Dweebos, geeks, hipsters, foodies, motorheads and burnouts take notice: March Madness is here, and I know you all care. Parity in college basketball has helped small schools play significant roles come NCAA tournament time. Athletes at blue blood programs are declaring for the NBA draft earlier than ever, giving mid-major programs the opportunity to develop quality players that challenge big name schools with unsexy, yet seasoned, team-oriented recruits. That’s right smart kids, your schools are in the mix this year. Private schools, Jesuit universities, and mid-majors, and even an Ivy League school are in the Big Dance.

Let’s break down some of the NCAA tournament’s impact players, possible upsets and exciting potential match ups.

Midwest Region

Top Overall Seed: No. 1 Louisville

Don’t Sleep On: No. 4 Saint Louis

Potential Upset: No. 10 Cincinnati over No. 7 Creighton

Creighton big man Doug McDermott is a versatile scorer who can reel off 30-plus points if he’s feeling it. But Cincinnati’s Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright can score too, and their team’s solid defense and rebounding should help them prevail. Read the rest of this entry »

The long-term effects of concussions and head-trauma have gotten a lot of attention over the past year, but current student football players may have less to worry about. A concussion test is being researched for its potential use by coaches during games. According to a 2009 study, more than 40 percent of high school students return to action too soon following a concussion.

Known as the Kind-Devick (K-D) test, the diagnostic tool uses single digit numbers displayed on index-sized cards to measure eye movement, attention and language. Players would take the test once at the beginning of the season to get a baseline reading. In the event of a concussion, the amount of time it take to complete the test decreases. Researchers say the K-D test is less subjective than other exams.

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