What is college football anymore (and what should it be)?
I'll try to keep this brief (but likely fail) and prefer to let the board do the talking (and if people don't want to get into a philosophical/existential discussion or a sports blog, that's fine too):
Is anyone else bothered by what college football (at the D1 level at least) is becoming? The board is all aflutter about the Ole Miss transfers and other impending commits (which is great for the team), but it seems like people are too concerned about roster management and making the playoffs above all else (or most else). It seems people are concerned about having "the right guys" in place and those who aren't should be given a firm handshake or feel compelled to go elsewhere for playing time. Shouldn't college (I.e. school) sports be about doing the most with the guys that are there now - making as much improvement to their lives as possible and helping to develop a sense of camaraderie and community? So a kid doesn't make 1st team - he shouldn't be ignored or made to feel that he needs to leave (or God forbid driven off like at some schools), but encouraged, supported and challenged to work harder and do his best.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I get the impression that it's (all major CFB) becoming all about just wins and losses and money (and "playoffs or nothing") - only concerned with immediate on field success and no longer about developing upstanding young men to do good in the world. I don't believe UM is as far gone as other programs around the nation (including in our conference), but I see it going that way. And in that case it just becomes NFL-lite; corporate and without any real personal connection or loyalty.
This is not against any current/former players or staff and I know that many of these guys are doing great work out there in the real world (really admire what Vincent Smith has done, just as one example). But am I the only one getting this impression?
Mods delete if this is a waste of time, or let the board neg away, but I am curious how other UM fans/alum/players/family/friends feel about this.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
Precisely. UCF's FG kicker was ruled ineligible because he was making money off how popular his Youtube channel was. That's absolute bullshit, especially when any other college kid has the same opporunity to do the same thing without penalty.
December 11th, 2017 at 6:27 PM ^
The remaining issue is that allowing players to be paid by third parties for their likeness essentially makes the Brian Bowen situation 100% OK in the eyes of the NCAA. Should the UCF kicker be allowed to set up a YouTube channel? Absolutely. Should schools be allowed to facilitate autograph sessions or put a name on a jersey? Probably.
But should shoe companies be allowed to steer players to certain schools? Not only no, but fuck no. And I don't see how you make that illegal if you allow players to profit off their likeness. Some really sharp lawyer would have to write up a set of really arcane-ass rules to make that happen.
December 11th, 2017 at 6:59 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 6:31 PM ^
I am curious, what do you define as parity in college athletics? How does it look like? What would have to happen to declare that parity is gone?
December 12th, 2017 at 1:52 AM ^
I THOUGHT THAT I WAS ALONE WITH THIS OPINION.
THANK GOD. I HAVE MORE FAITH IN HUMANITY NOW.
December 12th, 2017 at 6:23 AM ^
I see a lot of boosters with stacks of $10K autographs.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:58 PM ^
I think this solution is preferable than the University cutting a check to a player. One drawback is a players commitment to those contracts and the amount of time taken away from studies. The contracts could remove the need of getting a separate job but time constraints create a temptionation regarding study and grades. If Nike requires you to attend a photoshoot but you have to study for exams, what are you going to do? Nike is paying you and the school is not.
The best solution is for the NFL to create a semi-pro league and allow high school graduates that want to play in it to do so. No graduate that is able to be marketed and earn profit should be forced to attend a university. The NFL will never do this though because they already have a free league to evaluate talent in college football.
Meant to type foolhardy not full hard. Apologies.
December 11th, 2017 at 6:16 PM ^
Well, yeah - the best solution is really one that works in the interest of everyone, or as close to that as possible, so if the best solution requires one party to work totally against their own self-interest, it's not really the best solution after all.
December 12th, 2017 at 1:50 PM ^
Honestly, the best players should be playing in a pro league that doesn't discriminate against players aged 18-21. If that is a competitor the NFL or a collaborative effort with the NFL we need it. There are too many kids who miss out on football because they aren't academically qualified so they miss out of the opportunities to get high level coaching, training, nutrition, etc. And there are too many kids who go to college but aren't really interested in the student part of student-athlete, and they rightly shouldn't be.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:42 PM ^
I believe there are ways to farily compensate--or provide the opportunity for compensation--for players. The reality is that it's happening already, and ought to be moved out of the shadows and into the sunlight where it can be an educational opportunity.
Without too much detail: requiring courses on the business of football; establishing trust funds for the welfare of the athletes, and opening opportunities to learn how/why the "bagmen" system is actually representative of how our economy often operates.
The sport will never return to its pure, amateur format. Time to evolve.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:48 PM ^
I definitely agree that there needs to be some reform in terms of the educational requirements and offerings for athletes. Special courses, lecture series on money management during and after professional life, athletes who want to be coaches/scouts should be able to study their sport in school, things like that.
December 11th, 2017 at 6:03 PM ^
Realized my mistake after it was too late to correct the post. I hope infinite time to edit posts is a nice feature of the new site that will come out in 2025.
I disagree with an expanded playoff as it will add a potential four games to the season. The season already starts in July and currently does not finish until January. Powerful interests demanded an undisputed national champion but all we have created is a large mess in trying to determine one.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:30 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
Not being a asshole but this is competitive sports this is not Pee Wee football where you’re guaranteed a chance to play because it's the rules. If we started telling kids to kick rocks after 1 or 2 seasons then I could see the beef for damn sure. In reality these kids are more than likely going to graduate with a great degree and be connected to a university that stretches all the way across the planet. I mean you can't beat being 4 string QB at Michigan then graduating and more than likely moving onto a very successful career after you have earned your degree. Sounds a hell of a lot better to me than flaming out in HS and working at a fast food restaurant until your 30. There are pros and cons to everything in life. The best guarantee these kids have is knowing Harbaugh is a straight up person and I believe he has too much pride to just BS you to your face. Come play for a HC that has your best interest at heart and If you don't end up the starter or contribute in a meaningful way so be it at least you have a degree that's going to take you further than your football career would have.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
Got to say you lost me at "I'll try to keep this brief "
December 11th, 2017 at 5:32 PM ^
what even is
December 11th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
Good write up.
One thing it seems many are neglecting is that winning games and producing quality young men aren't two mutually exclusive startegies. You can have both, and that's why we are paying harbaugh the big dollars.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:36 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
Ah, the myth of the purity of college football..... Winning has been the only morality for years and paying the players wouldn't change a thing from the fan's experience. If no one told us that the players were compensated in addition to getting a scholarship, I doubt anyone would notice if nothing else changed. I guess everyone is happy with what has changed college football in the worst ways which is ADs and executives getting revenue from the sport. I say pay the players, go back to a traditional/regional structure, and if you don't like the playoff go to an EPL style competitive structure.
December 11th, 2017 at 10:42 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 11:32 PM ^
No. The Pre-BCS was not the answer. Getting a half a national championship basied off some votes by guys in the press or coaches who don't even watch the fucking games was stupid.
December 12th, 2017 at 6:11 AM ^
That's because the championship was mythical... just like the championship today. The basis for the myth has changed, that's all.
I'd be perfectly happy if the Big Ten and the Pac Twelve got out of the championshiip business and just had their champions play in the Rose Bowl. If someone wants to name the winner a national champion, so be it.
December 12th, 2017 at 8:43 AM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
and that will always be a draw.
The business side of the sport --- it is what it is. I tend to ignore a lot of it. I don't understand folk who are NOT directly associated with the football program placing so much importance on our favorite school's wins and losses.
I would honestly love the sport even if my favorite school went 3-9 every year. But I do feel I'm a minority, not the majority.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:43 PM ^
With Moorhead gone, hopefully you can quickly get back to loving the sport with 3-9 teams.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:58 PM ^
I'm not entitled to my favorite CFB team being good. I know that.
December 11th, 2017 at 6:05 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 5:50 PM ^
That and adequate on-site medical facilities.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:54 PM ^
How in the hell in 2017 is adequate medical facilities an issue for a D1 program lol?
December 11th, 2017 at 5:43 PM ^
D1 power 5 football?
December 11th, 2017 at 6:03 PM ^
Sadly, D3 isn't really fun anymore due to a different kind of cheating. For the past 20+ years, there have basically been only two teams who have had a chance to win it all: Mount Union & Wisconsin Whitewater. What fun is that? Both of those schools chose to basically put the whole team on scholarship despite the written and unwritten rules for D3 athletics.
December 11th, 2017 at 6:22 PM ^
This is 100% factual. Wisconsin Whitewater consistently brings in recruiting classes of 50-60 players, greyshirts ALL of them, and then about half of them get cut after the first year. They literally don't even need to attend classes. It's still about winning at every level.
December 11th, 2017 at 7:02 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 9:47 PM ^
How can those schools get away with that? My son plays two D3 sports and my daughter a D1 club sport and those teams are what student athletes are all about. Playing for the love of the sport. No money, no big crowds, lots of team bonding and kids don't play if they don't have their school work done (and coach is okay with it).
If you like the topic, John Feinstein wrote a book about Patriot League basketball called "The Last Amateurs" about 15 years ago. Worth a read.
I love UM football but make no pretense that I am watching the same student athletes that played the game 50 years ago.
December 12th, 2017 at 12:47 AM ^
is basically a rung below D1 FCS football. A lot of FBS non qualifiers will play at the d3 schools because of how lax the admissions standards are for some teams. It is a full on business for a lot of these schools in football and basketball.
December 12th, 2017 at 7:56 AM ^
It's also funny how UM gets criticized for going after Ole MIss players (but doesn't play the JUCO game). Many B10 schools play the JUCO game and have benefited on the field from JUCOs.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:50 PM ^
I agree! It's an affront to the historic honor of college football to improve the team through transfers! How dare this Yost guy bring in a transfer like Willie Heston! Doesn't he know that Michigan wins with Michigan men!
Wait, what were we talking about?
December 11th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
"In the summer of 1901, Heston received a letter from coach Yost advising that he had been hired as the football coach at the University of Michigan and inviting Heston to continue his education at Michigan. Heston initially declined, but subsequently agreed and joined Yost at the University of Michigan in late summer of 1901. Heston was enrolled in the law school."
Heston was 23 years old when he began his Michigan football career.
December 12th, 2017 at 9:54 AM ^
Yeah, when I posted, I didn't realize that he had graduated from San Jose St and was more like a grad transfer. My point remains, Yost would've absolutely taken the Ole Miss transfers; the 'good old days' that the OP is harkening back to never existed.
December 11th, 2017 at 5:55 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 6:12 PM ^
What does it matter what the coaches and administrators get paid?
I often hear coaches and administrators saleries thrown out as justification that x,y,z should happen. I'm really interested to hear your thoughts since you brought it up. Why does Jim Harbaugh's & Warde Manuel's salary suddenly make college sports un-pure?
December 11th, 2017 at 7:05 PM ^
P5 college coaches are paid pretty much at parity with NFL coaches, dwarfing the salaries of college presidents, despite college football teams generating far less in revenue. You can't both pay coaches professional league salaries and pretend this is amateurism. Well, I guess you can do it, since it's exactly what happens.
December 11th, 2017 at 7:52 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 7:55 PM ^