Blue Ribbon Report

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Podcast Blue Ribbon College Basketball Podcast, Ep. 184: The Senate agrees on a bill to take the madness out of college sports. Will it? Kevin calls the season’s first game—from a tennis stadium. 1× 0:00 Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -42:37 -42:37 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Blue Ribbon College Basketball Podcast, Ep. 184: The Senate agrees on a bill to take the madness out of college sports. Will it?

It took more effort than usual this year, but despite all the eligibility issues, both foreign and domestic, our digital edition is for sale at blueribbonyearbook.com, and our printed versions are at the printer and available to preorder on our website. • Would the SEC really have booted LSU for playing former professional athletes? Round one of the standoff goes to the league. • Some teams really need fifth-year players to be eligible this season.

CHRIS DORTCH’S BLUE RIBBON COLLEGE BASKETBALL YEARBOOK PRESEASON TOP 25 1. Florida 2. Duke 3. Illinois 4. Michigan State 5. Arizona 6. Tennessee 7. Texas 8. Houston 9. Arkansas 10. Connecticut 11. Vanderbilt 12. Michigan 13. Miami 14. Missouri 15. Virginia 16. Kansas 17. Iowa State 18. Louisville 19. Kentucky 20. St. John’s 21. Alabama 22. USC 23. Gonzaga 24. Ohio State 25. North Carolina

The 46th edition of Blue Ribbon, the “bible” of college basketball, is now on sale in its digital edition. The printed editions are at the printer, and we’ll keep you posted on their progress. In the meantime, you can get the digital edition here.

• The college basketball world is still upside down as fifth-year players are finding new homes. Or going back to old ones. • North Carolina and NC State are playing a non-conference game? What manner of madness is this? • Friend of the show and UAB coach Andy Kennedy takes on a new job at his alma mater. Talk about job security! For now, at least. • Saying farewell to another member of That Little Old Band From Texas. Chris listens to a soul-funk pioneer—on vinyl, no less.

• It remains to be seen whether Congress can enact legislation to restore order to the post-NIL college athletics world. • Will college athletes soon look like Ricky Bobby? The boys discuss. • Are the days of buy games going the way of black high-top canvas sneakers? • Kevin sees an epic concert, and Chris gains even more respect for our veterans. • Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook is available NOW for pre-order at blueribbonyearbook.com.

• We don’t feel so bad about not quite understanding the NCAA’s Five-in-Five eligibility rule because guess what? A lot of coaches don’t either. • Texas pulls one of the shrewdest moves of the spring/summer recruiting season by adding the class of 2027’s top player, Marcus Spears, Jr., who reclassified. • Exhibition games are going to some unique locales and venues and are being played earlier and earlier. We’re here for it.

• We know we’re a college basketball show, but how could we not talk about that Knicks’ epic comeback in Game Four of the NBA Finals? • Finally, a portal haul ranking we can get behind. Who were the winners? ESPN’s Jeff Borzello provided the blueprint for Chris and Kevin to discuss. • In our fastest-growing segment, we discuss the efforts—from the halls of Congress, the NCAA and the NABC—to insert some order into an unwieldy system of eligibility, transfers and NIL.

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Podcast Blue Ribbon College Basketball Podcast, Ep. 178: The Senate proposes a bipartisan bill that could help solve the NCAA’s problems while still preserving athletes’ rights. NBA Draft winners, losers. 1× 0:00 Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -37:30 -37:30 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade.

In the newest episode of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Podcast, hosts Chris Dortch—editor and publisher of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook—and Kevin Ingram—the radio voice of Vanderbilt men’s basketball—discuss a variety of college basketball (and other) topics: • The NCAA Tournament is expanding. What will become of the mid-major leagues? Geoff Cabe, associate commissioner of the Southern Conference, joins us to discuss.