Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

From 2014-2023, the college football National Champion was decided by a 4-team, 2-game playoff. This season, the playoff expanded to 12 teams. The 4-team format, while exclusive, provided a strong snapshot of the season. However, it left many fan bases out of the championship conversation, leading to calls for expansion.

There was no doubt change was needed. A four-team cutoff was too restrictive, and selections relied on a committee with no set criteria. Most decisions factored in win quality and strength of schedule, favoring SEC teams, which made up nearly 40% of playoff participants and won six of nine championships. The new format aimed to be more inclusive while also maximizing revenue from nine additional playoff games. The structure was as follows: the four highest-ranked conference champions received bye weeks, the fifth conference champ was guaranteed a spot (even if outside the top 12), and the remaining at-large spots went to the highest-ranked non-conference champions.

While the intent was good, the execution was flawed. From the outset, the championship game was met with criticism. Two teams that likely wouldn’t have made the field under the old format, Notre Dame and Ohio State, played for the title. Notre Dame suffered an early-season loss to Northern Illinois, a MAC team, which traditionally would have eliminated them from contention. Ohio State had two regular-season losses, including one to a team that finished with a record of just 7-5. Despite these blemishes, both reached the championship, where the game itself failed to deliver. Viewership took a 12% dip from the previous year, falling to 22.1 million, the third-lowest since 2013.

The problems extended beyond the championship. The most glaring issue was seen in the second round, where every team that received a first-round bye lost. These were not close games—each was decided by more than a touchdown. First-round matchups were also underwhelming, with every game ending in a two-possession margin or more. The anticipated parity never materialized, and instead, it became evident that the new structure created unintended disadvantages.

Where did the CFP go wrong? The biggest issue stemmed from how byes were awarded. The system automatically granted them to the top four conference champions, regardless of overall strength. This allowed teams like Arizona State and Boise State to secure byes despite weaker schedules compared to top SEC or Big Ten teams. Meanwhile, first-round matchups were similarly flawed, with lower-ranked teams like Southern Methodist University and Clemson making the field but proving overmatched against Penn State and Texas. The format also failed to account for momentum; teams playing in the first round had an advantage over those sitting idle with byes.

If the goal was to create a more competitive playoff, the results suggest otherwise. The CFP committee needs to reconsider its emphasis on conference championships and put greater weight on overall strength of schedule. Without adjustments, the expanded playoff risks becoming more about participation than quality competition. For now, the bye structure appears locked in, but if this first edition was any indication, future changes may be inevitable.

Peyton Harris, Editor

PHILADELPHIA – Tucked within Wister Woods lies La Salle University, home to the Division I La Salle Explorers. Athletics has played a part in the university’s culture for decades, with student-athletes choosing time and again to don the blue and gold. As the university works on implementing strategies to grow student enrollment, the athletics department plans to play an integral part in those endeavors.  

“It’s a point of pride,” said athletic director Ashwin Puri when recounting what athletics has meant to La Salle. During his time at 20th and Olney, the university has seen the expansion of its sports offerings, with four new sports coming to campus: women’s rugby, women’s acrobatics and tumbling, women’s triathlon and the return of baseball. “In totality, we’re talking about 175 to 200 [new] students,” Puri said. 

Junior communication major, Chris Gress, said, “I think it’ll be fun to see [the number of teams] grow, and what they bring here.” 

“I love being able to go to all of the stuff for basketball. Tickets are free for students, so it’s awesome to be able to go to all that,” said Gress. “They do a pretty good job of making it fun for us.” 

Most recently, completed renovations within the John Glaser Arena have enhanced the fan and student experience. However, plans are being put in motion to further those offerings. 

“We are raising money to renovate our locker rooms. We do not have what I will call a Division I student-athlete locker room experience,” Puri said. He also mentioned changes coming for a sport La Salle has had for years: field hockey. 

“We do not have the proper field hockey field, the proper turf for field hockey. We need to rectify that issue,” he said. In September, the team was caught in-between a shooting during a game held on Temple’s campus.  

“We owe it to those young women, those student-athletes, to deliver the right experience,” Puri said. 

“I would love our university, our athletic department, to mirror the prestige of this university. When people think about La Salle, they think about the Christian Brothers, the teaching experience, the really intimate environment in the classroom and how… transformative that education is,” Puri said, adding, “I want people to view athletics with that same greatness.” 

The university anticipates that these efforts will also help grow the student experience and foster a greater sense of community and camaraderie amongst one another. Puri alluded to the opportunity of being able to catch a baseball game on campus as students walk between classes. 

“You’re walking to and from class, you want to stop and check out a little bit of the game, a couple innings, root on your fellow Explorers; athletics has a really unique opportunity to bring the entire university community together,” he said. 

With plans by the athletics department being put into action, the La Salle community should be expecting new and improved opportunities in the near future. As one part of a broader strategy, athletics plays a key role in shaping the future of Explorers’ experiences.  

Lily Gebbia, Staff

PHILADELPHIA- The La Salle men’s basketball team has started the season on a four game win streak with convincing victories by rather large margins. Most recently, The Explorers played one of their city rivals, Drexel University. The Saturday afternoon game was quite a rollercoaster with La Salle firing on all cylinders, giving them a 43-31 lead at halftime. 

Unexpectedly, Drexel scored 37 points to La Salle’s 28 points in the second half, making the fourth quarter a lot closer than fans thought. However, it was too little too late and La Salle sealed the win by 3 points, 71-68. This win over Drexel was the closest margin they’ve seen this year after blowing out Cornell and Lafayette University by 15+ points. 

This Explorers team looks good early, very similar to their 2023-2024 4-0 start. Of course, last year the team lost their fifth game to Duke University, one of the best teams in the country. Luckily, they won’t be playing Duke this year. Instead, The Explorers will be heading down to the racing town of Daytona Beach, Florida for the Boardwalk Battle tournament. Their first matchup will be against UC San Diego, a 2-2 Big West team, with no prior matchup history with La Salle. 

In reference to statistics, La Salle will go in as a favorite to win and move on in the tournament. The Explorers scored 77.5 points per game to San Diego’s 71.8. Additionally, La Salle only allows 64 ppg while San Diego allows 69.3 ppg. All around, La Salle looks like the better team on paper and should have a victorious weekend in Daytona. 

When they return from the Sunshine State, they will have a week to rest in preparation for another city rival, Temple University. They will need their rest because Temple is one of the toughest matchups for La Salle in recent years. La Salle is 8-34 historically and lost their last five against Temple. 

Looking even further down the schedule, La Salle will have their work cut out for them as the games will get more competitive. But for now, La Salle is undefeated and looks to continue this hot streak throughout the beginning of the season.

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

In 2023, the inaugural NBA Cup attracted an average of 1.67 million viewers per game across the entire tournament. This relatively modest number reflected initial skepticism about the tournament’s necessity and concerns about whether it would disrupt the regular season’s rhythm. 

However, the final between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers proved to be a game-changer, drawing just over 4.5 million viewers. This marked it as the most-watched non-Christmas NBA game during the regular season since February 2018, underscoring the appeal of high-stakes mid-season competition. The success of the final laid the groundwork for the league to improve and expand the event moving forward.

The 2024 NBA Cup has shown notable growth, with a 15% increase in early-stage viewership. Games are now averaging 1.92 million viewers after the first week of games, a significant step up from last year’s group stages. This improvement is partly due to strategic moves by the league, such as bolstering international partnerships, highlighted by the Emirates Airlines sponsorship and enhancing its global broadcast reach. These efforts have elevated the tournament’s profile and accessibility, particularly in overseas markets.

Because the NBA is such a dynamic league, with constantly shifting team talent and personnel, the decision to reshuffle group arrangements within each conference has added an extra layer of intrigue and become a key factor in this year’s NBA Cup. By doing so, the NBA has been able to experiment with fresh matchups, creating the potential for more exciting and memorable games. 

A high-profile early tournament game between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks, highlighted by Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay, has demonstrated the effectiveness of these changes, drawing attention to the exciting narratives introduced by the revamped groups. Paired alongside the 76ers vs. Knicks matchup, opening night of this year’s NBA Cup blew out last years’ tournament opening double-header. Garnering a 71% greater viewership as opposed to last years’ opening double-header, with the Warriors vs. Mavericks game peaking at 2.6 million viewers.

Arguments against shuffling have to do with the idea that it will be hard to form long standing rivalries if groups are constantly being reorganized. This thought can be easily squashed. Reorganization allows for an even balance among groups in terms of talent, and rivalries can still be built because if they are good matchups they will be displayed. 

At the end of the day- yes matchups matter, and the NBA can compose the best possible schedule for the NBA cup,but it will all be for nothing if there is no player buy-in. The players have to want to do well in the NBA Cup. Right now, the incentive for winning is a $500,000 check for each player on the team. An added bonus, however, and this will take time, is the prestige that comes with a NBA Cup win. There needs to be legacy with this award, players need to be able to look at the all-time greats and see that they have a resume that includes NBA Cup titles.

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

The NBA recently fined the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 for failing to properly disclose Joel Embiid’s knee soreness before a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The fine has highlighted the league’s strict injury-reporting rules, which require teams to provide timely updates on players’ availability. These rules are designed to keep fans informed, maintain fair play, and protect the interests of sports betting markets. While these regulations aim for transparency, they can sometimes add extra pressure for teams managing player health and game-time decisions.

NBA policy requires teams to submit daily updates on player injuries, classifying them as “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful” or “out” for each game. These reports must be issued by set times, generally by noon Eastern, and updated if there are changes. This level of transparency benefits fans and fantasy sports participants who rely on accurate lineup information. Additionally, with sports betting now legal in many states, these rules support the integrity of betting lines by providing bettors with consistent injury updates. For high-profile players like Embiid, whose absence or presence can swing game odds, timely updates are particularly important.

However, the rules place teams in a tricky position. NBA players deal with demanding schedules, and their conditions often change day-to-day. In Embiid’s case, his availability may not have been clear until just before game time, leaving the Sixers limited room to adjust within the NBA’s strict reporting deadlines. For teams, managing this information in real-time while following league guidelines can be difficult, especially when the player’s condition is uncertain. As a result, some teams may feel pressured to make early calls on injuries, which can ultimately backfire if a player’s status changes closer to game time.

These reporting requirements also bring up competitive concerns. Injury information is highly valuable, and mandatory reporting can sometimes give opposing teams insight into player availability and potential strategies. Teams may prefer to keep certain details private, especially for key players, to avoid revealing their game plan. However, the NBA’s rules mandate full disclosure, which means teams have to weigh transparency with the risk of tipping off opponents.

Beyond the strategic challenges, these rules add another layer to player health management. Coaches and medical staff are responsible for ensuring players are game-ready while avoiding unnecessary risks. For players like Embiid, who have a history of injuries, strict reporting deadlines can create added pressure to decide on availability earlier than preferred. This can impact players who are dealing with recurring or day-to-day injuries that may fluctuate in severity.

While the rules help maintain fan trust and betting integrity, they also reveal how rigid policies can sometimes conflict with the realities of managing player health. It may be worth exploring more flexible guidelines that allow teams to adapt to last-minute changes in a player’s condition while still prioritizing the league’s need for transparency. This approach would help teams better balance injury management with transparency for fans, bettors, and other stakeholders.