Results tagged “NCAA,” from Robert Littal Presents The Infamous BlackSportsOnline

The NCAA may finally have met their match. Former UCLA superstar and NCAA champion Ed O'Bannon filed a class action lawsuit against the NCAA looking to get a piece of the licensing pie. O'Bannon in his lawsuit isn't asking for the players to be paid while they're in school, but for them to be able to get some form of compensation for the use of their images, jerseys etc. after they're out of school.

Right now the NCAA doesn't allow former or current players to receive any money from the billion dollar licensing business they run. This includes: video games, jerseys, DVD's sold and whatever other way the NCAA can find to make money off of these players images. The lawsuit says that the players are forced as freshman to sign over their rights for use of their likeness. They either sign the paper and agree to this or they can't go to school and play ball. So the NCAA basically takes advantage of young kids who really have no concept of what they're signing over. Think about all the championship DVD's that you see advertised every year after someone wins the championship. All that additional revenue doesn't go to the players. This is an additional billion dollar industry aside from the basic television contracts that the NCAA benefits from.

You'd think people would have learned their lesson about putting Isiah Thomas in charge of things. His Indiana Pacers teams underachieved, he burned down the Continental Basketball Association, and, well, we all saw what he did to the Knicks. The mentality that it takes to give Jerome James $29 million or trade three draft pick and three players for "Sixth Helping" Eddy Curry, deserves to be questioned at every turn.

But that won't be a problem at Florida International University, where he's already pledged to give his entire first-year salary to the athletic department. It's almost as if he's trying to prove that he can do more for a basketball team than waste its money.

As we all know, college players don't get paid (publicly speaking), so joining the college game makes sense for a guy like Isiah. Legally, all he can offer is a scholarship and maybe a few other small perks. There's no hope of him outbidding Carolina for their third point guard and committing FIU to paying him $8 million dollars for the next four seasons. No, this job frees his mind from having to make decisions like that and allows him to do what he does best: Scout talent.

I really don't think that the free world is an anymore trouble than it already is if Barack Obama takes some time out to fill out a bracket for ESPN. Really, if some real damage was going to go down, it was going to happen regardless of that missing half hour. Hell, I bet he spends more time than that in the bathroom.

Actually, I'm more impressed that this man can find the time to be this knowledgable about college basketball while rebuilding the economy, getting us out of Iraq, curing cancer, walking on water, all the stuff that he does. It's not like he's falling behind on things. If he was turning in his budgets late and missing press conferences because he was copying someone else's notes at the last minute, the complainers might be onto something. But he's getting everything done, so why are we bothering him? If anything, we should be impressed with his time-management skills.

All day and all night "Ya Boy" BonaFide Sports Expert Robert Littal will be live blogging on the Thursday 1st round NCAA Tournament games. So check back frequently and keep refreshing the page.

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11:26 PM- No buzzer beaters, no real upsets. I must stay I am a bit disappointed 1st day.

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9:49 pm- I HATE DUKE!!!

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This is what college hoops is all about.

The basketball game pitting the University of Syracuse and Uconn ended Syracuse 127, Connecticut 117 in unprecedented 6 overtimes in yesterday's Big East Tournament.

There were so many great moments, so many great plays,the aura of The Garden, the coaches involved, the undeniable spirit of both teams to make it through six overtimes... its almost impossible to measure it all up.

The irony is that the game was a millisecond away from being settled in regulation. The play was a, routine buzzer-beating jump shot by Eric Devendorf, which appeared to give Syracuse a 73-71 win.

Now I understand a lot of people wish they could be The BonaFide Sports Expert Robert Littal (at last count it was about 17..lol..). I mean I am in commercials, infamous youtube videos, I am in the Frontman of The Frontline band and of course I run the best sports site in the world which last time I checked the account has made me $23 over the last three years but I digress. Since you can't be me (thank god) Coke Zero is going to give you a chance to become a "STAR".

Between now and the NCAA Men's Final Four, fans can log onto the Coke Zero "March Madabase" -- http://www.tastethemadness.com -- to upload their craziest and most fanatical videos/photos supporting their favorite NCAA college basketball team. As an example, check out how one die-hard Iowa State Cyclones fan secures his front row seat:

The best fan submitted entries will be featured nationally in a new Coke Zero ad airing immediately prior to tipoff during the championship game on April 6th. Coke Zero has made just two of these before - take a look at the Kansas one here:

Visit the official "Taste the Madness" site to upload and view videos/photos from colleges around the country: http://www.tastethemadness.com

While Michael Phelps was hitting the bong, and Alex Rodriguez took (rubbed? injected? ate?) steroids, other athletes simply tried to get stronger by working out and drinking things like Vitamin Water to reintroduce vitamins into the body.

On January 15, 2009, the NCAA Convention told its members about the "impermissible" substances in certain flavors of Vitamin Water.

Wait, so the Mets' David Wright might be next on the steroid chopping block? Shaq? 50 Cent?!?!?

Not exactly...More after the jump...

With all the NBA hype Tuesday night (Kobe's three, Lebron's triple double, etc.), just wanted to highlight something you rarely see on the NCAA side of things. Kentucky guard, Jodie Meeks had a remarkable game against Tennessee Tuesday night.

Homeboy dropped 54 points on TWENTY-TWO shots. He had 10 threes, and went 14/14 from the free-throw line. Breaking former Kentucky player, Dan Issel's record of 53 points 39 years ago. Meeks hot night was the highest individual scoring display since 1989.

I just watched the game again, and Meeks is practically unstoppable against Tennessee, and you can see the frustration all over the faces of the Volunteers. Earlier this season, Meeks scored 46 points against Appalachian State. He's the 4th leading scorer in the nation, and Meeks is clearly raising his draft stock with high-voltage games like this.

By now, we have all read, seen or heard the Utah Utes football team beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and finished the season undefeated. What we may not have understood in all that is the Utes have now finished the season undefeated twice in the last five years, and were still shut out of the BCS Championship.

More after the jump...

Now that we've said goodbye to the end of an era of mediocrity known as the Bush era and ushered in the new, you can't help but look back at the some of the greatest sports moments of 2008. Here's some that made you laugh, cry or just stare dumbfounded in disbelief. Yea Litall touched on this but as usual, but after much debating, here are MY top picks for best sports stories. Let the arguments begin............

TOP 8 SPORTS MOMENTS OF 2008

8.) Nadal Ends Federer's Reign At Wimbledon

Ok so I'll bite. Now that I've seen video clips, I've decided to kick off my second annual Top Sports Moments list with the history in the making match up between men's tennis
greats Rafeal Nadal and Roger Federer. The grueling five match showdown complete with rain delays was a testament to Nadal's toughness and tenacity and marked the end of Federer's five year reign, as Nadal was crowned Wimbledon champion.

7.)Rays Almost Sting Phillies In World Series

To the victor goes the spoils they say and while the Phillies have been named as the 2008 World Series Champions, the Rays fairytale journey into the World Series contention should definitely NOT go without notice. Just thinking about a team with a 200-1 shot at appearing in the World Series go from worst to first, beating out heavyweights New York and Boston is enough to place this moment in the Top 8 Sports Moments of 2008.

6.) Old Time Rivalry Renewed:Celtics vs Lakers

There's something about reliving the glory days when the NBA Finals was a clash of the Titans between two juggernauts, one from the East and one from the West. Ask anyone about the Celtics vs Lakers rivalry and the names Magic vs Bird, Russell vs come to mind. During the 2008 Finals, David Stern, the media and old school fans got their wish as Kobe led Lakers faced off against the Big 3 of the Celtics composed of K.G., Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Despite the victory being favored to go to the Lakers, the defensive prowess of the Celtics proved to be too much for the Lakers and the Celtics went on to win the series in 6 games.

When NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing was a freshman at Georgetown, the Hoyas worked out with members of the Washington Bullets (now known as the Wizards). Ewing will always remember one question he got from one of the Bullets.

It was Mitch Kupchak, saying to me, 'Why are you in college? You should be in the NBA. You're ready to play right now," Ewing said. "In his mind I was ready, but my college experience was something I've always treasured."

Times sure have changed since Ewing was a freshman in 1981. During that summer's draft the first three picks were underclassmen, but the rest of the first round picks were all seniors. In the 2007 draft, only six of the 30 first round picks were seniors.

As of June 12th, 13 freshmen have already declared for the 2008 NBA Draft. All of those 13 freshmen are expected to be taken in the draft with the probability of the first five picks all being freshmen. Also, for the second year in a row, the top pick is considered to be a choice between two freshmen. Unlike Ewing, who will always treasure his college moments, the kids of today cannot wait for their opportunity in the NBA.
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In the end, Memphis missing their free throws didn't just cost Memphis a chance at the National Championship but also cost our own Amber Fox a chance to win the BSO March Madness Pool. In the end, long time BSO reader Jason Ward makes an incredible comeback to the take the title and the bragging rights.

1 JASON WARD Kansas
2 Amber Fox Memphis
3 drew b 119 Kansas
4 Don Burton North Carolina
5 Adam Thomas Memphis
6 Treazus Christ UCLA
7 Alex Schallert North Carolina
8 Robert Littal UCLA
9 k nik North Carolina
10 Bobby Drakes North Carolina
11 Jemal Taylor UCLA (120)
12 COREY CHAPMAN North Carolina
13 Juan Galdos North Carolina
14 tony online North Carolina
15 Sean Schroeder North Carolina
16 rob price North Carolina
17 phillip owens North Carolina
18 Tony Wayne UCLA
19 Christopher Walker UCLA
20 LJ SYKES III 67 33 67 33 UCLA (116)

Coverage will be continually updated with videos, insights and player profiles so check in everyday.

April 6th

• Going away from the Final Four if you haven't seen this dunk from Patrick Ewing Jr in the college dunk contest you definitely need to take a look.

April 5th

• I am changing my Final Four Pick immediately to Memphis. My goodness they were impressive in beating UCLA.

• It was if someone forgot to tell UNC they were in the Final Four until halftime.

March 30th

• I guaranteed you that Memphis wouldn't make it to the Final Four. Well I was wrong about that.

• Stephen Curry is still a serial killer, but he just ran out of magic.

• Four #1s I can't wait.

March 29th

• I want Tyler Hansborough on my team. It is as simple as that. He will never be Kevin Garnett but he is everything you would want in a player.

• Finally UCLA played like I knew they could.

March 28th
• If you don't know by now that Stephen Curry is a beast, I don't know what to tell you. Here is a little background on Del Curry's kid. Check out the video.

• Just when I started to believe in the Lopez twins, they play like the Olsen twins.

Thursday March 27th

• Xavier is a very resilient team. After they blew that 18 point lead to West Va there were so many times that I thought to myself the Mountaineers got this game in hand. Every time Xavier came back and finally West Va just wilted under the pressure. Xavier is a legit threat to be in the Final Four.

• UNC showed why they are UNC

• Lets just be honest. Tennessee was never as good as their ranking suggested.

Sunday March 23rd

• North Carolina looks scary good.

• Mark the tape. Memphis won't make it to the Final Four.

• I am sure Roy Hibbert wished he would have entered the NBA Draft last year.

• Once again all I can say is Stephen Curry is a beast.

Saturday March 22nd

• Duke lost so it is a good day.

• Great game between Marquette and Stanford. Here is the game winner.

• If you liked defense UCLA vs. Texas A&M was the game for you. Kevin Love is a beast. Here is the game winner from that game.

Friday March 21st

• I told you I will have videos of any game winning shots. 1st up Western Kentucky beating Drake.

• Next San Diego upsetting Uconn

• Stephen Curry=Serial Killer

Thursday March 20th

• You don't know how great I would have felt if Duke had lost, but alas Belmont blew it.

• UCLA is my pick to win it all and they just embarrassed Miss Valley State holding them to 29 points. I don't care if it is a 1 vs. 16 matchup that is just sick.

• I was 100% sure USC would beat Kansas State, tells you how much I know.

• Was that UNLV 1991 or 2008? Because they simply crushed Kent St who I thought had a good chance to win that game.

• My upset special was Georgia and for a half they looked like world beaters but after halftime Xavier woke up and Georgia remembered they were just an average team.

• My two sleeper teams Michigan State and Stanford both looked excellent.

After all 65 teams are picked for the NCAA Tournament, you are going to hear a bunch of whining, complaining and bitching by coaches and commentators about teams that didn't make it into the tournament.

Here is my advice for all the teams that didn't make the tournament: Win some more games.

There will always be teams that think they deserve it and don't make it. But the fact of the matter is that the best way not to be on the bubble is to never be on it.

If you have 10 or more losses I don't want to hear your bitching. If you are from a small conference and you blew it in your conference tournament, I feel your pain. But I don't want to hear your whining when you only played one Top 25 team all year and lost.

Do I agree with all of the committee selections? Of course not. But don't tell me I am an idiot because I don't think your team should get in the tournament with 13 losses just because you made a nice run in your conference tournament. That doesn't make me an idiot. It makes you a bad coach. Yes, I am talking to you, Va. Tech coach Seth Greenberg.