Opt Outs

[DAG 34,939]

Just now, jluvah said:

Why not? Livelihood and everything! #allaboutthatmoney

Do you have any examples of this playing out? Or are you just talking out of your rear? I get it. You don’t like the way college athletics is going. No need to make extreme agenda examples. 

[AuMarine 1,386]

Bottom line these kids have to do what is best for them whether it be transfer, sit out, or play. They make millions of dollars for the university and never see a dime. Most people have no idea what it is like to be a student athlete. The money that is made off of them is ridiculous.. not to mention their coaches are making millions too.. it is a business and these kids need to do what is best for them and no one should judge that. 

[Gowebb11 9,945]

Several truths in this thread:

To each his own when players opt out or in of a bowl game. Their risk, their choice. And if they opt out, an opportunity is provided for another player. 

A lot of people and corporations have been and still are making huge dollars off the backs of CFB players.

The players are not victims. They get an education, a great cultural experience on campus, a healthy stipend, state of the art training and nutrition and facilities, and now NIL money. They are a student athlete by choice. 
 

None of this makes me mad at anyone for any reason.  

 

[DAG 34,939]

1 minute ago, Gowebb11 said:

facilities, and now NIL money

As they should’ve had the opportunity to get a long time ago. 

[aucanucktiger 1,896]

If Corral had not been hurt and played well it would have HELPED his draft stock significantly because his resume is short on looking franchise-caliber in close games vs top tier teams (like Baylor). Respect a player's choice but unless you're a guaranteed first round pick, blue chippers playing the bowl can make a LOT of sense. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,091]

3 minutes ago, aucanucktiger said:

If Corral had not been hurt and played well it would have HELPED his draft stock significantly because his resume is short on looking franchise-caliber in close games vs top tier teams (like Baylor). Respect a player's choice but unless you're a guaranteed first round pick, blue chippers playing the bowl can make a LOT of sense. 

His frame has held him back more than anything on the field. Hell he had one of the worst throws of the entire postseason in the short time he did play. There’s nothing that could’ve significantly moved the needle, short of an actual perfect, 40-40 for 500 yards, type of game 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, fredst said:

There is some crazy stuff posted on these boards but comparing opting out of a meaningless football game with military desertion in any way is one of the more f****d things I’ve seen. Good gracious….

Attention whore whorin' hard lately. 

 

[Gowebb11 9,945]

10 minutes ago, DAG said:

As they should’ve had the opportunity to get a long time ago. 

Amen. If the stipend/NIL approach would’ve been taken years ago I believe the sport would be in much better shape.  

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

22 minutes ago, aucanucktiger said:

If Corral had not been hurt and played well it would have HELPED his draft stock significantly because his resume is short on looking franchise-caliber in close games vs top tier teams (like Baylor). Respect a player's choice but unless you're a guaranteed first round pick, blue chippers playing the bowl can make a LOT of sense. 

Corrall was a consensus 1st round pick before the bowl game FWIW

[cole256 17,085]

40 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

Several truths in this thread:

To each his own when players opt out or in of a bowl game. Their risk, their choice. And if they opt out, an opportunity is provided for another player. 

A lot of people and corporations have been and still are making huge dollars off the backs of CFB players.

The players are not victims. They get an education, a great cultural experience on campus, a healthy stipend, state of the art training and nutrition and facilities, and now NIL money. They are a student athlete by choice. 
 

None of this makes me mad at anyone for any reason.  

 

Well a bunch of that is subjective in the second to last paragraph. If a person works at burger king saying they should just be happy at eating burgers for free doesn't make it ok. 

Who knows the experience each player has on campus. I don't know the stipend now but it definitely wasn't healthy 6 years ago. The facilities at our school was certainly not state of the art and the nutrition for the longest of times was an on campus cafeteria and if you're lucky you get free pizza late at night. 

There's definitely other students that get to live a higher quality life. But that's life in general I guess

[cole256 17,085]

Fact of the matter as far as this being talked about by the armchair QB's is there's a bunch of jealousy towards players because it's a bunch of people that grew up wishing they could be athletes.

There's a huge disconnect as many don't have the slightest clue of an actual day or week in an athlete's shoes but they want to judge them. 

Reality is an athlete isn't walking around having sex with every hot coed, clapping his hands and having every need catered to them 💆🏾

[cbo 8,832]

Relevant thread for those interested in one player’s perspective.

 

 

[PigskinPat 2,638]

Man, it’s getting chippy in here!

[tomcat 591]

This is a tough deal. I fondly remember the older days when everyone was all in for the team. Today the almighty dollar and future earnings is so powerful, who can blame any of these young men for sitting it out.

I almost reached for “meaningless game” line, but at the end of a college career, as you look forward to the NFL, does it matter if you were busted up in the Birmingham Bowl or the national championship game? ….aside from the character assanation.

I lean toward the player looking after his best interest and teams being prepared for that…

Edit: I do believed Smoke enhanced his NFL prospects. Despite the ejection, he played with a reckless abandon teams will find appealing.

Edited January 3, 2022 by tomcat

[Hank2020 3,381]

29 minutes ago, cole256 said:

Fact of the matter as far as this being talked about by the armchair QB's is there's a bunch of jealousy towards players because it's a bunch of people that grew up wishing they could be athletes.

There's a huge disconnect as many don't have the slightest clue of an actual day or week in an athlete's shoes but they want to judge them. 

Reality is an athlete isn't walking around having sex with every hot coed, clapping his hands and having every need catered to them 💆🏾

I am sure I would be considered an “arm chair QB” but am glad no rule against it to post our opinions and our opinion matters as much as anyone’s on this forum. No bonus points for being an ex football player ( if that is what is considered a non- arm chair QB.) I do agree with your basic point you have been making that these play/not play decisions are up to each individual player/player’s family.

[bigbird 60,941]

17 hours ago, slyinsocal said:

Smith-Njigba goes off for a record setting 347 receiving yards.

FWIW...Jay Fair was his back up and broke his HS records 

[tomcat 591]

35 minutes ago, cole256 said:

Fact of the matter as far as this being talked about by the armchair QB's is there's a bunch of jealousy towards players because it's a bunch of people that grew up wishing they could be athletes.

There's a huge disconnect as many don't have the slightest clue of an actual day or week in an athlete's shoes but they want to judge them. 

Reality is an athlete isn't walking around having sex with every hot coed, clapping his hands and having every need catered to them 💆🏾

…walk a mile in their shoes…Cole, thanks the perspective and wisdom.

[AuburnNTexas 7,334]

2 hours ago, jluvah said:

I get all that. Let’s take a look at Bryce Young, or Jameson Williams, or Will Anderson. The have NOTHING to prove that would improve their draft status( I realize Young is a Soph.). What’s to keep them from saying “ sorry Coach Saban, I can’t afford to risk it this week. I’m opting out” . So they’re playing for a ring. That ring won’t pay the bills or feed the kids if they get a career-ending injury. But I bet they would get CRUCIFIED by their fan base and the press if they did opt out. Please don’t tell there is a difference. We’re talking about their future livelihood . What if Cam had done that in 2010. He would have gone from hero to villain for most Auburn fans

I think you are being obtuse but based on what I said you have a legitimate point if it is all about the money you are correct the fan base would crucify a player who opted out of championship games but from a money only perspective it might be the correct choice. So far you have not seen any player do it, so probably is a non-issue. If it did occur I could see NCAA stepping in and making a change to scholarship rule making it a requirement for a healthy player to be penalized for opting out by having to pay back the money allocated towards that players scholarship.

[Hank2020 3,381]

41 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I think you are being obtuse but based on what I said you have a legitimate point if it is all about the money you are correct the fan base would crucify a player who opted out of championship games but from a money only perspective it might be the correct choice. So far you have not seen any player do it, so probably is a non-issue. If it did occur I could see NCAA stepping in and making a change to scholarship rule making it a requirement for a healthy player to be penalized for opting out by having to pay back the money allocated towards that players scholarship.

I don’t believe that is happening.

[AuburnNTexas 7,334]

8 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

I don’t believe that is happening.

I know it is not happening I said if key players were to start opting out of championship games that might be a way to address it. I don't think it will happen because all players want to play in championship games.

[Hank2020 3,381]

1 minute ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I know it is not happening I said if key players were to start opting out of championship games that might be a way to address it. I don't think it will happen because all players want to play in championship games.

I don’t think it would happen even if they start opting out in a championship run. Coaches leave during a championship run. Nothing to stop a player from stopping play at any time and leaving school. They may be able to pull the scholarship but they have played ( fulfilled requirements ) up to that point. Can’t force them to Return anything except keeping them from finishing their education for the rest of that semester.

[gctiger 991]

3 hours ago, cole256 said:

Well a bunch of that is subjective in the second to last paragraph. If a person works at burger king saying they should just be happy at eating burgers for free doesn't make it ok. 

Who knows the experience each player has on campus. I don't know the stipend now but it definitely wasn't healthy 6 years ago. The facilities at our school was certainly not state of the art and the nutrition for the longest of times was an on campus cafeteria and if you're lucky you get free pizza late at night. 

There's definitely other students that get to live a higher quality life. But that's life in general I guess

You make it sound as if a fully paid for college education has little or no value at all. 

[Beaker 2,457]

2 hours ago, bigbird said:

FWIW...Jay Fair was his back up and broke his HS records 

Is Jay Fair going to be our next Ryan Davis - type receiver?   A crazy good slot guy because he is what 5'9" and looks light.  

Also, any chance #40 gets moved to WR?  I can't recall his name.  Landon King; I just had to think.  I think I have Covid brain....That seems like a no brainer kind of move.   If I need to call someone, let me know.

 

[cole256 17,085]

22 minutes ago, gctiger said:

You make it sound as if a fully paid for college education has little or no value at all. 

No what I do is speak the overall levity of the situation. I also point out how it really is as opposed to how some people think that it may go. Try to give the view of a more progressive mindset. 

Pretty much what this entire country was built on. Instead of saying you should be happy with what we give you this country said no we are going to get what we deserve. I think it's natural to want and feel like that.

Now every step of the way while trying to get what you deserve there will undoubtedly be a group of people telling you to just be happy with what you got. 

[Auburnfan91 1,408]

Getting back to the opt out discussion, it's really a case by case basis. If you're a potential 1st to 3rd round draft pick and you play for a program that goes to bowl games every year, opting out of a bowl game isn't a big deal. Especially bowl games like the Birmingham, Music City, Outback, or Citrus bowls. So you miss 1 bowl out of 3 or 4 depending on how long you play in college. The college football playoff has really devalued bowl games even more than the BCS did. That's just the reality whether fans like it or not.

Look at Matt Corral for example. Corral played at Ole Miss. This was only his 2nd bowl game in his 4 years at Ole Miss. And it was the Sugar Bowl. Playing in the Sugar Bowl is a once in a career option for guys that play at Ole Miss. Let's be real, Ole Miss isn't going to ever make the playoffs. They've never even played in the SEC Championship game. They haven't won an SEC title since the 1960's. The Sugar Bowl is a big game for Ole Miss.

For teams like Bama and UGA right now, the Sugar Bowl doesn't mean much unless it's one of the semi-final games for the playoffs.  Guys at top programs are more likely to opt out of major bowl games than at programs that don't play in major bowl games that often.