McCaffrey Punking Out On His Team

[Fryowa]

This stuff is going to hurt ticket sales too. If I were a Stanford fan and had already paid the ridiculous bowl package prices to go watch I'd be super pissed off.

And in the future if I was pondering whether to go watch a team with star players it'd definitely make me decide not to go.

 

[Fryowa]

What about the thousands of players every year that don't have a shot at the NFL? Is a bowl game, even a minor one, so meaningless to them? One last chance to strap on their pads, go out, and play their favorite game one more time with their teammates. But one of them isn't being a team player. Sure, the bowl game system is watered down these days, but as someone who would give anything to extend my playing days, I would take a Sun Bowl in a heart beat.

You have to put it in perspective.

Let's say for argument's sake that Alabama has 5 potential first/second round players. Let's also assume that 4 of them decide not to play in a bowl game. The starting RB, WR, and a couple lineman. I don't think that's such a far stretch after this thing starts to catch on.

Then yes, that game becomes meaningless. I'm sorry, but it is, regardless of whether or not the players think it's a big deal. Both Alabama and the opposing fans are getting screwed by not seeing the real team, and even worse the remaining players are getting screwed. If Alabama gets beat the other team also can't really claim a victory over them because they were playing the "B" team. It would be son-stop "but ifs."

Just like if Stanford gets beat, instead of congratulating North Carolina, everyone is going to say, "yeah, but Princess McCaffrey didn't play..."

So yep, it's meaningless.

 

[Fryowa]

Do they void bets already made?

Nope. Odds will change but that's it; same as an injury. Part of you making your bet was that all those players you're counting on will play. Some books will void bets on a baseball game if there's a last minute pitching change but some also don't. It's up to them.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

Most wouldn't be where they're at without their teammates and coaching staffs. I get your point but they're also quitting on the people who have supported them the most.

McCaffrey said his teammates supported him in this decision. That changes things doesn't it?

 

[hawkijustin]

Maybe Stanford should pull his scholly since he's no longer playing football, and make him pay for his final year of school...

Its not like they havent made millions of dollars using his image over the past two years or anything. They should go after him for more!

 

[blubberhawk]

This stuff is going to hurt ticket sales too. If I were a Stanford fan and had already paid the ridiculous bowl package prices to go watch I'd be super pissed off.

And in the future if I was pondering whether to go watch a team with star players it'd definitely make me decide not to go.

Stanford will only bring a few hundred fans to the Sun Bowl anyway, & yes, I would be pissed if I bought tickets to the Outback or any other bowl game only to find out a couple of our best players were sitting it out.

 

[ShockHawk22]

Respectfully disagree. O-linemen didn't have a "choice" in blocking for him or not because they had their own personal "needs".

I'm not understanding your point. I assume you are meaning that his teammates blocked for him so he should play for them? I don't disagree with that at all. But it's a personal choice. And I can't blame the kid for doing what's best for his future. Isn't that why you go to college on the first place? To put yourself in the best position to be successful in your future adulthood?

As a fan, I want these guys to play. The game is more fun in every aspect if they do. But if they destroy their knees, spines, brains etc etc, I'm not the one suffering because of it. It is their life and they have every right to live it how they choose.

 

[Fryowa]

McCaffrey said his teammates supported him in this decision. That changes things doesn't it?

Doesn't change the overall spirit of what he's doing, which has the potential to really hurt college football.

 

[BLKNGOLD48]

I know this isn't going to matter because the NFL is a business, but if I was a GM, I'd have to question this kids character. You don't sit out a bowl game to prep for the NFL. What the hell is going on in college football?

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I know this isn't going to matter because the NFL is a business, but if I was a GM, I'd have to question this kids character. You don't sit out a bowl game to prep for the NFL. What the hell is going on in college football?

I know your looking at it from the fans angle but from an NFL executives perspective I don't think they'll care. If he's a healthy durable productive player with potential for more that's all they care about. This wouldn't be considered a character ding at all by them..

 

[GrandpaHawk]

Wouldn't worry about the fans suffering,they only fill half of there stadium so not to many will go to the Bowl game any way.

 

[BLKNGOLD48]

I know your looking at it from the fans angle but from an NFL executives perspective I don't think they'll care. If he's a healthy durable productive player with potential for more that's all they care about. This wouldn't be considered a character ding at all by them..

Give me a break, this isn't about being from a fans perspective. If this wasn't the Sun Bowl we wouldn't be discussing this. CM gave a big FU to the fans, university, coaches, and players. I don't buy that his teammates are OK with this either.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Give me a break, this isn't about being from a fans perspective. If this wasn't the Sun Bowl we wouldn't be discussing this. CM gave a big FU to the fans, university, coaches, and players. I don't buy that his teammates are OK with this either.

If you were an NFL executive you'd be the only one looking at it that way. If you needed a rb at the 21st pick and Fournette and Cook were gone are you passing on McCaffery just because of this? NFL is a bottom line business and if your not of that mindset your career as a GM would be pretty short...

 

[SpiderRico]

The only difference between this and what's been happening for years is the players are physically removing themselves from the bowl game now rather than pretending to play. For years, players that were guaranteed high draft picks were doing the bare minimum in meaningless bowl games and playing not to get hurt. That's how you get the Boise States of the world beating the P5 teams in bowl games or when Oklahoma kicked the crap out of Alabama, etc, etc.

 

[ShockHawk22]

Give me a break, this isn't about being from a fans perspective. If this wasn't the Sun Bowl we wouldn't be discussing this. CM gave a big FU to the fans, university, coaches, and players. I don't buy that his teammates are OK with this either.

Let's say CM plays. He gives everything he has on every snap he plays. Then a linebacker stuffs him and it's a freak accident occurs (they happen in football) and he snaps his spine. Is Stanford, Fans, coaches, players etc going to pay for the rest of his life? Are they going to provide for his Family, pay his medical bills, out his kids through college and do so in the mannor that he will be able to once he starts making NFL money? He's their teammate....

 

[BLKNGOLD48]

Let's say CM plays. He gives everything he has on every snap he plays. Then a linebacker stuffs him and it's a freak accident occurs (they happen in football) and he snaps his spine. Is Stanford, Fans, coaches, players etc going to pay for the rest of his life? Are they going to provide for his Family, pay his medical bills, out his kids through college and do so in the mannor that he will be able to once he starts making NFL money? He's their teammate....

Why play the game then? When is the cut off point to start thinking about yourself, when you lose 1, 2 games, or is it when a team plays in a meaningless bowl game? I'm not playing the what if game. Every single one of these guys knows that a single play could end their career, but they put that aside and play with their teammates. Why even have bowl games anymore, just have a freaking playoff and be done with it. You don't see Bama or Ohio St. or any of those guys skipping their bowl game to prep for the NFL. I think it's bush league, but that's just my opinion.

 

[ShockHawk22]

Why play the game then? When is the cut off point to start thinking about yourself, when you lose 1, 2 games, or is it when a team plays in a meaningless bowl game? I'm not playing the what if game. Every single one of these guys knows that a single play could end their career, but they put that aside and play with their teammates. Why even have bowl games anymore, just have a freaking playoff and be done with it. You don't see Bama or Ohio St. or any of those guys skipping their bowl game to prep for the NFL. I think it's bush league, but that's just my opinion.

Those are good questions and I do not have an answer. I just think that people should do what's best for their future. If these players want to finish out their careers the way you want, I'm on board. But if they think this is the best way, then who am I to tell them how to provide for their families?

 

[Xerxes]

Doesn't change the overall spirit of what he's doing, which has the potential to really hurt college football.

This is a good point but really college football is very lucky they are in the position they are in and not where college basketball is in. They have stars. They have big games with talented players all over the field. The NFL wants college football to flourish, they won't allow players to be drafted until they're 3 years removed from high school. They've even gone to court to prevent players from leaving earlier. Think of where college football would be if Mike Williams and Maurice Clarett had won that court case 12 years ago. College football would be completely different then where it currently is. LF would have gone pro after his FR year and CM would have gone after his SO year and on and on.

 

[Fryowa]

This is a good point but really college football is very lucky they are in the position they are in and not where college basketball is in. They have stars. They have big games with talented players all over the field. The NFL wants college football to flourish, they won't allow players to be drafted until they're 3 years removed from high school. They've even gone to court to prevent players from leaving earlier. Think of where college football would be if Mike Williams and Maurice Clarett had won that court case 12 years ago. College football would be completely different then where it currently is. LF would have gone pro after his FR year and CM would have gone after his SO year and on and on.

I totally agree with you that there's nothing they can do to prevent it; I guess I'm just advocating that if players are going to start jumping ship on bowl games, they should do away with them and go to a bigger playoff format. At least there would be some incentive for players not to sit out. No one wants to watch 42 watered down bowls where the best talent is gone. One could also argue that the NCAA has done this to thselves by including so many bowls and allowing teams with .500 records to play. There's no exclusivity anymore so the prestige isn't there.

This sort of thing is terrible for the game. If UNC wins they won't get any credit because everyone's going to say it was because CM wasn't playing (whether it's true or not). That's a lose-lose situation; why even play? When you have something that's bad for the game and can't really be stopped, you need to do away with it and make some incentive (only 7 bowls making up an 8 team playoff).

Yes, someone could say it'd never happen because of the big money involved in bowls, but if the players quit participating and the games on the field suck, the money won't be there anymore.

 

[ShockHawk22]

I totally agree with you that there's nothing they can do to prevent it; I guess I'm just advocating that if players are going to start jumping ship on bowl games, they should do away with them and go to a bigger playoff format. At least there would be some incentive for players not to sit out. No one wants to watch 42 watered down bowls where the best talent is gone. One could also argue that the NCAA has done this to thselves by including so many bowls and allowing teams with .500 records to play. There's no exclusivity anymore so the prestige isn't there.

This sort of thing is terrible for the game. If UNC wins they won't get any credit because everyone's going to say it was because CM wasn't playing (whether it's true or not). That's a lose-lose situation; why even play? When you have something that's bad for the game and can't really be stopped, you need to do away with it and make some incentive (only 7 bowls making up an 8 team playoff).

Yes, someone could say it'd never happen because of the big money involved in bowls, but if the players quit participating and the games on the field suck, the money won't be there anymore.

I'm not a fan of the "too many bowl games" thing. I don't see the problem with giving the teams one more game.

For most of the players who play in the NCAA, they get four years of football and then they hang it up forever. For those kids, I'm glad they get Something To Hang their hat on. Everyone understand there are different levels of importance of bowl games. If you have a chance at playing at the next level and don't want to risk that, then don't. But if you want one last hurrah with your teammates, then that's great too.