Bacon: Fleck takes WMU recruits with him and other things wrong with college football

[KillmeNow]

All's fair in love and war. Some days you're the bug, and some days you're the windshield. We were on the other end of it when Lou Holtz left for Notre Dame, taking Tony Rice, other prized recruits and his favorite assistant coaches with him. I've always mourned that it happened, but I've never called it "what's wrong with college football" or whined that the system shouldn't allow it. Whiners gonna whine.

This is exactly right on!! And ND went on to win a Natl Title with those players, too.


I also mourned that it happened, but like you I never considered what Holtz did as wrong. I was simply bummed that we only had Holtz here for 2 years before the ND head coaching job opened up.

 

[Sportsfan24]

So find an alternative for playing football if that's the goal. Clearly the debt-free degree and lifetime earnings bump associated with it mean nothing.

You act as if all football players are on scholarship? I wonder if Fleck would have a $21 million contract without the players? I wonder if TV would pay universities billions of dollars without the players? What do you think?


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[highwayman]

You act as if all football players are on scholarship? I wonder if Fleck would have a $21 million contract without the players? I wonder if TV would pay universities billions of dollars without the players? What do you think?


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Most are or will be.
The ones that don't find a way.
All players that make the team are treated 100% the same.
Most turn out pretty well.
It's a pretty good gig that most of us would pray for, and never look back.


Look at the BIG picture, and dial her back.

 

[dpodoll68]

You act as if all football players are on scholarship? I wonder if Fleck would have a $21 million contract without the players? I wonder if TV would pay universities billions of dollars without the players? What do you think?


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The only reason anyone even cares about the players (and provides the revenue that funds their scholarship) and knows who they are is because of the schools and the capital and operating investments they have made, in many cases, for a century or more. Fact.

 

[GopherHomer]

You act as if all football players are on scholarship? I wonder if Fleck would have a $21 million contract without the players? I wonder if TV would pay universities billions of dollars without the players? What do you think?


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Without these "specific" players - yes, he would. The American public has decided it wants to watch college football. The current players are meaningless - there are countless guys to replace them. I hate typing this, but the players (as individuals) are pretty meaningless and are just a commodity. We will see if the proposed California "professional go-between" from high school to the NFL takes off and destroys my theory, but the student athletes don't have as much power as they are being told. The demand is set and the public will accept whatever relative product they are given. The hype machines are in place - and ignorant mouth-breathers (which I don't completely exclude myself from) will watch whatever they are told to by ESPN and the like. Might as well get the chance at a free education while you can...

 

[Sportsfan24]

Most are or will be.
The ones that don't find a way.
All players that make the team are treated 100% the same.
Most turn out pretty well.
It's a pretty good gig that most of us would pray for, and never look back.


Look at the BIG picture, and dial her back.

You lost (most will find away?) me; but I will attempt to respond.

All players are treated the same? Wasn't my point but no they are not (star player and player barely holding onto a scholarship commit the same school violation) .....and it kinda proves you have no idea what you are talking about.[emoji41]

I agree it's a great gig; also not what I'm talking about. Most would pray for the "gig" but they aren't qualified for the "gig" sooooooo.

Dial it back? Oh you mean don't state an opinion you don't agree with?[emoji41]



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[Sportsfan24]

The only reason anyone even cares about the players (and provides the revenue that funds their scholarship) and knows who they are is because of the schools and the capital and operating investments they have made, in many cases, for a century or more. Fact.

My man, you can't play a game without the players. NDSU would not have stepped up to different college football division without actually WINNING football games. Players, coaches and supporting staff win football games, not universities. Sometimes they even win in spite of universities.

The capital and operating expenses are significantly less than what the football program bring in revenue. The football program at the U pays for itself and funds other programs.

Check the top selling college football jerseys in NCAA. Match the numbers up to the teams roster. If what you believe is true there should be no correlation between star players and players who don't play.


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[Sportsfan24]

Without these "specific" players - yes, he would. The American public has decided it wants to watch college football. The current players are meaningless - there are countless guys to replace them. I hate typing this, but the players (as individuals) are pretty meaningless and are just a commodity. We will see if the proposed California "professional go-between" from high school to the NFL takes off and destroys my theory, but the student athletes don't have as much power as they are being told. The demand is set and the public will accept whatever relative product they are given. The hype machines are in place - and ignorant mouth-breathers (which I don't completely exclude myself from) will watch whatever they are told to by ESPN and the like. Might as well get the chance at a free education while you can...

Concordia vs Augsburg should be a much bigger game than it is according to your analysis. Case in point; football used to be big time at Historical Black College Universities (HBCU's). Integration pulled the top athletes first to big ten schools and later to colleges in general and now the battle of the bands is far more important than the actual game.

My point? The belief that a team has the best players available. Their team is the best. Not the best of the area but the best in college football. See how popular Gopher football would be if folks thought that the St. Cloud Huskies were the better team. Gopher fans take solace in believing that while we may not be the best in the Big Ten we are all the schools who play at lower levels.

Using my HBCU example (disregard the racial component...not my point). If players started making those schools their school of choice their would be a tremendous economic and fan shift in the region. To a much lesser degree we see it with NDSU and Gopher football. The gophers have mitigated it by refusing to continue playing them.

California professional go between? Not to worry; the power football conferences would leave the NCAA long before it impacted them. Why leave the NCAA? Because they would start paying their players in addition to the scholarships. Of course the NCAA would adjust and pay players before that happened (assuming they work out title 9).

The players? Money should be the least of their concerns. Safety (reducing hitting and practice time), guaranteed scholarships (not annually renewed), 5 years to play 4 (remove redshirt), school pays for grad school for all former players not just the few who get GA positions).


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[GopherHomer]

Concordia vs Augsburg should be a much bigger game than it is according to your analysis. Case in point; football used to be big time at Historical Black College Universities (HBCU's). Integration pulled the top athletes first to big ten schools and later to colleges in general and now the battle of the bands is far more important than the actual game.

My point? The belief that a team has the best players available. Their team is the best. Not the best of the area but the best in college football. See how popular Gopher football would be if folks thought that the St. Cloud Huskies were the better team. Gopher fans take solace in believing that while we may not be the best in the Big Ten we are all the schools who play at lower levels.

Using my HBCU example (disregard the racial component...not my point). If players started making those schools their school of choice their would be a tremendous economic and fan shift in the region. To a much lesser degree we see it with NDSU and Gopher football. The gophers have mitigated it by refusing to continue playing them.

California professional go between? Not to worry; the power football conferences would leave the NCAA long before it impacted them. Why leave the NCAA? Because they would start paying their players in addition to the scholarships. Of course the NCAA would adjust and pay players before that happened (assuming they work out title 9).

The players? Money should be the least of their concerns. Safety (reducing hitting and practice time), guaranteed scholarships (not annually renewed), 5 years to play 4 (remove redshirt), school pays for grad school for all former players not just the few who get GA positions).


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I agree with much of what you are saying here. But - if you put all the players from Concordia on Alabama and all the players from Augsburg on LSU and ESPN told everyone to watch and that it would be great football I don't believe the business of college sports would be affected at all. Players, in general, are obviously integral to the game - just not any specific player(s). That was my point.

 

[I Want 2 Win]

If the NCAA started paying the players, where does that money come from? The fans and at the cost of other athletics within the Universities.

Sure Texas, Alabama, LSU, Florida State, etc could afford it, but there would be programs folding everywhere that can't. You would be left with more or less 30 or so College teams that just creates NFL-lite (this is also the argument against the scenario of power schools leaving the NCAA). College football is great because of it being 100+ teams at the top level. The hopes and dreams are much greater than professional and allows for people to continue playing the sport they love.

Unless SF24 is talking about only paying the elite prospects, then his argument of not everyone gets a scholarship is pointless.

I am on-board with the idea of creating insurance for the players, but that in of itself would be extremely expensive.

The only ones that will lose are the fans and the borderline athletes that want a chance to keep playing at the top college level.

Heck, Jaylin Smith was still drafted after getting hurt and its possible he may never play in the NFL, but he'll be paid to sit on the bench.

 

[dpodoll68]

My man, you can't play a game without the players. NDSU would not have stepped up to different college football division without actually WINNING football games. Players, coaches and supporting staff win football games, not universities. Sometimes they even win in spite of universities.

The capital and operating expenses are significantly less than what the football program bring in revenue. The football program at the U pays for itself and funds other programs.

Check the top selling college football jerseys in NCAA. Match the numbers up to the teams roster. If what you believe is true there should be no correlation between star players and players who don't play.

Put a #7 U of M jersey next to a plain white #7 jersey with Eric Decker's name on the back - which one do you think sells more?

 

[Sportsfan24]

I agree with much of what you are saying here. But - if you put all the players from Concordia on Alabama and all the players from Augsburg on LSU and ESPN told everyone to watch and that it would be great football I don't believe the business of college sports would be affected at all. Players, in general, are obviously integral to the game - just not any specific player(s). That was my point.

I disagree but I respect your opinion.


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[Sportsfan24]

Put a #7 U of M jersey next to a plain white #7 jersey with Eric Decker's name on the back - which one do you think sells more?

While I absolutely hate Eric Decker (no man should be so handsome AND rich!) you make an absolutely great point.

The Eric Decker jersey every day of the week.


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[dpodoll68]

The Eric Decker jersey every day of the week.

Keep dreaming.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

While I absolutely hate Eric Decker (no man should be so handsome AND rich!) you make an absolutely great point.

The Eric Decker jersey every day of the week.


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If you put on a n Eric Decker jersey, you look 30% more attractive, it has been proven with science.

 

[I Want 2 Win]

While I absolutely hate Eric Decker (no man should be so handsome AND rich!) you make an absolutely great point.

The Eric Decker jersey every day of the week.


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No mention of being married to Jessie James?

 

[Sportsfan24]

If you put on a n Eric Decker jersey, you look 30% more attractive, it has been proven with science.

Really? I will wear two under my suit from now on![emoji41]


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[Sportsfan24]

No mention of being married to Jessie James?

Damn! I forgot about her........yea I really hate Eric Decker.[emoji848]


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