Can we stop pretending bowl games matter?

[PIBuckeye]

This will be the beginning of the end of bowl games. you'll have more and more kids "protecting their investment" and turning their backs on their teams and coaches. pretty soon, the bowl committees aren't going to want to display the 2nd and 3rd stringers for their games and say fuck it. will start serious resentment in the locker rooms for the kids who would give their left arm to play in the bowl game, but then have all the starters sit it out. sad.

and spare me the BS of "they aren't their for your enjoyment". Anyone who says that, I expect you to turn off your TV and not watch any of the bowl games.

 

[WizardHawk]

So it's ok for the school to grab as much cash as they can from a bowl that means nothing, but not ok for a top 10 pick to think about HIS cash?

It's not like LSU or FSU doesn't have a few dam good backups.

College football is all about cash and you know it. This is what the players see everyday so you can't expect them to act or think about anything but cash at this point.

I don't blame a top pick that has already showcased his talents for not playing. He has nothing to gain by winning the Buffalo Wild Wings bowl

How many football players in the entire history of college football have entirely ended their careers in the bowl game just before their draft day? I don't mean had a setback and lost a year, but career ending.

Those kids that played with you and helped get you there very much need you to return the favor. I said nothing about doing it for the school or their cash grab. It's about the other kids on your team and the fans. You are entirely shitting all over there. Period.

Bunch of fucking selfish pussies.

 

[CorpRebel]

Getting to a bowl game used to be a privilege as teams had to "earn" the right to go to a bowl game. Especially when they were usually bowls just on New Years Day.

NOW, its a watered down bowl system with way too many bowls.

Kinda like an "almost everybody gets a trophy" type of thing these days...

 

[Moab]

Ok, but what kind of competitor sits out a competition??? What kind of teammate abandons his teammates? What does that say to the NFL and scouts?

 

[huskers1217]

@outofyourmind

D'onta Foreman is sitting out.

 

[outofyourmind]

I think Coaches take different approaches to Bowl Games depending on several things.
Depending on internal and external pressures a Coach will....
1. See it as a reward for the players and have as much fan possible with preparation an after thought.
2. See a need to do well for whatever reason and prepare like it is the playoff.

Obviously #1 is easier than #2.
And it's pretty obvious when the game is played.
I know Bob has taken off quite a few Bowl Games.
Some he won and some he lost.

 

[outofyourmind]

@outofyourmind

D'onta Foreman is sitting out.

Damn
He could have upped his Draft Sta.....

 

[Chewbaccer]

It's football, and anyone trying to reduce the amount of CFB games can kiss my white ass.

 

[iowajerms]

I am not denying that tourism money isn't a factor, but there are too many bowl selecting home teams or teams right down the road. How many times has Hawaii played in the Hawaii Bowl? Florida played in the Gator Bowl? And so on. Where is the tourism money in that?

Yes, tourism revenue is a factor a lot of times, but in the long run, it is not that big of a factor.

Maybe not to blue-bloods who get 5-stars just of their brand name, but a lot of schools bowls matter in recruiting. Iowa lost 4-stars to teams because that other team won their bowl and Iowa didn't. I think it was Desmond King that said he watched them beat GT in the 2010 Orange Bowl and was like "I like that defense." Not sure if it was King but I know it was a successful DB not from Iowa.

 

[Brasky]

They matter a ton for the young guys. Those extra 15 practices are crucial, and I love some of the match ups that we might never otherwise see.

The NCAA really needs to start letting coaches be involved in off season activities. It would improve the quality of football so much.

 

[Brasky]

This will be the beginning of the end of bowl games. you'll have more and more kids "protecting their investment" and turning their backs on their teams and coaches. pretty soon, the bowl committees aren't going to want to display the 2nd and 3rd stringers for their games and say fuck it. will start serious resentment in the locker rooms for the kids who would give their left arm to play in the bowl game, but then have all the starters sit it out. sad.

and spare me the BS of "they aren't their for your enjoyment". Anyone who says that, I expect you to turn off your TV and not watch any of the bowl games.

This has been going on for a long time. They're just sensationalizing it because it's a slow news day. So two more teams are involved in the thing that actually matters and all of the sudden bowl games are gonna fall apart? Give me a fuckin' break. The sky isn't falling, and I seriously doubt this becomes a real trend.

These are special cases, and the majority of NFL prospects look use their bowl game as a final spring board before the combine/draft.

Fournette's been getting beat up and playing dinge up all season long. He's got millions of dollars at stake, and LSU ain't reimbursing him the money he'll lose if he shreds a knee in an exhibition/school pride game.

 

[Brasky]

People are acting like nobody knew what bowl games were before they included TWO more teams in the national championship game picture.

 

[Brasky]

You tell me with a straight face that one and done's are okay in college basketball and in the same breath wave your finger at a guy for skipping a bowl game.

How about all the guys who come out as Juniors? If we're using the same logic is that not TEN TIMES more deplorable

 

[Deep Creek]

Getting to a bowl game used to be a privilege as teams had to "earn" the right to go to a bowl game. Especially when they were usually bowls just on New Years Day.

NOW, its a watered down bowl system with way too many bowls.

Kinda like an "almost everybody gets a trophy" type of thing these days...

The qualifying standard for a bowl game used to be a hell of a lot higher than it is now. I can remember 7-4, 8-3 teams not getting to go to a bowl. Now the standard is 6-6 or 5-7. Yep, everyone gets a trophy.

 

[Brasky]

 

[outofyourmind]

I don't think the NCAA will ever deny a new Bowl.
If it's economically viable for a Bowl, then so be it.

It may get to the point where there is no minimum number of wins to even go to a bowl.
And that's ok.

 

[SJ76]

How many football players in the entire history of college football have entirely ended their careers in the bowl game just before their draft day? I don't mean had a setback and lost a year, but career ending.

Those kids that played with you and helped get you there very much need you to return the favor. I said nothing about doing it for the school or their cash grab. It's about the other kids on your team and the fans. You are entirely shitting all over there. Period.

Bunch of fucking selfish pussies.

I can dig that. All I'm saying is look at what college football has become and look at what they teach these kids. Cash is king. When you look back there were fewer bowls in the past and not sure about the rules for agents talking to players back then either.

Unfortunately, other teammates are thinking the same thing and are mostly playing to enhance their draft stock. Other are going through the motions to not get hurt.

It's a business and that's all on the NFL teams out there that preach it everyday. "It's not personal.. this is a business."

But I blame agents for getting in these players' ears more than anything.

 

[Brasky]

I don't think the NCAA will ever deny a new Bowl.
If it's economically viable for a Bowl, then so be it.

It may get to the point where there is no minimum number of wins to even go to a bowl.
And that's ok.

You can't let standards deteriorate THAT far.

I mean the 5-7 thing was ridiculous and they did away with it, but I tell you what, it did WONDERS for our program to go and get that sixth win vs UCLA. It tamped down the criticism and gave the team confidence going into the off season.

Bowl games have real benefits for struggling programs, but 6 wins should be as low as it goes.

 

[outofyourmind]

You can't let standards deteriorate THAT far.

I mean the 5-7 thing was ridiculous and they did away with it, but I tell you what, it did WONDERS for our program to go and get that sixth win vs UCLA. It tamped down the criticism and gave the team confidence going into the off season.

Bowl games have real benefits for struggling programs, but 6 wins should be as low as it goes.

Maybe
But I don't think the NCAA will put limits on how many Bowl Games there are, thus won't limit the amount of teams that can play in them.

The NCAA has already been bitch slapped in Federal Court for controlling the economic interests of it's members.
I don't think they want to go through that again.

 

[Deep Creek]

You can't let standards deteriorate THAT far.

Why not? 4-8 Notre Dame or 5-7 Texas would probably draw bigger crowds/TV viewers this year than 75% of teams participating in bowl games.