What do you think, is it OK for top NFL prospects to skip their college Bowl games ?

[IDEXAN]

Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett announced Monday that he will play in the Texas Bowl next week.

That’s newsworthy — and Garrett felt compelled to make an announcement — because other top NFL Draft prospects have been deciding to not play in largely insignificant bowl games in light of the injury then-Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith suffered in last year’s Fiesta Bowl.

Both LSU running back Leonard Fournette and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey have announced they’re sitting out their final college games to prepare for the draft, and it seems to be something other top prospects will continue to do, this season and in future seasons.

But Garrett won’t.

“I plan to practice today and prepare to play in the bowl game with my teammates,” Garrett said in a statement released by Texas A&M.

Texas A&M lists Garrett at 6-foot-5, 270, and for nearly a year now various draft projections have listed Garrett as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft. Garrett, a junior, has not officially declared for the draft.

Last summer, Garrett told reporters he had heard suggestions he should sit out the season to protect his health and draft status but said he was strongly against it.

“You don’t disgrace the game like that and say ‘It’s not worth my time and I’ll be a first-round pick anyway,'” Garrett said then. “You play because you love it, not because you can make money from it.”
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/12/19/myles-garrett-bucks-trend-will-play-in-texas-bowl/

 

[Mollywhopper]

http://www.texanstalk.com/threads/professional-commencement.111453/

 

[Heath Shuler]

Washed Up Analyst ‏@TMeltonScouting
Washed Up Analyst Retweeted Ezekiel Elliott

You could have. For an entire year.

Washed Up Analyst added,


Ezekiel Elliott @EzekielElliott
All these young guys deciding to skip their bowl games

.I would do anything to play one more time with my brothers in that scarlet and gray

 

[JB]

Have to question the love of the game of anyone that wants to skip one of their teams biggest games thinking about money

 

[ObsiWan]

Have to question the love of the game of anyone that wants to skip one of their teams biggest games thinking about money

Doesn't everyone go to college - no matter the discipline - to prepare for life as a professional? If a dude has a chance to improve his chances for professional employment (draft status) by skipping some meaningless college game, then he's totally within his right to do so. I think it's a good "business decision" myself.

Now if his team is in the National Championship hunt we're probably not having this conversation.

 

[PapaL]

I don't blame them at all. For 2-4 years the NCAA is making a fortune off these guys, why should they risk their future livelihood for a bowl game in which they're taking all the risk and have none of the reward? Sit out and take care of your family long term.

I agree with ObsiWan - National Championship, yeah I'd probably suit up. Meineke Car Care Bowl - PASS.

 

[IDEXAN]

Not everybody is following the trend, however. Aggies junior linebacker Myles Garrett, who is projected as the No. 2 overall selection on McShay's board for the 2017 NFL draft, has said he'll play in the Texas Bowl despite having not fully recovered from a nagging leg injury.

"It's just money," said Garrett, who hasn't yet officially said he's leaving for the NFL. "Relationships I make during this time or the impressions I'll make on people around me will last forever. Money will come and go."

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...-critical-players-skipping-college-bowl-games
I'm not sure if I think that Garrett is classy or foolish but I kinda like his explanation flippant as it is. OK so we'll see if he sticks with this or maybe changes his mind ?

 

[Mr teX]

Hard to come down on a kid looking out for his future.....especially given how coaches do the same when they bounce on them for better gigs all the time & how the NCAA continually tries to keep up the student athlete charade while making millions off their namesake.

 

[gs27]

The NCAA is not a monopoly. Kids do not have to play football for an academic institution. If Leonard Fournett and Christian McCaffrey never made it to LSU and Stanford, college football would have kept ringing the cash register without them. College institutions offer valuable scholarships to athletes in exchange for participation in collegiate athletics.

If everyone needs to be angry at somebody, be angry at the NFL who won't support a developmental league for those players who do not value the education being exchanged for athletic participation. The NFL won't make such commitment because they know it will be a massive expense for the league, not an asset. Why would a developmental league not be profitable if it could secure many of the top athletes who most claim are the reason the NCAA is so profitable? Because it is not these athletes making college football profitable, it is the pride the fans have for the institutions they represent.

Bowls games may not be important to these players, but they are important to many fans of the institutions that invested in their athletic participation. On the flip side it is actually an advantage for the major programs that the talent leaving for the draft not play in the bowl games. It allows the coaches and replacement players a few weeks of practice with the first team before the subsequent season.

 

[steelbtexan]

The NCAA is not a monopoly. Kids do not have to play football for an academic institution. If Leonard Fournett and Christian McCaffrey never made it to LSU and Stanford, college football would have kept ringing the cash register without them. College institutions offer valuable scholarships to athletes in exchange for participation in collegiate athletics.

If everyone needs to be angry at somebody, be angry at the NFL who won't support a developmental league for those players who do not value the education being exchanged for athletic participation. The NFL won't make such commitment because they know it will be a massive expense for the league, not an asset. Why would a developmental league not be profitable if it could secure many of the top athletes who most claim are the reason the NCAA is so profitable? Because it is not these athletes making college football profitable, it is the pride the fans have for the institutions they represent.

Bowls games may not be important to these players, but they are important to many fans of the institutions that invested in their athletic participation. On the flip side it is actually an advantage for the major programs that the talent leaving for the draft not play in the bowl games. It allows the coaches and replacement players a few weeks of practice with the first team before the subsequent season.

This is certainly a fair perspective.

With that said, I dont blame players for not putting themselves in a Jaylen Smith/Marcus Lattimore situation.

If I was a consensus top 5 pick in the draft as a sophomore like Clowney, I wouldn't take the chance of playing at all my Jr yr.

I have nothing to gain and could lose millions even with an insurance policy. These policies cover career ending injuries. They dont cover the $$$$ lost when a guy like Smith goes from being a top 10 pick to falling into the 2nd/3rd rd.

The decision to play in that bowl game cost Smith millions of $$$$ that he can never get back. I admire the Fournette/McCaffery decisions. Linwood simply made a dumb choice. He needed the bowl games/combine etc... to boost his stock.

 

[Mollywhopper]

This is certainly a fair perspective.

With that said, I dont blame players for not putting themselves in a Jaylen Smith/Marcus Lattimore situation.

If I was a consensus top 5 pick in the draft as a sophomore like Clowney, I wouldn't take the chance of playing at all my Jr yr.

I have nothing to gain and could lose millions even with an insurance policy. These policies cover career ending injuries. They dont cover the $$$$ lost when a guy like Smith goes from being a top 10 pick to falling into the 2nd/3rd rd.

The decision to play in that bowl game cost Smith millions of $$$$ that he can never get back. I admire the Fournette/McCaffery decisions. Linwood simply made a dumb choice. He needed the bowl games/combine etc... to boost his stock.

Actually that's exactly the kind of insurance that Jaylon Smith took out, a loss-of-value policy.

It won't pay Smith back dollar-for-dollar what he lost due to injury, but it was specifically in place to compensate him for falling in the draft due to injury.

 

[steelbtexan]

Actually that's exactly the kind of insurance that Jaylon Smith took out, a loss-of-value policy.

It won't pay Smith back dollar-for-dollar what he lost due to injury, but it was specifically in place to compensate him for falling in the draft due to injury.

Which is my point, if I'[m not getting ALL of my $$$$ I'm not playing.

 

[Mollywhopper]

Which is my point, if I'[m not getting ALL of my $$$$ I'm not playing.

Thought your point was that there are only policies for career ending injuries, just going by how you wrote that out.

 

[steelbtexan]

Thought your point was that there are only policies for career ending injuries, just going by how you wrote that out.

True, the policies have changed. This was pointed out to me when Bradford hurt his shoulder at Oklahoma. He got lucky and was still drafted #1.

Bottom line for me if I was a draftable player, I want ALL of the $$$$ that I can get.

 

[JB]

Bottom line for me if I was a draftable player, I want ALL of the $$$$ that I can get.

money isn't everything to everyone

 

[steelbtexan]

money isn't everything to everyone

True

But to most 21-25 yr old it is.

The NFL is a business and the players are a true proprietorship.

Just business and it's true most players dont understand business decisions they have to make. It's why a high number of players file bankruptcy within 5 yrs after they aren't in the NFL anymore.

Then they will look back at decisions they made with regret. The players you are describing are rare.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

It's their decision.

 

[infantrycak]

It's their decision.

Why? It's copping out on the deal - they were paid/benefitted a lot to play football not to play when they feel like it.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Why? It's copping out on the deal - they were paid/benefitted a lot to play football not to play when they feel like it.

No where in the yearly papers you sign or the NLI does it say you have to play when you don't feel like it.

Now if you do this in your freshman year then the coaches will do something about it. Do it at the end of your time there and there's nothing they can do.

It's their decision.

 

[PapaL]

Lets be real here for a second. How many scholarship players actually stay 4 years and graduate? I'm tired of hearing "oh well they're getting a free education" no they're not. They're doing their time so they can go pro. The goal for the vast majority of these guys is to stay elgible, not earn a degree. Schools are making way more off of players than players are getting in return. Come the point in time where a players risk outweighs the benefits then absolutely they should sit. How many players have been injured? How many have come back for one more year and lost value? Screw that noise! Millions vs the stipend/booster wink wink money? No brainer.

 

[infantrycak]

No where in the yearly papers you sign or the NLI does it say you have to play when you don't feel like it.

Now if you do this in your freshman year then the coaches will do something about it. Do it at the end of your time there and there's nothing they can do.

It's their decision.

There are implied contract terms. A classic example is where one party accepts something of value knowing the other party's expectation for performance. If it isn't explicit, everything about this screams implied.

 

[Mollywhopper]

I'm sure many UH players wish Tom Herman would've honored his contract...

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

There are implied contract terms. A classic example is where one party accepts something of value knowing the other party's expectation for performance. If it isn't explicit, everything about this screams implied.

You would know better than I do on the legalities of the contracts and stuff. I'm just saying, whether or not they are in some kind of breach or not, it's their choice.

If there are any consequences then they'll have to deal with it.

I don't think there should be though I guess that's jmo all things considered.

 

[ObsiWan]

Why? It's copping out on the deal - they were paid/benefitted a lot to play football not to play when they feel like it.

Why? Because it's their life, their future.
They've played and practiced up to three years on this scholarship deal. I don't blame them for taking this out any more than I'd blame a computer science scholarship recipient for walking out on his scholarship job as a professor's assistant if Google or Amazon or Facebook offered him/her a big money job because they recognized their smarts/talents.

And don't you think this implied agreement is of the nature that you stay on scholarship as long as you play football at an acceptable level? So once a player makes the decision to quit the team and leaves school, wouldn't his scholarship be terminated?? He's no longer benefiting from being at the school at the school's expense. Deal over.

 

[infantrycak]

If getting cutoff immediately was a ramification then that could be fair. But I haven't heard of that being done.

 

[Hervoyel]

Money makes everything bigger and better. At the same time money ruins everything.

How can both be true? I don't know. It's a mystery.

 

[JB]

Money makes everything bigger and better. At the same time money ruins everything.

How can both be true? I don't know. It's a mystery.

I want to be ruined

 

[Texecutioner]

Double Post

 

[Texecutioner]

The NCAA had better do something FAST. Otherwise this ridiculous trend will multiply everywhere by next season.

Hopefully they put something in place to withdraw the scholarship money or something of that nature. If the athletes aren't there to go to school and follow the rules and value the free education that can costs hundreds of thousands of dollars these days, then let them try something else. Kids all over the country cannot afford college and end up lacking all types of opportunities that graduates have at their disposal in the job markets. I'm so sick of the "pay the players" crowd diminishing the whole idea of what a free degree actually is in this country. All of my football buddies that were on scholarships lived like kings on campus, and had the best lifestyles of most college students. They had all types of fun and opportunities through college, but a free education more importantly. If that isn't good enough, then go to another country and play somewhere else until you are of age to try out for the NFL.

At the end of the day this system has been in place for the last 50 years or whatever. It has worked great. Pay the players and treat them more like pro players and college football will eventually water down into sewage quality. Excusing players to do this is one bad step in that type of direction.

 

[Texecutioner]

I'm sure many UH players wish Tom Herman would've honored his contract...

Bad example because it doesn't apply.

What makes you think that student athletes and coaches are comparable? They aren't the same thing.

 

[Texecutioner]

I'm sure many UH players wish Tom Herman would've honored his contract...

Bad example because it doesn't apply.

What makes you think that student athletes and coaches are comparable? They aren't the same thing. Coaches are hired employees. Athletes are given free tuition for their participation in a sport. (As long as they participate )

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Bad example because it doesn't apply.

What makes you think that student athletes and coaches are comparable? They aren't the same thing. Coaches are hired employees. Athletes are given free tuition for their participation in a sport. (As long as they participate )

The scholarship is an investment. If schools have a problem with it then invest more wisely.

And they can take scholarships all they want at this point. What is that going to do?

 

[Texecutioner]

The scholarship is an investment. If schools have a problem with it then invest more wisely.

And they can take scholarships all they want at this point. What is that going to do?

Not much in this case, but they can put measures in place to create a penalty that would give most athletes second thoughts where they'd decide to play like the rest of the great players before them that did. They The bowl game is the most important game. Teams can't just have all these players dipping out on them like that. Eventually a lot of other guys would find reasons why they didn't need to show either, and then that would have to be debated about next.

 

[Mollywhopper]

Bad example because it doesn't apply.

What makes you think that student athletes and coaches are comparable? They aren't the same thing. Coaches are hired employees. Athletes are given free tuition for their participation in a sport. (As long as they participate )

So one party is compensated for a task, and the other party is compensated for a task. Ya, not comparable at all...

It was a question of copping out on a deal. These coaches go into these kids homes and tell parents that they're going to be there for their kids and going to guide them and so on, they earn a valuable trust ... and year after year they turn around and bail. Now I don't have any huge problem with a coach wanting to look out for their best interests by taking a better job. But by the same token I'm not going to say these kids shouldn't feel compelled to do the same.

AD's, sponsors, administrators, TV execs, and coaches line their pockets off these kids' efforts. Meanwhile coaches make grand claims about what they're going to do when they recruit these kids and then leave the first chance they get for a better opportunity ... at some point it shouldn't be shocking or upsetting that these kids would want to make their own business decisions. And lo and behold here we are.

The matter is especially applicable when these kids are supposed to be learning from these coaches daily/yearly. They just happened to have learned to look out for number one when the time comes. Players cutting out early on superfluous cash-grab bowl games is actually pretty poetic, really.

 

[Texecutioner]

So one party is compensated for a task, and the other party is compensated for a task. Ya, not comparable at all...

It was a question of copping out on a deal. These coaches go into these kids homes and tell parents that they're going to be there for their kids and going to guide them and so on, they earn a valuable trust ... and year after year they turn around and bail. Now I don't have any huge problem with a coach wanting to look out for their best interests by taking a better job. But by the same token I'm not going to say these kids shouldn't feel compelled to do the same.

All of these parents and HS athletes know that the coaches and their staff could get fired, quit the job, or become deceased. Lets not act like we're dealing with 5 year olds here. A HC is in a career field. The HS student has a completely different type of agreement.

AD's, sponsors, administrators, TV execs, and coaches line their pockets off these kids' efforts. Meanwhile coaches make grand claims about what they're going to do when they recruit these kids and then leave the first chance they get for a better opportunity ... at some point it shouldn't be shocking or upsetting that these kids would want to make their own business decisions. And lo and behold here we are.

None of that has anything to do with the fact that the student is being offered a free education. What the institution makes off of a sport or a bake sale isn't any business of the student athlete who is getting in many cases a tuition bill worth over a $100k. If the athletes don't what a scholarship entails, then the institutions will just have to put measures in place like possibly withdrawing their transcripts or creating an invoice for past tuition then. They'll have to do something.

The matter is especially applicable when these kids are supposed to be learning from these coaches daily/yearly. They just happened to have learned to look out for number one when the time comes. Players cutting out early on superfluous cash-grab bowl games is actually pretty poetic, really.

Student athletes decisions are not the same measure as what the coach's decisions are. You keep trying to compare apples to oranges. One is an expert in his field and is hired. The other is just a peasant HS kid with athletic abilities to help their team win games. He isn't hired as an employee.

 

[Mollywhopper]

All of these parents and HS athletes know that the coaches and their staff could get fired, quit the job, or become deceased. Lets not act like we're dealing with 5 year olds here. A HC is in a career field. The HS student has a completely different type of agreement.

None of that has anything to do with the fact that the student is being offered a free education. What the institution makes off of a sport or a bake sale isn't any business of the student athlete who is getting in many cases a tuition bill worth over a $100k. If the athletes don't what a scholarship entails, then the institutions will just have to put measures in place like possibly withdrawing their transcripts or creating an invoice for past tuition then. They'll have to do something.

Student athletes decisions are not the same measure as what the coach's decisions are. You keep trying to compare apples to oranges. One is an expert in his field and is hired. The other is just a peasant HS kid with athletic abilities to help their team win games. He isn't hired as an employee.

- They both have just the arrangement I said they have. Compensation for a task. I don't know what makes you think it's all that different.

And these coaches make promises to kids/parents all the time about being a foundational part of the school the kid will be signing with all the while they're there. Whether they should believe it or not doesn't change the fact that at some point it's only reasonable that the kids will see that looking out for their best interests regardless of promise is exactly what they've been taught, and at their institution of learning no less.

- It has to do with the fact that some kids are going to evaluate their efforts in a risk/reward kind of question about what's in their best interests. And for some of them it won't be playing a meaningless game just to make other people rich while they've got their own future earnings potentially in the balance.

- And you keep acting like these kids are supposed to devalue their worth compared to these coaches. It's silly. There's no good reason these kids shouldn't consider what is most valuable to them in terms of their futures. And for those who don't think it's the Meineke Car Care Bowl after seeing what happened to guys like Marcus Lattimore, Willis McGahee, and Jaylon Smith before them ... I don't blame 'em. Glad in fact they actually learned something that's gotten them prepared for their professional lives while at school.

I don't know how you can tell any other man he should have to risk his earning potential for no worthwhile reason as though you or anyone else complaining would be there for them if something terrible were to happen.

 

[JB]

This is an interesting argument. Quick question. Do scholarships have to be paid back like grants do?


I think as long as the NFL is drafting underclassmen, no commitment will hold. Give a kid 4 year scholarship and don't let him enter the NFL until he has completed 40 games or whatever the magic number is ? Otherwise this is just going to escalate

 

[infantrycak]

This is an interesting argument. Quick question. Do scholarships have to be paid back?

No.

I think as long as the NFL is drafting underclassmen, no commitment will hold. Give a kid 4 year scholarship and don't let him enter the NFL until he has completed 40 games or whatever the magic number is ? Otherwise this is just going to escalate

Not a problem. They are done on a yearly basis.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Not a problem. They are done on a yearly basis.

Yep. Met with my position coach every year to sign that bad boy. Not that I was ever in doubt that I'd be there, but I did see a couple guys not have their scholarship "re-newed".

One guy was a qb that was ahead of my class and he was like third or fourth on the depth chart behind lower classmen that had been brought in. Straight up told him he would not be put on scholarship for his senior year. Ouch. 3 years of practice and time and class work put in towards graduation.

Oh and btw, there seems to be a misconception about how scholarships work. While a good chunk of that money is paid by the school most athletes still are being given money by the government through financial aid. The scholarship isn't paying for 100% of the education. You still have to file your FASFA.

And then we're not even going to talk about living expenses and not being able to work much, even in the off season.

That stuff is demanding as hell, especially if you take the student part serious. 4 am workouts, shower, breakfast then 7am classes...until noon where you have to go back for another workout and then 8pm meetings that mean you're not getting home until 10 o'clock. Figure that schedule out.

I don't miss it one bit. Especially freshman year not having a car and not really having a way to get money to buy one myself. So that means catching a shuttle bus around that big ass campus or walking. And Tallahassee is hilly as ****. Lived at the bottom of the hill and most classes are on top or on the other side including the field house.

**** I don't miss that.

So I've got no issue with a guy who's done it three years and is about to go pro and decides they aren't going to play in the last game.

Some guys at some schools may have it easier but most of these guys work their asses off and not just football wise. It is literally a struggle to get out of bed and start your day a lot of times. And all for a scholarship that doesn't cover 100% of the costs that can be taken away because they're over you and want to give your spot to someone they like better.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Not much in this case, but they can put measures in place to create a penalty that would give most athletes second thoughts where they'd decide to play like the rest of the great players before them that did. They The bowl game is the most important game. Teams can't just have all these players dipping out on them like that. Eventually a lot of other guys would find reasons why they didn't need to show either, and then that would have to be debated about next.

Like I said in another thread, if a team is in a meaningless bowl and the player finds it meaningless then there's not much that can be done.

Even if you force guys to suit up you can't make them play hard or not fake an injury during warm ups. Plus guys sit games at times due to illness or family issues or whatever.

I don't see how you legislate that and make a distinction between their 6th game and the last game of their career.

Like I said, if it becomes a big issue then the NCAA should allow redshirt to play without losing a year. That way it keeps the games interesting because fans and scouts would get to see what the future looks like for a school. They'd get a taste of what future seasons hold. And it'd be one more game of experience that players could get.

 

[ObsiWan]

None of that has anything to do with the fact that the student is being offered a free education. What the institution makes off of a sport or a bake sale isn't any business of the student athlete who is getting in many cases a tuition bill worth over a $100k. If the athletes don't what a scholarship entails, then the institutions will just have to put measures in place like possibly withdrawing their transcripts or creating an invoice for past tuition then. They'll have to do something.

I'm all for dropping his scholarship the moment he decides he doesn't want to play in the next game; which is the bowl game. But to retroactively bill the kid for the whole school year after he's played all but that one game in the season - if that's what you meant - is like docking someone's play several months back for hours already worked. The right thing to do is to start "billing" the kid for scholarship costs the moment he separates himself from the team. Up until that point, he's played all the other games and done all the things the coaches asked of him and therefore earned his scholarship perks.

Student athletes decisions are not the same measure as what the coach's decisions are. You keep trying to compare apples to oranges. One is an expert in his field and is hired. The other is just a peasant HS kid with athletic abilities to help their team win games. He isn't hired as an employee.

"A peasant kid..."??
Is that like a slave with no rights? Because that's what you sound like you're saying.

 

[ObsiWan]

Yep. Met with my position coach every year to sign that bad boy. Not that I was ever in doubt that I'd be there, but I did see a couple guys not have their scholarship "re-newer".

One guy was a qb that was ahead of my class and he was like third or fourth on the depth chart behind lower classmen that had been brought in. Straight up told him he would not be put on scholarship for his senior year. Ouch. 3 years of practice and time and class work put in towards graduation.

Oh and btw, there seems to be a misconception about how scholarships work. While a good chunk of that money is paid by the school most athletes still are being given money by the government through financial aid. The scholarship isn't paying for 100% of the education. You still have to file your FASFA.

And then we're not even going to talk about living expenses and not being able to work much, even in the off season.

That stuff is demanding as hell, especially if you take the student part serious. 4 am workouts, shower, breakfast then 7am classes...until noon where you have to go back for another workout and then 8pm meetings that mean you're not getting home until 10 o'clock. Figure that schedule out.

I don't miss it one bit. Especially freshman year not having a car and not really having a way to get money to buy one myself. So that means catching a shuttle bus around that big ass campus or walking. And Tallahassee is holly as ****. Lived at the bottom of the hill and most classes are on top or on the other side including the field house.

**** I don't miss that.

So I've got no issue with a guy who's done it three years and is about to go pro and decides they aren't going to play in the last game.

Some guys at some schools may have it easier but most of these guys work their asses off and not just football wise. It is literally a struggle to get out of bed and start your day a lot of times. And all for a scholarship that doesn't cover 100% of the costs that can be taken away because they're over you and want to give your spot to someone they like better.

Very insightful. Thanks for posting.
Especially the part where the coach decides the new freshman they just recruited is better than the guy that has spent 3 yrs in the system and then said senior gets dropped like a hot potato. Now he has to find the money to finish this free education he was promised by the university.

Too bad the NFL won't institute a developmental league like the NBA or minor leagues like MLB so these guys, some of who aren't really "college material" anyway, can work to earn their way into the NFL.

 

[bah007]

From a coach's POV, not only is it my job but it would be in my best interest to advise the kid to do what is in his best interest.

If that means sitting then fine. For some, it's not worth the risk at that point. Go do some footwork drills or practice your 40 or whatever it is you need to work on. Because if that's where you're at mentally, you wouldn't have been an effective player that day anyway. Your teammates deserve better than you jogging out there and giving 50%. If you have the slightest hesitation then just sit. Because every time you take a play off your efficiency drops and your risk for injury skyrockets.

I have zero issue with this. It's either 100% team all the time or go sit in the stands. And I don't mean that negatively. I can't possibly babysit your draft stock while managing 84 other guys that are trying to win a game.

You're going to end up hurting yourself. So just sit. You owe it to your team to be either 100% in or out.

 

[gs27]

Yep. Met with my position coach every year to sign that bad boy. Not that I was ever in doubt that I'd be there, but I did see a couple guys not have their scholarship "re-newer".

One guy was a qb that was ahead of my class and he was like third or fourth on the depth chart behind lower classmen that had been brought in. Straight up told him he would not be put on scholarship for his senior year. Ouch. 3 years of practice and time and class work put in towards graduation.

Oh and btw, there seems to be a misconception about how scholarships work. While a good chunk of that money is paid by the school most athletes still are being given money by the government through financial aid. The scholarship isn't paying for 100% of the education. You still have to file your FASFA.

And then we're not even going to talk about living expenses and not being able to work much, even in the off season.

That stuff is demanding as hell, especially if you take the student part serious. 4 am workouts, shower, breakfast then 7am classes...until noon where you have to go back for another workout and then 8pm meetings that mean you're not getting home until 10 o'clock. Figure that schedule out.

I don't miss it one bit. Especially freshman year not having a car and not really having a way to get money to buy one myself. So that means catching a shuttle bus around that big ass campus or walking. And Tallahassee is holly as ****. Lived at the bottom of the hill and most classes are on top or on the other side including the field house.

**** I don't miss that.

So I've got no issue with a guy who's done it three years and is about to go pro and decides they aren't going to play in the last game.

Some guys at some schools may have it easier but most of these guys work their asses off and not just football wise. It is literally a struggle to get out of bed and start your day a lot of times. And all for a scholarship that doesn't cover 100% of the costs that can be taken away because they're over you and want to give your spot to someone they like better.

Thanks for the insight. If you went back now would you have turned down the athletic scholarship and taken another direction?

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Thanks for the insight. If you went back now would you have turned down the athletic scholarship and taken another direction?

No. For me personally. But for some guys they decide it isn't worth it. Some guys walk away from it. I can recall a few guys not being able to keep up and simply saying screw this.

Me having gone through it and appreciating the outcome doesn't make it any less demanding. The reward in the end of getting a degree without being in massive debt made it worth it for me.

It's like any tough process in life....studying for a tough exam while having kids and a family, trying to become a fire fighter, training to be a seal...whatever....obviously varying degrees, but I think you get my point.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Also, It's been mentioned to a degree, but some coaches aren't being real with you when you are being recruited.

They hook you up with these girls, send you to clubs and parties, tell you how great everything is going to be, how they see you fitting into their system...just trying to get you to commit....

There's a lot of good times to be had on the journey. Not denying that. But Everything isn't skittles and sunshine either. Especially not for some guys.

 

[steelbtexan]

Yep. Met with my position coach every year to sign that bad boy. Not that I was ever in doubt that I'd be there, but I did see a couple guys not have their scholarship "re-newed".

One guy was a qb that was ahead of my class and he was like third or fourth on the depth chart behind lower classmen that had been brought in. Straight up told him he would not be put on scholarship for his senior year. Ouch. 3 years of practice and time and class work put in towards graduation.

Oh and btw, there seems to be a misconception about how scholarships work. While a good chunk of that money is paid by the school most athletes still are being given money by the government through financial aid. The scholarship isn't paying for 100% of the education. You still have to file your FASFA.

And then we're not even going to talk about living expenses and not being able to work much, even in the off season.

That stuff is demanding as hell, especially if you take the student part serious. 4 am workouts, shower, breakfast then 7am classes...until noon where you have to go back for another workout and then 8pm meetings that mean you're not getting home until 10 o'clock. Figure that schedule out.

I don't miss it one bit. Especially freshman year not having a car and not really having a way to get money to buy one myself. So that means catching a shuttle bus around that big ass campus or walking. And Tallahassee is hilly as ****. Lived at the bottom of the hill and most classes are on top or on the other side including the field house.

**** I don't miss that.

So I've got no issue with a guy who's done it three years and is about to go pro and decides they aren't going to play in the last game.

Some guys at some schools may have it easier but most of these guys work their asses off and not just football wise. It is literally a struggle to get out of bed and start your day a lot of times. And all for a scholarship that doesn't cover 100% of the costs that can be taken away because they're over you and want to give your spot to someone they like better.

Thanks this is what I expected college athletes lives to be like. Most 18 yr old kids are unable to understand this.

Just curious what yr did you graduate? I'm sure there are even more demands on athletes than there were when you graduated. I cant imagine a kid from a poor background would stand a chance under these conditions. (Single mom, bad schools etc...) The exceptions to the rule would be athletes that didn't take under the table payments. IMHO

These are things that normal college students dont understand.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Thanks this is what I expected college athletes lives to be like. Most 18 yr old kids are unable to understand this.

Just curious what yr did you graduate? I'm sure there are even more demands on athletes than there were when you graduated. I cant imagine a kid from a poor background would stand a chance under these conditions. (Single mom, bad schools etc...) The exceptions to the rule would be athletes that didn't take under the table payments. IMHO

These are things that normal college students dont understand.

2008.

Now just to be clear. In 4 years I only personally saw 1 guy get his scholarship taken because of better young guys behind him...then again, the entire staff was fired after my sophomore year so the staff that did it only had the one chance to do it while I was there.

Saw a few guys who couldn't do it and essentially quit for one reason or another. Baby mamma drama, deciding that they needed money right then and going home to work, drugs, laziness, didn't enjoy playing anymore, injuries....

And you do have a lot of fun. And there is some down time for a few weeks towards the beginning of the calendar year after the season is over. And some even during the season. I just want to be clear. It's not like a completely miserable experience. Just pointing out that there is some **** involved. Some grueling times.

 

[Texecutioner]

Like I said in another thread, if a team is in a meaningless bowl and the player finds it meaningless then there's not much that can be done.

Even if you force guys to suit up you can't make them play hard or not fake an injury during warm ups. Plus guys sit games at times due to illness or family issues or whatever.

I don't see how you legislate that and make a distinction between their 6th game and the last game of their career.

Like I said, if it becomes a big issue then the NCAA should allow redshirt to play without losing a year. That way it keeps the games interesting because fans and scouts would get to see what the future looks like for a school. They'd get a taste of what future seasons hold. And it'd be one more game of experience that players could get.

How do you figure that taking a red shirt status away would help to prevent these situations? I'm not understanding that part.

 

[Texecutioner]

Thanks this is what I expected college athletes lives to be like. Most 18 yr old kids are unable to understand this.

Just curious what yr did you graduate? I'm sure there are even more demands on athletes than there were when you graduated. I cant imagine a kid from a poor background would stand a chance under these conditions. (Single mom, bad schools etc...) The exceptions to the rule would be athletes that didn't take under the table payments. IMHO

These are things that normal college students dont understand.

Where do you get that these guys go to miserable experiences? Pretty much any college player that gets a scholarship on a full ride, and hates their life is their own problem. The problem is them. College kids all over the country have to put themselves through college and work extra jobs and raise kids in many cases and they graduate. College itself isn't supposed to be some easy experience. How many college football players have you hung out with at a big university like Texas A&M or UT? I've hung out with several over the years, and believe me they've got the best opportunities and lifestyles on the entire campus. They've got girls all over the place throwing themselves at these guys and the majority of the student body wants to buddy up to them. They are treated like rockstars for the most part. If they want to act like they got it so bad and its to rough, then let the survival of the fittest take over and weed them out. They don't deserve the opportunities then. Nothing is going to be given to you in life, and their scholarship wasn't given. They had to earn it in HS by playing well and making their grades. If they can't do that on the next level when their education is actually being paid for, then they have their own personal problems that they need to deal with. These guys get free tutors and the most help that any student could get. The idea that these guys are these poor broke children that can't get by and have it so horrible on a college scholarship for football programs is hilarious. I've seen some of the ugliest cornfed Olineman banging hot blondes that would never even speak to them if they saw them in a diner. But that football star status on the campus gave them rewards they never could experience otherwise.