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Tourney was momentary distraction from money-driven process

Posted on April 4th, 2018No Comments

By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)

Well, that was nice.

Villanova won the NCAA men’s basketball tournament with an old-fashioned college team, nary a one-and-done in sight. Vanquished Michigan was constructed in similar fashion by John Beilein, voted the sport’s cleanest coach in a CBS poll of 100 coaches last year.

Loyola Chicago, which hasn’t produced an NBA player since 1987 – Andre Moore, whose career totaled one season, two teams and 10 games – reached the Final Four despite being an 11-seed. And in the tournament’s most heart-warming story ever, UMBC made history by advancing as a 16-seed.

It was almost enough to make you think the tourney is played by nonprofessionals.

Technically, that’s correct. Every player who stepped on the court is an amateur, from UMBC’s 5-foot-8 guard K.J. Maura, to Arizona’s seven-foot center (and potential No. 1 draft pick) DeAndre Ayton. They are student-athletes who play for love of the game, while receiving scholarships in return.

That’s what separates college players from NBA players. That’s where NCAA president Mark Emmert and his accomplices want us to focus. That’s why the championship run by Villanova and Michigan’s was so vital as the FBI probes.

Did you see NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice during the tournament? He appeared in an NCAA TV commercial, “Opportunity,” that aired several times. It’s part of the organization’s longstanding effort to divert attention from the folks counting money behind closed doors.   

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Women’s Final Four provided sweet return on investment

Posted on April 2nd, 2018No Comments

By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)

If you’re like me, you didn’t watch much women’s basketball this season.

“None” is probably more accurate.

But as someone who appreciates the drama of live sports most when championships are at stake, I tuned into the Final Four over the weekend. Granted, I expected to see Connecticut cap another undefeated season with another national title.

Dynasties are fascinating in any sport, whether it’s the Yankees in baseball, the Patriots in football, the Celtics in basketball, or the Canadiens in hockey. Sustained runs of excellence are even more impressive in college, where eligibility limits star performers to four seasons.

So, it doesn’t matter that Geno Auriemma coaches UConn’s women team, compared to the legendary John Wooden, who coached the UCLA men. Dominance is dominance, regardless of gender. Auriemma was shooting for his 12th national title and seventh perfect season. Wooden captured 11 national titles and recorded four undefeated seasons.

But I digress.

Turns out that the women’s Final Four wasn’t about the Huskies. They were stunned in the semifinals on a buzzer-beating jumper in overtime to finish at 36-1 … after being stunned in last year’s semifinals on a buzzer-beating jumper in overtime to finish at 36-1.

This Final Four was about tight, tense, edge-of-your-seat basketball. And a cold-blooded shooter from Notre Dame, which won its second national championship.

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