Still, you really must suspend belief to enjoy big-time college sports. These are not student-athletes vying for regional championships today. They are (mostly) minor-league basketball players who take a few classes on a college campus. It's a tired complaint, but it keeps coming up because the charm of the sport is so tied to the campus life that so many viewers and supporters remember. It's probably why we root for the upsets--the little schools are a bit more likely to have actual college students on the team.
Aspects of the book, "The Blind Side," recently made into the famous movie, seem to confirm the pseudo-student concept. In the book, the college football recruit's grades are propped up just before enrolling in college. With the help of a tutor, he aces several summer correspondence courses and tops the minimum grade point for college.
Let's face it: many big-time men's basketball coaches are maniacs. Basketball seems to breed these coaches more than other sports. Because the players come and go in a few years, and coaches stay, they become cult leaders. They can get away with anything, and their behavior reflects it. Several of these figures will be on display this weekend. It will be great entertainment, but it's best not to think too hard about it.
