ncaa

On Tuesday, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced that current President Mark Emmert would step down by June 30, 2023. Running an organization that governs the athletic operations of hundreds of a colleges across the country, with different financial models, is an impossible task for the most part. However, having worked at one of those institutions' athletic department for a few decades, Emmert doesn't get a pass for his performance or lack there of.

For hockey fans in the Capital Region, truth is stranger than fiction in this year's ECAC Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches Poll. Union and RPI had the unthinkable happen.

It's hard not to be skeptical of the NCAA or some of the larger conferences, aka the Power 5 schools, when it comes to things like, well, paying student-athletes above and beyond their tuition, room and board and more recently, a "cost of attendance" stipend. Yes, they are institutes of higher learning but over the years even some of the most prestigious universities in the United States, such as Notre Dame, Stanford, Duke and even Harvard have been marred by athletic scandals. Then add in the football and basketball powerhouses that occupy your tv screen every week and the list of improprieties would make your head spin.

Pandora’s Box has now been opened. The NCAA ruled that student-athletes may now own their NIL (Name, Image & Likeness). The ruling seems like it would be a common sense decision and it should be but it’s not.

However, when winning and/or ego become a priority in college athletics above student-athlete welfare, there is a serious problem. Chantel Jennings and Dana O’Neil wrote an article in yesterday’s Athletic titled, “Why the mass exodus from Syracuse women’s basketball? ‘Ego, manipulation...fear tactics.” Their investigation revealed disturbing details about the Syracuse Women’s Basketball program based on interviews with 9 former players and 19 others, including former team managers and staff members.

What people may forget about the incredible career of Coach K, is that it all began in New York.

This story is proof-positive of one thing...there is still some good left in the sports world. This time, it comes from the world of golf.

There will be high school football games played in the Capital Region of New York today, strange as that seems at the tail end of March, instead of October. We’ve gotten used to some of the abnormalities, such as no fans in the stands and student-athletes competing with masks. Another missing element will be college coaches.

One of the very first sports casualties to the Capital Region due to the coronavirus pandemic was March Madness at the Times Union Center. When the first and second rounds of the Men's NCAA Tournament on March 19th and 20th of 2020 were canceled many of us wondered if and when another event of that size would return to South Pearl Street in Albany. We have that answer! Four NCAA Championship events are coming to the Times Union Center starting in 2022.

The coronavirus has finally made its presence known here in the Capital Region and in response, many events are getting canceled.

Goz offers up his selections for the weekend

College athletes may be profiting off their popularity very soon