Anyone else starting to sour on college sports (particularly basketball)?

[CuseFaninVT]

Definitely soured.

I've lost a lot of interest.

I'm getting to that point as well. As my own son gets more involved in his own athletic pursuits, I'm thinking I will devote less and less time to watching people not related to me playing sports. I've given up on most others before, but the mercenary thing especially is really killing the level of talent in the NCAA and it truly hurts the game I've loved. Michael Jordan played three years. MJ.

 

[realorange]

There's something wrong with the game when a player can be good enough to leave after one season but not good enough to get his team out of the subregional.

It takes a team not one player. Foolish statement.
I guess Embiid, and Jabari Parker should stay too.

 

[Cusefan95]

I'm getting to that point as well. As my own son gets more involved in his own athletic pursuits, I'm thinking I will devote less and less time to watching people not related to me playing sports. I've given up on most others before, but the mercenary thing especially is really killing the level of talent in the NCAA and it truly hurts the game I've loved. Michael Jordan played three years. MJ.

I suspect that having a kid is going to seriously impact my attention to college sports...I think I've continued to follow mostly out of inertia since I've been doing so for my entire life - but if you asked me to make a compelling case on why someone should give college football or basketball a look I don't think I could do it.

 

[AlaskaSU]

I have growing recognition that my enthusiasm no longer makes much sense. My fandom is mostly fueled by lifetime habit.
The top programs are one and done factories. Thatswhat it takes to compete. It would make more sense to root for a mid-major except that most of them are inconsistent and only peak when their team gains a couple of years experience.

The problem is not the shot clock. The Big East was great with the same old shot clock. Games are low scoring because the players hardly know each other.

The problem is the ethereal rosters. Thank you CJ, but you are the last of a dying breed, a player that could have left for a paycheck but decided to stay. One and dones are underpaid hired hands. They do not represent the student body, most of which are working for their degrees. Big-time athletes represent themselves. As of yesterday, the die has been cast, the system is about to self-destruct. College basketball is roulette basketball, or as Forest Gump might say, its a box of chocolate, you never know what you might get. Can you imagine any professional team that cleared out its biggest stars every year? They would have no fans.

 

[hungrychuck]

To answer the OP, absolutely not.

So as Seinfeld said, we're rooting for laundry.

Guess what, so are the pro fans. In long, long, overlong seasons with multiple wild cards, too many levels of best of seven this, best of five that.

Talk about boring.

One and done is not a flawed system for deciding a champion, it is what makes the NCAA men's basketball tournament America's greatest sporting event, full stop.

And it's not good or bad depending on what the Syracuse Orangemen have done in a given year.

College basketball and football are still far more enjoyable than the pro sports.

 

[pulaski74]

sour as they come

 

[BillJay]

To answer the OP, absolutely not.

So as Seinfeld said, we're rooting for laundry.

Guess what, so are the pro fans.
...

College basketball and football are still far more enjoyable than the pro sports.

Pro fans do root for laundry but I'll disagree re the college game. Most college fans have some legitimate reason for following their team (alum of the school, grew up nearby, etc.) & that's set for life. And their loyalty is to the school - not to a player or a coach.
Pro fans root for a business. There's not even a guarantee that the team will remain in operation from year to year, certainly not at the same location. Is Johnny Unitas in a Team Hall of Fame in Baltimore or Indianapolis? I'm pretty sure that no matter who plays or coaches for S.U. that the university won't be moving.

 

[sufandu]

I don't know that I have the same love for it that I used to. It's hard when you get to know a great player just long enough to see them leave. I'm not blaming the players, they have to do what they think is best for themselves.

 

[TheCusian]

I was told that the basketball side was more fun.

 

[KCJax03]

I have growing recognition that my enthusiasm no longer makes much sense. My fandom is mostly fueled by lifetime habit.
The top programs are one and done factories. Thatswhat it takes to compete. It would make more sense to root for a mid-major except that most of them are inconsistent and only peak when their team gains a couple of years experience.

The problem is not the shot clock. The Big East was great with the same old shot clock. Games are low scoring because the players hardly know each other.

The problem is the ethereal rosters. Thank you CJ, but you are the last of a dying breed, a player that could have left for a paycheck but decided to stay. One and dones are underpaid hired hands. They do not represent the student body, most of which are working for their degrees. Big-time athletes represent themselves. As of yesterday, the die has been cast, the system is about to self-destruct. College basketball is roulette basketball, or as Forest Gump might say, its a box of chocolate, you never know what you might get. Can you imagine any professional team that cleared out its biggest stars every year? They would have no fans.

Yep, college basketball at its highest level has turned into a pick-up game. Let's see who can pick the best team this year next year we will start all over again. Kentucky under Calipari is the ultimate expression of this. For diehard, passionate fans of any team it makes it very hard to continue to invest yourself emotionally when year in and year out those young players you get so excited about watching develop leave long before you ever get to see them realize that potential in your team's jersey. Again, I do not fault the kids for taking advantage of the current system but I still have trouble believing that Ennis should be a top 10 pick this year. The system is broke and needs to be fixed otherwise I may lose complete interest.

 

[SU2NASA]

Would this thread be posted if we were playing at MSG tomorrow night?

I've been saying all season that the product has become borderline unwatchable. The officiating has become an abomination and has ruined the flow of the game. A lot of games it might as well be a free trow shooting contest.

The only reason I watch is because there's a team that represents my university that I attended. And there are a lot of nights I wish I didn't care as much as I do.

 

[HoustonCuse]

who would have guessed that we would be hoping to make some appearances in the top 25?

i thought we were on the verge of being a really elite team. year in and year out reloading.

First: he was talkingabout football not basketball.

Second: you guys are projecting. We're all disappointed to not be playing this week. We've had Elite 8 or better for the past two years and this year looked to be on that track as of Feb 2. Did we really think that college basketball was so awesome and we were in the glory days when Pearl's team lost against Navy an NCAA game played at home no less)? Did we feel that way in 1988 or in 1991? It is tough to root for a college team, the window is short with great players, and even shorter now that they bail if they have even the slightest hint of greatness.

My biggest downer right now is that I know we are losing both Grant and Ennis and in effect, we got nothing from these players in terms of getting closer to a championship. The only trophy Ennis won with the team was Maui Classic. Grant was part of a Final Four team, but next year was to be his shining moment. In this sport, you realized that the highs cause more lows. If Ennis doesn't hit that shot against Pitt and we lose to Duke in the dome, he's probably back. If we don't play that 6OT game, Flynn was probably back, if we don't go to the FF last year, MCW might be back, etc.

 

[suinaustin]

One comment that was made during a game last night was regarding the 10 second rule. The offense "should not" be rewarded by getting a new 10 sec clock, if calling a timeout prior to crossing the half court line. The defense gets penalized for doing a good job. If teams can't get it over in time, too bad. Change that rule. Also, agree to shorten the shot clock as well.