The Steve Alford saga is the latest reminder that big-time college sports are a cesspool of hypocrisy, greed, egotism and misplaced priorities. In case you’ve been distracted by trivial stories like North Korea threatening to blow up the planet, here’s what happened: Ten days after getting a 10-year, $20 million contract extension from New Mexico, Alford jumped ship for a seven-year, $18.2 million deal with UCLA. [Read more…]
Is it an exaggeration to call Jrue Holiday a member of the elite point guard class in the NBA? Not entirely. Sure, it was only last November that Holiday was coming off a disappointing third season in which his reclining numbers and lower efficiency ratings had many analysts wondering whether he had reached his ceiling as nothing more than a competent point guard. This season, however, Holiday has indisputably become a worthy All-Star selection and has earned a rightful place on the short
Black Monday is a term often tied to the NFL. On the first Monday after the end of the regular season, NFL front offices make their cuts. Coaches and General Managers are promptly fired for one reason or another, often causing a domino effect on the coaching carousel. [Read more…]
While March Madness officially tips off Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, some of the top college basketball programs and their fanbases are anxiously looking ahead to the recruiting madness that will unfold in the coming weeks. Five elite Class of 2013 recruits remain uncommitted and are expected to make their announcements during and after March Madness. Among the group of five are three who are considered lottery locks for the 2014 NBA draft: Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon. One NBA GM recently
After a one-year hiatus, the UCLA Bruins are back in the NCAA Tournament. Led by coach Ben Howland and a cast of freshmen, the Bruins are seeded No. 6 in the South Region. So what do you need to know about UCLA? 1. UCLA enters the NCAA Tournament without second leading scorer Jordan Adams. Adams suffered a broken bone in his right foot during the semifinals of the Pac-12 Conference Tournament. Adams was averaging 15.3 points and 2.2 steals at the time
The NBA draft is all about projections and potential. A generation ago, most NBA executives’ strategy was to compare prospects based on their collegiate careers. Then the Fab Five arrived at Michigan, and suddenly the process was flipped upside down. Underclassmen were scrutinized, analyzed and scouted thoroughly by NBA clubs who wanted to get the next big-time prospect. While prospects with high upside are intriguing, they come with more risk than upperclassmen. The lottery is annually dominated by underclassmen, primarily freshmen. [Read
Happy Thanksgiving! And today we give thanks that there are quite a few big men who will be available in next June’s draft. [Read more…]
College coaches are crisscrossing the country visiting with the top stars in the high school Class of 2013 in hopes of persuading them to choose their schools. In Texas, after Kentucky coach John Calipari showed 6-foot-9 forward Julius Randle his 2012 NCAA championship ring, North Carolina coach Roy Williams one-upped Cal. Or should we say, 29-upped him. Williams brought a case of 30 rings to his home visit with Randle, including Michael Jordan’s 1992 Chicago Bulls championship ring. “He said Jordan gave it to