I Played in the Tourney and All I Got Was this Lousy Scholarship

On the eve of one of the most exciting three weekends in sports, let's reflect on what the NCAA tourney really means. Universities behaving as "pimps." Student athletes cast as "hoes." And big business as the "johns."

In 1999, CBS Sports extended it's contract with the NCAA to broadcast the tourney for 6 billion dollars. The contract expires in 2014 and the next one promises to be even more lucrative for higher learning institutions. And what do the players get out of this? A scholarship.

Not exactly a fair deal. Forget about the fact that most of these young men aren't ready for college emotionally and educationally (which is the failing of most inner-city schools, but that's another topic for another day). No, the true sin of this action-packed, drama-filled event is that the universities these pre-adults are attending don't demand they get an education and probably don't care if they get one or not.

Giving away a scholarship is a lucrative business model. Universities give away something that already exists (college classes) and is already paid for (by other students and boosters). It's like giving away a hotel room that wasn't gonna be used for the night any way. It costs universities very little when compared to what they will make on the labor of these athletes.

So that begs the question, if educational institutions are not going to educate their athletes, then wouldn't it be better if they were actually paid for their services with something they could use, like cash?

It is certain to be a more honest transaction. Athletes wouldn't have to pretend to get an education and education institutions wouldn't have to pretend they we're giving one.

But enough of this exploitation talk, on to the picks.

Final Four:

Wake Forest, Memphis, North Carolina & Pittsburgh

Championship:

Memphis over Pitt

By the Way:

Illinois loses in the first round- what else is new?

4 Reasons Why the Bears Should Trade for Cutler

Every so often the Bears brass comes on with sage words about how they are developing a quarterback. But in the almost 90 year history of the Bears have they ever developed a Quarterback? I think you'll be shocked to read why trading for QB talent is the only way the Bears will ever get talent.

Reason 1
Erik Kramer holds the season record for TD's and Yds (29 and 3838). By comparison Joe Willie Namath broke the 4000 yard barrier in a 14 game season back in 1967. Johnny Unitas broke the 30 TD barrier in a 12 game season in 1959 (he had 32).

Reason 2

Jeff Graham holds the Bears season receiving record with 1301. By comparison Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch approached the 1500 yard barrier in 1951 in a 12 game season (he had 1495). Jerry Rice broke 1,000 yards 14 times in his career.

Reason 3

The Bear's career leader for receiving yards is Johnny Morris. He had 5,059 yards way back in the late fifties and sixties. That puts Johnny (who did a fine job hosting the Mike Ditka Show) at 217 all-time, behind such luminaries as O.J. McDuffie and Yancy Thigpen. Jerry Rice has 22,895, which means he could have quit 4 years into his career and still finished ahead of Johnny.

Reason 4
Marty Booker holds the single season reception record for the Bears, 100 in 2001. In 2002, Jerry Rice caught 92... he was 40 at the time.

Passing records like the Bears (if you can call them records) are shockingly bad. I dare say you cannot find a NFL team that has had more inept talent at the most important positions. Even worse for Bears fans they don't look like they'll get better anytime soon. Unless of course they pick up the phone and buy what they can't create.