These kids already get paid to play, just not directly, in 4 years of free tuition at a top school in the country.  I'm not sure what tuition is at U of M, but I'm guessing around 30 K a year.  Most people have to take out student loans at 6.8% interest and spend decades in debt paying them back after college.  A person who goes to grad school can easily leave with over 100 k in debt.  Stop the sympathy train for these kids.  Play in the bowl if healthy or refund part of your scholarship.  The scholarship is for playing football and when you chose not to play football then you aren't holding up your part of the deal.

Much ado about nothing (or not much of anything).  

1. 3-4 players out of 30+ significant contributors aren’t playing.  I still want to see the 90% that are playing. 
2. Bowl games are competitions between teams of reasonably similar levels. Way better and more meaningful than most out of conference games.  While not “meaningful” in the context national championships, they have intrinsic meaning on a standalone basis.
3. Jake Butt’s injury was a rare event.  Bad as it was, it happens very rarely that a first rounder gets hurt in a bowl game.  We way over-amplify the risk.  

Respect each player’s decision and enjoy the game.  Not that hard.

This will be somewhat unpopular, but if I am being honest, when a player skips the bowl game, it impacts how I will think back upon his legacy at Michigan.  It just leaves a bit of a sour taste.  Doesn't mean that I will bash him or not root for him in the NFL, but it does impact my level of interest. 

I know that CFB is a business and that it involves a massive amount of money.  This isn't entirely new.  But, one of the things that I like most, and which sets it apart from the NFL, is the fact that the players play for their team, their university and their teammates.  I still think that this is largely true, but players who have no desire to go out on a win, with their teammates and representing their university for the last time, kind of fly in the face of this.  I don't like it.  

That all said, the bowls have, in fact, become completely meaningless.  The simplest solution is to remove all of the silly lower-tiered bowls.  We don't need them, nobody wants to watch them and the are a waste of time.  Limit the bowls to 4 playoff games (in an 8-team playoff, which needs to happen), two semis and a finals.  It's so easy.  Rose bowl finals, Sugar and Orange as semis, peach, cotton, fiesta and any one other (or rotating) bowl for the quarter finals.  Done. If you want to keep one or two other bowls for the conference champs in the non-P5 and perhaps a military bowl, fine, but otherwise, please wipe out the rest.  Make the bowls have meaning again.

This is not a problem that lies with the players or even with the NCAA imo. The problem lies entirely with the adults who expect young men to risk lucrative careers for 60-minutes of meaningless football. They are the ones who need to look in the mirror.

How about just not playing Florida again? No one cares about this game because it's the third time in four years that we have played them.

If we played LSU instead would all these players be sitting out? I doubt it changes Bush or Gary's minds but does Higdon maybe play to show the NFL what he can do against a great defense?  We will never know, but I would think the opponent most have some factor in their decision. 

When I read Brian, Seth and others talk about paying players the question that never seems to be answered is what does paying them mean.  There already is significant indirect compensation.  Full scholarships have value.  With full cost of attendance scholarships fees, books, travel etc. can be covered.

I understand the argument that at the top level of college football scholarships are a pittance compared to what departments, coaches and the Big 10 is raking in, but I also think that pure free market (Alabama can offer Dax Hill $200k/year so we offer $250k, so they offer $300k etc.) would kill the golden goose as a lot of college football fans follow the sport in part because it isn't structured like a major or minor pro league.  If watching players 18-22 year old play football on Saturday would be equally popular regardless whether colleges were involved then we would see a successful NFL developmental league.  I think Seth put it well above:

"I'm for paying the players, but I also like college football because I bought into the idea--maybe foolishly--that it's way more fun to watch a student wearing the winged helmet because he wants to than whoever's currently being forced to wear a cartoon lion because that's where his job assigned him." 

I agree and think that if the players negotiated for and received substantial salaries and made decisions based on those salaries interest in college football (and the ability to pay those salaries in the future) would decline.

I'm not opposed to redirecting funds to players through broadly defined "full cost" scholarships and an array of post-college football benefits such as ongoing health insurance, insurance against injury, post-graduation career counseling, and ongoing tuition for players who come back after their playing careers are done.

Personally I love the Rural Video Vending Machine Bowl that MSU is playing in. Starring Sandra Bullock. 

This is not a problem that needs fixed. This is the evolution of college football. Bowls just don't mean shit anymore and this outrage on behalf of mgoblog is a terrible look. Brian is ornery.

Rashan has been playing hurt for two years, he absolutely should be sitting out. Bush says he's still hurt too. Higdon is a marginal draft pick and has a kid, if he blows his knee out his pro career is instantly over and for what? To play one more pointless game with his  buddies?

Great discussion, fellas. I think Seth's point about cynicism hits the nail on the head. The "Bo" argument doesn't hold water anymore because of the insane amounts of money being made by everyone but the players.

I'll watch the Peach Bowl and cheer for the guys competing in it, but I have zero antipathy for guys that choose to sit. Fuck you, NCAA.

unfortunately the only viable strategies for schools are either; 1) stupid or 2) quite difficult:

1) don't recruit or coach your players up to a NFL caliber level, and the bowl games and the NFL draft probably won't ever be much of a factor/concern for your players or your school

2) qualify for the playoffs and play for a Nat'l championship ...though that's not entirely full-proof, as you could still get a player that chooses to 'sit out' of a NCAA playoff or championship game to prepare for NFL draft ...or as not to risk re-injuring something that would cost him millions in the draft

UM should aspire to open up this dialogue every year about as many players as they can - because having many bonafide NFL draft prospects beats the opposite (having none)

Some will play (bowl game), some will stay (another year), some will go (wish them well and hope they become great NFL players, upstanding citizens and ambassadors for the UM program)

Bowls don’t matter any longer for a few reasons:

1) The playoff, obviously.

2) Too many bowls.  41 bowls?  Insane.

3) 6 win teams in the bowls.  Bowls used to be a reward for a good season.  Now they are not.  6 and 7 win seasons are not good.

They should expand the playoff to 8.  Get rid of conference championship games and play first round games on campus the week that used to be for conference championships.

Require 8 wins against FBS opponents to qualify for a bowl.  Eliminate all bowls before Christmas.  Play bowl games from December 36 to December 31.  I may even let the first round playoff losers qualify for a bowl.  Play the playoff semis on January 1 and the title game a week later (preferably on a Saturday night).

I'm all for paying the players.  Get rid of all scholarships and pay every athlete the same, regardless of sport.  They can pay for college from their pay, whatever financial aid package they get and any royalties from using their likeness/number for profit.

On a micro level, if you force the players to play, that will be the surest way to motivate faked injuries leading up to the bowls. That is the players easiest ‘out’ and they will no doubt take it if the feel their future livelihoods are at risk. 

On a macro level a solution needs to be identified which aligns the personal interests of the individual participants with that of the collective. For me, that is to have any non playoff bowl game treated as the beginning of the next season — and not one that counts toward the records. Or, as described above, a spring game against different colored jerseys. My one caveat would be that outgoing seniors get to play if they choose  

The various interests are aligned thusly:

Outgoing seniors: one more chance to play for/with your teammates and one more opportunity to raise your draft profile

Returning younger players including freshmen: opportunity to get a jump on the depth chart

Coaches: this format provides the carrot for coaches to keep depth/younger players engaged throughout the season — knowing that they WILL be swing the field in the bowl game

Fans/Networks:  a taste of what is to come — and a combination of new and old players that will not be seen during the regular season

Sure, this turns them into exhibition games but isn’t that the original spirit of the bowls in the first place, a reward for all of the season’s hard work? Heaven forbid, the players and staffs might even enjoy themselves during the bowl trips without the burden of being on a ‘business trip.’

Why is it only the players who are supposed to show loyalty and deference to the team in this enterprise? Mcelwain and plenty of other coaches won't be with their team for the bowl game. Why isn't anyone up in arms about them 'quitting' on their team?  

Does anyone really think schools would pay athletes enough to risk an NFL contract?

I don't thinks so.  that dag dont hunt

Simple: pay the players (obviously), but only once they are "vested." Have it in their commitments that they only receive payouts once they reach vesting milestones, and back load the shit out of it! 

Make the roster and complete your entire freshman campaign: You're vested10%

Make the roster and complete your entire sophomore campaign: You're vested an additional 10%

Make the roster and complete your entire junior campaign: Another 10% + additional 20% for playing in bowl game if eligible

Make the roster and complete your entire senior campaign: 25% + additional 25% for playing in bowl game if eligible

It is not a big deal... the only players who skip are those entering draft... will happen one time in their final year.  Leave it as is.

If we pay every college football player $x what's to say the bagmen wont just make it $x + $y? What exactly is the point of paying players to play college football on top of getting a free education in a time where student debt cripples people their age? 

This is just a curious question. A discussion. 

Edit: popped the double post cherry 

Play the games with the players who are there and don't get bent out of shape who doesn't play.  Oh, and pay the players.

I see the trend continuing into the regular season.  The next round will see high level players declining to play out the season once the team no longer can achieve season goals.  Can no longer vie for the conference championship?  No longer need to play and risk injury.  As long as the NFL is good with players not finishing their seasons, you'll see players sit out meaningless games.

This really isn't a new phenomenon, 25 years ago it was all but unheard of for players to skip their last year of eligibility, they had to convince NFL owners that they had dire financial needs to declare early.  Now the NFL looks at those same players and if they don't come out early, they reckon they're damaged goods.

I suppose the schools could do the same thing the service academies do, have the student athletes sign a contract obligating them to return a prorated portion of their scholarship monies.

Let's address the real question here.  Where on Earth did Brian find a Michigan Panthers t-shirt?  That little sartorial gem is glorious.

"Secure the Bag" is different at Michigan

Since we don't have nearly the level of Bagmannery that say, the SEC does, it actually makes EVEN MORE sense that our players would be skipping the last meaningless game.  Their families haven't been getting paid since Senior year of high school.

I think we should be supporting skipping even more. Or ya know, just pay the players already.

Why are bowl games all of a sudden meaningless and an exhibition game the last couple years? The playoff? Before the bcs there were still only 2 bowl games usually that had national title implications, rarely did 1 vs 2 play in a bowl game.  The other bowls were not called exhibition, at least not the top 10 or so ones.  Current system has only 2 bowl games with national title implications.  Hmmm

Or the NCAA could pay insurance policies for all collegiate players for their NFL earning potential vs any diminishment caused by actual injuries incurred during season or bowl. And the NFL could offer incentives for appearing in the bowl and giving them one more scouting look.  

Next man up.  Let's strap it on and find out.  Go Blue !!!

Duplicate - sorry

Expand the playoffs please. Playing in shitty bowls with your best players sitting out is not fun!  I don't blame the players for sitting out, I would do the same!

I realize the idea of amateur athletics has become kind of a joke when it comes to the money sports. However, the idea of The University of Michigan Professional Football Team puts a sour taste in my mouth.

Things have been creeping farther and farther along in this direction in all the money sports, it’s true. That doesn’t make it consistent with the idea of higher education, and since the money doesn’t go into the University’s general fund (correct me if I’m wrong? I’m under the impression it goes to the athletic department), it’s just getting a little too weird - for me, not necessarily for others.

I’m not saying a pro team is wrong, just that it doesn’t make sense to me. I’d prefer to see something like the Ivy League, where the athletes actually are amateurs. I know I’m alone in this, but there’s a reason they do it that way, and it’s not altogether stupid.