UConn

My blog is where I give my two cents, even if the clink of change is heard by few. So here's what I think about the Yahoo! story on potential violations by the University of Connecticut. First, it's a fine job of reporting and the two guys who did it are to be commended for their diligence. I know one of the reporters and I respect both of the guys. Second, you can't blame Yahoo! for pumping up the story to rival that of a mafia indictment. But, three, does anyone really care?

It's no secret among college basketball people that UConn is a dirty program. Give them credit for the fact they haven't faced something worse than this. Unless, you count stealing computers as worse, which you might. But there are just so many ways to get kids to go to school in Storrs. Or Syracuse for that matter, but that's a different story.

My point is the entire NCAA system is a crock. The NCAA and their member schools make billions of dollars off the backs of basketball players that receive very little in recompense. An education? Maybe for those who take advantage of it. But how much money does the school make off those players? There's just no comparison. Can you imagine any other system where you're met with a delay when it comes to bartering your wares? How about Miley Cyrus, for instance, having to sing or perform for basically free until she is 19. That's not America. That's not even Mexico.

That's why I believe the path of people like Brandon Jennings is the future. The kid is getting paid and realistically has made enough money for his lifetime in one year. He's struggled in Europe and yet he's still going to be a first-round pick. And to think that if he had passed his SAT (or whatever test he took), he might be playing this weekend for Arizona for free.

The biggest joke is that for all of Yahoo's great reporting, the end result is that it is defending a system that takes advantage of kids. But no one will say what the biggest problem here is. It's the NCAA.