March Madness is back. Before sharing his tips on tournament betting strategy, Kennedy had some thoughts to share on matters of collegiate athletics policy. Kennedy commented that one of the hot issues is the new ability to compensate players for using their name and likeness in advertising. Kennedy is concerned about how this wealth and popularity can affect teams. Transfer portals are another concern; turnover is becoming quite high, affecting team cohesion. Kennedy said wellness coaches are essential to support the health and well-being of student athletes, a positive addition to sports departments. He also said social media networks present a challenge for college teams. When social media first emerged, Kennedy instituted a rule: “No student athlete at Kent State can be on social media.” The rule lasted about a week — it violated freedom of speech. He also cautioned parents and athletes against sports camps that claim to guarantee D1 athletic scholarships. And finally, he said that the NCAA has a long way to go in creating equality in women’s sports.

 

Kennedy offered tips about filling out March Madness brackets: 1) Usually #1 and #2 seed teams win games. 2) Don’t pick your underdog to win the tournament, but you can give them a shot at the Final Four. 3) Don’t pick a team seeded #8 or greater to win it all, unless it’s Kent State. 4) If you pick all favorites to win the first round, you’ll likely do well.

 

Todd Kamanesh offered his alternative approach to picking teams: Bill Childers throwing darts. “You can listen to Laing … or you can take it from the fingertips of Bill Childers.”