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Now that March has officially reached madness status, has your bracket been busted yet? Ease your pain with another dose of Monday links:
What’s the monetary value in an upset win?
A really cool article. Often we all talk on social media about how a big bowl win or tourney upset will “have tons of benefits for the school” and while that is true, it often remains an abstract idea. This article does a nice job of breaking down the benefits into media exposure, student enrollment, and money through alumni and merchandise.
Spartans get a mandatory lesson on gender issues.
Credit to football HC Brent Brennan for requiring his players to attend an event with a panel full of female athletes and sexual abuse survivors (and thrivers). The intent was to have conversations and educate, which hopefully opened some eyes.
More Gonzaga to the MWC talk.
Boise State beat-writer BJ Rains caught up with Gonzaga HC Mark Few. Sounds like discussions will intensify following their run in the tournament. Few states he wishes to do what’s best for Gonzaga. Rains (among others) have publicly stated he has heard it’s likely the move ends up happening but is more of a matter of if it can get done in time for next season or not.
What if College Football had a 68 team playoff bracket?
Although increasing the CFP from 4 to 8 may take years, and 68 is clearly a joke, this is still fun. Would an elite program like Alabama survive the grueling tourney that their hardwood blue-blood counterparts have to endure? It’s a fun look at something that will never happen, but it’s the football off-season and March Madness time, so why not?