We are in the time of year that has come to be known as œMarch Madness.  This is a far cry from the first NCAA tournament in 1937 won by the œTall Firs of the University of Oregon.  It was played on a college campus with very limited media coverage.

Even my first Final Four as a coach was played in Portland, OR in The Coliseum.  That building later became the first home of the Portland Trail Blazers.  I know.  I was there.   Still, minimal media coverage.

That year UCLA, U. of Michigan, Princeton Univ., and Wichita State University rounded out the field.  UCLA won their second NCAA championship on a sensational performance by Gail Goodrich who burned the Wolverines for 42 points.  The only performance that eclipsed Mr. Goodrichs effort was Princetons Bill Bradleys 63 points against Wichita State.   I swear he made one of every kind of shot in the book.

Enough trivia.  œMarch Madness is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sporting events every year.  And, it is a corporate event.  It has gone from the college campus, to basketball arenas to stadiums.  In fact, no one can host the Final Four without access to a football stadium.

I think the germination of the stadium concert began when the Univ. of Houston upset UCLA in 1968 in the Astrodome before 52,000 plus fans.  Later the Astrodome housed a final four in which UCLA beat Villanova.  By the way, that was the worst seat I ever had at a Basketball game.  I had a better view standing at the end of the Boys High Gym in Brooklyn.

Fast forward to the present.  The Final Four is a corporately dominated event that is designed by television.  I am not judging this.  What is, œis.  I have been around to see it evolve.  I do, however, have a question.

Why is it that the players have almost identical situations that my players had in the late 60s  when I was coaching the Running Rebels at UNLV? (Nice to see them back in the NCAAs again this year.)  They deliver the goods promised by the corporate world.

Our scholarship consisted of room, board, books, tuition and a $15 laundry allowance.  Most of my players had no help from home. So maybe once a month they could go out for a hamburger and a movie.

Let me see if I can paint you a picture.  Lets say we have a basketball player on scholarship at the Univ. of Southern California.  He has his or her basic needs and no outside help.  Even though the player will hang out with their teammates for the most part they will make other friends and, for sure, see other students

We say come get the college experience. Social life is part of the college experience, so I am told.  At USC, the student parking lot is full of BMWs, Audis and Corvettes.  The weekend comes and the majority of the student body is off campus, chasing the girls or boys, having fun.

Then we wonder why the scholarship athlete gets caught robbing a dorm room.  I am not condoning this behavior.  I am merely saying, œWhen are we going to balance the scales and give the athlete a fair share of the corporate profits.

Four years or more is a long time to walk around without  a dollar in your pocket.  I have seen many who do just that.  Some dont make it.