No Bowl Game

[blizz]

Tell you what, if I have anything to do with an NFL franchise's front office, it doesn't reflect well on the player. When I'm grading that guy out there is a significant downgrade in intangibles. So much is mental, and I don't see a strong argument to say that the decision to sit out to eliminate the chance of injury is a decision thats made out of psychological strength. Rational, yes. But I dont want rational guys. Just me.

 

[bcubs9497]

Tell you what, if I have anything to do with an NFL franchise's front office, it doesn't reflect well on the player. When I'm grading that guy out there is a significant downgrade in intangibles. So much is mental, and I don't see a strong argument to say that the decision to sit out to eliminate the chance of injury is a decision thats made out of psychological strength. Rational, yes. But I dont want rational guys. Just me.

You'd turn down Fournette or McCaffrey? Your in-conference rival would pick one of them up, and they stuff the ball down your team's throat and blow your chance at the playoffs. Fans get REAL pissed, and you're unemployed 2 minutes after the end of the season.

 

[blizz]

You'd turn down Fournette or McCaffrey? Your in-conference rival would pick one of them up, and they stuff the ball down your team's throat and blow your chance at the playoffs. Fans get REAL pissed, and you're unemployed 2 minutes after the end of the season.

I'm just saying I think it factors into an evaluation.

Did Fournette do the same thing?

 

[Libero2]

You'd turn down Fournette or McCaffrey? Your in-conference rival would pick one of them up, and they stuff the ball down your team's throat and blow your chance at the playoffs. Fans get REAL pissed, and you're unemployed 2 minutes after the end of the season.

That's the difference though. fournette and Mccafery are assured NFL draftees, every team would take them (not sure when, but that's a different story) 98% of future draftees aren't assured of being picked at all let alone going early. They need every opportunity and shred of tape to showcase they deserve a shot at the nfl level.

Will it become a trend, maybe for 3-4 guys a year, but beyond that it will not. A lot of NFL draftees get drafted where they do for their final performance in their bowl game, they need that showcase option to get where they want to go.

 

[bcubs9497]

I'm just saying I think it factors into an evaluation.

Did Fournette do the same thing?

Yes, I believe so.

 

[bcubs9497]

That's the difference though. fournette and Mccafery are assured NFL draftees, every team would take them (not sure when, but that's a different story) 98% of future draftees aren't assured of being picked at all let alone going early. They need every opportunity and shred of tape to showcase they deserve a shot at the nfl level.

Will it become a trend, maybe for 3-4 guys a year, but beyond that it will not. A lot of NFL draftees get drafted where they do for their final performance in their bowl game, they need that showcase option to get where they want to go.

Most first and second rounders can/will/do pull this off. 3rd round and beyond? A good performance in a top tier bowl game can help. Don't think a great performance in the Kraft Fight Hunger or Meineke Car Bowl makes any appreciable difference.

 

[orangepassion]

I don't understand anyone blaming the new playoff system for this. Were the majority of the Bowl games prior to having a playoffs going to factor into the Championship? No. I do wonder if this becomes a thing does it encourage the powers-that-be to expand the playoffs-would give more guys motivation to play.

 

[TheCusian]

I think position plays a part too. RB's only get so many carries in their careers.

 

[Newhouser]

I think position plays a part too. RB's only get so many carries in their careers.

I think I read that the kid from Stanford touched the ball on over 45% of their plays. That is absurd and Earl Campbell-esque. Also I agree it will start with RB's but as concussion data becomes clearer anyone who takes hits is going to say "I only have so many knocks I can take, and the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl isn't worth taking 50 more".

 

[Consigliere]

Sorry, I understand the business end of it but this just isn't right. Forget loyalty to the school (despite the opportunities for a quality education and the visibility that at least enhanced future opportunities). Forget loyalty to the fan base (who have supported and helped fund the program that puts you in the spotlight every Saturday). What does this say to your teammates? That you are more important than they are? That they may be expendable but you aren't? And what's next? If a power program is 6 - 3 entering November do you just shut it down? If you win the Heisman as a sophomore and your team loses its core to graduation do you sit out your junior year to not risk injury until you are draft eligible?
You have played 30+, 40+ games. You have spend a decade building skills. The odds that investing in your team for one more game will have any significant impact on your professional prospects is infinitesimal. Take out insurance if you are worried, strap 'em up and show some love for the game.

 

[TheCusian]

Sorry, I understand the business end of it but this just isn't right. Forget loyalty to the school (despite the opportunities for a quality education and the visibility that at least enhanced future opportunities). Forget loyalty to the fan base (who have supported and helped fund the program that puts you in the spotlight every Saturday). What does this say to your teammates? That you are more important than they are? That they may be expendable but you aren't? And what's next? If a power program is 6 - 3 entering November do you just shut it down? If you win the Heisman as a sophomore and your team loses its core to graduation do you sit out your junior year to not risk injury until you are draft eligible?
You have played 30+, 40+ games. You have spend a decade building skills. The odds that investing in your team for one more game will have any significant impact on your professional prospects is infinitesimal. Take out insurance if you are worried, strap 'em up and show some love for the game.

It's not the player who's saying they are more valuable than their team - its the NFL. While I agree it would be great for players to play for the "love of the game" - the schools/NCAA /conferences have reaped millions on their backs. It's more akin to saying " I know you've given up your body for 30-40 games for pennies on the dollar when compared to the millions we get every year, but could you risk your future that is one in 100, one more time in a game that doesn't really count?"

And I think you'd be surprised at how ok the players teammates are with it. They get it.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

Each team has goals in the preseason. One of the big ones, especially for struggling programs like ours, is to make it to (and win) a bowl game. It is a carrot that makes playing out the system something worthwhile once eliminated from NC consideration.

Trying to spin a bowl game into an exhibition game is a bit bizarre. I get the jaded, I am cool, don't care about bowl games attitude some have. I don't expect some on the board to understand the importance of bowl games and don't have the time or energy to try and change that.

When players do this, they are directly damaging the bowl system and it is going to lead to many bowl games dying. I like college football, like the bowl games and will miss them when they are gone.

The bowl system as it currently stands is a joke. Making a bowl used to mean something. Now it simply means you finished .500 (or 5-7 in some cases) and with a FCS win counting toward eligibility it further means you had 4 or 5 wins against FBS competition. The bowl system has turned into an everyone gets a trophy mentality versus the actual reward for a great season the way it used to be treated. The corporate/television money flowing in is a discussion for another day but has led to a lot of the corruption and expansion of what used to be what you describe above. Those days are gone and not in a good way.

In the 80's and 90's when the bowl system wasn't watered down to the point of ridiculousness getting to the post-season meant something and could be used as a badge of honor on the recruiting trail. Now its a total joke. Look at the following:

Year # of Bowl games

1980 - 15

1990 - 18

2000 - 25

2010 - 35

2016 - 40

So approximately 66% of FBS teams make a bowl game each year. Not exactly a measure of a good season. Its more telling for where your program is at if you don't make a bowl these days. If your team goal is to make a bowl game you could easily restate that goal to say we want to finish .500 or better.

While a bowl game certainly can be fun for kids who have never gone to one they also are a big money loser for the school in a majority of cases.

Anyway, the bowl system sucks and they need contraction to make it meaningful again. If players opting out of the games can get rid of about 15-20 bowl games then I'm all for it beyond the personal choice issue.

 

[Pyle]

Anyway, the bowl system sucks

Here's what I have to say about some other things in your post.

It's not the 80's/90's anymore. That was 30 years ago. Let's do what you did but let's pretend it's the actual 80's and go back to the 50's. 9 Bowl games. So my counter to your argument is that it's probably the same argument some guy brought up 30 years ago about how watered down this new bowl system is. TV TV TV, everyone and their damn boob tubes, blah blah blah. And i'm betting at least a few football purists in the 50's had a real issue with the Salad Bowl. Times change, get over it. Fact is this isn't the same game as it was back then. Games were played on Sat only, the press decided the championship, and most remote controls consisted of 3 large silver buttons that made a big clack sound when you pushed them. The bowl system expanded because exposure to the sport expanded. Were you able to turn your TV on in 1984 and catch the Boise St vs Marshall game? No freaking way. You got ND and a couple of games on ABC. ESPN had no rights and was probably showing bowling. So what if there's alot of bowl games. I enjoy being able to watch Rice vs Oregon St because I probably wouldn't get to see that game any other way. The expansion of football coverage has led to the expansion of football knowledge and is a reason why the NFL is now America's sport.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

I really feel for the players, NFL money is life changing, but I think there has to be a solution to this nonsense. Is there insurance for lost future projected earnings? Universities could convince players to participate in bowl games and might even quiet a lot of talk about giving players salaries if they provided such insurance policies for their players.

Otherwise I could see this damaging the bowl system pretty badly and pissing off fans of every team with NFL talent. Sitting out bowl games is the new norm unless something changes.

 

[bnoro]

I really feel for the players, NFL money is life changing, but I think there has to be a solution to this nonsense. Is there insurance for lost future projected earnings? Universities could convince players to participate in bowl games and might even quiet a lot of talk about giving players salaries if they provided such insurance policies for their players.

Otherwise I could see this damaging the bowl system pretty badly and pissing off fans of every team with NFL talent. Sitting out bowl games is the new norm unless something changes.

Many players already have insurance policies but a guy like Fournette's policy wouldn't pay him close to what he could make in the NFL as a first round draft pick. Look at Jaylon Brown, for example.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Many players already have insurance policies but a guy like Fournette's policy wouldn't pay him close to what he could make in the NFL as a first round draft pick. Look at Jaylon Brown, for example.

Well then they need those policies in place at a level commensurate with their potential, I imagine, in order to avoid this sort of conflict between a student's interests and the university's.

 

[nzm136]

Fast foward to [insert year here] - Syracuse is 7-5 and about to play in the [insert corporately sponsored bowl game] and our star QB/RB/ or WR, [insert that player], is sitting out to prepare for the NFL draft.

What do you make of it?

Do you agree with him? Blame him?

What are your thoughts on LF or CM?

I believe a trend is starting - and I really can't blame either one of them.

My first thought is "hey, we're going bowling!"