Coaching Shakeups and Bracket Bets as March Madness Looms

The Minutes surveys a troubling trend in Power 5 basketball—the firing of four Black head coaches—along with broader questions about representation in coaching roles, while noting that the first two NCAA automatic bids went to Black coaches (Nolan Smith at Tennessee State and Rod Strickland at LIU). The piece then delivers exhaustive conference-by-conference previews and picks for the upcoming tournament week, outlining top players, seeds, dark horses, and Minutes’ selections for each bracket, followed by light features and humor.