Christian McCaffery

[Jay Bee]

Here is a sample:

http://www.athleticscholarships.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Example-Athletic-Aid-Agreement.pdf

Stanford has no grounds

Huh? A condition to qualify is adhering to various rules (team rules, S&C program rules, etc.)

Ya think perhaps showing up to practice & to games is a team rule?

He is in violation of team rules. He is refusing to play. He did not honor his commitment and obligations. I pray for this young man.

[Pakuni]

Huh? A condition to qualify is adhering to various rules (team rules, S&C program rules, etc.)

Ya think perhaps showing up to practice & to games is a team rule?

He is in violation of team rules. He is refusing to play. He did not honor his commitment and obligations. I pray for this young man.

He's violating a team rule... for a team he no longer belongs?
Huh.

[Jay Bee]

He's violating a team rule... for a team he no longer belongs?
Huh.

Violating a commitment, today. Huh?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

NVM

[tower912]

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2016/12/michigan_unsure_on_severity_of.html#incart_river_home_pop

Another who will give next year's seniors, or those declaring for the draft, something to think about.   In Butt's defense (so fun to type), he is a gamer who would not have dreamed of sitting out.   

[MU82]

McCaffrey's backup, sophomore Bryce Love, rushed for 100+ yards and caught a long TD pass in the Useless Bowl as Stanford won its exhibition against some other team.

So, in addition to the fact that all of McCaffrey's teammates backed his decision, Love loved it and benefited mightily from it.

Great job by McCaffrey. A true team player whose decision jump-started what might end up being a pro career for Bryce Love.

Plus, unlike that poor Michigan tight end, McCaffrey didn't suffer a devastating injury in a meaningless game.

[JWags85]

McCaffrey's backup, sophomore Bryce Love, rushed for 100+ yards and caught a long TD pass in the Useless Bowl as Stanford won its exhibition against some other team.

So, in addition to the fact that all of McCaffrey's teammates backed his decision, Love loved it and benefited mightily from it.

Great job by McCaffrey. A true team player whose decision jump-started what might end up being a pro career for Bryce Love.

Plus, unlike that poor Michigan tight end, McCaffrey didn't suffer a devastating injury in a meaningless game.

This is quite a leap.  Nobody's pro stock is ignited in a mid level bowl game as a sophomore.  If Bryce Love becomes a pro, it will be a result of his play as the feature back next year as a junior. 

Its great that McCaffrey has the support of his teammates, but it was 100% a decision based on McCaffrey and his future.  Lets not ascribe some convenient altruistic motivation to it.

As for Butt, its unfortunate, but its football, injuries are gonna happen everywhere.  Dante Fowler blew out his knee in summer practices playing in shorts with no pads.

[jesmu84]

https://twitter.com/geoffschwartz/status/815365841386672128

[MU82]

This is quite a leap.  Nobody's pro stock is ignited in a mid level bowl game as a sophomore.  If Bryce Love becomes a pro, it will be a result of his play as the feature back next year as a junior. 

Its great that McCaffrey has the support of his teammates, but it was 100% a decision based on McCaffrey and his future.  Lets not ascribe some convenient altruistic motivation to it.

As for Butt, its unfortunate, but its football, injuries are gonna happen everywhere.  Dante Fowler blew out his knee in summer practices playing in shorts with no pads.

JW:

I was being quite facetious in my leap. (Sorry, I don't use teal.)

McCaffrey looked out for No. 1, as he should have. A nice side benefit was that another player got to excel in his absence.

As for Butt, yes it absolutely is part of football. If I'm a player who might be worth millions of dollars, I do what I can - within reason and logic - to make sure it doesn't happen to me.

Others made sarcastic leaps such as, "Why not just quit after Game 4 if the team is 1-2?" That falls under neither reason nor logic. Skipping a completely meaningless bowl game, meanwhile, is both reasonable and logical.

Congrats to McCaffrey, congrats to Love, and sympathy to Butt.

[Jams]

No one has said it, but Butt had a large insurance policy ($4 million) as do a number of NCAA high potential athletes.  Butt will be fine, even if he can never play again, which is highly unlikely.  He has a quality education from Michigan.  I bet someone like Dallas or New England drafts him based on potential knowing he can't play for at least a year.

[jesmu84]

No one has said it, but Butt had a large insurance policy ($4 million) as do a number of NCAA high potential athletes.  Butt will be fine, even if he can never play again, which is highly unlikely.  He has a quality education from Michigan.  I bet someone like Dallas or New England drafts him based on potential knowing he can't play for at least a year.

[MU82]

No one has said it, but Butt had a large insurance policy ($4 million) as do a number of NCAA high potential athletes.  Butt will be fine, even if he can never play again, which is highly unlikely.  He has a quality education from Michigan.  I bet someone like Dallas or New England drafts him based on potential knowing he can't play for at least a year.

I'm glad about that. They all should have big insurance policies. Still, for a first-round draft pick like Fournette, a $4 million insurance policy pales in comparison to what he could earn.

[rocket surgeon]

dude!  Happy New Year!

[JWags85]

JW:

I was being quite facetious in my leap. (Sorry, I don't use teal.)

McCaffrey looked out for No. 1, as he should have. A nice side benefit was that another player got to excel in his absence.

As for Butt, yes it absolutely is part of football. If I'm a player who might be worth millions of dollars, I do what I can - within reason and logic - to make sure it doesn't happen to me.

Others made sarcastic leaps such as, "Why not just quit after Game 4 if the team is 1-2?" That falls under neither reason nor logic. Skipping a completely meaningless bowl game, meanwhile, is both reasonable and logical.

Congrats to McCaffrey, congrats to Love, and sympathy to Butt.

My bad, fair enough.  Its nice that it worked out for all involved.  Ideal situation

[tower912]

I really don't want to add anything, just having an Undertaker GIF for the return of Chicos is just so darned awesome.

[brandx]

I really don't want to add anything, just having an Undertaker GIF for the return of Chicos is just so darned awesome.

I'd prefer he stay under water.


Same old. Same old crazy.

[tower912]

Agreed.  But the GIF is still so awesomely appropriate.

[Pakuni]

No one has said it, but Butt had a large insurance policy ($4 million) as do a number of NCAA high potential athletes.  Butt will be fine, even if he can never play again, which is highly unlikely.  He has a quality education from Michigan.  I bet someone like Dallas or New England drafts him based on potential knowing he can't play for at least a year.

h

He only gets $4 million if he never plays. A guy expected to go in the late first or early second would earn around that from his initial signing bonus.
He'll get up to $2 million if he falls out of the second round.

[MU82]

h

He only gets $4 million if he never plays. A guy expected to go in the late first or early second would earn around that from his initial signing bonus.
He'll get up to $2 million if he falls out of the second round.

Good point. A player could suffer an injury that causes him to fall 3 rounds in the draft and costs him millions of dollars, and an insurance policy will have been useless.

I hope it doesn't happen to Butt, but it could.

[MU82]

So much for NFL GMs being concerned about the commitment of McCaffrey and Fournette. Both are expected to be top-10 picks. I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers take one of them; their brass talk about both in glowing terms.

[RJax55]

So much for NFL GMs being concerned about the commitment of McCaffrey and Fournette. Both are expected to be top-10 picks. I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers take one of them; their brass talk about both in glowing terms.

Absolutely not surprised either. For both of these guys, being healthy and giving their bodies the best chance to perform well at the combine and pre-draft workouts was far more important than any performance in a mid-tier bowl game.

They made the smart call. Other players and agents will take note.

[tower912]

Not surprising.    Compare and contrast with the draft prospects of Jake Butt.    Star players blowing off mid-tier bowl games is going to become as common as underclassmen declaring for the NBA draft. 

[DegenerateDish]

I would be shocked, stunned if either is a top 10 pick.

[wadesworld]

I would be shocked, stunned if either is a top 10 pick.

I would not.

[tower912]

I would be shocked, stunned if either is a top 10 pick.

I wouldn't.   I won't guarantee it, though.   I WOULD be shocked if either is still available when the Lions draft at 21.