Condoleezza Rice has been Chairing a Commission on College Basketball and today they’ve released their recommendations.

Not surprisingly the “Commission” is more interested in propping up the NCAA than protecting and benefiting the kids who actually play College Basketball. What is surprising is how good they are getting at pretending to care about the athletes.

Here’s the bullet points being touted:

Now let’s take a little deeper look:

One and Done

Ending One and Done is looooong over due but it’s also completely in the hands of the NBA and the NBAPA and NOT the NCAA. So what if the NBA doesn’t want to change their stance. Well the esteemed Commission came up with just about the absolute worst idea possible:

What?????????????

Making Freshman ineligible is so inane and stupid it boggles the mind that this would somehow get past the spitball stage and into the actual report.

The Good

Just to prove that the Lil’ Dogg can be an objective pup, there are some legitimately interesting ideas in the report that would benefit the athletes and not just the NCAA.

The Draft and Eligibility

Letting kids maintain eligibility until they actual sign Pro contracts is such a no-brainer idea that it’s nothing les than criminal that kids have had to make this life changing decision for some many years with no safety net. What is the down side to letting kids who don’t get drafted go back to college? Answer – None. There is no downside.

Break Up the Cartel

Hey here’s an idea – maybe we should include some outside voices who don’t have monetary and personal risks at stake in the decisions being made. Maybe those people would be a bit more objective and less inclined to self preservation.

The Bad

The NCAA wants in on that sweet sweet AAU money.

AAU Basketball is a cesspool of corruption for sure and no doubt the least effective way to improve basketball skills for these young kids but it is also the one place where the kids have all the power.

And what is the biggest threat to the NCAA Mafia?

The kids gaining power.

So of course the NCAA wants to shut down AAU. It’s honestly shocking they’ve let the AAU system get this big.

The Real Answer

The best and truest way to fix all of this is a method that is in use all over the world -except the USA of course.

Sport Academies.

The biggest soccer clubs in the world all have academies were kids live and train and go to school. Their expenses are paid for. They receive the highest level of instruction and coaching. And their education is made a priority by being a component of the whole experience.

The one American sport were this system would work flawlessly is Basketball.

And why will this never happen?

Because the creation of an Academy System would mean the destruction of the NCAA as we know it.

Except here’s the thing. It really wouldn’t. The top level best of the best guys would go to the NBA and not College yes but NBA teams would also be able to size up players in a much better way and the guys who aren’t NBA ready at 18 would get a choice of options.

Option A – NBA teams have development squads and the players with potential could be signed with salaries to those teams.

Option B – Get released from the Academy and GO TO COLLEGE.

The NCAA can still have their season and their March Madness. And players who blossom and improve in College get a second chance at the NBA after their College career is up.

This would cut out all of the corruption from Shoe Companies and agents and hangers-on and improves the development of skills and gives kids all the opportunities in the world to be the ones who benefit and profit off their talent and hard work.

Is it a perfect system? No. But it would be miles and miles better than what exists now. It’s a WIN-WIN-WIN for all parties involved. But because it would take even the slightest bit of control and MONEY MONEY MONEY out of the NCAA’s pocket it will sadly never happen.