Sports Law Issues Don’t Stop During Coronavirus Shutdown

Coronavirus sports lawsuit LeBron James Jimmy Butler Lamar Jackson

The effects of the Coronavirus is being felt in every industry. The sports industry is no different, but that has not stopped lawsuits involving LeBon James, Jimmy Butler, and Lamar Jackson. Roughly two weeks ago the NBA suspended their season after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the Coronavirus. Soon after, his teammate Donavan Mitchell tested positive. Both players have recently been cleared of the Coronavirus. However, the continued reality of the threat of the Coronavirus led the MBL, NHL, and MLS to suspend their seasons as well. The NCAA was forced to cancel all spring sports and the March Madness tournament. Most recently, Japan and the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the 2020 Summer Games to 2021.

Accordingly, sports fans are relying on the rebroadcasts of classic games for entertainment. Even though the entertainment portion of the sports has come to an unexpected halt, the business of sports keeps turning. This is especially true in the realm of sports law. In the last week, three lawsuits involving some of sports favorite athletes came to light. Two cases involve two of the NBA’s most notable players, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler. The third case involves the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player of the Year, Lamar Jackson.

Hold on King James…That Photo Does not Belong to You

During LeBron James’ 17-year career, he has been the focal point of some pretty iconic NBA photos. There are photos of James blocking Andre Iguodala’s shot in game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. There is the iconic photo of Dwayne Wade and King James on the Miami Heat when James lays down a monster slam dunk. Before the NBA season was abruptly halted by the Coronavirus, King James was caught in yet another timeless photo. On December 19, 2019 photographer, Steven Mitchell was working the Lakers versus Heat game. Mitchell caught an awesome moment of King James dunking over Meyers Leonard.

Soon after the game, the photo was cropped and posted to James’s Facebook account. The post, which is still up has received over one thousand likes, has been shared 92 times, and has 61 comments. The picture was also posted on James’ Instagram Account. There it received over 2 million likes. To many, this may not seem like a big deal. What could be wrong with James posting a picture of himself? The answer is that it could be a copyright law violation. Accordingly, the photographer, Steven Mitchell, sued LeBron James alleging that posting the photo onto James’ social media platforms infringed on his copyright law protections.

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Does James’ Post Violate Mitchell’s Rights in the Photo Under Copyright Law?

Copyright is an intellectual property right grounded in the United States Constitution. Authors are granted copyright protection for their original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright protection applies to photos. As such, Mitchell sued LeBron James, Uninterrupted Digital Ventures, and LRMR Ventures for copyright infringement. Mithcell alleges that James and the other defendants infringed on his copyright in the photo when it was cropped and posted on James’s Facebook and Instagram pages without Mitchell’s consent. The complaint asserts that Uninterrupted Digital Ventures and LRMR Ventures operate James’ Facebook page. Mitchell requests a jury trial to determine whether the federal Copyright Act was violated. He also seeks damages up to $150,000 per infringement.

Independent Sports and Entertainment Says Jimmy Butler Needs to Pay Up

Independent Sports and Entertainment (ISE) is telling Miami Heat star, Jimmy Butler, to “show them the money.” ISE has sued Jimmy Butler for breaching a Public Relations Agreement (PR Agreement) he entered into with them in July of 2013. ISE is an integrated sport, media, entertainment, and management company that represents talent throughout the entertainment industry. ISE assists professional athletes’ with their off the field and off the court activities. In the complaint, ISE alleges that Jimmy Butler breached their PR Agreement by failing to give them their share of profits from two deals Butler made with Nike.

Per the PR Agreement, Butler is required to pay ISE a 15% gross compensation fee in exchange for ISE’s services assisting with his personal marketing and public relations. ISE alleges that while Butler was under the PR Agreement, he entered into a contract with Nike where he earned $616,666,67. ISE has not received its 15 percent commission in the amount of $92,250. Butler later entered into an addendum on the contract. On the addendum, Butler received at least 5 million dollars. ISE has not received its 15% commission in the amount of $750,000 on the addendum.

In the complaint, ISE stipulates that the non-breaching party must provide notice of the breach to the breaching party and allow the breaching party 30 days to cure the breach. ISE alleges that they provided written notice to Butler and made attempts to collect the amounts due. Furthermore, ISE alleges that they were put in contact with Butler’s financial advisor Ken Kavanaugh who acknowledged that Butler owed the 15% fee and that payment would follow. The payment never came leading ISE to file this suit. Per the complaint, ISE is seeking damages for the amounts owed on the Nike contract and addendum.

Lamar Jackson Tells Amazon to Stop Selling his Unauthorized Merchandise 

Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback, Lamar Jackson, filed suit against Amazon.com and Amazon.com Services, Inc. (hereafter collectively referred to as Amazon) in a federal district court for infringing on his right to publicity. In the complaint, Jackson alleges that Amazon has directly advertised and sold items bearing Jackson’s name, nicknames, and images without being authorized to do so by him or the NFL. The alleged infringing items include items such as a “LAMARVELOUS Vintage Baltimore Football QB Jackson MVP T-Shirt.” In the complaint, Jackson acknowledges that Amazon had received negative publicity for facilitating the sale of items that infringe on others’ intellectual property rights by third parties in the Amazon Marketplace. However, Jackson contends that the sale of his items is different in that the sale of his items are not in the Amazon marketplace.

Jackson contends that the infringing items at issue are directly falsely promoted and advertised by Amazon as they are designated as “ships from and sold by Amazon.com.” Jackson claims to have requested that Amazon remove and stop selling the items in question. However, Amazon has failed to so. As such, Jackson seeks a permanent injunction requiring Amazon to stop the sale of the items in question. Jackson alleges that the unauthorized sale of items bearing his name, image, and likeness on Amazon has negatively affected his own clothing line business. Accordingly, Jackson also seeks damages and disgorgement of Amazon’s profits.

Pac-12 Basketball: Memories Made in Imperfect Season

Pac-12 Basketball- Oregon UCLA

The NCAA Basketball season came to an unexpected end on the morning of Thursday, March 12. Pac-12 officials decided to cancel the conference tournament. The conference was gearing up for an NCAA Tournament that could have seen seven of its teams in it. However, safety is paramount for everyone in society in response to COVID-19.

The Pac-12 made the right call in calling off the conference tournament. There was a domino effect from Wednesday night on in the sports world, as Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The Pac-12 concluded their Wednesday night games, but canceled the tournament early Thursday morning.

This moment in history has stripped athletes of the glory that they could have felt in the NCAA Tournament. Stories could have been written and legacies could have been made. Payton Pritchard could have led Oregon on a deep tournament run in his senior year. One of the Pac-12’s bubble teams could have made the Sweet 16 and validated the conference possibly getting more than half its teams in the tournament. We will never know.

Memories Were Still Made In First Round of Pac-12 Tournament

However, there were great moments from the 2019-20 Pac-12 basketball season. There were even some in the one day of Pac-12 Tournament play. Oregon State and Utah fought hard in the 8-versus-9 game. Utah junior Alfonso Plummer broke the record for most 3-pointers in a Pac-12 Tournament game with 11 made. He broke Klay Thompson’s record. However, Oregon State freshman Jarod Lucas stole the spotlight from Plummer. He hit a 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds remaining in the game as the Beavers stole a 71-69 victory.

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California validated their improvement throughout the season as they easily dispatched tournament hopeful Stanford 63-51. First-year Mark Fox and his team were thought of as an afterthought in the conference, but they were able to win three out of their last five games.

Washington State got their first Pac-12 Tournament win since 2009 as they beat Colorado 82-68. The Cougars finished 16-16, clinching their first non-losing season since 2012. Washington State also had a first-year coach in Kyle Smith, and they also showed steady improvement throughout the season.

Teams like Oregon State, California, and Washington State were able to make memories this season. Just because March Madness is not happening does not mean this season was a lost season. Oregon was the best team in the Pac-12, but there was parity across the entire league every weekend. Even though there will not be March Madness, there was plenty of madness in the Pac-12.

Payton Pritchard Had Senior Moments for Oregon Ducks

Oregon was able to win games on the biggest stages in both non-conference and conference games. Payton Pritchard racked up many awards, as he was named Pac-12 Player of the Year. He was able to have some senior moments in his last year of college basketball. In a hostile environment in Ann Arbor, Pritchard was the main catalyst in Oregon pulling off a 71-70 overtime victory against Michigan. He scored 19 out of his 23 points after halftime.

Pritchard’s game winning three against Washington was one of the top moments in Pac-12 conference play this season. After hitting the shot, Pritchard yelled “This is my city”. He was able to leave his mark in the Oregon-Washington rivalry.

Colorado, UCLA Among Teams In Pac-12 With Noteworthy Seasons

Colorado had arguably their best season under Tad Boyle minus the last five games the Buffaloes played. There was enthusiasm and excitement in Boulder for this team. They delivered some great moments, as they beat Oregon in Boulder when the Ducks were ranked fourth in the country. The Buffaloes were also the last team to beat Dayton, with D’Shawn Schwartz hitting the game-winning three in overtime. Colorado was becoming a basketball school, and the team could continue riding this momentum into next season.  

UCLA had the most remarkable turnaround in the conference this season. The Bruins were a team that lost to Cal State Fullerton in December. In March, they had wins against Arizona (twice), Arizona State, and Colorado on their resume. UCLA was playing arguably the best basketball out of anyone in the Pac-12, and showed great growth throughout the entire season.

Pac-12 Has Bright Future, Even With Imperfect End to Season

The 2019-20 NCAA basketball season will always have an asterisk next to it. However, the teams in the Pac-12 and all across the United States were able to create lifelong memories. The Pac-12 brought us entertaining basketball, and the conference’s future is bright in the sport. First-year coaches were able to put their mark on a program, and other coaches were able to show what their program can be. Hopefully, fans of all teams in the Pac-12 can appreciate the entertainment that the 2019-20 season brought, even though the ending will always be imperfect.

2020 Pac-12 Basketball: Tournament Bracket Takes Shape

2020 Pac-12 Basketball: Tournament Bracket Takes Shape

The 2020 Pac-12 Tournament bracket has taken shape after another crazy week of Pac-12 Basketball. Oregon showed why they are the favorites to win this week’s tournament in Las Vegas, while last-place Washington shocked both Arizona and Arizona State. Officiating took some of the spotlight as teams jockeyed for position in the conference tournament.

Oregon Cements Front-Runner Status Ahead of Pac-12 Tournament

Oregon defended their home court against California and Stanford, and they are looking like the frontrunners in Las Vegas this week. Payton Pritchard has had a great senior season, and is the favorite to win Pac-12 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Pritchard should also be included in conversations for the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award. He has averaged 20.5 points per game this season and shot 46.8 percent from the field. Pritchard has been one of the most efficient players and will have a chance to lead his team to a second straight Pac-12 Tournament Championship this week.

USC Beats UCLA, Teams Could Meet Again In Pac-12 Tournament Semis

USC and UCLA played in a classic defensive duel on Saturday. With one second remaining Jonah Mathews made a 3-point shot in his last game at the Galen Center. USC got a much-needed win that helps their cause on Selection Sunday. UCLA is squarely on the bubble, but this loss does not diminish the turnaround they have had this season. The Bruins will be the two seed in Las Vegas, and USC will be the three seed. These teams could meet again in the Pac-12 semis. Both USC and UCLA can cement their tournament bids by winning games in the Pac-12 Tournament. However, both the Bruins and Trojans will face nerve wracking Selection Sundays if they are unable to get at least one win in Las Vegas.  

Washington Shocks Both Arizona State and Arizona On Road

Washington poses a threat in the Pac-12 Tournament next week. They played excellent against both Arizona State and Arizona. They won both these games by playing the types of games their opponents are used to playing. The Huskies may also be getting back point guard Quade Green, who was declared academically ineligible in January. It is unclear if Green will play in the Pac-12 Tournament. If he does, he will add another dimension to a suddenly dangerous Husky team. Washington is considered a dark horse to win the Pac-12 Tournament but will have to do so as the last place team in the conference. Also, they have to play Arizona again on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Arizona State Backs Their Way into Pac-12 Tournament First Round Bye

Arizona State took a huge step back against Washington, but they were able to beat Washington State on Saturday. A point of concern in ASU’s victory against the Cougars is that they relinquished a 17-point lead in the second half. They were able to make enough plays to get a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament, but the Sun Devils are also not a lock to make the Tournament field.

Arizona Tournament Bound, But Struggles Showing

Arizona has done enough to make the tournament, but they have struggled during the back end of the season. The Wildcats are 1-4 in their last five games, with their only win coming last Thursday against Washington State at home. Their offensive woes have shown, as they only had five made field goals in the first half of their 69-63 loss against Washington. Arizona is like a lot of teams in the conference, as they do not have one player that can elevate them to victory on a consistent basis. Nico Mannion and Zeke Nnaji, who are both freshmen, have shown why they were top recruits at Arizona. However, they have not been able to lift the Wildcats to victory lately.

Colorado Is Simply Searching For Answers

The Buffaloes lost a controversial overtime game at Utah 74-72. Up 72-71, McKinley Wright was called for a foul on Utah guard Both Gach’s three-point shot. It was unclear if Wright even made contact with Gach on the play. However, Wright missed a pivotal free throw on the previous sequence. If Wright makes the first free throw, the Buffaloes get a chance to possibly go up by three points.

The Buffaloes were having a dream season, but a four-game losing streak has left them searching for answers. In reality, they ended the 2020 Pac-12 conference season with the same record (10-8) they had last year. This team is tournament-bound due to their performance in non-conference play, namely their win against a possible 1-seed in Dayton. However, they need to recapture the swagger they played with in January and the early part of February to have any shot at making noise in the postseason.

However, it is frustrating that the result of this game was basically determined on an official’s call at the end of overtime. Teams such as Colorado had everything to play for this past weekend, and the officials took center stage. Critical junctures in seasons call for players to perform at their best, and the Pac-12 needs to make sure their officials are performing at their best this week in the Pac-12 Tournament. Let the conference champion be determined by good basketball, not bad officiating.

Non-Conference Wins Difference for Presumptive Tournament Locks In Pac-12

Teams such as Stanford and UCLA are in precarious positions because they do not have a non-conference win that stands out. UCLA’s best win arguably was their road win against Colorado in Boulder, and Stanford’s best win is against Oregon at home. However, multiple teams, including Washington State and Oregon State, beat Oregon at home this season. There has been so much parity in Pac-12 conference play, that the teams that are considered safe bets to make the tournament are in that position because of how they performed in non-conference play. Oregon has huge wins against Seton Hall and Michigan. Colorado has a huge win against Dayton. Arizona has a quality non-conference win against Illinois.

The Pac-12 will get at least five teams into the tournament, but there are four teams (Arizona State, USC, UCLA, and Stanford) that face an uncertain Selection Sunday at this point. All four of these teams have arguments to get in the field, but some of their bubbles may burst on Selection Sunday. However, every team in the conference has a chance to make the tournament by winning the Pac-12 Tournament this week. With all the parity that has presided over the conference this season, it should be a fun tournament this week.

2020 Pac-12 Basketball: UCLA, USC Trending Upward

colorado buffaloes Pac-12 basketball vs oregon

This week in 2020 Pac-12 Basketball belonged to the home team. Across the league, the home team went 9-1 in the 10 games played between Wednesday (2/25) and Sunday (3/1). Teams such as UCLA, USC, and Stanford were given huge boosts to their tournament hopes. However, teams that established themselves as tournament contenders, such as Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State, had weekends to forget.

Here are the conference standings after the past week of play:

UCLA 12-5 (Overall 19-11)

Oregon 11-5 (22-7)

Arizona State 10-6 (19-10)

Colorado 10-7 (21-9)

USC 10-7 (21-9)

Arizona 9-7 (19-10)

Stanford 9-7 (20-9)

California 7-9 (13-16)

Washington State 6-10 (15-14)

Utah 6-11 (15-14)

Oregon State 5-11 (15-13)

Washington 3-13 (13-16)

UCLA’s 7-Game Winning Streak Propels Them to First Place in 2020 Pac-12 Basketball

UCLA’s weekend got off to a great start against Arizona State on Thursday. Freshman guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit a game-winning three with 0.6 seconds left to lift the Bruins to a 75-72 victory. Then on Saturday, they pulled away late against Arizona and won 69-64. The same UCLA team that has the worst loss in non-conference play, to Cal State Fullerton, is now in first place in the Pac-12. Mick Cronin has arguably become a shoe-in for Pac-12 Coach of the Year. The Bruin’s turnaround is great for the conference, as they are one of the most nationally-recognized names in the Pac-12.

It is interesting to think about how the conference is viewed as a whole, because they are the first place team that lost to Cal State Fullerton. Still, the Pac-12 has some good non-conference wins as a conference. Washington, who has the worst record in the conference, has arguably the best non-conference win against Baylor.   

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Tournament Chances: Trending Up – UCLA has made their case for March, but they have a massive game on Saturday against USC at the Galen Center. Winning this game will give UCLA a share of the 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Regular Season title. If they are able to show up in the conference tournament, they may need to get to the conference championship to cement their spot in the tournament.

Oregon Beats In-State Rival, Frontrunners for 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Regular Season Title

Oregon will get overshadowed by the weeks UCLA and USC had, but the Ducks took care of business against Oregon State 69-54. The Ducks broke their three-game losing streak against the Beavers, as they will attempt to get at least a share of the conference title. Oregon has home games against California and Stanford this week. They are undefeated at home, boasting a 15-0 record at Matthew Knight Arena this season.

Tournament Chances: In the field – Oregon has quality wins in non-conference play. They are near the top of the standings in the Pac-12. The main question for the Ducks is where they will be positioned in the bracket.

Arizona State Takes a Step Back In LA Road Trip

The Sun Devils went toe-to-toe with UCLA Thursday night but were beat at the buzzer. They trailed for most of the game Saturday against USC. Arizona State is an exciting team to watch, and Bobby Hurley has done a great job to get this team on the right side of the bubble. However, losing two straight is a bit of a letdown after their seven-game winning streak.

Tournament Chances: Decent – The Sun Devils will need to take care of business this week against Washington and Washington State, but they should be in the tournament. They are 6-1 at home in-conference, including a resume-boosting win against Oregon. Expect to see the Sun Devils in an 8-vs-9 or 7-vs-10 game.

Colorado Buffaloes Have Worst Week of 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season in Bay Area

The Buffaloes had a stinker Thursday night in Berkeley, as they lost 76-62 to a California team that they simply should have beat. Colorado had more life Sunday against Stanford, but they were still looking for answers after a 72-64 defeat. This season for the Buffaloes is at a crossroads, as they are no longer in contention for the Pac-12 regular season title. They have accomplished so much this season, and this iteration of the Colorado Buffaloes is probably the best team Tad Boyle has had in his tenure as head coach. However, reputations are made in March, and the Buffaloes will have to start their turnaround from their current three-game losing streak Saturday at Utah.

Tournament Chances: In the field – The Buffaloes have a huge non-conference win against Dayton, who has not lost since Colorado defeated them. They beat Oregon when they were ranked fourth in the country. However, the loss to Cal was probably their worst loss of the season. The Buffaloes need to win at Utah and show up in the conference tournament to ensure that they will still get a top-6 seed on Selection Sunday.

USC Trojans on Right Side of Bubble

USC also beat both Arizona and Arizona State this weekend. They led for the majority of both games. The Trojans got contributions from Jonah Mathews and Daniel Utomi in both games. Their defense also showed up in both games, as they held Arizona and Arizona State to 48 and 61 points, respectively. Both of their games were complete games. If their defense can travel, they will be a tough out in both the conference tournament and the NCAA tournament.

Tournament Chances: Decent – The Trojans have a better NET rating and a head-to-head victory over UCLA, giving them the upper hand over their Los Angeles rivals. However, Saturday’s game at the Galen Center is huge, as it could help USC get a higher seed in the conference tournament. USC has had a more consistent season than UCLA, but the winner of Saturday’s game will regard their season as the better one.

Arizona Struggles, Sean Miller Get Ejected Saturday

Arizona had a tough go on Thursday against USC, as they had one more field goal (16) than turnovers (15) in the 57-48 loss. On Saturday against UCLA, they played better and were leading for most of the first half. However, Sean Miller got ejected with 12:28 remaining in the second half as the Wildcats were leading, 47-44. Arizona was able to hold their own, but UCLA ended the game on an 11-2 run to win 69-64.

Tournament Chances: In – Arizona still has the best NET rating in the Pac-12 conference at number 11. They were able to dominate their non-conference schedule (minus the loss to St. John’s) despite their inconsistencies in-conference. However, every team has had their struggles in-conference, especially on the road. The Wildcats will have a chance to right the ship this week, with home games against Washington State on Thursday and Washington on Saturday.

Stanford Gets Resume-Boosting Win Against Colorado

Stanford was able to beat Utah 70-62 on Wednesday, but they were able to beat a ranked Colorado team 72-64 on Sunday. The Cardinal led the Buffaloes for the majority of the game, and had four starters score in double figures. Stanford was thought of as one of the teams on the outside looking in, but they may be on their way to playing in the First Four in Dayton.

Tournament Chances: 50/50 – Stanford is squarely on the bubble, but they have a huge opportunity at Oregon on Saturday. No team has gone into Eugene and won this season, and beating Oregon along with a win against Oregon State may be enough to get Stanford into the tournament. They may have another opportunity for a resume-boosting win in the Pac-12 tournament. However, Saturday feels like a must-have for the Cardinal, or else they may be NIT-bound.

Can Pac-12 Basketball Get Seven Teams Into the Tournament in 2020?

The Pac-12 getting six teams into the tournament looked like a pipeline dream a month ago. Now, they could get seven teams into the tournament. Teams that were afterthoughts not too long ago, like Arizona State and UCLA, have turned a corner and have become different teams in the second half of the conference season. It will be interesting how the selection committee ultimately views the parity in the conference, but this season it looks like it has helped the conference. A season after having only three teams in the tournament, the Pac-12 could have more than half their teams dancing in the NCAA Tournament.

Pac-12 Basketball: A Weekend of Parity Shakes Up Standings

Pac-12 Basketball- Oregon UCLA

The 2020 Pac-12 Basketball season turned on its head this past weekend as parity was on full display. Arizona State has surprised many, as they took over sole possession of first place in the conference, going 2-0 against Oregon and Oregon State. Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona were only able to split their games.

First off, here is how the top seven teams in the Pac-12 Standings looked before last Thursday night’s games:

Colorado 9-4

Oregon 9-4

Arizona 8-4

Arizona State 8-4

USC 8-5

UCLA 8-5

Stanford 5-7

Here is how the top seven looked by the end of the weekend:

Arizona State 10-4

Oregon 10-5

UCLA 10-5

Colorado 10-5

Arizona 9-5

USC 8-7

Stanford 7-7

Pac-12 Basketball has been as unpredictable as ever in 2020. Who would have thought a few weeks ago that Oregon would lose a road to Arizona State then beat Arizona in Tuscon? Who would have thought that Colorado would sweep the season series with USC, but lose to a UCLA team that looked lost in Mick Cronin’s first year in charge?

Arizona State Takes First Place in Pac-12 Basketball 2020

The Sun Devils had just lost to Washington State in Pullman on January 29, 2020, to drop to 3-4 in league play. Since then, they have racked up seven straight wins. The Sun Devils squeaked by Oregon State, 74-73, on Saturday night. However, they got their signature win of the season last Thursday against Oregon, 77-72. The Sun Devils never trailed in the game, and the team is coming together at the right time. They had to take advantage of their opportunity against the Ducks. Now, the Sun Devils are looked at as a team that could cut down the nets in Vegas at the Pac-12 Tournament.

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Colorado Lets Golden Opportunity Slip on Senior Day

The Buffaloes went 1-1 in their last two home games of the 2019-20 season, as they beat USC and then lost to UCLA. However, against USC they saw a 12-point second-half lead dwindle to one before pulling out a 70-66 win. Against UCLA, the Buffaloes led by 10 points in the second half before UCLA used a 20-3 run to help them secure a 70-63 win. CU has now seen two double-digit second-half leads turn into losses in two of their last four games. The Buffaloes need to show much more consistency if they want to make a deep run in March. That consistency will need to start Thursday at California.

Oregon Rebounds with Huge Win At McKale Center Saturday

Oregon gave their fans some heart-pounding basketball this weekend. First off, the Ducks lost to Arizona State on Thursday, making Saturday’s game against Arizona at the McKale Center even more meaningful. It ended similarly to the first encounter between these two teams, as Oregon squeaked out a 1-point win in overtime, 73-72. Payton Pritchard led the way with 38 points in the victory. Oregon could be looking at a 13-5 finish in-conference, as they close the regular season with home games against Oregon State, California, and Stanford. However, with the parity in the conference, nothing is guaranteed.

Free Throws Achilles Heel for Arizona Against Oregon

Arizona beat Oregon State on Thursday but suffered another tough loss against Oregon. The Wildcats have now lost five straight games against the team that they have competed against as the face of Pac-12 Basketball the past few seasons. Arizona went 10-for-21 from the free-throw line against Oregon. In yet another overtime loss to the Ducks, the Wildcats left too many points on the floor. Arizona has a chance to strengthen their resume as they play USC and UCLA in their next two games.

UCLA Surging, Making Their Case for March

The Bruins had the signature win of their season against Colorado in Boulder on Saturday. On what was supposed to be a senior day celebration for the Buffaloes, the Bruins, led by Cody Riley and Tyger Campbell, were able to pull off the upset. This Bruins team that beat the Buffaloes lost to Cal State Fullerton in December. The Bruins improved to 10-5 in-conference. Mick Cronin has done a masterful job in conference play, and the Bruins could get a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The Bruins still have work to do to make the tournament, but they have two great opportunities against Arizona and Arizona State in the coming days.

USC Has Tough Weekend but has Opportunities Against Arizona Schools

USC lost to both Colorado and Utah this weekend, weakening their tournament hopes. The Trojans have been able to be competitive in Pac-12 play, but they do not have a truly signature win on their resume. Winning against conference-leading Arizona State on Thursday would be a start, but a win against Arizona on Saturday may get more national attention. Not being able to win on the road has hurt the Trojans. Defending home court is a must this week to keep their tournament hopes alive.

Stanford Needs to Finish 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season Strong

Stanford got Oscar Da Silva back last Saturday in a loss against Arizona. With the help of Da Silva, the Cardinal took care of business against Washington and Washington State this week to get themselves back to .500 (7-7) in the conference. Stanford will have an opportunity this week to improve their resume if they are able to beat Colorado in a home game on Sunday. It will be interesting how the committee views the loss to Colorado where Da Silva got injured, and the subsequent game against Arizona State where he did not play. Stanford could have possibly won both games if Da Silva was in the lineup.

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Regular Season Will Be a Race to the Finish Line

Big games for the upcoming week include the Arizona schools going to Los Angeles to play USC and UCLA. All teams involved could bolster and hurt their resumes in these games. Colorado goes on the road against Stanford on March 1. Both teams could use another resume-building win.

With the surges of UCLA and Arizona State the past few weeks, there are now seven teams in the Pac-12 that could make the case for March. However, the committee will probably only choose five or six teams. There is a case for more, however. The parity in the Pac-12 has produced in a way this season that may get more teams into the tournament. Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona are regarded as the best teams, but the other teams’ abilities to beat these teams have helped their cause for March. It is sure to be a crazy last two weeks of the Pac-12 Basketball regular season before the conference tournament in Las Vegas.

NCAA Addressed NIL Compensation Before the United States Senate

College basketball is in full swing! The NCAA and college basketball fans are gearing up for the March Madness tournament.  In the weeks to come, fans will fill out brackets predicting which teams they believe will make it to the Final Four. The NCAA again stands to generate a billion dollars from the tournament, which is the organization’s biggest moneymaker of the year. Fans will relish in the excitement of Cinderella teams and major upsets. The NCAA will undoubtedly be raking in the money. However, the NCAA will also be spending money as it continues its work behind the scenes to preserve the amateur collegiate model. The farce of amateurism is being challenged at every turn. The challenge currently gaining the most traction is those from several state legislatures with name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation bills. 

States with Proposed NIL Compensation Bills

Several state legislatures have proposed legislation seeking to give college athletes the ability to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) and to sign with agents. Last year, the state of California signed the Fair Pay to Play Act into law. Since then,  several other states followed suit proposing similar legislation. While the Fair Pay to Play Act will not take effect until 2023, two similar bills in Florida may become effective much sooner. Florida currently has two college athlete name, image, and likeness bills before its state legislature. One is before the house and the other one is before its senate. State lawmakers are not the only ones seeking to expand college athlete rights. The federal lawmakers are too.

Specifically, Congressman Mark Walker introduced the Student-Athlete Equity Act seeking to give college athletes NIL rights. Senator Chris Murphy released a series of reports detailing the myriad of reasons reform is necessary for college sports. All of these critiques of the current collegiate sports model have put the NCAA in the hot seat. The organization has been backed into a corner where it has no choice but the address the elephant in the room. In fact, the NCAA was forced to address that elephant at a Senate hearing last week. 

Name, Image, and Likeness Informational Podcast

The NCAA is in NIL Compensation Crisis Mode

The college athlete NIL compensation issue has taken the NCAA by storm. The NCAA is in full crisis mode. They have realized that there is a strong possibility that several states could enact different laws to address NIL compensation. The NCAA does not want that to happen. As such, the NCAA has turned to the federal government for help. In fact, the organization has spent big money in an attempt to persuade federal lawmakers in their favor. The NCAA and two conferences spent at least $750,000 last year lobbying federal lawmakers to make reforms that favor the current collegiate model. The NCAA is sparing no expense to preserve amateurism.

Amateurism is the notion that college players simply play for the love game and are not paid. The NCAA purports that amateurism keeps collegiate sports distinct from professional sports. They further purport that if college athletes were paid, fans would lose interest. The NCAA maintains that its rules prohibiting payment help ensure that college athletes are not taken advantage of. As such, college athletes are not allowed to receive any type of payment outside of their cost-of-attendance scholarship or other NCAA approved benefits. However, many feel that the NCAA and the collegiate sports system as a whole are in fact taking advantage of the very athletes they claim to protect.

Why is College Athlete NIL Compensation on the Radar of so many Lawmakers?

College sports are a billion-dollar industry. Coaches, athletic directors, and conferences commissioners receive million-dollar salaries. Conferences receive billions of dollars from television broadcasting contracts. Top ranking NCAA officials receive million-dollar and upper six-figure salaries as well. Meanwhile, the athletes are limited to their scholarship. College athletes keep very strenuous and demanding schedules to perform their sport. Most spend at least 40 hours per week on athletically related activities. Despite their major time investment, they are not allowed to receive a bigger piece of the pie. A scholarship is valuable, however, the athletes deserve a bigger piece of the pie they generate for everyone else. It is for these reasons that lawmakers are working so hard to expand the rights of college athletes.

Last week, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection held a hearing on the name, image, and likeness matter in Washington, D.C. NCAA president Mark Emmert attended the hearing where he was questioned on the NCAA’s handling of a number of issues. Most notably he was questioned and criticized the NCAA’s handling of James Wiseman’s case.

Wiseman was suspended for 11 games for money that his mother received from Penny Hardaway. Wiseman’s mother took the money for moving expenses while Wiseman was in high school. At the time, Wiseman knew nothing of the transaction between his mother and Hardaway. The NCAA also ordered Wiseman to pay the money back. Due to the NCAA’s decision, Wiseman decided to leave college and prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft on his own. The NCAA’s unfairly punished Wiseman for something he had nothing to do with. 

The Senate Subcommittee Urged to NCAA to Swiftly Find a Solution 

In light of the NCAA’s poor handling of Wiseman’s case and several others in the past, several Senators did not appear to be overly confident that the NCAA would not drag their feet on the NIL compensation issue.  Emmert stated that he would work with the schools and relevant decision-makers to make a decision as soon as possible. However, Emmert also stated that the NCAA may need Congress’ assistance in developing a uniform manner to address the NIL compensation issue.

The NCAA desperately wants to avoid having several states with different NIL compensation laws. The Senators at the hearing urged the NCAA to quickly offer a solution to this issue. In April, the NCAA is expected to make another announcement about their plans for NIL compensation. Hopefully, it will be something meaningful for the athletes. Given the NCAA’s general reluctance to give athletes a bigger price of the pie, it seems doubtful. 

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season: Setting Up for a Crazy Finish

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season: Setting Up for a Crazy Finish

Pac-12 basketball has put itself in position to get five teams into the 2020 NCAA Tournament. Each team can improve their potential seed in the NCAA Tournament if they perform well. However, with the volatility of play in the 2020 Pac-12 Basketball season, multiple scenarios are in play as teams approach the home stretch of the regular season. 

Colorado Buffaloes Leading the 2020 Pac-12 Basketball Standings

Record: 19-5 (8-3 Pac-12)

Key wins: VS Dayton (in Chicago), VS Oregon

Bad losses: VS Oregon State, at UCLA

The Buffaloes are in line for a six seed in the 2020 NCAA Tournament as of right now. They have been able to pull off huge resume-building wins against Oregon and Dayton, who both got places in the Selection Committee’s Top 16 seeds as of right now. Even though they are first in the Pac-12 standings, the Buffaloes have not been respected nationally as much as a conference leader should be.

Colorado has a huge opportunity to make an impression on the committee when they head to Eugene to play Oregon on Thursday. The Buffaloes also have the opportunity to avenge both of their bad losses at Oregon State (Feb. 15) and at home against UCLA (Feb. 22). If the Buffaloes can win out after the Oregon game and beat opponents not named Arizona and Oregon in the Pac-12 tournament, they will probably stay on the six-line as far as the NCAA Tournament is concerned. However, if the Buffaloes can pull off the upset in Eugene, win out, and be impressive in the Pac-12 Tournament, a top-four seed could be in the cards for them.

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Oregon Ducks Still Regarded as Best Team in 2020 Pac-12 Basketball, but Bad Losses Mounting

Record: 18-6 (7-4 Pac-12)

Key wins: VS Arizona, VS Seton Hall (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Bad losses: VS North Carolina (Battle 4 Atlantis), at Washington State, at Oregon State

The Ducks were the preseason pick to win the Pac-12. They were also the only team in the Pac-12 who was in the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee’s Top 16 seeds as of right now. Oregon was listed as a 4-seed.

However, the Ducks received that seeding before losing to Oregon State in Corvallis on Saturday night. This loss is the second bad conference road loss the Ducks have had. They have to show consistency on the road and defend home court to stay in position to obtain a top-four seed. Their first test defending home court will be Thursday against the conference-leading Colorado Buffaloes.

Arizona Wildcats: Inconsistency Caught Up to Them on Home Floor

Record: 16-7 (6-4 Pac-12)

Key wins: VS Colorado, VS Illinois

Bad losses: VS St. John’s (Al Attles Classic), at Oregon State, VS UCLA

Arizona had only lost to Gonzaga on their home court before UCLA beat them by 13 points Saturday night. This loss is brutal for Arizona’s prospects of landing a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament. Arizona needs to prove they can beat teams that they should beat, and their first test will be this Thursday when they are on the road to face California.

The Wildcats will have another opportunity to beat Oregon at home on February 22 after losing to them by one point in an overtime thriller in Eugene. If Arizona can win this game and perform well in the conference tournament, there could be an argument for them to be a top-four seed. Right now it looks like they are in line for a spot on the five or six line.

Stanford Cardinal Have to Possibly Navigate Next Few Games Without Oscar da Silva

Record: 16-7 (5-5 Pac-12)

Key wins: VS Oregon 

Bad losses: at California, VS Oregon State, at Utah

The Cardinal are 1-4 in their last five games. They have losses to California, Oregon State, Utah, and Colorado. However, they have a huge win against Oregon sandwiched in between two two-game losing streaks.

Stanford may be without big man Oscar da Silva for the foreseeable future after he suffered a head laceration. Oscar da Silva collided with Colorado forward Evan Battey in Saturday’s game, and had to get stitches because he was bleeding. The injury could have been worse, but luckily da Silva is “going to be okay,” according to Stanford spokesperson Zack Reynolds.

Stanford plays Arizona, Oregon, and Colorado each one more time before the conference tournament. They will probably have to win at least one of these three games to be ensured of a tournament selection, and they cannot have any more bad losses.

USC Trojans Need to Right Ship After Three-Game Losing Streak

Record: 17-7 (6-5 Pac-12)

Key Wins: VS LSU (Basketball Hall of Fame Classic), VS Stanford

Bad Losses: at Washington

USC is currently on a three-game losing streak. However, they are still being projected as a nine or ten seed in most brackets. The Trojans could add to their resume, as they still have a trip to Boulder to play Colorado and a home date with Arizona on their schedule. They are in the same boat as Stanford. If the Trojans can win one of these two games and have an admirable showing in the Pac-12 Tournament, they will probably make the tournament.

USC beat an LSU team that was undefeated in SEC play before losing two straight this past week. However, they have a stinker on their resume, as they lost by 32 points to the last-place team in the conference in Washington. It will be interesting to see how the committee judges this loss by the Trojans, because Washington was still with point guard Quade Green in this game. Green was ruled academically ineligible for the rest of the regular season after this game.

Team That Still Has Opportunities in 2020: Arizona State

15-8 (6-4 Pac-12)

Key Wins: VS Arizona, VS USC

Bad Losses: @ Washington State

Arizona State will probably be living life on the bubble until Selection Sunday on March 15. They are 5-1 in their last six games, with wins against Arizona and USC. If the Sun Devils can beat Stanford and USC and have a decent showing in the conference tournament, they can make an argument for being included in the field in March.

However, Arizona is the best win of the season for the Sun Devils. Washington State is their only truly bad loss, but beating Oregon will be more important for Arizona State than it will be for any other team playing them the rest of the way. Coupling an Oregon win with a run in the Pac-12 Tournament will make a decision on whether the Sun Devils should be in the tournament a tough one for the committee.

Rest of Teams in Pac-12 Need to Win 2020 Conference Tournament to Make the Field

Washington, Washington State, Oregon State, California, UCLA, and Utah all have to hope they can have a magical weekend in Las Vegas from March 11-14. All of these teams have beat at least one of the teams that are projected to be in the tournament. However, winning the conference tournament ensures an automatic berth into the tournament. With how the Pac-12 has been playing out, anything is possible in the tournament.

As of right now Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, Stanford, and USC look like the five teams that will be representing Pac-12 Basketball in the 2020 NCAA Tournament. With how college basketball has been this season, there will probably be madness that occurs before March. It will be interesting to see if there is a team that can achieve consistency in a Pac-12 conference where consistency seems impossible. If the beginning of February college basketball has been any indication, the rest of the month will be crazy.

Pac-12 Conference Needs To Get Six Teams Into NCAA Tournament

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season: Setting Up for a Crazy Finish

The 2020 College Basketball season has already brought the madness that is usually seen in March. There is no clear-cut favorite, and the AP Top 25 constantly changes from week-to-week. Pac-12 Basketball has brought the craziness in the 2019-20 season, as unpredictability has been the theme of the conference so far.

The Pac-12 only had three teams in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 (Washington, Arizona State, and Oregon) and one team in the National Invitation Tournament (Colorado). This season, the conference is looking to have far more teams in the tournament.

Joe Lunardi, the most prominent “Bracketologist”, had five teams in his NCAA Tournament field for 2020 as of January 21. These five teams include Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Stanford, and USC.

The Pac-12 Basketball Favorites: Oregon, Colorado, Arizona

The Pac-12 conference could end up making an argument to have six or seven teams make the tournament come Selection Sunday, which is March 15.

Oregon is widely regarded to as the best team in Pac-12 basketball. Currently, the Ducks are 15-4, with a 4-2 mark in Pac-12 play. Led by senior Payton Pritchard, the Ducks have impressive non-conference wins against Memphis and Seton Hall at neutral sites. They also won an overtime thriller against Michigan. However, Oregon lost to Washington State this past Thursday. The Ducks have not always been consistent but should be at least a top-4 seed come tournament time.

Colorado is one of the most experienced teams in the Pac-12, led by junior McKinley Wright IV. The Buffaloes have an effective supporting cast with Tyler Bey, D’Shawn Schwartz, and Evan Battey to name a few, but sometimes the offense looks stagnant, especially in losses against Kansas and this past Saturday against Arizona. The Buffaloes have wins against Oregon and Dayton which should help their cause. If they can build upon their 14-4 (3-2 Pac-12) record, they should be strongly considered to be a top-4 seed come March.

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The Arizona Wildcats are having a bounce-back season in wake of the bribery scandal involving DeAndre Ayton a few years ago. The Wildcats are 13-5 (3-2 Pac-12) this season, but also have been inconsistent thus far in conference play. They have defended home court in conference play, defeating opponents by an average of 21.7 points per game. However, they lost to both Oregon and Oregon State.

Pac-12 Basketball NCAA Tournament Hopefuls: Stanford and USC

USC and Stanford are currently the top two teams in the conference standings, with each having a 4-1 conference record, respectively. USC won against Stanford in Los Angeles this past Saturday 82-78. The Trojans and Cardinal have both not been shown any respect nationally. Neither team is ranked, but they are both 15-3 this season.

Stanford is USC’s most notable win, however. The Trojans lost by 32 to Washington in conference play, and Oregon will be the first ranked team they play this season. The only ranked team Stanford has played was Kansas, and they lost 72-56.

Non-Conference Schedule Hurting Pac-12 Basketball

The Pac-12 as a conference needs to work on their non-conference schedule in basketball, especially given how the conference was perceived at tournament time last year. Larry Scott’s goal should be to have at least half the league in the NCAA Tournament each season.

The conference needs to have a partnership with one of the other major conferences. The Big Ten/ACC Challenge and Big 12/SEC Challenge are both great for college basketball and bolster both conference’s resumes. The Pac-12 should look to possibly partner with the Big East or even one of the other conferences to help with the non-conference schedule.

Best Non-Conference Win For Pac-12 Basketball: Washington Over Baylor

Washington beat Baylor 67-64 in the Armed Forces Classic on November 8 in Anchorage, Alaska. Baylor was just awarded the number-one spot in the AP Poll on Monday. Washington has struggled in conference play with a 2-4 record. The Huskies will be the most prominent Pac-12 teams that will be living life on the bubble until March because they beat Baylor.

In the end, there should be at least four teams in the NCAA Tournament for the Pac-12. USC should end up getting in if they end with a winning record in conference play. Beyond that, Washington is the conference’s best hope to get half the teams from the “conference of champions” into the tournament. The Pac-12 needs to live up to its slogan and accomplish this feat. The season has been crazy, but hopefully the committee will take notice of the product the Pac-12 is putting out there this season.

HTH: Antonio Brown vs JuJu, MLB Needs Bat Flips, One Shining Moment

Antonio Brown Juju Smith-Schuster fued, hot takes house, One Shining Moment, MLb Batflips are the Best

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Antonio Brown is making himself look REALLY BAD

Antonio Brown is super lame for releasing private direct messages between JuJu Smith-Schuster and him. We all know that releasing private messages is a huge no-no. The only people that typically do that are facing jail time, are owed money, or scorned lovers. Antonio Brown’s loyalty and character have to be questioned at this point. If he releases private messages for no reason, he will snitch too.

AB was trying to make JuJu look silly publicly. But he ended up making himself look petty and like all the ‘cancer’ talk from the Steelers was true. How can you clown a college player for reaching out to an NFL player for advice? JuJu comes across as ambitious and driven for reaching out to one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for mentorship while in college.

I defended Antonio Brown throughout his entire career and exit from the Steelers. Now, all the things he said about Ben Roethlisberger look true about himself. AB looks like a hater with low character. Was all this because he was upset JuJu was named the MVP for last season?

I do have to give credit where it’s due. Brown was right when he said young players see the NFL a different way until they get paid. Young players who are playing well do have a more idealized version of the league. And sometimes when they do get paid, they begin to think they are the center of the universe. Now everyone knows, you better watch what you send Antonio, it might end up on his Twitter account.

JuJu was right when he told AB to “Keep your emotions of the internet”.

MLB’s Antiquated Unwritten Rules are Dumb

I could not be any more tired of baseball’s antiquated unwritten rules. Seeing pitchers throw at batters because they bat flipped or rounded the bases too slowly after a home run is lame. That is no different than if a coach put a bounty on injuring a player in football because he didn’t like his touchdown celebration.

Old school baseball people call pitchers who hit players “hard-nosed” or “tough.” I believe the opposite. How tough to you have to be to hurl a 90+ mph ball at someone’s head? The actual repercussions for throwing at a player are minimal. There is the occasional dust-up at the mound, but most times the pitcher is either warned or ejected. That is a small price to pay for endangering another person’s life and livelihood.

Hitting a baseball in the MLB is one arguably the most difficult things to do in sports. If a player is successful 30% of the time through a long career, he will go to the Hall of Fame. It makes NO sense for anyone to be upset when a player celebrates doing something so difficult.

I loved Bryce Harper bat flipping against the Nationals. The fans loved it too. They celebrated it with boos. Now, the Washington fans have a villain and rivalry with the Phillies. All of that is great for the game. The old school “get off my lawn” crowd needs to wake up and smell the roses. Baseball’s unwritten rules are for the unimaginative dinosaurs who are unsuccessfully trying to prevent change.

Fans enjoy the celebration and want to see players having fun. Maybe if the baseball gatekeepers encouraged players to have fun and show emotions, the games’ best players wouldn’t be able to walk down the street in anonymity.

The moral of the story is, play better. Stop letting people do things that are celebrating-worthy against and you instead of being upset with their reaction.

One Shining Moment is The Greatest Thing in Sports

There is no one moment in sports I have anticipation for like the end of the NCAA Tournament. For three weekends, the sports world is emotionally and financially invested in the outcome of March Madness. It all culminates when Luther Vandross’ voice starts, “The ball is tipped, and there you are...”. Every year, the short filmmakers find a way to pour all the drama, emotion, and excitement from all 67 games into approximately three minutes. One Shining Moment never falls flat or disappoints. I love it.

The NCAA Twitter Account Keeps Getting Roasted During March Madness

NCAA Twitter keeps taking Losses During March Madness

It is college basketball’s favorite time of year, March Madness! It is also the NCAA’s favorite time of year. The non-profit organization rakes in big bucks from essentially free labor. While the NCAA may be all smiles financially, the organization has endured a public relations nightmare. Since the beginning of March Madness, the NCAA has been subject to some pretty heavy criticism via Twitter.

First, the NCAA faced well-founded criticism due to a commercial depicting a fairytale life for college athletes. The NCAA also faced criticism stemming from two tweets. In one tweet, the NCAA completely disregarded the women’s March Madness tournament. Lastly, the NCAA was criticized for a tweet from 2016. In that tweet, they seemingly boasted providing a benefit to college athletes that should be a given.

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The “Student-Athlete” Day in the Life Commercial

The NCAA released a commercial intending to depict a day in the life of a college athlete.

https://youtu.be/9tkhaW94HwY

In the above video, the athlete starts out in bed, goes straight to class, and then to practice. After practice, the athlete mingles with friends before playing in his game. After the game, the athlete studies before winding down to get a good night sleep. The athlete appears to be coasting through his day with no stress and no worries. He appears to have no problem balancing the challenges and responsibilities of being a student with those of being an athlete.

In sum, the commercial depicts a very false narrative of a perfect college athlete life. A life where college athletes maintain the perfect balance between academics, athletics, and social time. Anyone who pays the slightest bit of attention to college athletics knows that the commercial cannot be representative of reality. It logistically does not make sense, especially when just one factor is considered. That factor is travel time for games. The miles between each game simply do not add up.  

The Commercial is not a True Representation

Consider the makeup of the Big 10 Conference. The Big 10 is made up of schools on the East Coast and the Midwest. Maryland and Rutgers are on the East Coast while Nebraska and Wisconsin are in the Midwest. When travel alone time is considered, there is no way that the depiction in the commercial can be accurate. There is no way college athletes are almost always able to leave their game, study, mingle with friends, and get sufficient sleep. This is especially true when early morning training sessions, team meetings, regular practice time, and individual practice time are added to the equation. Individual practice time is necessary to stay on top and earn playing time. Based on these factors alone, there is no way the commercial can be an accurate representation.

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The Commercial’s Inaccuracy Led to a Twitter Firestorm

Twitter instantly criticized the NCAA and the commercial. Everyone from college athlete rights advocates to pro athletes criticized the NCAA for the commercial. Some made videos of what is a more accurate representation of the daily life of a college athlete.

Current college athletes criticized the commercial, saying that it simply is not true. The commercial is completely unrealistic and only serves one purpose. That purpose is to further promote the sham of amateurism.

The NCAA was Rightfully Criticized for Their Tweet Ignoring the Women’s March Madness Tournament

The NCAA again faced well-deserved criticism when they made a tweet completely disregarding the women’s basketball tournament. Even WNBA star Breanna Stewart commented on the NCAA’s total disregard for the women’s tournament.

The tweet stated that they were no more March Madness games happening until Thursday. However, this was not true. The women’s basketball tournament was in full swing during the gap days of the men’s tournament. The NCAA again was instantly faced with another Twitter firestorm.

With that tweet, the NCAA showed how they really view the women’s tournament. The NCAA could have taken the days that the men were not playing as an opportunity to promote the women’s tournament. Instead, they completely disregarded the women’s tournament and further promoted the men’s tournament. This marketing misstep leads one to question just how much does the NCAA really value Title IX and creating equitable opportunities for women’s sports? Or is Title IX just another tool in the NCAA’s belt to justify not sharing more of the college athletics revenue with the athletes?

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The WiFi Tweet From 2016

The NCAA was forced to address a tweet from 2016 where they stated that they provide free Wifi to particpants in the March Madness tournament.

When the tweet resurfaced, it appeared that the NCAA was boasting about providing athletes with a resource that should automatically be given. However, the NCAA clarified that they made the tweet in 2016 to address accounts that college athletes did not have the WiFi access needed to complete their assignments. The NCAA’s tweet was in response to a tweet from a college basketball player in 2016 who tweeted about not having internet access to do his school work.

However, the real issue is in the fact that such a tweet was even necessary at all. It should have never been a question about whether the NCAA made sure that the participating athletes had everything they needed. After all, the NCAA prides its self on providing college athletes an opportunity to get an invaluable education. However, the NCAA and the college athletics system as a whole has been under much criticism for its inability to live up to the reality of that ideal. It is precisely for that reason, that an old tweet from 2016 can resurface in 2019 and instantly cause another Twitter firestorm for the NCAA.

The NCAA Could Avoid These Firestorms if They Shared the Wealth

The NCAA could save itself from a lot of these Twitter firestorms by sharing more revenue with college athletes. If the NCAA allowed college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, their image would improve drastically. However, the NCAA is unlikely to ever do that. The NCAA certainly will not do that while they are fighting to reclaim the ability to limit the amount of education-related benefits college athletes can receive. It seems that the NCAA prefers to fight PR nightmares than to give college athletes a more equitable piece of the pie.