The hottest sports take over the past couple days has been the institutional cheating from several high profile programs in men's college basketball. Here are a couple of things that I think can increase competitiveness and quality while reducing cheating.

1. Allow players to get straight to the NBA.

I'm unsure why the NBA/NCAA ever implemented the "one-and-done" rule. It has simultaneously weakened the quality of college basketball while creating a competitive imbalance among teams. I think baseball has a much better system. Players can get drafted and go straight to the MLB if they are good enough. If not, players need to wait 2 or 4 years before they can re-enter the draft.

In my opinion, having college serve as "pro-factories" over the last couple of years really has killed many of the aspects that I love about the sport. Allowing players to go straight to the NBA will hopefully reduce the cheating. If someone like Ayton thinks he's good enough to go straight to the NBA, then why put on the charade?

2. Pay the players - all of them.

It seems inevitable that this will happen. With TV contracts soaring sky high, college sports has become big business. I was initially against it because I feel there is a purity to amateur sports that is often lost at the pro level. I think it's possible to have it both ways - having students get their due while still maintaining a non-business like approach. The first step in this process is ensuring that every athlete gets paid the exact same - no matter the gender or sport. If you are a star basketball player from Kentucky then you should still get the same amount of money that a women's lacrosse player gets at Cornell. There can be no negotiation and EVERYONE who participates in D-1 sports gets the same amount.

3. There are no warnings - create lifetime bans for cheaters

Simply put, have a zero tolerance rule for cheating. Sean Miller makes close to 5 million a season and he knows to ensure that salary, he has to bring in top recruits. If there was a way to have an immediate termination and lifetime ban, for any violation, then I'd have to think coaches are less likely to cheat. It happens too often - coaches cheat, get caught, go to a new school and then get paid the same or even more. The punishments have always been harsher for the school (which hurts the athletes) instead of the coach. What nonsense.

Other ideas:

• Any contact with AAU coaches or any one affiliated with AAU should result in a ban.
• Every recruiting email and phone call must be public. I'd imagine this is already a rule, but again, harsher enforcement needs to take place. If there is anything done outside of a university provided email/phone, then have a zero-tolerance policy.
• Force an NCAA representative to be present for all college visits.
• Cap coaches contracts. I just read that the highest public position in 39 states is a college basketball or football coach (WSJ).

Hopefully implementing some of the above will even the playing field and reduce the dirty business practices that have become all too familiar in the NCAA.

You love it or you hate it. There is no gray area when speaking of the fast food chain White Castle. I sit on the side of the former, and feel it is one of the best spots in terms of consistency, cleanliness, and overall taste. Being fortunate enough to live about 25 minutes from one of their locations (sorry west coasters), I went to try out their new ghost pepper sliders. The following is my review.

The trend for fast food companies to jump on the "spicy" bandwagon is nothing new. Be it spicy chicken sandwiches or the inclusion of jalapeno cheese options, pretty much every major chain has been offering flavors geared toward those who like a little adventure with their food. White Castle itself has struck gold in the past with their jalapeno slider, which has been a staple on the menu for awhile now.

The problem that I feel most companies run into is how to balance any menu item that incorporates heat. It's very hard to find a good combination of correct spice while still making the sandwich tasty. With the aforementioned jalapeno slider, White Castle found a sweet (spicy?) spot. Moving forward, would they be able to ramp up the heat while still maintaining a scrumptious menu item?

Up first: The Ghost Pepper Slider

The Ghost Pepper slider struggles to capture what I feel is the right balance. It's hot, significantly hotter than the jalapeno slider, but the heat isn't one that you'll fall in love with. The heat itself is still easily manageable, but it's generally hotter than most fast food menu items that advertise as "scary hot".

I believe the area that the plain ghost pepper fails at is lack of cohesion. There's added heat, but it only detracts from the overall taste. I don't have much experience with ghost peppers, but the combination of ghost pepper, cheese, and hamburger was disappointing. The jalapeno slider finds a much better balance and is the better option in terms of overall balance. For those looking for just "more heat" then the ghost pepper is the winner; however, White Castle has already found their spicy alternative that better balances heat and taste.

Rating: 2/5

Kick it up a notch: X-treme Ghost Pepper

For some reason, these new menu items are tied into an x-men promo. The timing seems odd, but if the movie helped "inspire" this new item then I won't complain. The X-treme Ghost Pepper sandwich is significantly better than the plain Ghost Pepper slider. The addition of onion chips and chipotle mayo makes for a delicious addition to the menu.

While I ate the two sandwiches on two different occasions (trying the original first, then some time later experimenting with the X-treme version), I am still confident that the original actually has more spice than the X-treme variant. I had assumed this wouldn't be the case, but it is not a deterrent to how much better this version is.

The addition of onion chips and chipotle mayo adds to a unique experience in terms of taste and texture. Remember, White Castle does not add condiments (aside from a pickle and grilled onion) to their basic sandwiches. I generally don't add anything to them either, as I prefer the base taste of the sliders. Having a crunchy chip and a creamy sauce is something that surprises and brings something original to an otherwise small selection.

Additionally the taste of the chipotle blends perfectly with the onion chips and ghost pepper. There's a lot of flavors going on here, but they gel together nicely. The only knock on this version is that it's about 40 cents more, but comparing the two, it's certainly worth the few extra coins. This is a great slider and one I'll get again.

Rating: 4.5/5

Overall

I don't foresee either of these sandwiches being mainstays on the menu going forward. The plain Ghost Pepper is not good enough and won't wow anyone especially when it's competing with the jalapeno slider. The X-treme Ghost Pepper is good enough to stay, but being a movie tie-in seems like it could be gone before too long, or maybe even a seasonal item. Let's hope I'm wrong.

One of the best aspects of baseball is its reliance on management, budgets, and statistics. In some ways, its like the ultimate simulation video game, but the results are real instead of being simulated by a computer. I love games like OOtP baseball and The Show because they give you a little taste of what it takes to put together a competitive roster. It's important to manage the current season, but also keeping in mind the future of your franchise.

This trading deadline was one of the best ever. It featured both an abundance of deals and big names in those deals. While we may never know who won or lost each trade until 10 years from now, it's still fun to judge each team's decisions at the deadline. So, without further ado, here are my winners and losers at the deadline.

The Good:

Detroit Tigers - Let's start at the most obvious and without a doubt the biggest winner of the deadline. The Tigers got a legit #1 starter and easily the best pitcher on the market for Smyly and Austin Jackson. While I usually dislike deals that include starting major league talent, it makes plenty of sense when you look at how great Price has been. Not to mention they have him guaranteed for next year and now they have all the leverage when it comes to the Max Scherzer negotiations this offseason. The loss of Jackson will hurt a bit, but they have Kinsler who can slot into the leadoff spot and they have minor league options to fill the open CF position. With the addition of Price, the Tigers have far and away the best rotation and they are the team to beat in the AL.

Seattle Mariners - The Mariners made two solid moves to acquire some much needed outfield help. They're need in that area can't be overstated, as they were trotting guys like Hart, Jones, and Chavez out there on a daily basis. Jackson is a great upgrade and they got him for a cheap price by letting go of Nick Franklin. Sure they may have helped a future foe in the process, but they certainly gave themselves a better chance to make the playoffs. They also held onto their prized minor league pitchers in the process. Perhaps one regret could be not actually getting Price themselves, as one would have to believe a Paxton + Franklin deal would have been just as appealing to the Rays as the one they got.

Boston Red Sox - One of the most active teams at the deadline were the BoSox. They were able to get rid of expiring or aging pitchers while bringing in some much needed power bats to help balance out their lineup. An outfield of Cespedes, Victorino, and Craig projects nicely alongside their other players for next season. This also allows them to see some of their young pitching depth for next season. This is a team that has realized their window for this year is completely shut, but the players they targeted were guys they knew would help them for next year.

Houston Astros - The 'Stros picked up two nice prospects for Cosart, who has been shaky so far in the bigs. In a system that's already loaded with talent, the Astros continue to stack up their system with talent.

The Bad:

Tampa Bay Rays - I don't think this needs much explanation. This trade looks so bad for the Rays at the moment. Some have argued that the Rays had to do this deal. I think that's insane. Even if you had to move pieces around to keep Price for one more year, then you do it. If they were blown away by the deal, then sure, I'd pull the trigger too. But they had all the power in this deal and the pieces they got just don't come close to what they gave up.

Florida Marlins - A bad day for Florida teams it seems. I just don't get the acquisition of Cosart. I understand that any player they wanted needed years of team control, but I felt as if they gave up way too much in Moran and Marisnick. Both of those guys are major league talents and Maisnick is close (having had call-ups already this season) to being ready. I also do not believe this puts them over the hump in the East as the Nationals and Braves are both better teams. Why not keep your prospects and wait one more year for Fernandez to return from Tommy John? At worst, why not give up less for someone like Millone, Burnett, Hughes, De La Rosa or Danks?

Philadelphia Phillies - Usually, bad teams trade their good veteran players. There are some exceptions like the bad teams with good players who are injured (Rangers), bad teams who have great systems (Cubs, Astros), and bad teams without any big contracts (Padres). The Phillies are none of these and they should have been way more active this deadline. They had so many potential players they could have dealt like Byrd, Hamels, Burnett, Lee, Utley, Ruiz, etc. I'm shocked that they couldn't match up with anyone on any type of deal. Perhaps they'll move some players at the waiver deadline, but if they don't they'll continue to have a bad and bloated roster for next season.

Pirates and the Blue Jays - Both of these teams are in winnable division, but both are currently trailing to teams in front of them. Neither were willing to part with their prospects to get better and doing so puts them behind in their respective division. It is especially confusing for the Jays, because the Red Sox are putrid this year and the Yankees are a middle of the road team. It's a perfect opportunity to take the division, and these opportunities should be taken advantage of. For a team that hasn't been to the postseason in forever, I'm surprised they played it so safe.

The Wild Card

Oakland A's - The A's gave up both ML talent (Cespedes, Millone) and huge prospects (Addison Russell) to solidify their rotation with Lester and Samardzija. But in doing so, do they even have the best rotation in the AL? I still don't think they're better than the Tigers and maybe they gave up too much in each deal. Had they waited, I'd say their package for Shark would have easily been enough to get Price. Letting go of Cespedes also seems like a risky move. Not only is he a fan favorite, but he was the most feared hitter in their lineup. Maybe I'm just jaded because of the deal the Tigers were able to pull off, but the A's went all in this year, and they need to pull off more than just a division title to make their deals worth the price they paid.

Did your teams make any deals this trade deadline? What did you think of this years deals?

2032, that is the number of days to finally rack up 100,000 gamescore.

That's a fairly ridiculous amount in my opinion, yet it pales in comparison to many achievers out there. From what I understand, some have eclipsed the 1/2 million mark. I don't think I'll ever get there, hell it took me over 5 years to finally see 6 digits.

I still remember earning my first achievement. I thought nothing of it at the time, mainly because the achievement system was foreign to me. For the longest time I thought achievements were redeemable for MS points, which I could then use to buy arcade games. As it turns out, they have no value in real life or the virtual world.

Yet I still find the system fascinating and have continued to have some connection to it for as long as I have owned my 360. Various things have fueled my fire for getting points. Personal satisfaction, one upping a friend, and most importantly the community aspect of it all. GB's personal tracking system has made the achievement system significantly better. I always seem to think to myself, 'well if that one is common then I should have it'. Or 'damn, that one is rare...I bet I could do it even if less than 10% couldn't'. Other sites like 360voice and a360p also contributed to the whole community aspect of earning achievements. Jeff also played a role in getting me involved with achievements. Back in the GS days, he had a video blog dedicated to what he had been playing and the point he had accumulated from it.

I know there is a stigma attached to people who care about gamerscore, hell I'm sure some of you think writing a blog about it is already ridiculous. Have I played bad games for achievements? Yeah. Have I spent too much time collecting skulls or thermoses? Certainly. One thing I can say though is that I have never let personal scores take over my enjoyment of playing games.

So with all that out of the way, a few odds and ends:

• 5 years, 6 months, 23 days from 0 to 100,000
• 289 games played
• 4664 achievements unlocked
• 29 retail games completed
• 10 arcade games completed
• Most common achievement (according to GB): It's more of this at 98.9% (YDKJ)
• Rarest (according to GB): Ammo Hog at 0.9% (F.E.A.R.)
• Largest achievement: Treasure Hunt - 490 GS (Band Hero)
• Twelve "0" point achievements
• First one: Prison Breakout (Gears, January 2nd 2007)
• The one to push me to 100 K: First Strike (Risk Factions)
• Most memorable: Seriously...or Best of the Best
• Most difficult: War Hardened (CoD 2)

What are your thoughts on achievements? Do you try to get them or disregard the whole thing altogether? Do you want to see them evolve next generation or perhaps even completely scrap them? Feel free to discuss any service's achievement system - be it Live, PSN, or Steam.

Do you regularly sell games or perhaps are you thinking about parting with some?

Updated (June 3rd, 2017...who updates a 5 year blog post...?):

No regrets. In fact, I've come to the realization that I'm going to sell more games. I'll keep the classics, but the ones I haven't touched in years are being wasted just sitting on my shelf. Recently sold:

Bayonetta 2 (not sure why I had this game, didn't like the first, never touched this one)

MKX (I have MKXL so this seemed pointless to keep)

Prinny (haven't touched a PSP in 5+ years)

MGS Gameboy (Cool collection piece, never played)

FFVII (Never played)

Conker's Bad Fur Day (I remember buying this for about $35 5 years ago, sold it for $70)

Conker Live and Reloaded (Never Played)

Banjo Kazooie (never played)

Resident Evil Outbreak #1 and #2 (also Code Veronica X) (I like RE, but never will play these games)

FFXV, Blodbourne, Uncharted 4, Black Ops 3, Resident Evil Origins, GTA V, Mario Maker, Watch_Dogs, Quantum Break (cool games, but haven't even been in my collection long enough for me to care about them)

About 2 weeks ago, Best Buy was honoring Toy's R US Buy 2 get 1 free deal. I picked up 3 new games; Demon's Souls, Infamous, and Uncharted 2. On chapter 24 in Uncharted 2. Absolutely amazing game, loving both the SP and MP(level 10, hit me up on PSN. I am always looking for people to play with. Yes, I have a mic). Played a little bit of Demon's Souls, but got frustrated real quick though. Yet to open Infamous, but want to try it out soon.
 

I was loving TMNT remake on XBL, then I got to the last level. Wow I can't believe they changed the ending level and ending boss. Now I want a straight port of TMNT 4: Turtles in Time with none of the BS!

Well as of now I know I'll be getting RE5, Killzone 2, and MLB: 09 the Show in Quarter 1. The Fallout 3 and GTA expansions are also on my list. In the later part of the year, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, and Infamous. Assuming they come out, Starcraft 2 and Alan Wake are on my list.