There are more than 64 000 students playing football in college, more than 47 000 playing baseball or softball, 46 000 in track and field, 43 000 playing soccer and 32 000 playing basketball. College athletics is a mine field of sporting talent, and the obvious breeding ground for future professional sportsmen and women. But are colleges taking advantage of these players?

Combined, these players produce huge amounts of revenue for their respective schools. However, ever since the instatement of the collegiate athletics, athletes have not received compensation for their participation. Yet it has been argued that college athletes are being exploited by their colleges by not being paid.

Each year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association brings in millions of dollars in advertising and the schools earn through ticket and merchandise sales. In 2010, two of the most profitable college conferences—the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten—earned over one billion dollars and $905 million, respectively. The only people not profiting are those on the field.

There are some that argue this to be the launching pad for massive earnings and paying one’s dues on the college fields is a rite of passage. It also stimulates amateur sports. Others suggest that scholarships and the education received are payment enough.

However, only some athletic scholarships are “full rides”, and many student-athletes are not able to afford dining, entertainment, and even some educational expenses. Outside of summertime, when work is permitted, student-athletes have no extra time for work in addition to practice, training, and classes. Paying student-athletes would give the athletes an incentive to stay in school and complete their degree programs, rather than leave early for the professional leagues. Pundits further argue that student athletes would be less tempted to earn money by taking illegal payments and shaving points, not to mention trying to make money elsewhere like gambling and playing free slots for example.

In addition, by not paying their athletes, colleges avoid paying workman’s-compensation benefits to the “hundreds” of college athletes incapacitated by injuries each year.

The debate rages on and it will be interesting to see how the student lobby groups gain ground. What we do know for now is that there is a lot of talent that will be discarded after school. And while these athletes will have contributed to huge revenue, they will be left with only injuries, memories, and student loans.

Hey losers, it’s that time of year again when the degenerates go down to the dump that is Daytona Beach, Florida. If you remember last year, we sent our buddies from Man League Universal to fill us in on all the fun activities. Since it was one of our most read pieces of the year, we figured we would do it again.

Will we pay you anything? Probably, this is America — if it don’t make a dollar, it don’t make sense. Last year, we did provide cash money for a picture of our favorite cheerleader in a bikini. This year? Who knows? If Matt Kavanaugh happens to be down there (entirely possible), maybe that might earn you some extra scratch.

Anyway, if you are interested, email us at blackburnreview@gmail.com for further details. Godspeed.

Chris DiSano, a URI color commentator and founder of College Chalktalk, reports that Dayton will renew its series with Ole Miss next season:

After one year off, hearing Dayton and Ole Miss will begin a new home-and-home this year, starting down in Mississippi.

Dayton swept the Rebs during their previous meetings in 2010 and 2011. The two programs went in opposed directions this season, with Ole Miss heading to the NCAA Tournament while Dayton sat on the couch. The Rebels return much of their roster from last season, losing just Murphy Holloway and Reggie Buckner (albeit major contributors) to graduation.

Regardless, there’s only one reason to be excited for this game.

The real shame is that the 2013 game couldn’t be played in front of the Sweaters.

SB Nation’s Seton Hall Blog, South Orange Juice, recently interviewed the Hall’s AD Pat Lyons. In the piece, Lyons confirms that the league will be expanding to 12 teams in the future:

This new league is a home run. We (Big East AD’s) are really excited about adding Xavier, Butler and Creighton. Any time you’re able to add three teams who have recently spent significant time in the top 25 to your conference, you should be pleased. Two more teams will be added to the Big East, we are certain of that, but right now those two teams haven’t been decided – but it will be a 12 team conference. We’ll have home and home games, and that’s really going to create great rivalries – renewed rivalries. The AD’s and Presidents of each school are excited about the direction of the new Big East and the continuation of having the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. We’re all aware of how tenuous things were for a while last year, but it really couldn’t have worked out better.

No word on when, or whom, but one would have to assume Saint Louis is secure in the driver’s seat with several programs, including UD, jockeying for shotgun.

As the Fox Sports cameras panned during the top of the twelfth inning, scanning the remaining crowd, an instantly recognizable form was captured — a boyish imp in an overgrown body.

Matthew Kavanaugh, Dayton’s most wanted man.

Yes, that is a glove on Matt Kavanaugh’s left hand. Gloves don’t leave fingerprints, people. At least Boof, who hasn’t stepped foot in a classroom in a good while, is learnin’ something out there on the hardscrabble streets of Centerville.

Donoher and Matt from the Blackburn Review®© join the Commish for some intense and gratifying discussion on Masters Sunday, the joys of playing high school golf, Reds baseball, and movies coming to you this summer.

The Atlantic Ten is scurrying. After rumors that Siena would be added to the league two weeks ago come reports that Davidson might be brought to the league starting in the fall of 2014.

From big-headed monster Jeff Goodman:

The A-10 is close to adding Davidson to the league, likely in 2014-15, sources told CBSSports.com. The move is pending approval from the school’s board of trustees.

The league has lost Butler and Xavier to the Big East, and is likely to see two more schools eventually bolt — potentially Dayton and Saint Louis. The A-10 has already added George Mason, and commissioner Bernadatte McGlade had targeted Davidson — which had previously spurned the CAA.

Davidson has been the elite school in the Southern Conference, but that league has also been hit by realignment as College of Charleston is bolting for the CAA. Bob McKillop has been the head coach since 1989, and the Wildcats have gone to the NCAA tournament in five of the past eight seasons.

Sources told CBSSports.com that Siena is also under consideration by McGlade to join the A-10.

Mason and Davidson are two programs with recent tournament success, which is clearly the sole reason they are valued at this point, but have lacked the type of progress that would indicate they are programs built to last. Steph Curry’s run with the Cats is now five seasons in the past, and Mason’s historic Final Four run (likely cheapened by more recent semi-final appearances by Butler, VCU and Wichita State) is over seven years removed.

However, given the current landscape, schools like Davidson and George Mason might be the best-case scenario for the A10. With the Missouri Valley adding Loyola Chicago over the weekend, that league seems poised to remain intact. The Horizon League has been trim to a miniscule eight teams, but there doesn’t appear to be any programs worth poaching from that particular conference. So what other recourse does Bernie really have?

The inference of these additions speak volumes for UD’s future (hopefully). Clearly, the A10 is anticipating losses in the near future, and we all hope Dayton is one of the first defectors. Adding Mason, Davidson, and perhaps Siena, sets the table for the Flyers’ departure. To put it simply, as Flyer fans let’s not even consider the quality of teams being added to the Atlantic Ten at this point — it will be a moot point (again, hopefully) — let’s simply be content with the fact that the league is adding teams period.

Archie’s last recruit for 2013 is Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith, a 6’3″ point-guard from the Bronx. At just “170″ pounds, Smith is a rail-thin athlete whose lack of muscle kept him off of most high-major recruiting boards (Like a high-school gym teacher leering at coeds, Syracuse, Pitt and Miami supposedly backed off once it was clear Smith’s body wasn’t going to develop).

Smith played at a small prep school in Connecticut the past two seasons, Putnam Science Academy, where he became the school’s first 1,000 point scorer.

Quick background on Scooch:

All along, Dayshon Smith said he was looking for the best fit, not the school with the biggest name or belonging to the best conference. When his recruitment exploded this summer and he drew interest from high-major programs such as Illinois and Providence, the general consensus was Smith would be swayed by the prestige of such programs.

He was true to his word.

On Friday, the talented 6-foot-2 point guard from The Bronx picked Dayton over Providence, Illinois, St. Bonaventure and a host of others mid-major schools.

“It was the best fit,” said Smith, ranked among the top players in the country by Rivals.com. “I felt like it was the best situation. I had a better feel on campus than my Providence and Duquesne visits. I just felt happy, felt comfortable, the coaching staff was awesome.”

He chose head coach Archie Miller’s program for the reason he said he would pick a school. He felt comfortable during his official visit, the coaching staff led by Miller and assistant coach Allen Griffin developed a bond with Smith’s family and he was drawn by the facilities and on-campus support the program is afforded.

“When I was there, the fans knew who I was, they treated me well, they were happy to see me, trying to convince me to come to Dayton,” he said. “I was told they threw a party after my commitment. I wish I could be there.”

Reading between the lines, it seems likely that John R and Ron Driesen were the closers. Sometimes pestering teenage kids over the Internet can yield results.

Again, as with Pollard and Davis, Archie Inc. seemed to be in the right place at the right time when it came to Smith’s recruitment:

Smith is a success story already, a virtual unknown after his junior year at since-closed Rice of Harlem. He reclassified and transferred to Putnam Science Academy, a prep school in Connecticut. Smith enjoyed a strong season there, transitioning to a point guard while averaging 17 points and six assists per game, and an even bigger summer with the New York Lighting. On a team which included Memphis commit Kuran Iverson and Christ the King star Jon Severe, he was widely considered its best player.

“He’s the epitome of a nothing-to-something story and he wants to get better,” one Division I coach familiar with Smith said. “What he can become is scary. He’s not your stereotypical New York City kid. He can play, has good grades and is respectful.”

The coach said jokingly that Smith used to recruit school to look at him, but by the end of the summer there wasn’t a mid-major program who didn’t want him. Another coach who recruited Smith said “he can score against anyone in the country.”

Oh, did I mention that he announced his commitment to UD via YouTube while in bed (and filmed it on what I’m assuming is a flip-phone)??? Because he totally did.

If that doesn’t sell you on Smith, nothing will.

A quick, cursory observation of Smith and Kyle Davis: I don’t think Dayton has ever signed guys with their combination of “personality” and, dare I say, swagadociousness. It will be interesting to see how they mix with UD’s current roster. Both kids have games built for AAU success, hopefully it translates on the mid-major level as well.

Lastly, one thing I really like about Smith is how invested he appears to be in UD as a program/school already. I frequently read re-tweets from his Twitter account over the past few months with references to either Flyer games in progress or in regards to UD’s season in general (there was even some Dayton women’s basketball discussion). He is clearly satisfied with his college choice and excited to play for UD. He’s definitely not a house cat.

Another day, another Chicago recruit. This time it’s Kyle Davis, a kid with Barack Obama’s build but hopefully not his jump shot.

“The 6’2, 165-pound Davis also reportedly held offers from in-state schools Northwestern, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago, and Chicago State, in addition to programs in the Big East and SEC. He is listed as a four-star recruit on Scout.com and ranked as the 21st shooting guard in the country. Rivals also has him as a four-star recruit and ranked 105th overall among all positions. ESPN does not rate Davis as highly, giving him a grade of 67 and a ranking of 63rd at his position.”

Davis committed to UD this past August, after fielding offers from Xavier, Marquette, Northwestern, Tennessee and Cincinnati among others. Davis transferred to Morgan Park last summer and led the Mustangs to their first state title in 37 years.

Davis sounds a bit like Kendall Pollard, a kid who was under the radar until his senior season, was overshadowed by Jabari Parker (Davis played AAU ball with Parker) and committed to UD before high-major programs had the chance to get seriously involved in his recruitment.

“I committed to Dayton because after sitting down with my family and talking to Coach Nick (Irvin), the decision was based on which school was best for me. They play my style of play and I have the opportunity to come in and do big things because they lose their starting point guard Kevin Dillard.”

I’m not even sure what UD’s style of play is. I have no idea how I would describe Dayton’s offensive philosophy if asked. Kevin Dillard dribbles until it is uncomfortable and the Flyers go from there??

The most exciting aspect of Davis’ game? He is a lefty. Tommy loves left-handed point-guards and doesn’t care who knows it.

Although Davis was often pegged as a small shooting guard, his play as a point guard this spring with the Mac Irvin Fire has opened the eyes of some national recruiting analysts.

“What’s impressive is how Kyle has developed into more of a point guard,” said Scout.com national recruiting analyst Brian Snow. “Kyle is a kid who has looked to score in the past; now he is showing a better ability to run a team.”

The improvement as a point guard has helped Davis improve his stock, but the 6-foot lefty’s athleticism and defense have continued to stand out. When asked what mattered most to his success on the floor, Davis even acknowledged that his effort on defense took precedence.

“My role is just to play hard defense and make the other team turn the ball over so our guys can get easy baskets,” Davis said. “I want to get up-and-down, trap, press, and play fast.”

One aspect of Davis’ game that continually comes up is his skill set on the offensive end. Although he clearly has the build of a point-guard, his game most closely resembles that of a shooting-guard. Which, if I can spin for a minute, might make him one of Dayton’s more versatile players. Think a smaller Devin Oliver…

The 5-11 Davis’ style could make him a difficult fit for college teams. He has two-guard skills in a point guard’s body, but his speed, tenacity and ability to finish are irresistible.

Davis doesn’t seem like much of a threat from the outside, content to get the majority of his points in transition or getting to the rim in the half-court game. His lack of an outside touch shouldn’t come as a surprise, as it seems that incoming freshman come to college with increasingly unrefined skills.

Last thing, but maybe most importantly, Davis has the most advanced leg tattoo game I have ever seen. The sweaters will be patting their wallets every time Davis checks into a game:

It’s that time of the year, the period of the season when we dip our toes into the murky recruiting waters and pretend to like it. Although we would never bother with speculation and trivial recruiting discussions regarding prep players that have no business at a school like Dayton (ahem, Luke Kennard, ahem), that’s strictly for dupes who don’t mind parting with $9.99 every month, there is never any harm in briefly focusing on actual confirmed newcomers.

Kendall Pollard fits that mold. The 6’5”/200 pound (wink!) wing from Chicago signed with UD back in December, a decision that ultimately came down to either the Flyers or Rhode Island. Pollard suited up for Simeon, one of the nation’s best basketball high-school programs this past season, a squad which featured the nation’s most hyped recruit, Jabari Parker. The Wolverines won their fourth consecutive state title last month, and Pollard was a major component of the team’s success.

Pollard seems like a garbage man, one who is improving his offensive skill set and acutely realizes his lack of athleticism limits the type of things he can do on the court. However, this doesn’t mean he can’t be a significant contributor at a mid-major program like Dayton.

Here’s a take from someone who, you know, actually saw him play:

While working on developing a consistent jump shot, Pollard’s ability to get to the basket and finish has helped him average 8.8 points per game this season. His long arms, toughness and capacity to guard multiple positions typically mean he takes on defending an opponent’s best player.

“I take pride playing defense because it’s what keeps me on the floor,” he said. “You might be faster than me, but I’m long, so I can keep you in front of me at all times. When you shoot, I can block you. And I can steal it on a crossover.”

If there was one thing missing on Dayton’s club this season it was a tough defensive mindset. Pollard, at the very least, seems content on not being a liability on that side of the floor.

What about his teammates, how would they describe Pollard’s game?

“He’s aggressive, like a Dennis Rodman,” Simeon junior Saieed Ivey said. “He’s a cleanup man. He’s going to go get the blocks. He’s going to talk on defense. He’s going to guard the best player. … You don’t ever have to worry about Kendall playing hard.”

There’s more:

Pollard is a tough, physical defender with better athleticism than people realize. The Hoops Report has referred to Pollard as the Ron Artest of prep hoops in Illinois. He will do whatever it takes to help his team win, whether it’s in the stat sheet or not.

Dennis Rodman? Ron Artest? I really, really, like the sound of that. UD needs an agitator, maybe this is our guy. The type of guy that will take his shoes off after a bogus foul call.

A quick Lycos image search on Pollard reveals what may be best described as a “stout” body type. He is generously listed at 200 pounds, and admits that weight has been an issue since he was a youngster:

Pollard smiled and separated his hands horizontally when remembering himself as a “heavyset” child who played center on his early basketball teams at St. Margaret of Scotland in Chicago. He was bigger than nearly all of the other children from the time he was a baby until his growth accelerated in the seventh grade, his mother said.

Even now Pollard worries about his weight perhaps more than a typical teenage boy. He stopped drinking pop this month and is trying to cut back on bread, though he finds it difficult during school and team-provided meals. His mother wants him to cut back on juice and add more vegetables.

“So I can stay in shape now, and when I get to Dayton I can keep up with the rest of those guys,” Pollard said of his diet. “Because I know they’re down there eating healthy and they’re hitting the weights as well.”

Matt Derenbecker is on a strict liquid diet, Kendall. That’s how much he cares about this team. 12-ounce curls will do your body some good. Get in touch with him as soon as you get on campus.