NCAA Men's Basketball Rule Changes for the 2017-2018 Season

We are just days away from the NCAA Men's Basketball regular season starting up! In that spirit, let's review the rule changes the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved that will be incorporated into the 2017-2018 rules book.

All in all, there are 26 changes being integrated that can, in essence, be sorted into one of four types of rule changes: (1) Uniformity, (2) Clarification, (3) Game Flow-Related, or (4) Fairness. Some you may have heard news of back in June when they were agreed upon, but some may be completely new to your eyes and ears. Regardless, these changes and their respective "legislative purpose" (i.e., intent) can be fresh in your mind when you bust out your fan gear & cheer on your team!

Jaime, NCAAJaime MiettinenNovember 6, 2017NCAAM, Rule changesComment

Dissecting "the Dark Underbelly of College Athletics" & What Lies Beyond the FBI Investigation

Turns out the madness stretches well beyond March's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Early into the workday last Tuesday, September 27, a Press Conference Advisory from the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York went out for immediate release calling for a noon meeting time and complete with attachments, stating, "There will be a press conference today at noon to announce charges of fraud and corruption in college basketball. Federal criminal charges have been brought against ten people, including four college basketball coaches, as well as managers, financial advisors, and representatives of a major international sportswear company." Here is a breakdown of who is involved, the two distinct schemes, the laws implicated, and what we can anticipate to follow in the short term and the long term.

What We Cannot Choose To Ignore During Michigan State-Notre Dame Week

I almost forgot that this week was "Notre Dame week" for the Michigan State football-minded until my boyfriend commented on his outfit yesterday. He wore St. Patrick's Day socks with shamrocks all over them to match his khakis and Spartan polo because they were green and white, but after sporting that look the past 12 hours, he sighed and asked if I saw anything wrong with his outfit. My response, "Of all weeks to choose to wear those together..." Sorry, Mike!

There is one thing I definitely have not forgotten, though, despite the media seemingly choosing to give it minimal attention: The University of Notre Dame allegedly mishandled and covered up a sexual assault committed by a guy who was a member of its football team at the time.

Jaime, NCAAJaime MiettinenSeptember 22, 2017Notre Dame, College Football, sexual assault, Title IXComment

4 Ways Copyright Law Works with Respect to College Fight Songs

With college football season comes renewed school spirit! Sing that fight song loud and proud through the campus streets or at the stadiums, and hum it all you want, but the law is always at play and explains a lot about why things are the way they are. Here are four ways copyright law interacts with the songs that truly ring clear in the collegiate athletics hype scene.

A Critical Look at Michigan's Decision to Fully Reinstate WR Grant Perry

It's just about the most wonderful time of the year! I cannot speak for y'all, but I am hyped for this college football season. The media has focused a great deal on nearly finalized rosters, one of which is ranked #17 in the AP preseason poll. For example, it has drawn much attention to the University of Florida's seven football players who are suspended in their season's first game on September 2 against the University of Michigan, including top wide receiver Antonio Callaway, due to their "misuse of school funds" and a handful of players suspended for pot. While those several young men definitively will not be playing, one player will be returning to the lineup on the opposite sideline. On August 11, Michigan announced that it was granting wide receiver Grant Perry full reinstatement to the football team just in time for the Wolverines' game against Florida in Arlington, Texas. The 2017-18 season has yet to really kick off aside from a few games this past weekend, but off-field conduct could already be influencing potential outcomes of individual games and teams' end-game.

Remember hearing about the Michigan Football player who allegedly pulled a Donald Trump-style move in East Lansing on the team's Bye Week? Well, that was Grant Perry. Before diving into the story, I believe it is important to highlight that Perry is the leading receiver for the young Wolverines, having two touchdowns and 27 catches in his first two seasons.

Game of Amateurs, Season 148, Episode 9: Battle of the OSUs

I know what you are thinking. "Why would I care about anything related to Ohio State?" Ok, my Wolverine ego may be slightly kidding, but in all seriousness, this trademark question is significant because the outcome can affect other universities. For example, what if in addition to the list of registered marks like the Standalone Block M, the University of Michigan attempted to file an application for "U of M" or "UM" to be a federal registered trademark (®) rather than asserting that it is merely a protected trademark that is not registered (™)?

In a world where college athletics is undeniably a business - a BIG business, at that - and where the NCAA itself has trouble justifying its own regulations, laying down the law on who can do what actions (that, FYI, all come down to making money) and where they can or cannot do those actions lawfully will have inevitable consequences. For those of you who have not heard, Ohio State filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for "OSU" to receive federal trademark protection back in February. Specifically, Ohio State wants to register its trademark to protect against unlawful uses on apparel. Each portion of the application information below is meaningful. So, take note, because we will define trademarks, draw out their metes and bounds, speculate on why Ohio State would file an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and demonstrate how the Battle of the OSUs can impact the business of college athletics.