WebProNews

Tag: NCAA

  • Erin Andrews Gets Payback From Basketballer Marshall Henderson

    They say that what goes around comes around. And that’s certainly the case for Marshall Henderson who waited two years to get back at Erin Andrews.

    After Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson was suspended from the team for a failed drug test, the FOX Sports reporter took a jab at the player and tweeted “He mocking anyone now?” along with a link to a news report.

    The NCAA rebel promptly fired back and warned Andrews that he’ll be remembering that particular burn with his tweet “@ErinAndrews ima save that and you will be the first person ill mock.

    The suspension did hurt Henderson’s NBA dreams and for the next two years, he played in other countries, most recently in Baghdad, Iraq. But he was apparently quietly biding his time all along, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

    And that opportunity happened when Andrews’ NHL player boyfriend Jarrett Stoll was arrested for having cocaine and ecstasy on his person on April 17.

    The L.A Kings player was caught with 3.3 grams of cocaine and 8 grams of the substance known as Molly during a security check at the WetRepublic pool party.

    Henderson was quick to capitalize on the issue and took to Twitter to take a jab at the Dancing with the Stars host.

    While Henderson might find the incident amusing, it’s a good bet that Stoll is not laughing as the incident could hurt his already dwindling prospects with the L.A Kings. The athlete has been on a downwards spiral and had a career low of 17 points in 73 games this season.

    Going back to Henderson, it seems his quest for vengeance has already been sated. His tweet has already been removed from his feed.

    It’s so refreshing to see that not everyone has a short memory these days.

  • Bitcoin Bowl Is Here to Confuse the Hell out of Your Dad

    Bitcoin Bowl Is Here to Confuse the Hell out of Your Dad

    On December 26th, 2014, men, women, and children – food drunk from the previous night’s Christmas feast – will gather in the living room to enjoy the world’s first Bitcoin Bowl.

    Hello pops, you say as your elderly father picks up the telephone. How’s it goin? You watching the Bitcoin Bowl tonight?

    The what?

    The Bitcoin Bowl – I hear it’s gonna be a real doozy.

    *Click*

    Bitcoin solutions company BitPay is behind whatever this is, which will be existing for whatever reason until the contract is up in 2017. The Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl replaces the old name for the American vs. ACC conference showdown, the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.

    “Our goal is to continue to move bitcoin into the mainstream and sponsoring the St. Petersburg Bowl offers us that opportunity,” said Tony Gallippi, Executive Chairman for BitPay. “College football fans and the bitcoin community represent a similar target demographic – tech-savvy men between the ages of 18 and 40.”

    Tickets will go on sale later this year, and yes, you will be able to pay with bitcoin. From now until then, you can figure out how to explain what the f*ck bitcoin is to your dad.

    Image via Bitcoin Bowl, Twitter

  • Stefanie Dolson Leads UConn to NCAA National Title

    17 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists – Stefanie Dolson’s stat-line from Tuesday night’s Women’s NCAA National Championship game screams of the pro-potential she will bring to the WNBA next season. Dolson’s impressive performance against Notre Dame helped lead the University of Connecticut past the Fighting Irish to captures its ninth NCAA title – more than any other women’s program in Division One history.

    If one was to ask Dolson if she would have found herself in such a position four years ago, however, the answer most likely would have been no.

    In telling her favorite story concerning her relation with coach Geno Auriemma the afternoon before the title game tipped-off, Dolson gave the world a bit of an insight as to her struggles to get to where she currently is – at the top of collegiate women’s basketball. During the middle of a practice her freshman year at UConn, Coach Auriemma stopped the session to share some crucial information with the 6’5″ center:

    “He took out a piece of paper and put it on the floor and said, ‘You just jumped over that to get the rebound,” Dolson said. “At the time I was thinking ‘Dang, man!’ It was blunt and I was little thrown off. At the same time, Coach has a way of throwing in humor to get you to laugh things off. But I remember what the message meant and I grew from that moment. I started thinking, ‘Okay, I am not the best rebounder and I can’t jump that high but I am going to work to a point where I am now with my body.”‘

    And work Dolson did. Not only was she able to lead UConn to its second consecutive national title by helping the Huskies dominate the paint (52-22 point advantage in the paint and a 54-31 rebounding margin), but Dolson also racked-up numerous personal awards in recognition of her outstanding senior year.

    Dolson was named to the All-American second-team by Associated Press and to the WBCA’s All-American team for the second consecutive year. She was also named to the American Athletic Conference’s first team, was announced as its Defensive Player of the Year, and also won the AAC sportsmanship award. On Friday, Dolson was also awarded the 2013-14 Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School (CLASS) award.

    “I’m extremely honored and I know my family will be so proud and excited. This award is special because it recognizes more than just basketball and celebrates what student-athletes also do in the classroom and in the community. I take a lot of pride in being a leader on this team, so I’m very happy to be recognized,” stated Dolson.

    In post-game interviews following their victory against Notre Dame, Dolson displayed her enduring confidence and comedienne demeanor:

    “We knew we were going to win tonight.Right from the beginning we went into it so excited and so pumped. Everyone said we had a lot of pressure on our backs, but we didn’t. We went in there having fun, we were loose and playing great. We knew it right at the beginning.”

    Dolson continued her interview by pleading with Jimmy Fallon to invite her to the show, stating, “Oh, Jimmy Fallon, please hit me up,” after which she challenged President Obama to a personal battle:

    Fortunately for Dolson, her future does not depend on whether she wins her dance-off against President Obama or not. As of now, Dolson is slated to be the top-pick in this year’s WNBA draft.

    Image via Facebook

  • Lacey Holsworth, Friend of MSU’s Payne, Has Died

    When Michigan State won the Big Ten Championship this year in Indianapolis, center Adriean Payne took a special guest up the ladder with him to cut down the nets – 8-year-old Lacey Holsworth. While that 10-foot trip up the ladder allowed Lacey the opportunity to look down upon the world from new-found heights, she now stands watch over the entire world after her family reported her death from cancer Wednesday morning.

    Lacey first met Payne two years ago from her hospital bed in Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital during a Michigan State team visit. It was at that time that Payne learned Lacey suffered from neuroblastoma, a type of cancer in which immature neuroblast cells, near the spine, develop into cancer cells instead of mature, adult cells.

    Lacey did not let her battle with cancer put a damper upon her Michigan State basketball fandom, however, befriending Adriean Payne almost immediately. ”She loved unconditionally and without hesitation, spreading her smile and love throughout the world,” stated Lacey’s father.

    Last spring, Dick Vitale invited both Lacey and Payne to his annual Dick Vitale Gala to fight cancer in Sarasota, Florida. From there, Lacey’s last year on earth was quite a whirlwind, being featured on such shows as “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America.” Lacey also served as Payne’s escort on his Senior Night (even though Payne had to carry Lacey to the floor due to the pain she was suffering from) and was with the MSU center during the college slam-dunk contest preceding the 2014 National Championship game.

    “They communicate and hang out like a brother and sister. It’s a unique and special bond,” Matt Holsworth commented.

    While all of Payne’s actions during his senior year at Michigan State display the intense bond he held with Lacey, perhaps nothing speaks bigger about their relationship than the exchange the two had the day of Lacey’s first treatment following news her cancer had returned:

    “Laaaccceeey,” [Lacey’s mother] Heather whispered. “Adreian is here to see you. Laaaccceey, Adreian’s here.”

    After a few moments, Lacey rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. Sure enough, standing next to her bed was Payne, his 6’10” frame nearly stretching to the ceiling as he clutched the stuffed zebra he’d brought as a gift.

    Grinning, Lacey extended her arms as Payne bent down to embrace the girl he calls his “little sis.”

    “Superman!” she said. “You’re here.”

    Unfortunately for Lacey, even Superman had his limitations. However, there is still one way in which Payne feels that he can still keep fighting for Lacey – through basketball: ”The only thing you can do is play basketball. You can’t be there with them. Just knowing that when I play well, it makes her happy. It feels like I’m doing something, in a way, to make her feel better.”

    Image via Instagram

  • Tyler Summitt Now Head Coach at LA Tech

    It’s been reported that Athletics Director Tommy McClelland will introduce Tyler Summitt as the latest head coach of the Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team. Summitt, son of legendary Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt, is to become the sixth head coach in Lady Techster history.

    A press conference in the Jarrell Room of the Charles Wyly Athletic Center is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, and is open to all Louisiana Tech fans. Media has been asked to arrive and get set up by 11:45 a.m.

    Tyler Summitt, 23, played two seasons at University of Tennessee, and went on to serve as a student assistant coach under his mother Pat for the Lady Vols. Summitt then worked as an assistant coach under Terri Mitchell at Marquette for two seasons, overseeing the team’s offense.

    The storied Lady Techsters program has won 3 National Championships and has competed in 13 Final Fours, 23 Sweet Sixteens and 27 NCAA tournaments. The Lady Techsters have included 3 Wade Trophy winners, 5 olympic medalists, 6 members of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, 16 All-Americans and 21 WNBA players. The program boasts an all-time record of 1029–247, with a .806 winning percentage, which is the second-best all-time winning percentage of any NCAA Division I program.

    Here’s a clip entitled The Pat Summitt Story: Tyler and Pat Summitt:

    Fans took to Twitter regarding Summitt’s new coaching gig:

    Tyler Summitt posted to Twitter, possibly referring to his new job:

    Pat Summitt, 61, presently serves as the head coach emeritus of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball program, and holds the all-time record for wins for a coach in NCAA basketball history, for either a men’s or women’s team in any division. During her tenure from 1974 to 2012, Summitt won eight NCAA national championships, and is the only coach in NCAA history with over 1,000 victories. In August 2011, Summitt announced that she had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and stepped down from head coaching duties.

    Image via Twitter

  • Natalie Achonwa Dominates in NCAA Game

    Natalie Achonwa Dominates in NCAA Game

    Natalie Achonwa led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to a victory against the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in an NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal game on Saturday in South Bend. This 89-72 win brings the team’s record this year to 35-0.

    The Fighting Irish dominated the game right from the start, scoring the first 14 points of the match and preventing the Cowgirls from getting any closer than within 10 points of their lead.

    The 21-year-old Achonwa scored an impressive 23 points, along with a career-high five blocked shots, six assists, and two steals. Her efforts, along with the rest of the squad’s, has put them in the position of only three wins away from an NCAA national title, and one from a Final Four spot.

    Achonwa wasn’t the only player with an outstanding performance – Jewel Lloyd had 20 points, while Kayla McBride added 18 to the score.

    Watch some of Achonwa’s skills, here:

    The Fighting Irish team has made it to three consecutive Final Fours without a championship, which has made Achonwa and her team even more determined to win this year.

    “We’ve always been the bridesmaids, but we want the big ring this year,” said Achonwa in an interview. “You have some great programs in Tennessee and UConn [Connecticut] who keep winning, but we want one now.”

    The Fighting Irish co-captain was the youngest member of the 2012 Canadian Olympic team. She is the first international player to ever play for Notre Dame. She chose the Fighting Irish over many other prestigious programs, including Louisville, Michigan State, and Kentucky.

    These final games of the 2014 season will be Achonwa’s last playing for Notre Dame, as she is expected to be chosen high in April’s WNBA draft.

    Achonwa plans to continue to play internationally, but is now focused on helping her team win a championship.

    Image via YouTube

  • Northwestern University Football Players Granted Right To Form Union

    The unionization efforts of the football players of Northwestern University are starting to pay off. On Wednesday, a National Labor Relations Board official ruled that the players have the right to form a union as they are considered employees of the university. As such, they may vote in a union election and they also have the right to bargain collectively.

    The petition toward the ruling was submitted to the NLRB by the newly-formed College Athletes Players Association, headed by former UCLA football player Ramogi Huma. The petition was submitted in January, and in February a hearing for it spanned three weeks.

    Peter Ohr, the regional director of the NLRB, stated in a 24-page decision that all of the football players granted scholarships by Northwestern University are eligible to form a union. His decision was based on a number of factors, including the amount of time they spend for football-related activities, which could amount to as many as 50 hours in a week.

    In addition, the scholarships also serve as contracts for compensation, or a form of payment in exchange for the work done on the football field, which earns money for the NCAA and its member universities. For Ohr, it is clear that there is a transfer of economic value and employer-employee relationship: the university, as the employer, pays for the players’ room, board, tuition, and other necessities provided by the scholarship.

    The NCAA has been facing criticism for its profiting from basketball and football players, as they earn billions of dollars every year. In a statement, the NCAA expressed its disappointment with Ohr’s ruling. Donald Remy, their chief legal officer, stated that they disagree with the belief that student-athletes are considered employees.

    One of the base arguments was whether the scholar players were students, or employees, or if they were somehow hybrids.

    Ohr’s decision cited examples supporting his conclusion. He says that the football players were different from other students in that they were on campus basically to play. Football players are also recruited for what they can do on the field and not in the classroom. In addition, part of the team’s guidelines include drug testing, which other students are not subjected to. Other students can also refuse a friend request from a professor, but players cannot do the same when a coach adds them on Facebook.

    Ohr’s ruling applies to the football players on scholarship in private Northwestern University, but the precedent may be applied to all of the scholarship football players in Division I private institutions as well.

    Should Student Athletes Get Paid?


    Image via YouTube

  • Steve Masiello Loses South Florida Deal

    Steve Masiello Loses South Florida Deal

    After finding “previously undetected discrepancy in his background check,” University of South Florida officials were prompted to end a contract with Manhattan coach Steve Masiello late Tuesday night. USF had paid a Texas-based search firm called Eastman & Beaudine $60,000 to find a replacement for coach Stan Heath, and the company found that Masiello had falsified a credential on his résumé.

    Masiello had claimed he’d graduated from Kentucky in 2000, but in actuality, he doesn’t have a degree. It was reported that Masiello had actually signed a 5-year contract with the USF Bulls worth at least $5 million, early Tuesday. Masiello had previously worked as an assistant under coach Rick Pitino at Louisville, and received praise from Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich upon the news of his Florida hire.

    While at Manhattan, Masiello led the team to its first NCAA tournament since 2004:

    Jurich had told the Tampa Tribune that “Stevie can do whatever he wants to. He’s just terrific. He’s a rising star in this business.” Then Masiello’s background check came in.

    Perplexed fans took to Twitter:

    As of writing, Masiello hasn’t yet formally resigned from Manhattan, and is presently on leave. South Florida is back in the hunt for Coach Heath’s permanent replacement.

    Louisville Coach Rick Pitino told ESPN, “If it’s accurate, I’m shocked by it. I had no idea. I left the previous year, and he was on track to graduate.” Louisville AD Jurich added, “I knew Rick was comfortable with him. He played for Rick, and Rick knew all about his background.” It’s now clear how the formality of completing a communications degree would affect one’s basketball coaching ability.

    Masiello played for Kentucky as a walk-on under coaches Pitino and Tubby Smith from 1996 to 2000.

    Image via YouTube

  • Mitch McConnell Duke Faux Pas Leads to NCAA Probe

    When Josh Wolford told us yesterday about Mitch McConnell’s embarrassing campaign ad faux pas, the one with a shot of Duke basketball players where he obviously meant to show UK players, the joke train was working up a head of steam in Kentucky.

    McConnell’s presumptive Democrat opponent in the Senate race, Alison Grimes, tweeted out to everyone:

    “KY, as your next Senator, I promise to never glorify a Duke championship in a campaign ad like @Team_Mitch”

    And later that day:

    “Turns out @Team_Mitch has been in DC for so long he can’t tell the difference between UK & Duke basketball.”

    Team Mitch saw that they were in deep doo-doo and moved to fix the screw-up, only to cause another problem the very same day.

    According to WFPL in Louisville, McConnell’s campaign replaced the Duke footage, as short as it was, with a clip of UK’s Julius Randle. The trouble is, they never asked permission to use that footage, and the act raised questions with the NCAA since Randle is still in college.

    In the end, the NCAA had to address the issue, leading to the University sending Team Mitch a cease and desist letter and issuing the following statement.

    “The University of Kentucky consulted with the NCAA earlier today regarding footage of Julius Randle in a Mitch McConnell advertisement. Although the use of the student-athlete’s image in the advertisement is not permissible, because it was done without the knowledge or permission of the university or the student-athlete, it is not an NCAA violation. The University of Kentucky has sent a cease and desist letter and will continue to take appropriate measures to ensure improper usage of a student-athlete’s name, image or likeness is prevented.”

    So, why was Mitch McConnell scrambling to fix a split-second clip showing Duke anyway?

    Ever since the 1992 NCAA Tournament, UK and Duke have been mortal enemies. If you aren’t familiar with the cause, let me fill you in, especially since it relates to current politics in Kentucky, and even the U.S.

    It was the 1992 NCAA East Regional Finals. The Elite Eight. Duke vs. Kentucky. It was a battle to go to the Final Four. Coach Mike Krzyzewski vs. Coach Rick Pitino.

    UK was 12 points down in the second half and came back to tie the game with 33.6 seconds left. The game goes into overtime. After what seemed like an hour of OT play, Kentucky is up 103-102. Until… The Shot.

    Kentuckians don’t talk about The Shot. And, anytime they do, it is followed with a spit and a curse. In Wildcat Country, it is like the death of JFK. Every single UK fan old enough to know about that game remembers exactly where they were when it happened.

    Wildcat fans are not sore losers about that game. What enrages them is that they feel Laettner should have been ejected for stomping on Aminu Timberlake earlier in that same game. It was a vicious, purposeful thing to do, and Laettner has admitted to waiting for his moment to do it.

    This event is so deeply rooted in the psyche of UK fans, and is passed along to the next generation, that the UPS company, which has distribution operations in Kentucky, caught hell when they featured “The Shot” in ads during March Madness in 2012.

    McConnell knows this, and rushed to fix the error, only to step in more trouble. It will be interesting to see where else his opponents take this one, including Tea Party primary challenger, Matt Bevin.

    Image via YouTube

  • Mitch McConnell Ad Hits YouTube with Duke Championship Footage

    A new ad for Senator Mitch McConnell’s reelection campaign hit YouTube today, and it features one of the most egregious errors that a politician can make in the state of Kentucky: glorifying Duke basketball.

    For about a second, the new ad shows Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Lance Thomas embracing after winning the 2010 National Championship. If you remember, that’s when Duke knocked off the number 8-seeded Butler.

    Here’s the ad:

    UPDATE: Removed, of course. Joe Sonka grabbed it though. Thanks, Joe:

    UPDATE 2: The ad is back up, but with an edit–a still of Julius Randle where the Duke clip used to be. Also, comments have been turned off for this video. Comments aren’t turned off on Team Mitch’s previous ads. I guess they’re fearing the wrath of Big Blue Nation?

    And since it’s bound to come down once Team Mitch realizes their grievous error, here’s a screenshot:

    That’s not UK, Senator.

    It’s clear that Team Mitch simply mistook the blue & white of Duke for the blue & white of Kentucky-considering the frame right before the offending one featured a Louisville slam dunk (we see where they were going with it).

    But holy hell, what a mistake! And during Tournament time?

    UPDATE 3: A Team Mitch spokesperson has commented on the ad, according to WFPL (Louisville)’s Phillip M. Bailey:

    UPDATE 4: Mitch McConnell’s campaign team has pulled the revised ad featuring Julius Randle as well.

    [h/t Joe Sonka]

  • Kentucky Fans Still the Most Basketball Obsessed, Twitter Data Shows

    When it comes to loyal and devoted college basketball fandom, there’s simply no place like my old Kentucky home.

    The University of Kentucky Wildcats have the most wins in the history of college basketball, and they also have the highest winning percentage. They’ve appeared in the NCAA tournament more times than any other team, and have won more games in said tournament than every other school in existence. Add all of this to the eight national titles under their belt and it’s undebatable that the Wildcats are the most storied team in history.

    These stats are impressive, but they don’t quite get to the number one reason why Kentucky basketball is basketball.

    What really makes Kentucky Basketball what it is are the fans. Not only do UK fans love Kentucky-they just love basketball on the whole. This year, Twitter data proves that when it comes to March Madness, nobody’s watching as closely as the Bluegrass State.

    According to Twitter, Kentucky is the #1 state in per capita mentions of “March Madness” or “#marchmadness.” Kentucky is followed by Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin–in that order.

    UK, an 8 seed, will face Kansas State, a 9 seed, tonight in the NCAA second (first) round. Tip off is set for 9:40 pm EST.

    Image via University of Kentucky, Facebook

  • NCAA Bracket: Submit Your Picks Before It’s Too Late

    It’s finally that time of year again, and no, we aren’t talking about spring. March Madness is upon us, and in addition to watching your favorite team try to make it through the NCAA Tournament, you get the added thrill of being able to show off your basketball expertise with the picks in your NCAA bracket. With the first regular game of the tournament slated for a 12:15 p.m. ET tip off, time is rapidly running out to submit your NCAA bracket, so it’s time to do your last minute research and get those picks in. Choose from one of the open bracket challenges below to get started.

    ESPN Tournament Challenge

    Go here to make your picks using ESPN. You will need to register for an ESPN account if you don’t already have one. Alternatively, you can download the free ESPN Tournament Challenge app to your iPhone or Android device to make your picks and easily track the tournament from your smartphone. You also have the option to opt in for the $10,000 Best Buy gift card contest. If your bracket is one of the top one percent of brackets at the end of the tournament, your name will be in a drawing to win the high value gift card.

    Yahoo! Sports Tourney Pick ‘Em

    First for the bad news: you’re too late to enter the Billion Dollar Bracket Contest (but, hey, the odds of that were one in 9 trillion anyway, plus you had to submit your phone number to be inevitably annoyed by some telemarketer, so it’s not a total loss). Now that we’re past the bad news, sign up here (you’ll need a Yahoo! account) to get started on your NCAA bracket and compete for bragging rights. If a friend has a private pool, you’ll need the group ID and password to submit your bracket there. Otherwise, create your own group or join a group for one of the NCAA Tournament teams. You can also access this Tourney Pick ‘Em from apps available for the iPhone and Android devices.

    CBS Sports Bracket Challenge

    Another popular NCAA bracket option is on CBS Sports. If you’re on your iPhone or Android, download the CBS Sports app to submit your picks if you think that will be quicker for you. Sign up for an account (or link your Facebook account to CBS to make registration a little quicker), and then choose from the Play With Friends or Play for Prizes options. You will have to include your personal information, including your phone number and mailing address, if you play for prizes, but you will have the chance to win a 2015 Final Four tickets package.

    Image via YouTube

  • NCAA Being Sued By Yet Another Former Athlete

    It is no secret that many former college athletes have a major bone to pick with the NCAA over the financial setup of the association. The latest blow to the old order of things has come in the form of yet another lawsuit from a former player.

    Shawne Alston was a running back for the West Virginia University Mountaineers from 2009 and 2012 and he is now the plaintiff in the lawsuit which accuses the NCAA of violating federal antitrust laws. The suit claims that those laws are violated because the NCAA sets athletic scholarship values at a level below that needed to attend school.

    Alston is no stranger to taking on the powers that be as he also sued EA over “blatant and unlawful” use of his image in their popular NCAA Football franchise. If that sounds familiar it’s because other former players have done the same, including the famous Ed O’Bannon case in which the former UCLA basketball star is seeking compensation for his inclusion in an EA title, and the recent movement to unionize by the Northwestern University football team.

    While the judge of that suit has recently ordered settlement talks to take place before the trial date in June, the Alston case is a shiny new black eye on the integrity of the NCAA, something which even college sports celebrities like basketball commentator Jay Bilas have taken shots at.

    The core of Alston’s suit is the scholarship issue, something that the wording of the document spells out very clearly:

    “How is it that players cannot even make ends meet while the schools make tens of millions? The NCAA and the Power Conferences have agreed that Football Bowl Subdivision football players may only receive payments that the NCAA approves and the Power Conference Schools agree to. The Primary Form of payment is an athletic scholarship, formally known as a ‘grant-in-aid.’ The NCAA and Power Conferences have agreed to unlawfully cap the value of a grant-in-aid at an amount substantially below what a Football Bowl Subdivision football player would receive for his services in a competitive market, and at an amount below what it costs to attend school. This agreement violates the Sherman act.”

    Attorney Steve Berman, who is representing Alston in the case, put the matter even more bluntly:

    “FBS football players should no longer be treated as second class citizens. They generate massive amounts of money for the schools and the NCAA, and these players should not have to struggle to make ends meet while they are surrounded by multi-millionaire coaches.”

    Some claim that love of the game, university, and the chance to earn an education should be more than enough for these young athletes, but having lived the experience themselves they clearly have a different opinion on the matter. Whether or not the Alston suit or any other will change the status quo of college sports is yet to be seen, but it looks doubtful that such challenges will stop coming at the NCAA.

    The entire text of the Alston suit is available for public view, so have a look for yourself.

    [Image via WestViginiaU]

  • Tim Tebow’s Phone Call To Ohio State Recruit Violates NCAA Rules

    Secondary violations are commonly self-reported by many schools in BCS conferences yearly. However, it is rare that the violation involves a former Heisman Trophy winner.

    Tim Tebow, former NFL quarterback who played for the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos, has reportedly committed a secondary violation in 2013. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner was on an 8-second conversation with Clifton Garrett, one of the prospects for the Buckeyes who eventually went with LSU.

    According to NCAA rules, former college football players are prohibited from having any type of contact with recruits.

    On March 2013, Garrett phoned Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer. Meyer was out eating lunch with his family and Tebow. When Garrett learned that the coach was with Tebow, he asked if he could talk to him so that he could wish him good luck for the upcoming season. Tebow was able to talk to Garrett for about 8 seconds before the call was ended.

    Garrett even tweeted about calling the coach and getting the chance to talk to Tim Tebow.

    The 8-second call was enough to be a violation.

    Meyer said that there was no talk about recruiting and that Ohio State did not instruct Tebow to recruit Garrett in behalf of the school. The coach also admitted that the conversation between the two was an error that he made, but there was no intention of using Tebow to recruit Garrett.

    There have been other reported incidents of secondary violations involving phones, but some of these were the result of pocket dialing. In 2012 to 2013, Ohio State has discovered about seven calls that came from assistant coaches. The calls were about a minute long and the assistant coaches were unaware that the calls happened. The Compliance Office then cross-referenced phone bills against information from recruiting software to flag the calls. They found no evidence of attempts to recruit players.

    Image via Vimeo

  • UNC Basketball Player Straps on Google Glass for Warmups

    Though you’re unlikely to see college or professional athletes sporting Google Glass during actual games, plenty of them are showing what it’s like to really be in the moment, POV style, through Google Glass.

    Here’s another example of just how cool Google Glass could be and what an asset it can be for POV documentation (as long as we get past the Glassholes stage).

    Cool, right? That’s UNC Senior Wade Moody behind the specs.

    Google recently came out with a “dos and don’ts” list for Glass, and had this to say about wearing the glasses during contact activity:

    “Don’t rock glass while doing high-impact sports. Glass is a piece of technology, so use common sense. Water skiing, bull riding or cage fighting with Glass are probably not good ideas.”

    I guess basketball is ok.

    Of course, the Tar Heel isn’t the first athlete to get their hands on a pair of Google Glass. The Sacramento Kings are starting to put the tech on their players, mascots, and dancers. We’ve also seen NFL punters and champion tennis players sport Google Glass in recent months.

    Image via YouTube

  • Warren Buffet Backs $1B Perfect Bracket Challenge

    With the financial insuring of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, Quicken Loans is running a contest that nobody will win.

    Buy holy moly, wouldn’t it be a hell of a thing to win.

    It’s called the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge, and it will deliver a billion dollars to anyone who can pick a 100% perfect NCAA March Madness bracket. If you’re the grand prize winner, you can either take the full billion in $25 million installments over the next 40 years, or you can take a lump sum of $500 million.

    Registration opens on March 3rd, and there’s a limit – 10,000,000 participants (or more, if they decide to expand it).

    “Millions of people play brackets every March, so why not take a shot at becoming $1 billion richer for doing so,” said Buffett. “While there is no simple path to success, it sure doesn’t get much easier than filling out a bracket online. To quote a commercial from one of my companies, I’d dare say it’s so easy to enter that even a caveman can do it.”

    Post by Quicken Loans.

    It’s a great thought – winning a cool billion just for picking some basketball games. It’s too bad that it’s never going to happen:

    Having said all of that, the contest is still worth your time. Quicken is going to hand out $100,000 to the top 20 most-accurate brackets. I mean, you’re going to fill out a bracket anyway – might as well register it for a bigger prize than your office pool.

    Image via YouTube

  • Penn State Coach Likely to be Vandy’s James Franklin

    Now that the college football season is officially over until the fall, it is time to start the roller-coaster that is the coaching rumor mill. The NFL has already seen its fair share of firings and hirings, and now it is time for the NCAA to do the same. While progress in the college coaching sphere has been slower (most likely due to university bureaucratic red-tape), the wheels are starting to turn. The latest coaching rumors come from the home of the Nittany Lions, Penn State.

    Rumors abounded Wednesday and Thursday that James Franklin, current coach at Vanderbilt University, will be the next coach of Penn State, with multiple sources claiming that Franklin had already accepted an offer from the university. The head coaching position at Penn State came open after former head coach Bill O’Brien left the program to become the head coach of the NFL’s Houston Texans. As it currently stands, Larry Johnson, the Nittany Lions defensive line coach, is serving as interim head coach.

    Credence was given to the rumors when the Centre Daily Times reported on Thursday that the Penn State selection committee had scheduled a meeting for Saturday morning to discuss the compensation package for the university’s next head coach. The news of the meeting came on the heels of university administrators and certain members of the selection committee returning from a trip to Destin, Florida, where James Franklin just happens to have a vacation home.

    The Times-Tribune of Scranton reported on Wednesday that following said meeting in Destin, the selection committee offered the position to Franklin. This report is most likely what led to statements that Franklin had already accepted the job.

    Vanderbilt’s athletic director, David Williams, is adamantly reminding players, fans, and media outlets that Franklin has yet to make any decision yet, however: “He just called to let me know that the reports that he had accepted the job were not true. I think it was a call to say, ‘I know what’s being said,’ and as I’ve said, he’ll be our football coach until he tells me he’s not. I’m hoping that will remain.”

    Williams is not simply relying on hope, though. In speaking to Nashville radio station 104.5 FM on Wednesday, Williams announced just how far he would go to retain Franklin as head coach: “I’d shave my head (to keep Franklin), and I’d give him the money I saved going to the barber shop.”

    Vanderbilt players are also Tweeting to their followers about the lack of authority behind the rumors that Franklin has already made up his mind:

    While others are trying to keep the ‘Dores fan-base optimistic even if Vanderbilt loses Franklin as its head coach:

    Even Vanderbilt alums are getting in on the action, with PGA golfer Brandt Snedeker tweeting his plan to get Franklin to stay:

    Considering Vanderbilt is not a typical football power-house, many fans may wonder why Franklin has become such a hot commodity. Over the past 3 years as head coach, Franklin led the Commodores to a 24-15 record, winning 16 of his last 20 games as head coach while leading Vanderbilt to 3 consecutive Bowl Games. Before Franklin, Vanderbilt had won a total of 13 SEC conference games in 10 years and had played in only 4 bowl games in school history.

    Due to having overcome so much adversity at Vanderbilt due to a complete lack of interest or success in football, Franklin may be the perfect candidate for Penn State’s next head coach. Penn State still faces severe sanctions stemming from the Jerry Sandusky scandal, the most notable being the lack of scholarship positions available and the bowl games ban until 2016. As such, the next Penn State football coach will have to view the school as a final destination and not a platform through which to obtain a “better” coaching gig.

    Considering Franklin has very close ties to the state of Pennsylvania (having grown up, played football, and coached in the state) and to former Penn State coach Bill O’Brien (the two coached together at the University of Maryland), he may well be the perfect candidate to fill the shoes worn so well by Joe Paterno. If hired, James Franklin will become the first black coach in the history of Penn State football, cementing the university’s transition away from its storied, yet marred, past and into the future.

    Image via YouTube

  • Lane Kiffin to Interview for Alabama OC Position

    And the coaching carousel continues. While much clamor has been made concerning the massive amount of firings and hirings occurring in the NFL, coaching changes have been relatively quiet on the college side of the equation. Cue Lane Kiffin.

    Wednesday, reports surfaced that Alabama’s offensive coordinator, Doug Nussmeier, was planning to take the same position at the University of Michigan. Thursday, those speculations were confirmed.

    Upon learning of the opening present at one of college football’s premier schools, sports pundits, analysts, and fans across the nation began conjecturing about who would replace Nussmeier as Alabama’s new offensive coordinator. In all of the names one could have listed for said position, Lane Kiffin would most likely have been one of the last choices.

    Despite the slim likelihood of the situation, CBS Sports reported that Lane Kiffin is scheduled to interview for the open offensive coordinator position at Alabama as early as today.

    Kiffin’s name popping up for this position comes as such a surprise due to his lack of success as a coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. Kiffin’s most recent coaching position was at the historic University of Southern California, where Kiffin was fired in the middle of his 4th season after his team was defeated by Arizona State by a score of 62-41. During his 3.5 year stint at USC, Kiffin led the Trojans to a subpar record of 28-15.

    Before he was coach at USC, Kiffin coached at the University of Tennessee for one season, going 7-6. And before coaching at Tennessee, Kiffin was fired from his position as head coach of the Oakland Raiders after leading the pro team to an abysmal record of 5-15.

    But perhaps the news should not have been much of a surprise, once one looks at the facts. Before taking the position at the Oakland Raiders, Kiffin was the offensive coordinator at USC under current NFL coach Pete Carroll. In his first year as offensive coordinator at USC, Kiffin helped the Trojans break multiple PAC-10 offensive records, such as total offense, first downs, points scored, touchdowns and PATs. That team also put up 50 or more points a school record 7 times. (Albeit, Kiffin was aided by the offensive talents of Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and Steve Smith.)

    Adding even more credence to Alabama interviewing Kiffin is the fact that Kiffin met with Alabama head coach Nick Saban preceding Alabama’s match-up against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl in order to discuss Alabama’s offensive strategy for the game.

    Following shock and surprise from fans and media once they learned of this meeting, Saban spoke the praises of heeding the advice of Lane Kiffin, stating:

    “There’s only a few people out there that you have an opportunity to do it with. Lane is a really good offensive coach and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. Just to come in and brainstorm a little bit, get some professional ideas with our guys, is a real positive thing, so I don’t know why there’s any reaction to it to be honest with you. I’m really quite surprised.”

    While news that Saban personally likes Kiffin’s professional style offense seemingly cements the fact that Kiffin will be Alabama’s newest offensive coordinator, other options are being explored as well, including former Alabama quarterback Freddie Kitchens.

    There will be critics regardless of who Alabama hires, so logic says hire whoever the best candidate is and let the naysayers naysay. When all is said and done, Kiffin may be the best option available, despite his poor record as head coach and antagonistic personality.

    Image via YouTube

  • Johnny Manziel Officially Declares for the NFL Draft

    Much to the disappointment of Texas A&M fans (and to the glee of future A&M opponents), Johnny Manziel has declared for the NFL Draft. While most people knew that Manziel’s going pro was inevitable, Johnny Football made things official on Wednesday. Manziel is only a redshirt sophomore, so he could have stuck around for two more seasons.

    Manziel wrote a personal letter to his fans about his decision, which was published on TexAgs.com. Even though most fans expected him to leave early, Manziel says the decision to leave Texas A&M was tough to make. Check out an excerpt of the letter below.

    After long discussions with my family, friends, teammates and coaches, I have decided to make myself available for the 2014 NFL draft. The decision was not an easy one, but we all felt this was the right time to make the next step toward a professional career. My experiences here and the support of this school, coach [Kevin] Sumlin, chancellor [John] Sharp, my teammates, my classmates and Aggie football fans everywhere will be something that I carry with me for the rest of my life. I’ll always be an Aggie.

    In his two years at quarterback, Manziel won the Heisman Trophy in his first season and was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in his second season. Interestingly enough, Manziel’s stats from this past season were better than the first. Check out Manziel’s stats Texas A&M put together at the end of the 2013 regular season below.

    Johnny Manziel played in his last college football game on December 31, 2013. Texas A&M played Duke in the Peach Bowl and won 52-48. Manziel had 382 passing yards for 4 touchdowns, plus rushed for 73 yards and one touchdown in his last game. This game was a fitting end for the dual-threat quarterback.

    According to ESPN, Manziel is one of the Top 20 prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft and the third best quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater from Louisville and Blake Bortles from UCF are both projected to be picked before Manziel.

    Even though Manziel found himself at the center of controversy at times, there is no doubt Aggie fans will long cherish the days that Johnny Football ruled the gridiron.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jadeveon Clowney Declaring For The 2014 NFL Draft

    Not long after the South Carolina Gamecocks beat the Wisconsin Badgers 34 – 24 in the Capitol One Bowl on Wednesday, South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney declared for the 2014 NFL Draft.

    In an ESPN postgame interview Clowney was asked by reporter Tom Luginbill if he had NFL plans and the South Carolina defensive end simply replied, “Yes, sir.”

    Of course Clowney is very happy to be entering the NFL Draft. “I knew this time would come one day. I’m just happy it’s coming,” said Clowney.

    It has been quite a year for Clowney after entering the public eye because of his hit on Michigan’s Vincent Smith – the play that won him the ESPY award for Best Play. Clowney sparked media attention again with possible inappropriate interactions with Jay-Z, as well as his recent speeding ticket for driving 110 MPH in a 70 MPH zone.

    While Clowney declared for the 2014 NFL Draft, ESPN’s Colin Cowherd put it a little differently.

    One fan is happy for Clowney and well aware of the riches he’s about to receive.

    This Twitterer was definitely not shocked when Clowney announced that he would be entering the draft.

    While another informed us that the day Clowney chose to declare for the draft was also a special anniversary for the Gamecock.

    Charlie Daniels already knows some NFL team will draft Clowney, and he’s ready to watch him every Sunday. (Or Monday or Thursday for that matter.)

    Some speculate the Rams could draft Clowney with their No. 2 overall pick, if not, they don’t expect him to fall past the No. 5 pick by the Oakland Raiders.

    Image via YouTube.

  • Fiesta Bowl Preview: No.15 UCF vs. No.6 Baylor

    When the BCS Bowl Game line-up was first presented, analysts and fans were excited about the plethora of fantastic games slated for January, especially the national championship game pitting Auburn against Florida State. However, one game produced groans of a blow-out, much to the dismay of Florida residents and Knights fans.

    This year’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl pairs the University of Central Florida Knights against the Baylor University Bears. The Knights come into the game ranked No. 15 in the nation (with one loss to South Carolina), while the Baylor Bears are ranked No. 6 in the nation (with one loss to Oklahoma State).

    Despite their equal records, the groans of despair stemmed from the fact that many believe UCF to be an unproven program which played in a weak conference, the newly minted American Athletic Conference.

    While this is UCF’s first ever BCS bowl game, the same is also true for Baylor. The Bears have the upper-hand in the media, however, due to playing in the historic Big XII conference and playing in the national spotlight for most of the year.

    Instead of relying on preconceived notions and Vegas (who has Baylor as a 16.5 point favorite) to form one’s opinion on who will win tonight’s match-up, let’s look to the numbers instead.

    Offense:

    This game promises to be a contest between offensive juggernauts, pitting two of the nation’s leading offensive squads against one another.

    Baylor comes into tonight’s contest having accrued more yards in one season than all but 1 other football team in FBS history, putting up a staggeringly impressive 624.5 yards per game (second only to the 1989 Houston team which average 624.9 yards per game). The Bears’ offense is led by quarterback Bryce Petty, perhaps one of the most offensively prolific quarterbacks in recent FBS history. This season. Petty led the nation in yards per pass, averaging 17.4 yards per pass. Petty also ranked second nationally in passing efficiency at 179.2 and finished 8th in passing yards per game at 320.3.

    What UCF’s defense really has to prepare for with Petty, however, is the big play. This year, Petty led the nation in passing plays of 25 yards or more with 46, along with completing 13 touchdowns longer than 25 yards.

    While Petty brings a big arm and much confidence in tonight’s game, UCF’s quarterback, Blake Bortles, is a star in his own right. In his last 7 games, Bortles has completed 70% of his passes, with 13 of those passes going for touchdowns while allowing only 4 interceptions. For the season, Bortles ranked 9th nationally in passing efficiency at 163.3. While Bortles’s arm may not be as explosive as Petty’s, his intelligence and game-making ability ensure that he will keep the Knights in the game.

    The quarterback match-up is honestly the duel to watch this game, seeing as both UCF’s and Baylor’s star running backs have accumulated a touch over 1,000 yards for the season with 11 touchdowns each, evening the match-up in the backfield.

    Defense:

    With such explosive offenses on the field, the key to the game may be which defense can hold the opposing offense in check. While neither Baylor nor UCF will impress audiences with their defensive might, neither team is awful on the defensive-end of the ball. UCF comes into tonight’s game allowing only 346.3 yards per game and allowing just 19.6 points per game, ranking 12th nationally in scoring defense.

    Baylor, on the other hand, ranked 20th nationally in points allowed per game at 21.2 ppg, slightly more than UCF. Despite being known almost exclusively for its offense, Baylor did rank 6th in the nation in yards allowed per play at 4.53 and 7th in tackles for loss per game at 7.9. If the Baylor Bears want to win tonight, they will have to find a way to get to QB Blake Bortles, who has faced sack issues in the latter half of the season, getting sacked 14 times in his last 5 games.

    Prediction:

    Due to the fact that this is both Baylor’s and UCF’s first BCS bowl game, one cannot give UCF the underdog edge. Both teams have something to prove on the national stage and will use this opportunity to its fullest. However, one has to believe that UCF’s strength of schedule from playing in the AAC (76th nationally, as opposed to Baylor’s 6th ranked SOS) will do them no favors when playing against a Baylor team which has seemed unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball this year. Edge goes to the Bears.

    Image via FiestaBowl.org