non bowl playing

[Blokestradamus]

Multiple ways that I look at this subject:

 

1) It's a business decision and these are grown men with families to support. As long as they realise that not everyone will agree with it, good luck to them. Like every other action in their lives, consequences arise from them.

 

2) Coaches preach about unity like that bull **** means anything to them when they get offers elsewhere. A select few coaches can ever take issue with this.

 

3) As a guy that lost a potential career to injury, I'd do anything to at least get back the 2 seasons I lost when I was younger. Whether I went pro or not is beside the point, I'd just love to have those years back, just playing with my friends. When I see guys throwing away what I wish I could've had, it pisses me off to a certain extent. Doesn't make me any less sympathetic to them but there's a part of me that gets irked by it.

Edited December 20, 2016 by Blokestradamus

[Buffalo Barbarian]

fournette and mccaffery have decided not to play in bowl games. i may be wrong,but when you have a full ride scholarship, isn't there a contract? is this a precedent for let's say, pensacola state, with a 3-6 record, and a guy who has nfl potential, who has a draft number, decides to shut it down? sorry for the run on sentence.

 

Sux for us but is smart for them.

 

There is no contract, these schools control these kids enough as it is, if they can sit more power to them.

Multiple ways that I look at this subject:

 

1) It's a business decision and these are grown men with families to support. As long as they realise that not everyone will agree with it, good luck to them. Like every other action in their lives, consequences arise from them.

 

2) Coaches preach about unity like that bull **** means anything to them when they get offers elsewhere. A select few coaches can ever take issue with this.

 

3) As a guy that lost a potential career to injury, I'd do anything to at least get back the 2 seasons I lost when I was younger. Whether I went pro or not is beside the point, I'd just love to have those years back, just playing with my friends. When I see guys throwing away what I wish I could've had, it pisses me off to a certain extent. Doesn't make me any less sympathetic to them but there's a part of me that gets irked by it.

 

Pro in soccer?

 

Maybe you should find Tom's therapist

[LabattBlue]

I would think that most of the top college players have some sort of insurance policy against a career ending injury, that was taken out either prior to their junior or senior seasons.

Therefore, I call bull **** on a possible injury being the reason why they want to sit out their final college football games of their careers.

 

I guarantee this will eventually snowball into guys sitting out whose teams are part of the football playoffs....and become an embarrassment for the players and college football in general.

Edited December 20, 2016 by LabattBlue

[plenzmd1]

That's what bothers me. For most of these players, those games are not meaningless games. They will be the highpoint of the football careers of many of the players. Personally, I think it is wrong for higher profile players to sit out these games. In my opinion, if a player sits out a bowl game or even decides to leave school early for the NFL, they should be required to reimburse the school for any and all athletic scholarships provided to them.

How bout the school needs to reimburse the player for lost year when a new coach comes in and decides player A doesn't fit his system and takes his grant away? What should the athlete get after the 4 years of demanding 20 hours a week from the athlete, forbidding them from working, forbidding them from making ANY money off his image but they make million ?....How bout when the school says .."sorry, you are 30 credits short and you never took a redshirt for the good of the team" , you still be paying for that 5th year cause you aint got no eligibility remaining!!!

 

Don't even get me started on who pays for continuing medical care if needed post enrollment due to injuries suffered while playing.

 

Then you have your guys like Shaq Lawson who played for muliple injuries in his teams bowl game....you know cuz that is what team leaders do.

 

I would want NO part of a player that intentionally bails on his team for personal reasons.

I don't even know what to say here. The NCAA has been so able to run roughshod of these athletes for so long, it has become ingrained that somehow the colleges and coaches are the moral arbiter...t coaches bail on teams each and evry year...cause to them"its a business and their profession" . Got news for ya, for these two guys its a business too!

 

BTW, if I was their backup...i am thrilled! Get me on more tape, give me more opportunities!!!!

 

We sit here a B word till the cows come home how we can not risk players in meaningless EXHIBTION games, but then say a college player not playing in an EXHIBITION game is somehow being selfish ...

Edited December 20, 2016 by plenzmd1

[Blokestradamus]

Pro in soccer?

 

Maybe you should find Tom's therapist

 

Nah, cricket. Next time anyone disagrees with me, bear in mind I'm good with a bat

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

Nah, cricket. Next time anyone disagrees with me, bear in mind I'm good with a bat

 

^^

 

Didn't know cricket was a pro sport, what do they get paid? (do you like baseball?)

[Blokestradamus]

Didn't know cricket was a pro sport, what do they get paid? (do you like baseball?)

 

Had to do a little research, depends on the level you get to. County cricket (top domestic level), you're looking at roughly £50-100k per year.

 

For international level, there's central contracts which established players get. £700k/year retainer fee plus match bonuses between £2.5-12k per game, depending on the format. Not a bad way to make a living, I guess.

 

I appreciate baseball but I don't like it. I don't understand the finer arts to get into it. I think I'd be pretty good at it though, given half a chance.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

Had to do a little research, depends on the level you get to. County cricket (top domestic level), you're looking at roughly £50-100k per year.

 

For international level, there's central contracts which established players get. £700k/year retainer fee plus match bonuses between £2.5-12k per game, depending on the format. Not a bad way to make a living, I guess.

 

I appreciate baseball but I don't like it. I don't understand the finer arts to get into it. I think I'd be pretty good at it though, given half a chance.

 

I don't like baseball either, I really don't care much for ball sports. The only reason I like football is because of the physical play. My favorite sport is MMA followed by strength sports.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

I'll never begrudge a player who is going pro from sitting out meaningless games. If the NCAA wants guys to play, especially guys of this caliber, pay them (and no, a scholarship when the football program won't let them track to a meaningful degree anyway does not qualify as payment). Obviously Smith got a lot of attention last year, but guys like Marcus Lattimore and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu likely lost millions between them due to injuries towards the end of stellar collegiate careers recently also.

"They don't let them track to a meaningful degree"? I have to admit that I don't understand that perspective. Most of the guys pursuing meaningless degrees where lucky to get into college at all. Of course they are going to be encouraged to pursue lightweight degrees if they can't do the work. Plenty of football players who are capable students have gotten good degrees. No question the universities take advantage of these guys, it's all very unfair. I wouldn't have a major issue with guys getting paid, but life is unfair so sometimes I get tired of hearing that angle. With that said, if a guy wants to sit a game out that's up to him. The consequences will naturally fall on them.

[Saxum]

No contract...as a matter of fact most "grants in aid" (athletic scholarships" ) are a series of 4 one year grants..and can be taken away from the athlete at just about any time...like when a new coach comes in. But a student-athlete does not have that same right.

 

BTW, without the corrupt agreement between the NFL and NCAA...Fournette would be playing in the NFL this year...so good for him for sitting this one out.

 

Without support of people like YOU the NFL and NCAA would not be able to do this "corrupt" thing. Ethically if you if believe it is corrupt you should not even be watching football.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

 

Without support of people like YOU the NFL and NCAA would not be able to do this "corrupt" thing. Ethically if you if believe it is corrupt you should not even be watching football.

Great point. The system is "corrupt" and unfair, but so is life. College football's treatment of athletes is far from the only unfair thing one will face in life. Marcus Lattimore's injury for instance was devastating to him. He would have made far more by playing in the pros. With that said, he had an insurance policy that paid him nearly 2 million dollars. If he is properly advised he's still in very good shape. Far worse things have happened to people in life. Maybe I just lack empathy. I know it's unfair, but I guess you might as well learn that things aren't always fair. Anyone who who has ever seen elite college athletes know they already get paid anyway. College students don't generally drive Escalades and wear high end jewelry.

[NoSaint]

I would think that most of the top college players have some sort of insurance policy against a career ending injury, that was taken out either prior to their junior or senior seasons.

Therefore, I call bull **** on a possible injury being the reason why they want to sit out their final college football games of their careers.

 

I guarantee this will eventually snowball into guys sitting out whose teams are part of the football playoffs....and become an embarrassment for the players and college football in general.

I think people take college football waaaaaaay too seriously.

 

I like the game but it's kids playing for free in an attempt to further career goals. they should make career decisions for themselves even if it hurts fans feelings.

How bout the school needs to reimburse the player for lost year when a new coach comes in and decides player A doesn't fit his system and takes his grant away? What should the athlete get after the 4 years of demanding 20 hours a week from the athlete, forbidding them from working, forbidding them from making ANY money off his image but they make million ?....How bout when the school says .."sorry, you are 30 credits short and you never took a redshirt for the good of the team" , you still be paying for that 5th year cause you aint got no eligibility remaining!!!

 

Don't even get me started on who pays for continuing medical care if needed post enrollment due to injuries suffered while playing.

 

I don't even know what to say here. The NCAA has been so able to run roughshod of these athletes for so long, it has become ingrained that somehow the colleges and coaches are the moral arbiter...t coaches bail on teams each and evry year...cause to them"its a business and their profession" . Got news for ya, for these two guys its a business too!

 

BTW, if I was their backup...i am thrilled! Get me on more tape, give me more opportunities!!!!

 

We sit here a B word till the cows come home how we can not risk players in meaningless EXHIBTION games, but then say a college player not playing in an EXHIBITION game is somehow being selfish ...

Seriously.

 

All I can stress is that my own entertainment for an evening is not worth them making choices that might prevent them from best reaching their own dreams and goals

[DriveFor1Outta5]

So do guys start sitting out high school games too? There really wouldn't be a difference. You wouldn't want to risk your scholarship that could lead to the pros.

[LabattBlue]

I think people take college football waaaaaaay too seriously.

 

I like the game but it's kids playing for free in an attempt to further career goals. they should make career decisions for themselves even if it hurts fans feelings.

 

Seriously.

 

All I can stress is that my own entertainment for an evening is not worth them making choices that might prevent them from best reaching their own dreams and goals

Kids playing for free? Last time I looked they are getting a 4 year "free ride" to some of the best universities in the country...worth $150K or more.

[ALF]

Players who could be high draft picks, the school should take out a sizable insurance policy against injury if they want them to play a bowl game.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

I look at it like ur abandoning ur brothers before the biggest game many of them might ever play... just wait til a qb does it.

Players who could be high draft picks, the school should take out a sizable insurance policy against injury if they want them to play a bowl game.

How much can 1 day of insurance with like a 10 mill payoff possibly cost a rich university?

 

Maybe use some of that money u make off of their jersey sales and bring back NCAA football video games. Pool that money as some kind of insurance policy for players.

Edited December 22, 2016 by dneveu

[nucci]

Kids playing for free? Last time I looked they are getting a 4 year "free ride" to some of the best universities in the country...worth $150K or more.

true but the universities also makes millions from these kids playing football so the free ride is nothing to these schools

[Webster Guy]

Then you have your guys like Shaq Lawson who played for muliple injuries in his teams bowl game....you know cuz that is what team leaders do.

 

I would want NO part of a player that intentionally bails on his team for personal reasons.

I agree 100%

Yes you have the right to. It's called playing for your teammates and the school you love and bleed for. Jalen had insurance and is set for life by the way, so there goes your money argument.

 

I find it funny that so many people think that this is the right thing to do: sit out the biggest game of your life and screw everyone else. Pussies. When GM's look at these guys, they'll know what kind of character they're getting: jay cutler types. Good luck with that.

[HT02]

fournette and mccaffery have decided not to play in bowl games. i may be wrong,but when you have a full ride scholarship, isn't there a contract? is this a precedent for let's say, pensacola state, with a 3-6 record, and a guy who has nfl potential, who has a draft number, decides to shut it down? sorry for the run on sentence.

I have no issue whatsoever with a kid making the best decision for himself. He owes the school nothing, anyone who buys into that mythological self-serving diatribe about "the team" or "the school" is just a dope. Ask Willis McGahee

[NoSaint]

Kids playing for free? Last time I looked they are getting a 4 year "free ride" to some of the best universities in the country...worth $150K or more.

yea kids playing for free. Im not sitting here advocating that they must get paid but lets be real - i guy like fournette will make more than the value of a 4 year scholarship to a school he might not care about attending by halftime of his first nfl game (if you just divide out his full rookie contract value across each game).

 

the dude is being forced to play for free and i have no issue with him making a choice about what he thinks is best for his future instead of what is best for some fans looking for holiday entertainment or a coach that would bail on him in a second. this is kids playing a game for free - its not some war time brotherhood. im not sure what my own leaning would be if forced to choose for myself or a son, but i sure as hell wont be upset at any of these guys.

Edited December 22, 2016 by NoSaint