What happens when college sports operate without anyone truly in charge?

Exactly what you’re seeing now.

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm Hitzges takes on two developments that point to a looming breakdown in college athletics — and neither one has a clean solution.

Norm begins with a court ruling involving former Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako, who declared for the NBA Draft, went undrafted, played professionally, and is now seeking to return to college basketball. A judge has temporarily ruled that the NCAA cannot stop him. Norm explains why this isn’t just about one player — it’s about the precedent. If this door stays open, what stops waves of undrafted football and basketball players from attempting pro careers, failing, and then pouring back into college sports with eligibility intact?

From there, Norm pivots to college football’s playoff mess. Despite widespread agreement that a 16-team playoff would have fixed most of this year’s problems, the SEC and Big Ten failed — again — to reach consensus. Instead, financial motivations, conference power plays, and a proposed 24-team playoff loaded with byes killed progress. The result: a flawed 12-team system that left deserving programs out while frustrating fans who just want fairness and clarity.

Throughout the episode, Norm returns to one central theme: the NCAA is powerless, university presidents won’t act, and conferences are chasing money at the expense of the sport itself. When no one’s willing to lead, chaos isn’t a surprise — it’s the outcome.

Chapters

00:00:00 – Just wondering about chaos coming to college sports

00:01:38 – The Charles Bediako case and a dangerous precedent

00:02:23 – Declaring for the NBA too early — and wanting back in

00:03:12 – A judge says the NCAA can’t stop it

00:04:00 – What happens if this ruling holds

00:05:00 – Undrafted players returning to college football

00:05:58 – “We are talking chaos here”

00:06:57 – The NCAA as a toothless tiger

00:07:48 – Sponsor break: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

00:08:25 – Full Moon Healing Balm and aging realities

00:09:10 – Why this year’s College Football Playoff failed

00:10:11 – Why a 16-team playoff made sense

00:11:20 – The Big Ten’s 24-team proposal and money motives

00:12:20 – Why 24 teams is “way too clumsy”

00:13:16 – Deadlines missed and progress stalled

00:14:03 – Remembering the four-team playoff disaster

00:14:52 – Power brokers vs. fans and the sport itself

00:15:16 – Sponsors and closing thoughts

00:16:08 – Final sign-off

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Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

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