Fournette, McCaffrey sitting out bowl games to prep for draft

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The time you start worrying about getting hurt, you'll likely get hurt.

It was just a matter of time before this started to happen. I agree with Saban however that you can't predict injury.


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GopherWeatherGuy said:
It's different when you're getting paid.
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It is, but do you really think a player will go from caring more about themselves to caring more about their team when they start getting paid?

What if, for example, they decide that the fine for missing training camp is less than what they value their time at, or if they think the risk of injury at training camp is more than that fine?

I understand that the NFL contracts are set up in a way that punishes players a lot more than NCAA scholarships do, but there will always be points where taking the penalty is better than playing from some perspectives.
 

GoGophersUMN said:
It is, but do you really think a player will go from caring more about themselves to caring more about their team when they start getting paid?

What if, for example, they decide that the fine for missing training camp is less than what they value their time at, or if they think the risk of injury at training camp is more than that fine?

I understand that the NFL contracts are set up in a way that punishes players a lot more than NCAA scholarships do, but there will always be points where taking the penalty is better than playing from some perspectives.
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Do you watch a lot of NFL games? Players totally back out of pre-season and unimportant games, generally with the coach's blessing. You will see it in a couple of weeks when they start sitting players for the playoffs.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Do you watch a lot of NFL games? Players totally back out of pre-season and unimportant games, generally with the coach's blessing. You will see it in a couple of weeks when they start sitting players for the playoffs.
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I think the better analogy to what the guys are doing is players skipping the pro bowl. It isn't a perfect comparison because the pro bowl lacks the team element but essentially it is the same concept of backing out of a meaningless game for the most part.

They were talking on one of the radio shows about a movement to hopefully make it so that redshirt players can play in bowl games, that would be awesome if that happened to the point that you might not have your star player who is protecting himself for the future but you might get a chance to get a look at some of those future prospects before the start of the next season.

Back to the guys skipping bowl games....I get the reasoning but wish they would just call it what it is. They aren't skipping the game because that time is vital in getting ready for the draft, they are skipping the game because they don't want to risk an injury in what is for all intensive purposes an exhibition game.
 

In the history of bowl games - during the modern NFL era - how many players have sustained injuries in a bowl game that were severe enough to end their careers or greatly diminish their pro prospects? 1, 2 3 maybe - out of thousands of guys playing D1 college FB?

You might as well say you're going to skip the bowl game because you're worried about getting struck by lightning, or hit by a meteor.

Teddy Bridgewater destroyed his knee - and possibly saw his career end - backpedaling during a training camp practice. So, the safe thing to do is never practice again, because you might get hurt.

IMHO, a real competitor never passes up a chance to compete, and prove himself or herself against the highest level of competition. If you're playing the game and worrying about injury, you will not play to the best of your abilities.
 


Winnipegopher said:
Do you watch a lot of NFL games? Players totally back out of pre-season and unimportant games, generally with the coach's blessing. You will see it in a couple of weeks when they start sitting players for the playoffs.
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Yes, I'm aware. But can you not think of any times when the coach would want the player to play but a player wouldn't want to play?
 

I would think they are morons to play. We are talking about risking your whole future for what??

You have people with skills worth millions who have gotten screwed the whole time they played in college. It's common sense.
 

Wally said:
I would think they are morons to play. We are talking about risking your whole future for what??

You have people with skills worth millions who have gotten screwed the whole time they played in college. It's common sense.
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This topic has been getting a lot of run Nationally with the high profile guys doing it and people wondering if it is going to become a trend. You are clearly looking at it from the business side of things which sadly college sports has become more and more with all the money on the line for players.

Interestingly most NFL players and coaches seem to be coming in on the side that players should play in bowl games. Football is an ultimate team game so many of them see it is as selfish to put yourself ahead of the team by skipping the game.

Kirk Herstreit had an interesting angle of what happens if a star player on a bad team decides to sit out of games late in the year in order to protect his future interests? Makes sense from the money side of things but would be really disappointing from the team and competitor side of things.

The other angle in all this is the devaluing of bowl games. We have seen that over the years as the number of games has grown and the quality of teams filling those spots has dropped. Back when there were fewer bowl games it used to mean something to make it to one. Now you just have to not suck. Plus with the playoff all the other games have dropped another tick in terms of how people view them, now for some teams getting to a great bowl game might not mean much to a lot of players and fans because it isn't part of the playoff. Obviously this mainly applies to the upper echelon of teams but it is an unfortunate trend.
 

It's just bad Karma to crap on the team that gave you the opportunity to play on the big stage and get noticed in the first place. Add to that you might be missing a performance similar to what McCaffery did in the Rose Bowl last year on the table. Football is the ultimate team sport, If your looking for good teammates, i'd rather value guys who put their own interest behind the teams interest.

Leaving early is whole different situation, if your ready to move on early, don't lose an entire year of your short NFL career to proving again that your ready to move on by playing another year in college.
 




MNVCGUY said:
This topic has been getting a lot of run Nationally with the high profile guys doing it and people wondering if it is going to become a trend. You are clearly looking at it from the business side of things which sadly college sports has become more and more with all the money on the line for players.

Interestingly most NFL players and coaches seem to be coming in on the side that players should play in bowl games. Football is an ultimate team game so many of them see it is as selfish to put yourself ahead of the team by skipping the game.

Kirk Herstreit had an interesting angle of what happens if a star player on a bad team decides to sit out of games late in the year in order to protect his future interests? Makes sense from the money side of things but would be really disappointing from the team and competitor side of things.

The other angle in all this is the devaluing of bowl games. We have seen that over the years as the number of games has grown and the quality of teams filling those spots has dropped. Back when there were fewer bowl games it used to mean something to make it to one. Now you just have to not suck. Plus with the playoff all the other games have dropped another tick in terms of how people view them, now for some teams getting to a great bowl game might not mean much to a lot of players and fans because it isn't part of the playoff. Obviously this mainly applies to the upper echelon of teams but it is
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Do it for the team, the school ect

It's really a sick argument preying on these kids in such a way.

If you job asked you to risk everything for no discernable benefit you would hopefully tell them to go to hell.
 

Leaving early is same thing, you just selfishly want better entertainmentertainment on Sat new years or whatever.

These colleges want them to play they could buy insurance policies to cover the player projected loss of income in case of injury. Will they do this, no, because it would be admitting how much they take advantage of them.
 

Wally said:
If you job asked you to risk everything for no discernable benefit
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Receiving a free education (particularly from possibly the best university in the world) is an enormous benefit. If you don't see the value in that, that's your problem.
 



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