@mjp28 said:

Historically in football and basketball the BIG TEN always wrapped up maybe too early, in football before Thanksgiving and Christmas and sometimes New Year's Day which was an eternity for players to eat and get out of shape for a big New Year's Day game . In basketball I think a week is nice, more if you're out early.

And it's kind of nuts waiting until March 10 or 11 to wrap things up and then start the tournament on March 13 or 14......not that far away now.

AND THINK ABOUT JOINING IN ON OUR MARCH MADNESS TOURNAMENT HERE, SHOULD BE CRANKING UP SOON.

I MAY ALSO GET A SMALL ONE OF MY OWN CRANKED UP AGAIN IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN PLAYING ANOTHER BRACKET OR UP TO FIVE TOTAL.

If anyone is interested I have a bracket set up you can play up to 5 plays if you want just let me know and I'll send you the information. 

@the-gipper said:

I guess the Buckeyes will be rested up for the NCAA tournament.

Historically in football and basketball the BIG TEN always wrapped up maybe too early, in football before Thanksgiving and Christmas and sometimes New Year's Day which was an eternity for players to eat and get out of shape for a big New Year's Day game . In basketball I think a week is nice, more if you're out early.

And it's kind of nuts waiting until March 10 or 11 to wrap things up and then start the tournament on March 13 or 14......not that far away now.

AND THINK ABOUT JOINING IN ON OUR MARCH MADNESS TOURNAMENT HERE, SHOULD BE CRANKING UP SOON.

I MAY ALSO GET A SMALL ONE OF MY OWN CRANKED UP AGAIN IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN PLAYING ANOTHER BRACKET OR UP TO FIVE TOTAL.

Penn State knocked off Ohio State for the third time this season 69-68, thanks to a game-winning dunk from Josh Reaves.

For all men's action ending Selection Sunday March 11, 2018:

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2018-02-28/ncaa-conference-tournament-schedule-tracking-march-madness

side note: i was hoping for this matchup so we can smash what little dreams they have of making it to the tourney 

Official Rules

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is held every year in June by conference call among the 30 Major League Clubs. The Clubs take turns selecting players in reverse order of their won-lost records at the close of the previous regular season. The order of selection is without regard to League.

The Major League Rules govern which players are eligible for selection in the Draft. These Rules are detailed, but the basic eligibility criteria can be described as follows: Generally, a player is eligible for selection if the player is a resident of the United States or Canada and the player has never before signed a Major League or Minor League contract. Residents of Puerto Rico and other territories of the United States are eligible for the Draft. Also considered residents are players who enroll in a high school or college in the United States, regardless of where they are from originally.

Certain groups of players are ineligible for selection, generally because they are still in school. The basic categories of players eligible to be drafted are:

• High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college;
• College players, from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old; and
• Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed

A Club generally retains the rights to sign a selected player until 11:59 PM (EDT) August 15, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college on a full-time basis. A player who is drafted and does not sign with the Club that selected him may be drafted again at a future year's Draft, so long as the player is eligible for that year's Draft. A Club may not select a player again in a subsequent year, unless the player has consented to the re-selection.

A player who is eligible to be selected and is passed over by every Club becomes a free agent and may sign with any Club until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college full-time or enters, or returns to, a junior college.

This description is a general one and the Major League Rules themselves, not this summary, govern eligibility issues. Players and coaches with questions about particular players are referred to the Baseball Operations Department at the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball.

I do believe Maurice Clarett had every right to turn pro after his one year NCAA NFL internship and got squashed like a bug because he would have threatened their very profitable symbiotic relationship with "college football" in all it's amateur glory.

(Oh once long ago I actually was the mod on a sports board's  $MONEY$ forum because so many primarily younger members used to ask me so many questions on the subject like taxes, investing, mortgages, you name it so we consolidated it into one spot.)

The NHL who really knows, golf, tennis, bowling (yes bowling) there's college and/or when you think you're good enough get some sponsors and make a run at it.

It all still centers around the thing that greases all wheels in life the relationship of money and how things work. 

Gifts for players goes back to the 1960s that I saw when great high school players that I knew got cash, clothes, cars and yes hookers while recruiting. 

SO BAN the big money schools in the March Madness tournament?  It would be explosive and you'll see how mad it gets! Who knows  #16 seed might actually beat a #1 seed.

@mjp28 said:

Obviously I watch them all but there were some close games including one OT, I do remember the Zags and Butler excitement, oh well a little guy besides Nova will win......someday. 

Will anybody ever go undefeated again......besides that true gentleman Bobby Knight, 

Oh also note the winning coaches names, they are the best and on the best "money schools". No coincidence there.

AHH, yes,  the "Money" Schools.  I.e.  those that are now under investigation by the FBI.

Can you imagine a tournament where the likes of Duke, NC, KY,  Kansas, Mich. St., Arizona and others under investigation are "not invited"? 

I can imagine it and hope for it.   So now we know what the real key to these schools success has been....not talent, not necessarily coaching...but money....bribing the best players to go to those schools.  Put them all on a 2 year tournament ban. 

Plus....The NBA needs to change its rules  (you know that the one and done IS NOT an NCAA rule...it is an NBA rule).   You can come out of high school and turn pro if you want....go to the NBA or the D league or something.  But...if you go to college...you MUST stay there for 3 years. 

Many or most of the top kids would likely NOT go to college...they would go pro.   That would allow for a purer NCAA (it would never be totally pure)...where it would actually be college kids playing college ball....and not just one year mercenaries. 

@the-gipper said:

I agree....the real excitement is the first weekend....and a bit when they get down to the Sweet 16.  The Final Four far less interesting....though it would have been much better had Gonzaga/Butler/Wisconsin pulled off some of those games.

What would be sweet would be if NC, Duke, KY, Kansas would all lose in that first weekend.

Obviously I watch them all but there were some close games including one OT, I do remember the Zags and Butler excitement, oh well a little guy besides Nova will win......someday. 

Will anybody ever go undefeated again......besides that true gentleman Bobby Knight, 

Oh also note the winning coaches names, they are the best and on the best "money schools". No coincidence there.

NOW in all these years and the new format a #16 team has NEVER beaten a #1 seed, been close a very few times but will it ever happen?

D'UH big bracket tip, push all of your #1 seeds up one. 

@mjp28 said:

The Olympics will be over February 25th well before the NCAA tournaments take place. And you're right about the big money teams having an advantage to win the tournament but the trip there like some of the runner-up teams are interesting even some BIG TEN teams. The excitement of the tournament isn't just the last game. 

I agree....the real excitement is the first weekend....and a bit when they get down to the Sweet 16.  The Final Four far less interesting....though it would have been much better had Gonzaga/Butler/Wisconsin pulled off some of those games.

What would be sweet would be if NC, Duke, KY, Kansas would all lose in that first weekend.

TOURNAMENT BRACKET WATCH