Payne in portal (UPDATED: Payne commits to Texas A&M)

Hahahahaha. You’re something else man. I’m a gopher fan. I can show you my closet if you want to make sure. Maybe make sure that everyone wears a gold star or you can number people.

You take this wayyyyy too seriously. I hope your life has something important or fulfilling outside of gopher sports and getting mad online.
LOL I even posted an Ultimate Warrior Inspiration video where he says we need to hit the gym ourselves instead of watching others do it. In the first minute...he goes off on how pathetic sports-watchers are and he doesn't like to be around guys like that.

I try to keep this in mind.
 

But pay for play here you’ll root for?
I am not a fan of the current pay for play/pretend NIL system regardless of which team benefits from it.

I think it is sad to see starting players on teams from major conferences leaving to go to other schools just to make money. I fully get why they are doing it but I think it is a damn shame that a kid like Payne who was starting for a Big Ten team in his home state feels the need to transfer just to try and make more money. Team and loyalty to a team used to mean something in college basketball but those days are quickly fading into the past.

I also have far less of an issue with a guy like Mitchell moving from a small school to the Big Ten as opposed to a guy like Ballo leaving a starting spot at Arizona to go to Indiana.

But in the end none of us has any control over this current mess so for my part I will wait and see what the roster looks like when the season starts and those will be the guys I root for.
 


Minnesota transfer big man Pharrel Payne took a visit to IU recently, but his process could be impacted by the Ballo decision as well. Ryan James of 247Sports is reporting Payne is visiting Texas A&M this weekend, followed by visits to Texas and Oregon. At this point Payne appears unlikely to land at Indiana.
How many visits has this guy taken already? Hope he finds it worth all the disruption. Would seem difficult to keep up with schoolwork at minimum.
 




People keep talking about Payne coming back. Thats not gonna happen. Texas, Texas A&M, or Oregon will throw him some good money in the next week or so.
 

People keep talking about Payne coming back. Thats not gonna happen. Texas, Texas A&M, or Oregon will throw him some good money in the next week or so.
There has been some wishful thinking that he might come back since it is taking a while but think most understand he will be playing for somebody else next year.
 

At least he's a Gophers fan. Unlike some on here.

There's a thread from a year or 2 ago where I documented which college teams some on here are fans of. They admitted it when pressed...I give them credit for that. I forgot if you are one of them...but several on here you can pretty much guess.
I cant remember if it was you who accused me of being a Wisconsin fan even though my family has been cheering for the Gophers since the 30s and my father and I both attended the U, I had season tickets to hockey and football for YEARS (basketball also for a season after graduating) including being at both National Title winning games for the hockey team along with like 10 Final Fives, 5 Frozen Fours and all sorts of other stuff. I am not sure I would be a good Wisconsin fan since I hate them with all that is me and I have been going to Gopher sporting events for almost 40 years.

Anyways, it is none of your business what other teams fans cheer for. Who the hell are you to judge?
 

Funny how you now think we need to be happy that they’re leaving. No, I’m pissed too. But the holier than thou act about money gets old.
I dont think he is being holier than thou...he just has little respect for people who leave for money. (that they might not get anyways) He is basically treating them like a pro free agent. After they leave who really cares? They got paid, good for them but beyond that not much really needs to be said. Some are going a bit overboard with it, but I dont see any reason we as fans have to be classy about it. I mean we probably should but I see nothing wrong with basically turning your back on the guy who left.

I have always had that idea when it comes to top end players transferring. The second they go elsewhere I forget about them. Sometimes, like say Pino on the hockey team, it is nice to see them get a chance to play elsewhere cause minutes would be limited here. Other than that...cya! I am loyal to the uniform, not the player.
 





Odd, since you or nobody else has any idea what these guys are being offered. It is all speculation. When I start to see actual, published numbers from something in writing, then maybe I'll say OK, I understand. Until I see verifiable proof, I will assume, just as accurately, that he was presented a competitive offer that was within 10-20% of what he'll get somewhere else. He spurned it. I can only assume he was motivated by ego and greed, and people like that generally aren't well liked. It certainly wasn't about playing time or not being the focal point of the team.

He can do whatever the hell he wants. More power to him. I'm under no obligation to be happy for him or to give two shits about his earning potential elsewhere. Short-term thinking often leads to undesirable and unintended long-term consequences. Hope he is prepared for that inevitability, which will come sooner than he probably thinks.
If you are under the belief that he is leaving for a 10% increase on a High Major team where he started, idk what to tell you.

Also funny that you start by saying nobody knows what was offered, then continue to say he received a competitive offer lol...which one is more likely? He received a "competitive" offer and decided to leave anyway? or he saw that his value on the free market was worth a lot more than staying?

But go off, not gonna stop you from being delusional.
 
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Not sure why you are having a hard time tracking this. Everyone understands why Payne is leaving.....faced with the same opportunity, many of us might even make the same decision.....but as fans that doesn't mean we have to like it or feel good for Payne.

College Basketball, and to a lesser degree college Football, has become all about money and greed. It is really unfortunate to see what used to be great sports getting ruined by this new system but it is what it is at this point and as fans we just have to get used to this new reality until some sanity is hopefully restored at some point.
Apparently not everyone does, hence my last response (see above)

I am not asking you to cheer for these kids leaving, heck you don't think I want Payne to stay?

But to wish for back issues (done in this thread) or to hope that he does poorly at his next stop is lame behavior. Wish him well and keep it moving, it's always been apart of the game.

Hate to break it to you but it's been about greed for 20+ years, the sentiment of this thread seems to have issues with the athletes getting a piece of the pie now.
 



Hahahahaha. You’re something else man. I’m a gopher fan. I can show you my closet if you want to make sure. Maybe make sure that everyone wears a gold star or you can number people.

You take this wayyyyy too seriously. I hope your life has something important or fulfilling outside of gopher sports and getting mad online.

No one wants to see your closet 😉
 

If you are under the belief that he is leaving for a 10% increase on a High Major team where he started, idk what to tell you.

Also funny that you start by saying nobody knows what was offered, then continue to say he received a competitive offer lol...which one is more likely? He received a "competitive" offer and decided to leave anyway? or he saw that his value on the free market was worth a lot more than staying?

But go off, not gonna stop you from being delusional.

“Doubt in uncomfortable. Certitude is insane.” - Voltaire (no, he’s not a PF from Uzbekistan, transferring from WhatsTheMatter U.
 

After talking to a recent grad, it doesn’t sound like it’s much of a thing at all anymore.
That is crazy, what is it about 30 per year that ever play in the NBA. Not sure what the numbers are for over seas opportunities, 250 total so maybe 50 a year. So a few percent will continue with basketball as a career and for most probably not that lucrative of a career. They can't blame anyone but themselves when they are done without an education.
 

Apparently not everyone does, hence my last response (see above)

I am not asking you to cheer for these kids leaving, heck you don't think I want Payne to stay?

But to wish for back issues (done in this thread) or to hope that he does poorly at his next stop is lame behavior. Wish him well and keep it moving, it's always been apart of the game.

Hate to break it to you but it's been about greed for 20+ years, the sentiment of this thread seems to have issues with the athletes getting a piece of the pie now.
The issue is not players getting a piece of the pie, the issue is the pure stupidity of the current way they are getting a piece and what it is doing to teams and rosters.

Have said multiple times, NIL as intended is a great thing. And yeah, there has been under the table money forever but that was nothing like what is going on right now. It wasn't long ago that you could reasonably expect a player to stay with the school he committed to in most cases.

The current system is very broken and unsustainable.

As for Payne, as long as he leaves the Big Ten I won't give him a second thought positive or negative after he is gone. But I refuse to wish a guy who is leaving a starting roll at the U of M well in his next college stop. I have no problem rooting for the guys buried on the depth chart like Ihnen to find success at their next stop but a guy like Payne is just leaving for the money, more power too him, hope it makes him happy......don't let the door hit you on the way out.
 


But to wish for back issues (done in this thread) or to hope that he does poorly at his next stop is lame behavior. Wish him well and keep it moving, it's always been apart of the game.
I don't blame Payne for leaving. It's the system, not him.

But I do hope that he plays average or poorly. It makes it more painful (no pun intended) if he improves and plays great. I hope everyone on opposing teams plays poorly.
 

That is crazy, what is it about 30 per year that ever play in the NBA. Not sure what the numbers are for over seas opportunities, 250 total so maybe 50 a year. So a few percent will continue with basketball as a career and for most probably not that lucrative of a career. They can't blame anyone but themselves when they are done without an education.
Yep.....any D1 athlete on scholarship has no one to blame but themselves if they don't take advantage of the free education. They have all kinds of academic support built into things as well.

For basketball players I guess this whole pay for play thing can buy them a little time after their playing days are done to figure out what the heck to do with their lives since they didn't bother to use college to get an education. Pretty likely that pay for play money won't last them very long though.
 

I don't blame Payne for leaving. It's the system, not him.

But I do hope that he plays average or poorly. It makes it more painful (no pun intended) if he improves and plays great. I hope everyone on opposing teams plays poorly.
Before the money, it was "they are just kids" and I wish them the best. I never got this sentiment prior to NIL becoming a thing. Not directed at you just responding here.

The money seems to have changed the sentiment. Just an observation....
 



Before the money, it was "they are just kids" and I wish them the best. I never got this sentiment prior to NIL becoming a thing. Not directed at you just responding here.

The money seems to have changed the sentiment. Just an observation....
Honest question - pre the current NIL/pay for play days.....how often did teams like the Gophers lose starters due to a player transferring to a different college? I don't think it happened very often at all. Starters would sometimes leave school early for the pro ranks but rarely would you see a starter transfer out because the goal used to be to earn a starting job on a Big Ten team.

Now the goal is to make as much money as possible and guys are doing that by moving all over the country.

But maybe I am forgetting examples from the past where a starter has left the U to go play somewhere else.
 

Honest question - pre the current NIL/pay for play days.....how often did teams like the Gophers lose starters due to a player transferring to a different college? I don't think it happened very often at all. Starters would sometimes leave school early for the pro ranks but rarely would you see a starter transfer out because the goal used to be to earn a starting job on a Big Ten team.

Now the goal is to make as much money as possible and guys are doing that by moving all over the country.

But maybe I am forgetting examples from the past where a starter has left the U to go play somewhere else.
serious? When Patino left we lost the entire team
 

serious? When Patino left we lost the entire team
I'm talking back before the insanity started. Like more than 5 year ago when things like Collectives didn't exist and when money was traded hands it was done under the table.
 

For athletes or everyone?
Unfortunately everyone. Kid told me how he basically just got answers from google and used chatGpt. Two degrees from the U. One semester he felt guilty and did old fashioned for halfway. He couldn’t keep up as everyone just took the easy road. Also said basically Everyone gets an A.
 


I'm talking back before the insanity started. Like more than 5 year ago when things like Collectives didn't exist and when money was traded hands it was done under the table.
Exactly
 

So the question remains......can you think of starters at Minnesota or other power conference schools transferring back in those days?

I am sure there were some premier players that transferred but I don't think it was anything like what we are seeing right now where starters at power conference schools are leaving to go chase money somewhere else.
 




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