Q&A on the News

Q: The Atlanta Falcons signed a player who had been accused and convicted of rape and spent some time in jail. Why was he released from prison?

—Eddie Webster, Dallas

A: Brian Banks, 27, who signed with the Falcons on April 3, spent five years in prison and was on probation when his rape conviction was overturned in May 2012. Banks was a star high school player at Long Beach (Calif.) Polytechnic High School and had committed to play football at Southern California when he was accused of raping a childhood friend named Wanetta Gibson when he was 16 in 2002. Banks pleaded no contest to rape in order to avoid a possible life sentence. In 2011, Gibson was taped admitting she had lied about the rape and offered to help clear his name. Banks, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound linebacker, played for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League (UFL) last season.

Q: What was Loyola of Chicago seeded when it defeated Cincinnati in the NCAA national championship game in 1963. What was Loyola ranked that season?

—Ken Halron, Atlanta

A: Seeding numbers weren't assigned to NCAA tournament teams until 1978 and the current seeding method wasn't implemented until 1979. Cincinnati, which had won the national championship in both 1961 and '62, was No. 1 throughout the 1962-63 season, and Loyola was ranked third heading into the NCAA tournament. Loyola upset Cincinnati 60-58 in overtime for the national title and finished with a 29-2 record.