Sydney Brown, Devon Witherspoon will not play in bowl game
- Status
If you ask me, this means even more to the future of the team in the long run as many will see the success of the players and how they improved as players over the course of their career while under coach B's tutelage.
I mean, I guess at this point I have to adjust my enthusiasm level for bowl games. It seems anything less than the college football playoff now registers a “meh.” I’m old enough to remember when the Grandaddy of Em All wasn’t a glorified exhibition game and losing it hurt like hell!
One game doesn't change the body of work a player has already put in. If a DB got lit up by C.J. Stroud while trying to cover the OSU receivers it's just one time. On the other side if the DB shuts him down, he's not going to jump from the 3rd round to the 1st. Teams look at it but it's only one part of the whole. If he had a great game then lays an egg at the combine what did it mean? Jaxon Smith-Njigba missed most of the year but he's still a first round pick on most boards.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Let's be very clear, the NFL's collective bargaining agreement caps player compensation at 48% of the league's revenue, so ownership's labor costs are definitionally controlled relative to the money they bring in. The NBA and NHL do it the same way. In MLB player's share of league revenues have been rapidly falling for years.
At every step the exploding cost of sports fandom has been driven solely and relentlessly by the greed of the ownership class.
Now in theory college sports, universally organized in non-profit fashion and in most cases state entities, doesn't have to operate in the same way and for a long time did represent something of a different business model. But college sports is controlled by people, and people who raise their way through modern American networks of power believe in cynical short-term profit seeking as deeply in religion whether they're NFL owners, conference commissioners, athletic directors, TV executives, it's all the same mentality.
It won't end well.
Depends on the player. For Bosa at O$U sitting part of his senior year was smart or Oregon star DL last year. If you know for sure you are a top 10 draft pick do what you need to to solidify your draft pick and be ready for the combine.
Honestly if I was a scUm UGA O$U or TCU player and I knew I had millions waiting on the draft I would sit out of the playoffs. Until college players directly see the revenue you can’t risk your pro career. Unless you think the memories will last a life time. Players are pawns in the business of football/sports
Pro sports owners really are good at public relations. By prominently publicizing player salaries while being secretive about their own massive profits, the owners are able to extract more and more out of fans and then get those same fans to blame employee wages, all the while pocketing more and more money every year.
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
Human nature tells me most of the anti opt-out crowd here would whistle an entirely different tune if the same/similar options were laid out before them personally.
Sure, we fans would all like to see the best players out on the field Jan 2, but these young men have been preparing, sweating and bleeding for many years to realize their NFL dream. They have also given a lot their teammates and fans.
I’d say it’s time for us to give back to them, and lend our support for the personal decision they’re making, which no doubt wasn’t an easy one.
Think, too, of what a great opportunity this presents for others players to step up and show out in a high-profile game. We may be buzzing about some of them as we go into the offseason and start thinking about what we have for next year…
Go, ILLINI
Sure, we fans would all like to see the best players out on the field Jan 2, but these young men have been preparing, sweating and bleeding for many years to realize their NFL dream. They have also given a lot their teammates and fans.
I’d say it’s time for us to give back to them, and lend our support for the personal decision they’re making, which no doubt wasn’t an easy one.
Think, too, of what a great opportunity this presents for others players to step up and show out in a high-profile game. We may be buzzing about some of them as we go into the offseason and start thinking about what we have for next year…
Go, ILLINI
I could care less owners or players. The whole system is inflated beyond belief! And also having tax payers pay for stadiums while they pocket millions/billions. Its the fans fault. If we quit paying that kind of money for a seat at the stadium and steak dinner prices for hot dogs they wouldnt have a choice but to lower ticket prices or whatever. The price for a day at the ballpark is outrageous. Thats why I watch from the chair 99.9% of the time for pro sports. If I do go its because I was invited or won some tickets or something.
One person mentioned McGahee. Name some others if there s a huge list. Since you guys love analytics so much lets get a % of kids that actually play in a bowl game on the draft boards that get hurt. Most likely less than 1% of players get hurt the last game before the draft. Its a money grab by agents to start it I guarantee. Look, they have that right and thats fine. I will support them and hope they are badasses in the NFL. I can still be sour they dont want to suit up for the Illini 1 last go.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Who's getting money?
It's a risk/reward.
If players believe the opportunity to enhance their draft stock outweighs the risk of harming their draft stock (through injury or just playing badly) they'll play.
Sounds like Bryce Young, who has nagging questions about his durability which weigh on his stock, has chosen to play. Everyone's incentives are their own.
I can give a more recent example than that. Jaylon Smith at Notre Dame.
Ryllini
- Lombard
Yea, not buying anything about any player shooting up the draft boards because of a baller performance in the music city f'n bowl. Oh man, where did that guy come from. Football players are the most scouted people in sports. It is a body of work and the workouts in the lead up to the draft. If you bought tickets and your favorite player isn't playing well enjoy the sunshine...you only have so many sunny days left. Get to know some of the young guys getting reps, say goodbye to a rare to see the field senior.
Yeah but statistics for a group don't mean a lot for 1 person where it is either 0 or 100%.
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
This tells all about the bowl system. Ever heard of someone sitting out of March Madness? Of course not. Because it's an awesome end of year experience.
Neidermeyer
- Faber College
I guess we'll get to see what the backups can do... There's no real answer here. Like someone mentioned earlier - the extra training sessions they get leading up to the bowl game are the biggest benefit.
No disagreement. I only meant it usually takes more than 1 game. Not playing doesn't seem to move players down any longer.
I understand the decision from a business standpoint, but from a personal standpoint, this is a wonderful memory that they will miss out on..
I get the risk of getting hurt, but there is definitely a trade off they are making..,
I’m guessing there are two players on the team who are thrilled those two aren’t playing. The two players who will get to go in their place. Don’t know if the 74 man limit applies or not but if it does #s 75 & 76 just moved up to #s 73 & 74. Just think of what a big deal it would be to go to a bow game even if you knew you wouldn’t get to play.
- Status