Mayo drama is proof NBA age limit isn't protection for prospects
So the NBA says it wants to 'protect players from themselves' by implementing the age-limit rule? After the O.J. Mayo saga, Gary Parrish wants to know who is it saving now?  

'What's yours is mine' is recruiting motto once coaching carousel cranks up
Kids sign letters of intent, then reconsider when the coaches who recruited them move on. That's when other schools swoop in to get players they missed in November. See, patience is a virtue -- though this is hardly virtuous, Gary Parrish says. 

USC in hot water over Mayo incident? Not likely
So O.J. Mayo received cash and benefits from a promoter while in high school and while at USC. What's new? This happens more than you think on the college landscape, which is why Tim Floyd won't get fired and the Trojans won't get in trouble, Gary Parrish says. 

Livengood's good life marred by Arizona-Olson morass
Arizona basketball is an institution, but the foundation is crumbling. Lute Olson's age and personal issues are under constant attack. Staff members are disappearing at an alarming rate. AD Jim Livengood has quite the mess on his hands, Gary Parrish says. 

Vacation? What's that? College basketball never takes a break
Indiana drama continues, Tennessee players booted and 69 -- 69? -- underclassmen declare for the NBA. All of that in just one week, further reminding Gary Parrish there is no such thing as vacation. 

Whoever says prospects get better in school isn't watching the playoffs
Enough of that get-better-in-school talk, Gary Parrish doesn't believe it. His message to prospects: Take the money at first chance because if you have potential to make it in the NBA, you'll make it. 

Christian family values: She sells the house, he goes recruiting
Do not cry for Jim Christian and his family. They will be fine. That is, after wife Patty sells the house in Ohio, finds a home in Texas and gets the family settled down. All while Jim is out recruiting. It's the hidden sacrifice of coaching moves, Gary Parrish says. 

Elite prospects will -- and should -- strike while iron's hot
Don't kid yourselves, when a top-flight talent has lottery written all over him, he will jump to the draft almost every time, and Gary Parrish says he should, citing Roy Hibbert as Exhibit A. 

Don't count him out -- these are still Sonny days
Any man referred to as the Godfather of Summer Basketball has to be controversial. And Sonny Vaccaro fits the bill. His 'involvement' in the game is over, but Gary Parrish says Vaccaro might have a finger dipped in the pie -- i.e. Derrick Rose and his sudden agent change. 

Davis' move from Drake to PC a simple math equation
Drake fans, you cannot get angry at Keno Davis for taking his talents to Providence College. You'd do the same if it involved $1 million a year. And he won't be the last mid-major coach to make a similar leap, Gary Parrish says.  

Be patient, Oklahoma State will wrangle solid coach
Oklahoma State was shot down by alumnus Bill Self -- a chance the Cowboys had to take. Now the question is, who will they hire? Gary Parrish doesn't know, but he's sure they'll do well. 

Bravo, Bill, for savoring success, not exploiting it
Oklahoma State is home. And it has cash. But Bill Self stays with national champion Kansas, and there's a lesson here, Gary Parrish says. Not all of life's achievements are stepping stones. Sometimes you stick around to enjoy what you built. 

Ridiculously Early But Still Kind Of Fun '08-09 Preseason Top 25 (and one)
It's still waaaaay early and who knows what rosters will look like next year. But you didn't think that would stop Gary Parrish from putting out his Top 25 (and one), did you? 

Tourney Look Back: Curry spiced it up, Chalmers finished it off
It started with Stephen Curry, ended with Mario Chalmers and provided a barrel of intrigue in between. Especially for Bill Self. And another unnamed coach (wink, wink). This year's NCAA tournament did not disappoint Gary Parrish. 

Amazing? Agonizing? Flip a coin, 'cause both apply to title game
Is Kansas' 75-68 win over Memphis the best of times or the worst of times? That will likely depend on your rooting interest, but this much is clear: It's one helluva time, Gary Parrish says after the national title game. 

Don't sing Howland's dirge, everything's all good in Westwood
Everything will work out fine for UCLA, Gary Parrish still believes that. Sure, the Bruins could have played Memphis differently, but that doesn't diminish the Bruins' future. With a dynamite recruiting class combined with a few returners, another Final Four isn't inconceivable. 

The Calipari-Self Revolution: Letting players make plays
It's the easy label to put on John Calipari and Bill Self -- great recruiter, so-so coach. But while all the 'greats' will be watching Monday night, Calipari and Self will 'unleash' their players in the NCAA title game ... and walk away a winner, Gary Parrish says. 

Rose shows that doubting Memphis is unjust, thanks to just hoopin'
UCLA's Darren Collison is the latest in a line of heralded point guards overwhelmed by Derrick Rose, who leads the Tigers to the national title game with a 78-63 win. Rose's credo? Just hoopin' -- and that just might be good enough, Gary Parrish says.  

He's Ben there, hasn't done that: With loss, Howland will be unfairly judged
UCLA won't get carried away about simply reaching the Final Four. The Bruins must win. So if Ben Howland makes this a third straight trip without a title, he could fall prey to the Buffalo Bills effect -- and that's nuts, Gary Parrish says. 

You have to have horses; these Final Four have thoroughbreds
You often hear about intangibles: How well-coached a team is, home-court advantage, etc. But it all means nothing without talent, and Gary Parrish says this Final Four will be an NBA Draft showcase. 

Don't be blinded by the white; Hansbrough, Love nothing alike
Tyler Hansbrough and Kevin Love are both white and both play down low. That's pretty much where the comparisons end, so stop comparing the two and just let them play, Gary Parrish says. 

Watch Crean grow: At IU, Tom not under thumb of Wisconsin
He can be a star in Indiana instead of overshadowed in Wisconsin. He can chase titles in the shallow Big Ten instead of the jumbled Big East. Now you know why Tom Crean left Marquette for IU, Gary Parrish says. 

Talk is cheap? Memphis' Calipari will convince you otherwise
John Calipari could convince an Eskimo to buy ice or make you think black is white, he's that convincing. Gary Parrish explains how the coach's awesome orating is working wonders for Memphis. 

These phenomenal Final Four pass the eye test
The four teams converging on San Antonio this week were the best all season. That alone might already make this the best Final Four ever. Gary Parrish says that's because each squad has the look of a champion. 

Psycho-T's J delivers W for Final Four-bound UNC
Playing in front of a partisan crowd? It's a factor. Playing great as a team? Even more of a factor. Tyler Hansbrough dominating and hitting clutch jumpers? That's what sinks Louisville, Gary Parrish says after North Carolina wins 83-73 to clinch a trip to the Final Four. 

Go ahead and whine -- Heels deserve to be in N.C.
Some hate, most are jealous. Yes, North Carolina gets to play its region finale in Charlotte, in <i>North Carolina</i>. Fishy? Gary Parrish says nay and Tar Heels coach Roy Williams isn't apologizing. No. 1 seeds reap the benefits of their records and Louisville just has to deal with it. 

Pitino's crew in top-notch form heading into UNC showdown
Never count out Rick Pitino, right? His Cards dispatch the Vols 79-60 to advance to an Elite Eight date with top-seeded UNC. Louisville dominates Tennessee, proving it's clicking on all cylinders, Gary Parrish says.  

North Carolina floors it after WSU runs out of gas early
Washington State holds the lead eight minutes in -- and it's all downhill from there as North Carolina wins 68-47 to reach the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels 'did well' and looked great while doing it, Gary Parrish says. 

Strangers in Charlotte, surprising Cougars no longer going south
A couple thousand miles separate Pullman, Wash., and the East Region semis in Charlotte, N.C. That's nothing compared to how far Washington State has come since Tony Bennett took over, Gary Parrish says. 

Bo knows basketball: Ryan has Wisconsin racking up wins
Wisconsin's in the Sweet 16 for the third time in six years. But this year, it wasn't supposed to be. Without Bo Ryan, it probably wouldn't be. Gary Parrish says with Stephen Curry next, the Badgers are chasing the Elite Eight. 

Powerhouses, upstarts and red-hot Curry -- that's Sweet
The top four seeds are alive, but they shouldn't be comfortable with Stephen Curry still around. And while you pore over your brackets to see where it all went wrong, Gary Parrish takes a look ahead to the Sweet 16. 

Two straight blowouts? Pitino's holding strong Cards
This isn't a win, it's art. Louisville proves something to Gary Parrish with its 78-48 woodshed whipping of Oklahoma: He's wrong about the Cardinals. Maybe Rick Pitino's 'killers' can actually win a title. 

Capel tries to be all about Oklahoma, not South Carolina rumors
It's hard for Oklahoma's Jeff Capel to dance around the South Carolina rumors. But, as the Sooners keep winning, the coach says he's only focusing on his job. Good luck with that, Gary Parrish says. 

Feed the hot hand: Butler's common sense is money
Pete Campbell keeps hitting shots, so A.J. Graves keeps passing to him. It's simple and it works for a team that like to feeds a man with a hot hand instead of ignore him, Gary Parrish says after Butler's 81-61 win over South Alabama.  

Viewers guide: March to these games when you enter the Madness
The next two days are heaven for college basketball fans, so many games on it will make your head spin. Well don't fret, our expert Gary Parrish knows what you need to watch on MMOD. 

Fab freshmen trying to put No. 1 in one-and-done
This year's crop of freshmen is as good as any in a long time, which may also lead to an amazing amount of one-and-done's. But Gary Parrish says that won't stop one of the fab frosh from pulling a Melo. 

Conspiracy or coincidence? Breaking down the bracket head-scratchers
Gary Parrish loves a good conspiracy theory, so he unleashed his inner Snopes and went snooping through the NCAA tournament bracket to find them. He debunks a couple -- but not all. 

Can't see the bracket for the Bease? Or the Mayo? Focus, people!
From the stacked East Region to a deck stacked against non-BCS schools, Gary Parrish makes sense of the NCAA tourney bracket -- after getting distracted by the pending battle of freshmen in Omaha. 

Even discounting history, UCLA has all the elements
Great coach? Check. Great point guard? Check. Great big guy? Check. The Bruins have that and plenty more, Gary Parrish says, even if you discount this No. 1 seed's amazing hardwood tradition. 

Memphis making an unusual habit out of No. 1 seed
Even John Calipari says this isn't supposed to happen. Not at Memphis, not in the C-USA. But the Tigers are a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years, and Gary Parrish says it's not much of a surprise.