The Calm Before the Storm: March Madness

Selection Sunday is a little over a month away. It’s by far my favorite event of the year since I really enjoy watching college basketball. The atmosphere is crazy in the arenas, it’s fun seeing the upsets, and of course the most important thing for a lot of people during this time is the bracket. We all want to be expert bracketologists but March Madness is one of the best sporting events of the year. There are always different storylines and just like any other year, this year is no different. Who will be the Cinderella this year? Well we all know what the first storyline will be. Kentucky’s pursuit of perfection. They are filled with McDonalds All-American players so it will be interesting to see who takes the last shot in crunch time. Besides Kentucky’s pursuit of perfection here are some other teams to keep an eye on.

Sport for Social Change Conference Preview

The Drexel Sport Management Student Union (SMTSU) will hold its second annual Sport for Social Change Conference, beginning on Thursday, Nov. 13 and concluding Friday, Nov. 14.

Thursday's portion of the Sport for Social Change Conference will feature a conversation with Sonny Vaccaro, the legendary sports marketing executive. The conversation will be directed by Tom Farrey, an enterprise reporter for ESPN and director of the Aspen Institute's Sport and Society Program. Vaccaro will speak about his involvement and thoughts about the Ed O'Bannon v. NCAA case.

Vaccaro and Farrey's conversation will take place at 6 p.m. in the Bossone Research Center's Mitchell Auditorium.

Year of the Freshman

Another year another NBA Draft.  This year was considered one of the strongest and deepest draft classes since 2003 when LeBron, Melo, Bosh, Wade, and company were selected and given mega-million dollar contracts.  Eleven years later, the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Joel Embiid will each get their time to shine in the spotlight.  Nobody will know for sure how good this draft class is until several years down the road when each gets professional playing experience in the NBA.  But how can we say that this class will make a major impact right away when each of the top ten picks are twenty years old or younger?  Seven of the top ten picks were freshman!  (Dante Exum is eighteen years old and the equivalent to a freshman.)

Dr. Staurowsky's O'Bannon vs. NCAA Testimony

Dr. Staurowsky testified at the O'Bannon vs. NCAA hearings on June 16 and 17 in Oakland, Calif. Below is a summary of what she said and the lines of questioning she faced over the two days from the plaintiffs and the defendants.

Sports Illustrated writer Andy Staples, who is in Oakland covering the case, wrote this in summary of her first day on the stand.

UPDATE: Here is a good story from Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer on Dr. Staurowsky's time on the stand.

Under Further Review No. 6: Patrick Hruby

Writer Patrick Hruby has been a good friend of the SMTSU for some time now. Hruby spoke at the Sport for Social Change Conference in October 2013 on the topic of head trauma in football. On most days, you can find Hruby on the pages of Sports on Earth talking up the latest NCAA injustice, administrative blunder or #LOLEmmert moment. That's all among other topics, of course, but lately

Hruby stopped by to talk with us about a recent long-form story he wrote for Washingtonian Magazine, trusting your readers, writing about sensitive and complex topics and the NCAA. He asked in return that we join him in referring to NCAA president Mark Emmert by only his full name -- Indianapolis Cartel Leader Mark Emmert. Do it. Do it now.

Abolishing the 'One and Done'?

For the 2006 NBA Draft, the NBA implemented a new rule adding an age limit to players entering:  19 years of age or one year removed from college.  The term 'one and done' was then coined for this rule as many of the top players played one year in college, only to declare for the NBA draft after the season had ended.  Since its implementation, many college student-athletes have left college for the NBA to (1) become a successful  professional athletes and (2) to earn a payday.  However, it appears that the latter may be considered the commonality.

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.

I'm Happy it is April because March was Mad!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the weather is getting nicer, and everyone's calendar has turned from March to April.  These do not only signify the changing of the seasons, but the end of college basketball.  Once again, March was pure madness as seventh seeded UConn squeaked by eighth seeded Kentucky to claim their first championship in the post-Jim Calhoun era.  What a start to Kevin Ollie's tenure as head coach!  Shabazz Napier's performance and leadership this past month brings back memories of the last time UConn took home the title:  Kemba Walker led the underdog Huskies straight to the championship as one of the greatest runs from the conference tournament to the big show.  While this tournament may have been the most exciting in a long long time, not every fan was able to view it.

Under Further Review: The Good and Bad of the NCAA Tournament Opening Weekend

The first four days of the NCAA tournament are basically the sports equivalent to four straight days of Christmas. And I mean Thursday through Sunday; the "first four" doesn't count. Each day featured 12 or so straight hours of nonstop madness, and luckily thanks to Ohio State's first round flop, we could all enjoy the rest of the day without worrying about our bracket being perfect. Those 48 hours were put on the national television stage by CBS and Turner (TNT, TBS, and TruTV), and, as expected, there were One Shining Moments and there were Chris Webber Timeouts.

Under Further Review: March Media Madness

You're probably still sitting around thinking up the wildest conspiracy theories for True Detective, but remember that this is the only one that matters: the show was placed to run from the Sunday after the BCS National Championship Game to the the Sunday before Selection Sunday. I know. I'm just sayin'. As you get caught up in filling out brackets and wrapping your mind around the upsets, it can be easy to lose track of how big of a media event March Madness has become. Fear not; here are the most important media facts for you to remember as the NCAA men's basketball tournament approaches.

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.11 - Marcus Smart

Learfield Sports Acquire Nelligan Sports Marketing

The business of college sports is one of the biggest out there. Growing larger every year, college sports are a multi-billion industry. Though the NCAA is in a predicament right now with many issues, college sport will always be a money-maker and this past week, one of the power players, Learfield Sports made a big move in the world of college sports marketing.

Under Further Review: Michael Sam Steals the Show

"I'm not afraid to tell the world who I am. I'm Michael Sam: I'm a college graduate. I'm African American, and I'm gay." - Michael Sam

While the media was still trying to wrap their minds around the situation with Marcus Smart and those who were tired of the near-24 hours of coverage were taking in some action from Sochi, something happened. Changed happened. Former University of Missouri All-American defensive lineman and National Football League hopeful Michael Sam did something that no NFL prospect had ever done. He announced he is gay.

Temple Athletic Cuts: A Title IX Blame Game?

 

Credit to www.wbca.org

 

This past fall we saw Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania cut seven of its twenty-four varsity sports (baseball, softball, men’s & women’s crew, mens’s gymnastics and men’s track & field). Now this won’t go into effect until the end of the academic year (May 15th, 2014), so the athletes and coaches have time to fight for their teams. In a Philadelphia Business Journal article by Jeff Blumenthal, he states the the cuts were due to “financial problems, concerns about  student-athlete welfare, inadequate facilities and lack of compliance with Title IX.”

Guard the Post: The first step in the next stage of college sports has arrived

It has been over four months since Northwestern football players wore "#APU" wristbands, joining players from Georgia and Georgia Tech. APU stands for "All Players United" and is a movement inspired by vocal current athletes and the National College Players Association President Ramogi Huma. This was the first large scale, nationwide statement on National Television by student-athletes demanding to be heard. Everyone asked, "What is next?" Well, here we are.

Under Further Review: Northwestern Football Takes a Stand

"Nothing about us without us." - Eli Wolff at the Sport For Social Change Conference on Oct. 25, 2013.

Yesterday, in the midst of Super Bowl XLVIII media day in New York, something that can have much more of an impact on sports as we know it was happening in Chicago. Northwestern's football team took a historic step forward with the help of National College Player's Association president, Ramogi Huma. According to a report from ESPN investigative reporter Tom Farrey, Huma filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of the Northwestern football players led by quarterback Kain Colter. The result could have an unprecedented college sports and the rights of college athletes.

Playoff Potential: The End of the BCS era, and the Potential of an Extended NFL Playoff.

The BCS’s Last Hurrah.

With a sad salute farewell we say goodbye to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). R.I.P. BCS, 1998-2014. You and your shenanigans will be missed. The death of the BCS is paving the way for something, that if you know how television contracts work, that will glue more eyeballs to more television screens across the country. More viewers mean more money for all parties involved with the newly named College Football Playoffs (the NCAA is very creative). 

Under Further Review: Separating Rights and Compensation

Stand-up comedy is predicated on the comedian pulling at the strings of people's insecurities, humility, and repression, which is kind of why every time NCAA president Mark Emmert takes the stage at a major conference or convention a comedy show breaks out. I know, I know. It doesn't sound logical. How can talking about an organization hinging its business on such archaic concepts be comical? Well, just as the NCAA always finds a dodge the ordinary and predictable, Emmert found a way to make his speech hilarious and today's stage was at the Sports Business Journal Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

Guard the Post: Why this College Basketball season will be the best ever

 

The 2013-2014 College Basketball season promises to be one of the best ever. National Letters of Intent combo-commitments, upsets,  growth of the mid-major, the best season-opening tournament in the history of season-opening tournaments, and the most highly anticipated Final Four ever. Sure, we have no idea what teams will make it there, but we do know, based on what we have seen through week 1, that it will be a crazy ride.

Under Further Review: A College, an Arena, and a City in Debt

The University of Louisville is riding high. They are about to embark on defending their NCAA men's basketball championship from last year, and their football team has one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the game right now in Teddy Bridgewater. It is a great time to be a Cardinal.