I’ve barely been home today and yet the tabs seem to have multiplied.

Okay, first off a hat tip to Corey for noting that ESPN.com updated their profile on Malcolm Gilbert. The ESPN.com profile (Insider subs) moved Gilbert up to the #12 center and increased his grade to “94.” Here’s some of the updated profile, and I repeat, that this is almost a blueprint for a Coach Dixon Center project.

Gilbert is a well built center and one of the best interior defenders in the country. He has a great build with a good height, a sturdy frame, wide shoulders, and a long and cut upper body. He is an excellent shot blocker both on and off the ball. …  Gilbert’s defense is far ahead of his offense. He is a bit robotic with his back to the basket as the game can move a little too fast for him at times and in need of a go-to move that he can quickly execute. With a motor that is less than consistent, Gilbert is a good, not great, finisher at the rim.

Gilbert has confidence in his offense, but also admits he needs to improve it.

“Most definitely,” he said. “I have a great touch on my jump shot. I can step out and hit that 10-footer and 15-footer. I’m getting progressively better on the offensive end as far as scoring around the basket. I do think I’ll get progressively better on the offensive end.”

So, it’s in progress.

Ultimately the choice for Gilbert came down to Pitt and Virginia. Family pushed more for Pitt. Smart family.

Sticking with Center commits, Jamie H pointed out this post and video on Steve Adams. He did have a look on his face when the interviewer asked if he had Maori in him (he’s half Tonga).

Now for other news and things of college  basketball note:

In the Big East, the elimination of the double-bye in the Big East Tournament was supposed to be a given. Not so fast.

The Big East’s presidents decided not to say bye-bye to the league tournament’s double-bye format after all.

Despite the Big East’s basketball coaches voting unanimously to change the format of the 2011 league tournament, there was not unanimous support from the presidents, so the 2011 Big East tournament will remain the same format as the past two years.

The Big East’s presidents did not approve earlier recommendations by the league’s athletic directors and coaches to change the format, which would have begun with the 2011 Big East men’s tournament.

As usual, the reason involves money and TV.

One reason might have been because of the television implications. ESPN is already locked into televising next year’s tournaments, and a tournament without byes, could have had the higher seeded teams played afternoon games, instead of the more desirable night time slots in the earlier rounds.

A source at a league school also said that with the Big East’s TV deals expiring in the next few years, a new tourney format could be more beneficial to any future television negotiations.

The double-bye will go away for certain if the Big East does do its own network. Care for some rosy predictions?

But an analysis by Navigate Marketing, a sports and marketing agency that researches such things, suggests that the Big East could generate significant revenue with a network of its own.

Navigate Marketing officials tell me that the Big East Network could generate $80 million a year in revenue.

Jeff Nelson of Navigate made the assumption, which is probably correct, that revenue would not be divided equally in the conference because some schools play both football and basketball and other schools, like Marquette, play only basketball.

“We think Big East schools that play football and basketball can generate around $15.2 million a year in revenue, while the schools that only play basketball can generate around $7.5 million in revenue,” Nelson said.

Nelson said his analysis showed that the Big East can generate such impressive revenue because of its geographic reach, its quality of play and “corresponding numbers in viewership.”

Not too vague or anything. Does that include top-shelf games that ESPN would expect to still have rights to? How much will start-up costs kill the actual profit, and how long until that would change?

By all means, don’t rule out the possibility, but the one thing I have yet to see from Big East leadership is actual aggressive, proactive moves that bring stability and much needed, long term cash to the conference. Making a move like this completely out of character.

Sonny Vaccaro appears poised to end his self-imposed exile from grassroots/sneaker camps/AAU basketball. Myles Brand is cringing in his grave.

If you have to dump 50 pairs of shoes on a kid, do it.

If you have to hire a dad as a “consultant,” do it.

Just get it done.

“That’s my idea,” Vaccaro acknowledged. “I will get x amount of dollars and x amount of equipment or whatever, disperse it to my people, then they’ll disperse it to their people, and then things will happen. That’s my plan. And if it happens, I think we’ll be competitive right out of the gate.”

The byproduct will be what’s fun to watch.

“It’s going to be like the wild wild west again,” said one high-major Division I coach, and he’s correct. There will be genuine (and technically legal) bidding wars for top prospects, but some actually see that as a good thing because it will by extension create more opportunities for players to travel the country, mostly because Vaccaro’s presence will likely force Nike and adidas to spend more money than they’ve been spending during Vaccaro’s absence.

“I do think Sonny returning will make Nike and adidas stand up again,” Charles said. “Right now Nike and adidas can do whatever they want, just tell [summer coaches] to take it or leave it. If you don’t like it, go somewhere else. Well, there’s nowhere else to go. But with Sonny back in, people will have choices. It’s always good to have choices, and Sonny keeps people on their toes.”

I don’t know entirely what it means for Pitt and recruiting. Only that with outsized personalities involved at this level and social media making more and more of the dirty stuff a little more public, there is going to be a “ka-boom” within a couple years.

Speaking of areas of gray, recruiting and things blowing up. Kentucky is still trying to get their Turk eligible. Seems his Turkish team isn’t helping and Kentucky faithful are feeling persecuted (yeah, never saw that coming).

Josh Shelby originally verballed to Tennessee. Then decommited and appeared to be heading to Kentucky. Finally he ended up signing with Kansas. He has yet to be cleared and there is a lot of smoke relating to his recruitment. Whether it actually amounts to anything is a big question mark, but I doubt it.