WTKA Roundtable 5/26/2022: The University of Werner Heisenberg
Things discussed:
- Big Ten rescheduling: Not in favor of replays, don't need the divisions but better that than replays. Absolutely gross to play Michigan-Ohio State in an antiseptic NFL stadium one week after The Game.
- Seth: No replays ever. If you lost to a team in the playoffs, you're out of the playoffs (sorry, Georgia).
- Conspiracy: Ohio State was about to be locked in with Wisconsin; if it's not unfair Ohio State thinks it's not fair.
- Showcase, Showcase, Showcase! You ALWAYS get the best games.
- NIL: Once this gets normalized it should be okay for Michigan, but they're being way too careful about following the intent of a rule that had no intent other than to not get sued.
- Sam: What if players want what the other player got? Seth: We figured this out already.
- Sam throws cold water on us. Michigan is intent on living in a world that nobody else is in.
- It's already pay for play. Look at the Fortnite ad: Nobody was like "Ooh, I'm gonna go play Fortnite" they're like "Hell yeah, my boy Roman Wilson is getting paid!"
- It's true that the system, especially the transfer portal is out of control.
- Hockey: Craig thinks they're going to be *BETTER* this year? Brian disagrees: they're going to be kids, set back to the 2-year cycle.
- Hobey for Hughes? He'll be the best player in college hockey, but that's rarely who wins the Hobey.
- Softball: Read Alex's column. Short version: Hutch has to adapt again. She has before!
You can catch the entire episode on Michigan Insider's podcast stream.
Segment two is available here. And you can watch the video here:
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- What's with the theme music?
If Nick Saban is complaining about Texas A&M, Texas A&M is doing it right.
I honestly think Michigan is going about this the right way, even though Seth and Brian make really good points.
Our identity is what it is, and our coaches and administration are probably dedicated to using the NIL stuff to magnify our identity, not switch gears into something else - which is also why I am a big fan of how we're recruiting now.
My response would be how dumb do you guys think the players are? If Michigan believes 2-3 years down the line this stuff is going to get more formalized and leveled out, then I would also assume they're banking on wanting to have a 2025 locker room full of guys who all have had the same opportunity to make money.
I think trying to get us to Bama or A&M in NIL would be like Bama and A&M trying to get to us in education. Best to just play our own games and see what happens.
I listened to the podcast this morning, and I have to side with Seth and Brian strongly on this. Over the past 20 years, our standing on the national stage has slowly eroded for several reasons. Now, the college football recruiting scene has opened itself up for more liberal approaches for attracting recruits. That is: $$$$. The thing is, outside of Stanford and maybe ND, there are no other major college football program that can compare to us with regards to deep pockets. Yet, we are slow-playing this for reasons unknown.
This is our chance to not just even the field, but get ahead of the field. But our arrogance is getting in the way.
I definitely hear what you're saying (and Seth and Brian, who are both way more informed than I am), and I'm not 100% committed to my stance either. The thing that keep me convinced that Michigan knows what they're doing is that I think we, the fans, are forgetting that our best successes in recruiting - as a whole and individually - in recent years have come from recruiting our type of kids, regardless of ranking, rather than chasing high ranked kids.
We probably lose on Dax and Gary on NIL, but we probably still get Hutchinson, Bush, Ojabo, Haskins, Cade, Kwity, Chase, most of our good OL, Ronnie Bell, etc.
I think our program is in a great spot in terms of culture and I would not want to risk that. If someone is coming in looking for money first, then it's probably not a culture fit. Money second or third? I'm guessing we can work with that.
i completely agree. i'm 100% fine with not following the A&M model of just throwing a million dollars in every direction and instead trying to create something sustainable that aligns with the overall values of the capital-u University.
NIL has been around for about three minutes, maybe we take a breath and see where things settle. you know, for a change. #firebeilein.
I think Seth and Brian were missing Craig's point, a bit. The distinction is between Michigan paying players itself, and allowing players to get paid. That's a big difference. There's no doubt other schools are ignoring that distinction, but that doesn't mean we have to.
Seth and Brian seem to be saying, "everybody else is doing it -- we'd be stupid not to." Well, maybe. But I take pride in Michigan being one of the schools that does more than just pay lip service to following the rules. I like how Michigan is careful about transferring academic credits, for instance, and doesn't have the same low standards for its athletes North Carolina does.
Plus, it's not inevitable that we'll suffer from following the rules. It's part of what makes our diplomas worth a lot, and surely some high school athletes' parents will want to send their kids to schools that actually live up to the values they claim. You want to go to Ohio State and learn that the rules don't apply to you if you're a successful athlete? God speed. But you want to go someplace that teaches you more important lessons?
Eh, who knows. Either way, even if we lose out on some top players, it's one of the things that makes me proud to be a Michigan fan. Let's not sell our soul just to compete. And maybe we can find some other schools that agree with us, and form a league with them, and let Alabama play against other pro teams.
Thanks for this.
Craig is wrong about this. Stop with the fig leaf and pay the players directly or get ready for irrelevance.
I think unless you sort out the portal mess you can not with any sense go all in with the NIL cannon.
Right now, my bet is that there will be LOT of Quinn Ewers on rosters who will bail a year after getting a ton of $$ to sign with a program. Imagine what will happen to A&M (and others) when one of these 5 stars with the big NIL deal to sign ends up on the bench...he's not going to be happy, the Boosters that got him signed is going to be pissed and try to influence roster management. Its too easy for a guy to sign, get paid, find himself behind on the depth chart, check out half way through the year (listening to other potential suitors) and end up somewhere else a year later. Culture and cohesion are going to be a problem at a lot of schools because of this.
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