View From The Bridge

The Triangle Offence. Made famous by the 90's Bulls and Kobe's Lakers, few single offences have created so much strategical success over nearly 60 years. On the surface the basis is simple, to create as many scoring opportunities for every player on the floor - every pass and every cut with has an intent purpose. In a time of post-game and mid-range masters, the triangle offence created order out of chaos and was the driving force behind many championship successes. However, as time has passed and the game of basketball has changed, a once-dominant offence has turned obsolete and died right in front of our very eyes.  Now I don't mean dead as in it passed away peacefully in its sleep and had a nice funeral service. I mean dead as in it was thrown in the back of a car and pushed off a bridge - a complete cold-case. One minute it was winning titles, the next is was in every coaches waste paper basket. So what happened?  It all started at the University of South California wit...

$1.1 Billion.  This is the total profit that the NCAA generated in 2019 - 79% of it coming from March Madness TV rights alone ($857.5 million). So, where does this money go? Well, other than salaries for NCAA employees, it's mostly divided up between coaching salaries and university student finance support. The athletes themselves? They never even see a dime.  As a multi-billion dollar industry, you would think that the NCAA could at least financially recognise the players that make their business so successful. However, as every Division 1 athlete knows, making money under the noses of the NCAA is a surefire way to get you kicked off that scholarship you worked so hard for. However, considering this is one of the most disputed and controversial topics in modern sport, let's weigh up the pros and cons.  Right now, NCAA players generate no financial income from competing in college basketball. This includes receiving money for playing, funding for training, accepting prize...