This year’s music of the ‘big dance’ is fire.
Basketball fans have been bopping their heads to the vibes of Wisconsin upsetting North Carolina, Abilene Christian upsetting Texas, Ohio upsetting Virginia, and Oral Roberts upsetting Ohio State. That Loyola Chicago upset of No. 1 ranked Illinois is a certified banger.
Everyone’s was enjoying themselves until the NCAA bumped the DJ booth with their reckless social irresponsibility .
The NCAA was mercilessly bashed, criticized and dragged for the blatant disparities between the men and women players in the tourneys. The men’s workout space was decked out with the best of weight room equipment. The women’s “workout space” consisted of a paltry weight rack and a table. The men ate the best of steak, chicken, mac and cheese, etc, while the women had to partake in cafeteria food gruel.
It wasn’t until the NCAA felt the wrath of slander and criticism of social media and other athletes such as Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, and A’ja Wilson that they tried to “fix’ the situation. Even in their fix, the gesture seemed to be nothing more than hollow pandering.
The “updated” weight room might as been a “here, damn” gesture. While this is marginally better, it still doesn’t have what the men have-thus making it an empty gesture.
Like South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said in her letter, “The real issue is not the weights or the “swag” bags, it ‘s that they didn’t think or do not think that women’s players “deserve” the same amenities of the men.”
Speaking of the men, it’s very fair to say that they are being done dirty as well. Granted, the issue of them receiving money for their likeness is nothing new. However, it’s being magnified once more with Jellyfam.
NCAA wouldn’t let Alabama Point Guard Jahvon Quinerly or his brothers profit off of their Jellyfam movement while Alabama and the NCAA could make millions off of the movement.
The NCAA being trash in the way they deal with athletes is nothing new. It’s just being that much amplified. What’s worth wondering however, is will they attempt to change?
Hopefully, we will find out eventually.