For those that are fans of LCU and unaware, the new season is available on Netflix. This is the first year the focus is a JUCO Basketball program. The school is East Los Angeles College (ELAC) located in Monterey Park, California. Although not set in a rural region like the football seasons, there are some similarities that may not be expected. I guess to put it kindly, East LA is not where the Kardashians live....it is a lower income area of the LA metro region and the community college plays a vital role in the community giving people an opportunity to advance out of a lower socioeconomic class with a job in the area or more likely a pathway out of the area....very similar to the JUCO's in Mississippi and Missouri featured in the earlier football seasons. It creates that same dynamic of an underfunded community college full of young students unsure of their direction and older students obtaining an education later in life.......then this small group of athletes on the side that have no interest in being at this school with the only goal of obtaining a scholarship to a 4 year university.

I have been binging the episodes in recent days, but I will not give any spoilers for those just beginning to watch. I would say one thing that caught my eye is the near absence of any real resources the program and players are given. I think we have been having a discussion for the last decade about if NCAA athletes should be compensated, and sometimes that drifts into a portrayal of NCAA athletes having a somewhat tough life. ELAC offers no scholarships, no meal plans, no housing and no cost of living stipends. Their entire sacrifice is to get the payoff of having the luxuries that come with being a Division 1 scholarship player.

The team has some talented players, and a couple that are clearly high major level talent.....but I did not really find them as compelling as many of the football players featured in previous seasons. The star of the season is the Head Coach. He appears to be excellent on every level of being a coach and man in general. I will not be surprised if he is added to dozens of lower and even mid major Division 1 programs lists as a future potential candidate if they have an opening.

Let me know if you have watched and your thoughts on the season.