proposals related to recruiting be modified. In January, proposals were brought forward on a number of matters, some of which were aimed at deregulating recruiting. The goals of these proposals were to eliminate clutter […]
It has become clear that at least in football, coaches are not ready for unlimited phone calls and text messages. They either foresee a world where they have to call recruits 24/7 or a world where they are hiring staff members left and right to call recruits 24/7. And for coaches who were following the […]
Prepare to hear and read the term “The Road to the Final Four” plenty the next month, even though for most of the 68 schools who will be invited, it is a misnomer. The road to the Final Four is actually a series of runways, as teams bounce from, say, Salt Lake City to Indianapolis […]
With March Madness approaching, it is almost time for the airwaves to be flooded with commercials reminding us that most student-athletes go pro in something other than sports. In recent years, the NCAA has fallen victim to a number of academic scandals at some of its perennial institutions. To combat against this, this year was […]
Either Pope Benedict XVI is not a fan of college sports, or the recently retired pontiff has a horrendous sense of timing. Why? Because last week he made his exodus as the head of the Catholic church right in the midst of a landmark academic year for Catholic institutions in intercollegiate sports. Yesterday Gonzaga, a […]
In recent years, the NCAA recruiting model has changed in a way that dramatically increases the importance of recruits participating in travel and competitive leagues. Arguably, the sport that relies the heaviest upon travel and competitive leagues for recruiting is men’s basketball. The July evaluation period for men’s basketball is centered on numerous tournaments in […]
At this point, it appears the NCAA’s first grand attempt at deregulation, which should have been primed for success, will be a mixed bag at best. Three of the centerpieces have received significant opposition, and less controversial proposals have also taken hits possibly just for being nearby. At this point, it looks all but certain […]