Guard the Post: Analyzing the legitimacy of changes

I have written extensively about the need for change in the governing body of college sport on this blog. As a supporter of the college sport reform movement, I have highlighted a multitude of areas that need care: health insurance for athletes, coverage of extra costs associated with attendance of college, freedom for athletes to use their own likeness to earn money, and, finally, the formation of a legitimate group of advisers to represent college athletes to their universities and other governing bodies. What happened in the past two weeks to work towards these goals and changes? Below is an analysis.

The Madness is Over

                                                                                             CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/AP

What a tournament it was. The University of Connecticut made an improbable run and defeated the University of Kentucky in the 2014 National Championship Game. Funny to think how Saint Joe’s was just one rebound away from sending UConn home in the first round and now UConn is the national champion. Kevin Ollie did a remarkable job coaching this team to a championship. What was the highlight of this tournament? You probably can’t pick just one. March Madness, to me, is without question the best sporting event of the year. There were so many things that happened throughout the tournament so here are three topics that may have gotten lost through the madness.

Guarding the Post: Winter has come and gone (hopefully), but a different kind of vortex hit the sport industry last week

 

The first step occurred 64 days ago. Kain Colter, the National College Players Association (NCPA), and the United Steelworkers announced the creation of the College Athlete Players Association (CAPA). The Association filed paperwork on behalf of the Northwestern University Football team to be labeled as employees and to have the right to form a union and collectively bargain for better treatment. Last Wednesday, the applicants were rewarded, and the second step begun.

The Closer: What is the NCAA Thinking? Chapter 45

Last week, ESPN's Jay Bilas unearthed a pixelated NCAA gold mine. Better yet, he revealed this finding on his Twitter. You would think that four years after Ed O'Bannon first filed a lawsuit against the NCAA about player-likeness being used for monetary profit, the college sport governing body would have cut all ties with anything having to do with college athletes and making money. Apparently, that wasn't the case.