I have been watching basketball my entire life, and over the last ten years the college game has changed significantly – not in the way the game is played, but in how programs are structured. If you look at the top programs in the nation today, many of them are built around the notorious “one-and-done” player. Schools like Ohio State, Kentucky, and Texas are all basketball powerhouses, and they consistently win with the top talent college basketball has to offer. Every year, we see multiple five-star recruits go to these schools, and inevitably the question comes up:

How is there enough playing time to go around for all of these players?

Coaches such as John Calipari recruits and hands out scholarships as if his roster is depleted and in need of players every season. He gets two or three of the best high school players in the country and then turns around and does it again the next year. Obviously, everybody expects those players to bolt for the NBA after one season on campus. Most of the top draft picks over the last decade have been “one-and-dones” like Derrick Rose, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Camelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Greg Oden.Yet, this summer we have begun to see a change of heart for many of these top prospects.

And for college basketball fans, we couldn’t be happier.

When I heard that both Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger were returning to school for their sophomore seasons I was both shocked and impressed. Both would have been top-10 picks in June’s NBA draft, but they chose to return to school along with teammates who could have turned pro, as well. These were arguably the two top high school recruits from the class of 2010, and now they are going to be in college for a second year – something incredibly rare these days. But I think it is great for college basketball and the excitement that they will bring to the game in the fall.

Looking back at this past year’s NCAA tournament, excitement was a great word to describe each day. For the second year in a row, mid-major teams made noise every round, and Butler returned to the championship game. There was not much star power in the tournament, and the lesser known teams held their own. That is the essence of college basketball.

Next year, I expect more of the same. North Carolina will be the favorite, with three players returning that all could have left for the NBA. But there will continue to be Cinderella stories that push those stars to the limit and, in some cases, end their seasons prematurely. If all of these stars had bolted for the League, the upsets would not be really that surprising. I wasn’t surprised at all when Morehead State beat Louisville in the first round of the tournament because Morehead State, the definition of a mid-major, was a senior-laden team with experience and poise. On the other hand, the Cardinals were mostly underclassmen that were raw and undisciplined. Next year, those big-time programs are going to have more talent and the mid-majors will be seemingly over-matched. But we all know that there will still be upsets, and any one of those powerhouses could fall at any time. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

The star power that returns next year is something that will bring an immense amount of excitement back to the college game and hopefully more fans, as well. As one who loves basketball, I think it’s great that these players are coming back, and I believe that if this trend continues, the college game will be back on top of the sports world.

What do the following players have in common? Reggie Bush, Terelle Pryor, Mariuce Clarett, Peter Warrick, Maurikce Pouncey, Cam Newton, Rhett Bomar, Lawrence Phillips and to make it interesting – O.J Mayo

Interestingly, they all have several things in common – they were all prized recruits – all, except Mayo, touched or have been within a win of the national championship trophy and all have or will leave their team in worse shape than when they arrived.

I’m sure you expect this diatribe to steer towards the familiar road of “The Case For Paying College Players” but it won’t. In fact, you can’t. The nuances of college sports and what make them great is exactly what prevents you from doing so. The fact remains however, a super star athlete, especially a superstar football player, at the college level is more often the fuse that ignites a negative PR bomb more than a “get over the hump to greatness” one.

Is USC better or worse off because of Reggie Bush? (google images)

I recently finished reading Tarnished Heisman – How Reggie Bush Turned His Last Year At USC to a Six Figure Job and got to thinking, do I really want my favorite team to get a player like that? The quick answers is yes. All college football fans are glued to their TV and computer for national signing day. Short of our bowl game, it’s the biggest day of the year.

What ranking we achieve by the recruitment review services is as much of a bragging point with our rivals as our record and/or bowl game finish. With each star that our recruits receive, more hope springs for the following 4 years. A thought out answer tells us a different story however.

Are USC fans glad that Reggie Bush is considered a Trojan? Will his number be retired? When you thought of Auburn a year ago, what came to mind versus what you think of now? ( Crimson Tide fans please refrain from answering this one – you skew my point ) Is it coincidence that post Bush, USC have lost their dominance? If so, what about Phillips at Nebraska? What about Pouncey at Florida? Clarett at OSU? What about the glaring post Warrick years at FSU?

Don’t get me wrong, there are several superstars that are never caught up in these media storms – Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, etc. But if you look at the averages, you can’t deny that the greatest teams are typified by a crescendo of winning years leading to utter dominance, then severe drop off.

It’s not because the teams can’t replace the talent, it’s because of the shock wave felt once their gone, both from a media standpoint and a game plan standpoint. You never wondered if Bush was going to get his yards every game but when Joe McNight took over the starting RB job ( McNight was also the #1 recruit in the nation when he came out of high school)

I doubt the other team had a defense, blitz package and spy designed specifically for him from the first play of the game. Players like these draw attention from the opposing defensive coordinator just as much as they do from ESPN‘s Game Day. The fact is, superstars make the other players around them better just as hitters benefit from batting behind Pujols, Cris Carter benefitted from the arrival of Randy Moss and (insert Jordan / Pippen, Kobe / Shaq, Magic / Jabbar reference here)

Adding to the headaches of departed stars are the pitfalls they often fall in to while at their university. All the aforementioned players had significant stories of misconduct to explain away, some of which added to the challenge of replacing them because of the imposed NCAA sanctions.

Replacing a star is hard enough, replacing a controversial star is impossible. Without Bush, USC would likely have won their national championship behind Lendale White and the stable of running backs they enjoyed. With Bush, they lost scholarships , the best recruiter in the pacific time zone, a Heisman Trophy, a percentage of their fans and the respect of college fans across the country. (They got Lane Kiffin back though!)

Lastly – We all know how much the NCAA hates cheaters…once their caught. ( Pre-conviction, the NCAA is rather fond of the revenues brought in by top-tier teams that dominate) Their unrelenting pursuit of improper benefits is second only to John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted in regards to “hunting down the bad guys.”

The NCAA is this strict because anything less than severe punishment of any impropriety is a swing in the direction of college football being a business ( which it is) and they can’t have that. By trumpeting the “passion of the game” and purity of college athletics” their coffers stay full while they 18-22 year olds kill each other in the weight room and on the field for the glorious payment of free tuition, room and board and food. And for the really good teams, there are goodie bags of portable DVD players and sweatshirts at the bowl game but you better not sell them or you’ll be expelled!

I root for my favorite college team with true passion and live and die with the scoreboard on Saturdays in the fall. I, as much as any fan, have my favorite players on the team and they are often the players scoring the most points, making the most tackles and featured in an expose by Erin Andrews.

With that said, I fear the day that my team gets a true top-level player that can change the outcome of a game by himself. The more media attention we receive, first place recruiting votes we garner and appearances at the Heisman ceremony we have, the closer we are to the dark days of “rebuilding.” Can you hear me post Gino Toretta Miami fans? Ok, ok…post Charles Woodson Michigan fans…no? Post Peyton Manning Tennessee fans?

It was dull, ugly, and overall just a weak ending to what was otherwise a fantastic NCAA tournament. The team that everybody thought would flame out after winning five games in the Big East tournament showed the resilience and hunger that champions must rely on to win.

And for the second year in a row, the Butler Bulldogs fell just short.

The theme that bounced around national sports outlets was Butler’s horrendous shooting, and it is well-deserved; no team is going to win a title by making three baskets inside the arc. 18% shooting? I don’t think anybody has ever won a game shooting that poorly.

But Connecticut deserves a ton of credit – they shut down big man Matt Howard and contained heady point guard Shelvin Mack. The big man combination of Alex Oriakhi and Charles Okwandu wore down and frustrated Howard for 40 minutes, using their superior size and athleticism to completely take him out of the game. Mack, on the other hand, had a decent first half but tired quickly in the second half as he was contained by the quicker UCONN guards. It also didn’t help that he had to chase Kemba Walker and his slew of athletic teammates.

When the game finally ended, I exhaled and realized that this game should have never been in doubt. Where Butler had succeeded in this tournament was where Connecticut had succeeded, too: rebounding and guard play. Against teams like Pittsburgh and Wisconsin, the Bulldogs won with fundamental, versatile big man play; Old Dominion and VCU fell to great play by Mack and his back court teammates. Last night was a different story, though, and every Butler strength was matched and subsequently exploited by the Huskies. On top of that, UCONN had the X-factor that all other teams lacked: Jeremy Lamb. Lamb was the best athlete on the court, and after a rough first half he exploded in the second frame. Every Butler defender struggled against the magnificent freshman, who had no trouble shooting over his smaller and less athletic defenders.

I feel dumb for not expecting Connecticut to win this from the start, but in reality, Butler’s uncharacteristically bad shooting still played a large role in the result. The number of open three-pointers and layups that clanked off the rim was astounding, and it contributed greatly to the demise of the Horizon League champions. It was, in a word, sad. Butler played their hearts out on the defensive end and only surrendered 53 points – 20 points less than their season average. Yet, there was nothing they could do other than hit shots. And the Bulldogs failed to do that.

With the news of the overspending and overindulgence of former Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker, the days of being a part of the BCS could be in the past.  Officials from the Fiesta Bowl were forced to plead their case to stay in the BCS coalition, but the BCS is holding final judgement until a later date and until they uncover any more abuse of expenses.

Junker allegedly spent over $350,000 of Fiesta Bowl funds in the last ten years on campaign contributions, automobiles, a $30,000 birthday party at Pebble Beach and trips to various strip clubs, while he ran the show. 

The results of the investigation could result in the Fiesta Bowl losing its place as a BCS, but Junker’s well-documented debauchery has also led to an investigation into the other three BCS bowls–the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl and the Rose Bowl.

So far, it looks like the Rose Bowl is clean, but the rumors are swirling that the Orange and Sugar Bowls aren’t exactly squeaky clean.  The NCAA and BCS will continue to dig into these allegations, but with spring football in full-swing on most college campuses and summer right around the corner, look for a decision very soon as to whether or not there will be a BCS game in Glendale, Arizona next January.

Should the Fiesta lose its standing in the BCS, several cities, including Atlanta and Dallas have the venues and resources to host a BCS game.