The State of Men's College Basketball. Part I

I got into a little discussion during the nat'l championship game, this past Monday, with L'ville and Michigan. My oldest brother said that watching the game was like watching the "WNBA," which I didn't agree with at all. I thought it was great game. But my brother's argument was that the one-and-done rule of college basketball is ruining the game. Which I have heard from sporting experts and agree with. Before I launch into "here is why one-and-done is evil," there are a few precursors I need to make.

1. The entire NCAA has A LOT of problems. Paterno. Ed Rush. Mike Rice. Miami. Auburn. USC. Point shaving. ETC. It needs a makeover. I think that all of these problems are intertwined in a complicated fabric of greed and power.

2. The current system exploits athletes, without a doubt. They are being called amateurs, but have a basketball regime that mirrors professionals. You can't tell me they are student athletes. These "students" have practice, film, meetings, travel, etc. - this is year round by the way, a lifestyle, dictating their diet, exercise and social behavior; this is much more demanding than a job. No one has time for a full time sports job and go to school full time. Everyone is pretending that they are students.

3. Money, it is a primary flaw of college athletics. Colleges are crushing it by exploiting students to provide revenue and boosters. But this money system is fueled on both ends, high school to the NCAA to the NBA. Students just want to get the hell out of college to make money in the pro's.  What does that do to colleges/students? They are not interested in getting an education. If my name is Anthony Davis, you think I give a rip about class if I know I will be gone next year? Hell no. I ain't gettin paid at school, so why stay? I will get by just to get out. We gotta be honest with ourselves, their are no true student-athletes in top colleges.

4. We live in a world of instant satisfaction and AAU ball has only fed the fire. Players dreams of being the best and playing one-on-one is the gospel. From an early age kids look at college as a hoop to jump through, a necessary evil. They don't want to be there.

The result is a lack of quality players and teams.