Christian McCaffery

[MerrittsMustache]

Maybe, I wouldnt be shocked to see players stop playing after a couple of early season losses. Right or wrong, if colleges wont start paying players, theyre gonna see the college game start disappearing and quickly.

In basketball as well, high ranking recruits may start going to China for a year before they are draft eligible.

Pay or no pay, college football is not going to disappear quickly.

Didn't Brandon Jennings start that "play overseas" trend about 10 years ago? We're still waiting for it catch on.

[GGGG]

Not sure that is a bad thing. Might actually return to the day where we actually have student athletes who play sports to get a good education. What a novel idea.

You probably live close to a Division 3 school where you can watch this all you want if it is so important to you.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Pay or no pay, college football is not going to disappear quickly.

Didn't Brandon Jennings start that "play overseas" trend about 10 years ago? We're still waiting for it catch on.

I was thinking more along the lines of Mudiay, but that was more of an eligibility issue thinking about it now.

[Pakuni]

Not sure that is a bad thing. Might actually return to the day where we actually have student athletes who play sports to get a good education. What a novel idea.

When was that, exactly?

[muwarrior69]

Please, do you think even back in the 70s that star players were in school to get an education?

More so than today.

[tower912]

Balderdash.

[MUBurrow]

The way that college football is set up, once a team loses 2 games their season is basically over. They're not playing for a national championship and with a third loss, they're likely out of BCS bowl contention. What's the point after that?

Once a team loses their third game, should the top players all quit to focus on the draft? Isn't it all meaningless after that anyway? Seriously, is the Sun Bowl really any more meaningless than Stanford's game against Arizona in late October?

I think this is a tough call for the player, but I wish the way coaches approach these games got more attention. I remember the ol' ball coach making life harder for Clowney  when he was injured in a year he ultimately could have sat out altogether (shoulder or peck injury, if memory serves). 

Similarly, did Dalvin Cook really need 28 carries in a 30-pt win against Syracuse in November? I get that Cook is going to want the ball every down, but I feel like Fischer's got to take the ball out of the pitcher's hand there.

[reinko]

Not sure that is a bad thing. Might actually return to the day where we actually have student athletes who play sports to get a good education. What a novel idea.

This take is straight FIRE

[Tugg Speedman]

College Football: Are the Lesser Bowl Games Getting Flushed Away?
Star player dropouts and increased attention on the playoff have put the squeeze on the sport's smaller postseason contests
Dec. 19, 2016 7:08 p.m. ET

http://www.wsj.com/articles/college-football-are-the-lesser-bowl-games-getting-flushed-away-1482192506

If there was any doubt that college football's lengthy slate of bowl games is headed the way of VHS tapes and landline phones, two of the game's biggest stars erased it in recent days.

In the span of 72 hours, Louisiana State University running back Leonard Fournette and Stanford all-purpose back Christian McCaffrey both announced that they would skip their team's postseason journeys to the Citrus Bowl and the Sun Bowl, respectively. The reason: so they can prepare for—and avoid injury before—the NFL combine and draft.

The players' decisions to opt out of their final games sounds a loud statement that elite college athletes are increasingly emboldened to protect their personal future, even if at the expense of their teams. The announcements come as the fascination with the four-team College Football Playoff continues to grow, making everything else in the sport seem like small beer—especially bowl games with corporate names like " Buffalo Wild Wings" in front of them (as the Citrus Bowl does).

Second- and third-tier bowls already have had to combat mediocre television ratings, struggling ticket sales and thousands of visibly unoccupied seats in many of the games. Even loyal fans frequently take a pass on the expenses involved with traveling to a largely meaningless game.

[brandx]

Please, do you think even back in the 70s that star players were in school to get an education?

Maybe back in the '20s and '30s.

[GooooMarquette]

If the game is totally meaningless, I'll look forward to watching the Stanford QB hand the ball to the other team and walk off the field....

[GGGG]

College Football: Are the Lesser Bowl Games Getting Flushed Away?
Star player dropouts and increased attention on the playoff have put the squeeze on the sport's smaller postseason contests
Dec. 19, 2016 7:08 p.m. ET

http://www.wsj.com/articles/college-football-are-the-lesser-bowl-games-getting-flushed-away-1482192506

If there was any doubt that college football's lengthy slate of bowl games is headed the way of VHS tapes and landline phones, two of the game's biggest stars erased it in recent days.

In the span of 72 hours, Louisiana State University running back Leonard Fournette and Stanford all-purpose back Christian McCaffrey both announced that they would skip their team's postseason journeys to the Citrus Bowl and the Sun Bowl, respectively. The reason: so they can prepare for—and avoid injury before—the NFL combine and draft.

The players' decisions to opt out of their final games sounds a loud statement that elite college athletes are increasingly emboldened to protect their personal future, even if at the expense of their teams. The announcements come as the fascination with the four-team College Football Playoff continues to grow, making everything else in the sport seem like small beer—especially bowl games with corporate names like " Buffalo Wild Wings" in front of them (as the Citrus Bowl does).

Second- and third-tier bowls already have had to combat mediocre television ratings, struggling ticket sales and thousands of visibly unoccupied seats in many of the games. Even loyal fans frequently take a pass on the expenses involved with traveling to a largely meaningless game.

The "mediocre television ratings" that minor bowls get usually do better than any alternative programming.  For instance, I bet whatever minor bowl are on ESPN will crush Marquette's game v. Georgetown on December 28.

[MU82]

So if we had made the NIT last season everyone here would be OK with Henry sitting out the tournament. Hell, even if we had made the NCAA those games would be meaningless for/to him to risk his future income.

Silly analogy.

Try harder.

[MUEng92]

If the game is totally meaningless, I'll look forward to watching the Stanford QB hand the ball to the other team and walk off the field....

That would be the only play I would be interested to see from any non-playoff bowl game

[Dr. Blackheart]

What does Vegas have to say?

[GGGG]

Case in point re: television ratings.

Dan Wetzel ‏@DanWetzel 
Also overnight ratings:
Lopsided Las Vegas Bowl: 2.6
Epic Kentucky-UNC basketball game: 2.4

[MU82]

From News & Observer in Raleigh:

UNC senior cornerback Des Lawrence and linebacker Andre Smith don't blame McCaffrey for sitting out the game.

"Do what you gotta do," Lawrence said. "Personally, I think you should do whatever you feel is right, regardless of what everybody else thinks."

Smith likened it to a coach getting a new job at the end of a season and leaving before the bowl game.

"It's a business decision," Smith said. "He's about to go get a new job."

Both of these guys are right, and I especially LOVE Smith's take. If I could agree with something 101%, I would!

[RJax55]

From News & Observer in Raleigh:

UNC senior cornerback Des Lawrence and linebacker Andre Smith don't blame McCaffrey for sitting out the game.

"Do what you gotta do," Lawrence said. "Personally, I think you should do whatever you feel is right, regardless of what everybody else thinks."

Smith likened it to a coach getting a new job at the end of a season and leaving before the bowl game.

"It's a business decision," Smith said. "He's about to go get a new job."

Both of these guys are right, and I especially LOVE Smith's take. If I could agree with something 101%, I would!

I bet if you took a poll of P5 conference players, most would have a similar view of it, and support McCaffrey's decision. These guys are not dumb and they see their coaches skip out on bowl games for better jobs all the time.

Beyond coaches, the only guys that are upset about this are a bunch of old guy sportswriters delivering hot takes. Nothing but white noise.

[Tugg Speedman]

I bet if you took a poll of P5 conference players, most would have a similar view of it, and support McCaffrey's decision. These guys are not dumb and they see their coaches skip out on bowl games for better jobs all the time.

Beyond coaches, the only guys that are upset about this are a bunch of old guy sportswriters delivering hot takes. Nothing but white noise.

The other crowd that does not like this is the high rolling sweater vest alumni that want to watch or travel to the game to see their alma mater win.  These sweater vests might even be bitchin to the alumni relations department about their donations ("bitchin" does necessarily mean not giving)

[MU82]

I bet if you took a poll of P5 conference players, most would have a similar view of it, and support McCaffrey's decision. These guys are not dumb and they see their coaches skip out on bowl games for better jobs all the time.

Beyond coaches, the only guys that are upset about this are a bunch of old guy sportswriters delivering hot takes. Nothing but white noise.

As a former old-guy sportswriter, I take mild offense because, obviously, I would not have been upset about this in the least. In fact, I would have written a column applauding it.

Jocks need to take care of themselves because, in the end, nobody else really, truly gives a darn. The vast majority of coaches certainly are looking out for #1.

If what McCaffrey and Fournette are doing leads to a trend, this old-guy ex-sportswriter says, "Nice job!"

[RJax55]

The other crowd that does not like this is the high rolling sweater vest alumni that want to watch or travel to the game to see their alma mater win.  These sweater vests might even be bitchin to the alumni relations department about their donations ("bitchin" does necessarily mean not giving)

For these non-marquee games I wonder how many really care. How many big-time Stanford boosters are dying to go to El Paso for the Sun Bowl? The attendance at these games are poor.

But, you're right, that's another group. Like the sportswriters, a small but loud group.

[RJax55]

As a former old-guy sportswriter, I take mild offense because, obviously, I would not have been upset about this in the least. In fact, I would have written a column applauding it.

Jocks need to take care of themselves because, in the end, nobody else really, truly gives a darn. The vast majority of coaches certainly are looking out for #1.

If what McCaffrey and Fournette are doing leads to a trend, this old-guy ex-sportswriter says, "Nice job!"

Certainly not all, my mistake in conveying it that way. And, I really should have said sports media instead.

[MerrittsMustache]

The other crowd that does not like this is the high rolling sweater vest alumni that want to watch or travel to the game to see their alma mater win.  These sweater vests might even be bitchin to the alumni relations department about their donations ("bitchin" does necessarily mean not giving)

The other "crowd" who does not like this are people who prefer that players not quit on their teammates. Sure, it's a smart business decision, but it's also incredibly selfish.

[MUBurrow]

The other "crowd" who does not like this are people who prefer that players not quit on their teammates. Sure, it's a smart business decision, but it's also incredibly selfish.

Same could (should?) be said of any teammate that would have the expectation that a teammate risk his pro career to play in a bowl game. 

[brandx]

The other "crowd" who does not like this are people who prefer that players not quit on their teammates. Sure, it's a smart business decision, but it's also incredibly selfish.

So, who, besides you, should have a say in whether you quit your job for a new opportunity?

What about people who quit any job? Aren't they abandoning their co-workers? Of course it is a business decision. The player is the only one who really cares about his future. The coaches certainly aren't looking out for a guy who won't be back next year.

And, really, isn't any BB or FB player who declares for the NBA or NFL early "abandoning" his teammates according to your reasoning?

Don't mean to attack you, Merritt (that's what it sounded like when I re-read what I wrote) - just askin'.