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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.
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 list of top point guards. The truth? “The Jruth” is still largely underrated by most NBA observers, even though he is one of just three All-Stars born in the 1990s.
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.
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 told ZAGSBLOG.com that all three guys – along with several other committed players – would go first in this year’s draft were they eligible.
“I think conservatively there are probably seven guys in next year’s draft that would have a shot at going No. 1 in this year’s draft,” he said.
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 of his injury.
2. The Bruins love to push the pace and get out into the open floor. They rank fourth in the nation in terms of field goals attempted and rely heavily upon their ability to get into the paint and pick up points. Fortunately, UCLA has an elite facilitator to enable them to do so.
3. Perhaps the most underrated point guard in the nation is UCLA facilitator Larry Drew II. Drew is currently averaging 7.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals on 45.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Even still, he’s gone relatively unnoticed on a national stage.
4-5. If you’re looking for a dynamic duo to build your bracket around, Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson might be it. Muhammad is top NBA draft pick material, as the electric athlete plays with as much power and tenacity as anyone in the nation. Anderson, meanwhile, overcomes below-average quickness by thinking three plays ahead of everyone else on the floor. These two freshmen could be the stars of the 2013 tournament.
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