Can we stop pretending bowl games matter?

[Across The Field]

Not all guys are going to skip their bowl game that are highly rated prospects. I can understand why some would want to play and why some would want to skip. But the fact still remains outside of the CFP all these games are exhibition games. I've always thought that and now with two of the best RB's in the country skipping their meaningless game, it only starts to reinforce my position.

I would strongly disagree that McCaffery is a top 2 RB. Dalvin Cook is universally rated higher than him, and he's playing. If anything, I think this hurts McCaffery. Having one last chance to shine on a big stage could really help him. Unless he has an otherwordly combine, he's likely not a 1st round choice.

EDIT: Misread what you said, thought you said the two best RBs. Still, guys like Royce Freeman, Cook, Jeremy McNichols, Samaje Perine, etc. are all still playing, as are other elite prospects who aren't in the playoffs.

 

[Rolltide94]

Fournette will have had 6 and a half weeks off between the last game he played and the bowl game. If he wanted to play, he'd play. And those are the only two so far that have done this, that I can think of, but I think this will become more of a trend in future years. I don't get why players with a high draft grade would play? Look at Jaylon Smith last year, he cost himself like 15 million dollars, and an entire season, and may never be the same.

That's why they sell insurance. If your projected to be a high draft pick, it's a no brainer...which might explain why many of them don't get it.

 

[SJ76]

Agents can talk to players after the regular season is over. These guys are young and not the brightest so their ears have to be tuned in somewhat to what a guy is saying when he's speaking cash after the season.

This affects Florida St every year. They hardly showed up for that game against Houston last year. And if I was Dalvin Cook, I'd take it easy or not play.

 

[WizardHawk]

'Not mattering' is relative. Doesn't matter to who?

They matter to the fans. At least the real ones. They matter to the teammates of the team that helped get you to where you are on the doorstep of the NFL draft before you fucking bail on them like a selfish punkass little bitch and skip it leaving them hanging. They matter to the teams bottom line. At least the ones that make a profit off it or the sharing of the profit from revenue sharing where that occurs. They matter for giving a lot of extra practice and work time to the kids for getting better for next season.

Really, the first point was the most valid though. They are for the fans and true college football fans love the shit out of this part of the season. Nothing else really matters.

 

[fishinabarrel]

Is this a good time to remind you that Michigan didn't make the playoffs?

Spoiler

Spoiler

Awaits Maize's obligatory "we didn't want the playoffs anyway because we'd piss down our legs if we had to play Alabama" post.

There is never a bad time to remind Michigan of their failures

 

[WizardHawk]

Seriously, I hope that every player that skips their bowl because of draft day gets picked later for being a bitch and I hope Karma comes back to bite them in the ass and they break their damned legs in preseason next year.

Fucking pussies. It's football.

 

[fishinabarrel]

They still matter to fans. They still matter to the cities that are hosting them. They still matter to networks showing them and they still matter to ever single player that isn't a lock for a big pay day in a few months. I don't and won't blame these kids for protecting themselves. I'd rather them sit the game out then play it and try to avoid getting hurt

 

[SJ76]

Seriously, I hope that every player that skips their bowl because of draft day gets picked later for being a bitch and I hope Karma comes back to bite them in the ass and they break their damned legs in preseason next year.

Fucking pussies. It's football.

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

 

[SJ76]

And it's not like the LSU fans are all jacked up for the BWW bowl..


Fournette played hurt many, many weeks this year. Saw 8 in the box with a shitty QB every week. People really expect him to go out and grind it out in the BWW bowl?

 

[Codaxx]

This will lead to a bigger playoff and less bowls. Juse means better football for fans.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

This will lead to a bigger playoff and less bowls. Juse means better football for fans.

Or it means kids will sit out more than just bowl games. Texas/OU game, Malik has a sore ankle, why risk playing in a game he's not getting paid to play. Just sit, rest that ankle.

 

[huskers1217]

I think Bowl fatigue is real if you go to the same bowl quite frequently.

 

[Deep Creek]

The best players aren't even partaking in them, like who besides the LSU RB?

10 players from Minnesota

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Or it means kids will sit out more than just bowl games. Texas/OU game, Malik has a sore ankle, why risk playing in a game he's not getting paid to play. Just sit, rest that ankle.

Uhhh...not sure serious

 

[Codaxx]

Or it means kids will sit out more than just bowl games. Texas/OU game, Malik has a sore ankle, why risk playing in a game he's not getting paid to play. Just sit, rest that ankle.

No need to go chicken little. I am not sure many would even notice if half the bowl games were eliminated.

 

[Deep Creek]

They haven't mattered for a while now, the best players aren't even partaking in them(can't blame them after what happened to Jaylon Smith last year) and while the perception is that it will help you going into next year, the fact is with a CFP committee, it doesn't matter where you're ranked to start the following year.

It's basically CFP or bust these days. Even sponsors are backing out left and right these days.

Mostly agree. I would still say they matter to the host cities but not the fans of the host cities because I see lots and lots of empty seats. More specifically though they matter to hotels, restaurants, etc in host cities. And they matter most to some of the bowl executives that are making a damned good salary and extremely interested in keeping most of these alive.

 

[Deep Creek]

I don't think the vast majority of them have mattered for a long time. They're exhibitions designed to get tourism money to the local economy where the games are hosted. In that respect, they matter to the local Chambers of Commerce, and to the two fanbases of the teams invited.

Hu gets it!

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Hu gets it!

I mean, the Tournament of Roses parade used to culminate in a POLO MATCH. It's not necessarily all about the football.

Also, LOL @ polo

 

[Deep Creek]

- additional revenue for the conference (assuming travel costs don't exceed the profit for smaller programs and bowls)

Many schools don't sell the minimum required ticket allotments so they have to pay for those regardless. While the conference may rake in additional revenue, a lot of teams lose money going to bowl games.

 

[Deep Creek]

College football is all about cash....

It sure seems this is what it has turned into IMHO. I'm old school and don't really like it but it is the current reality. I think at some point there may be some regret that they drove it to the extreme it seems to be heading.