crg

December 20th, 2020 at 8:13 PM ^

Just to make the situation more absurd, let's look at one of the teams that did accept a bowl bid: South Carolina.

2020 record is 2-8

Fired their head coach and a numberof other staff members weeks ago.

Had such covid outbreaks that their last game had only 30 scholarship players available.

Yet (with strong pressure from SEC commissioner Sankey) they have accepted a bid to play University of Alabama - Birmingham (UAB).

Joined: 04/30/2015

MGoPoints: 75054

shags

December 20th, 2020 at 6:58 PM ^

Not that I remember all of the past year's bowl lineups, but this has to be the worst batch of bowl games I've ever seen.  I don't think I'll watch anything other than the College Football Playoff games.

Joined: 09/08/2012

MGoPoints: 4753

Bill22

December 21st, 2020 at 9:27 AM ^

Yeah, I’ll flip to see if Ohio St or Alabama are losing.  Maybe there’s some entertainment there.  Otherwise, same CFP we’ve been seeing for years.

Expand the playoff or blow it up, I don’t care.  Either way, something has to change to make CFB more fun/competitive.

Joined: 09/07/2016

MGoPoints: 6739

McFinn

December 20th, 2020 at 6:59 PM ^

This is total BS. These guys play their asses off while maintaining a most rigorous academic, leadership and military training. Make it right and put them in a bowl game. 

Joined: 11/27/2016

MGoPoints: 79

Mike Damone

December 20th, 2020 at 7:02 PM ^

On a side note - I read the title of this post as if Army itself had contractual obligations and would have to miss the Bowl games. 

Didnt know what those obligations might be - but "kicking the shit out of Iran" came to mind...

Joined: 09/02/2017

MGoPoints: 24155

Yooper

December 20th, 2020 at 7:34 PM ^

Bend/change every rule to make sure OSU goes to the finals. Modify no rules for a bunch of guys who have signed up to put their lives on the line in defense of our country. 
Got it.  

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 11269

carolina blue

December 20th, 2020 at 8:21 PM ^

I’m simply pointing out It’s not as simple as changing a rule. It’s a binding legal contract. Yes, it could be renegotiated, but it wouldn’t be easy. Think of it from the POV of the contracted parties. You’re the MAC or the Mountain West down a few million dollars after not being able to sell tickets, amongst other things this year. The bowl commission (or whomever it is that controls these things) says “hey, I know we’re contractually obligated to take you, but your qualifying team is 3-8 and we have Army over here at 9-2.  We’re going to give it to them.”

 

Wouldn’t you consider suing for breach of contract?  You lose out on a huge chunk of change that you desperately need right now and just say “oh well, good for Army”?  
 

You’re suggestion that Army could agree to just give the money to the wronged party is a good one. That could work.   

Joined: 02/12/2014

MGoPoints: 30259

funkywolve

December 20th, 2020 at 9:24 PM ^

Teams/athletic departments often lose money on bowl games.  The bowl payouts don't go directly to the school going to the bowl game.  The payout goes to the conference and is divided up between all the conferences members.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/ncaa-football-bowl-season-why-schools-dont-care-about-the-bonus-check

https://theoutline.com/post/2632/college-football-bowl-sponsorship-business?zd=1&zi=w6c6dow7

Joined: 10/08/2008

MGoPoints: 20232

Junior18

December 21st, 2020 at 1:53 AM ^

Army's AD is trying to find them another opportunity to play:

"These young men haven't quit all year and we surely won't quit now," said Army West Point Director of Athletics, Mike Buddie. "They deserve better. Period. They have earned an opportunity to get 10 wins and, as we have all year, we will continue to fight to get them that opportunity."

Joined: 12/01/2014

MGoPoints: 3096

chatster

December 21st, 2020 at 9:22 AM ^

Without knowing what the weather conditions are going to be in the New York/New Jersey area this coming weekend, if I were the Rutgers AD, I’d consider asking Greg Schiano, his coaches and players if they’d be willing to accept an offer to play at Army or have Army play at Rutgers.  

While it would be great for Michigan to offer to play Army, unlike Michigan that hasn’t played since November 28 because of COVID-19 protocols, Rutgers played Nebraska last Friday night, so they should be ready to play another game this weekend. Rutgers also was one of the few Big Ten schools that managed to play its full schedule this season and it is not one of the schools that opted out of playing in a bowl game.

If Rutgers has a sufficient number of players and coaches who are not sidelined due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols, then this would be an opportunity to enhance the Rutgers football program’s image and provide some positive news for the Big Ten. There might be some marketing advantage to promoting how the school that played in the first official college football game agreed to play the school whose players become the nation's first line of military defense.

Whether the game would be played at Army or at Rutgers, travel could be made by bus. It’s under 90 miles between West Point and Piscataway.

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