Elite Players Skipping Bowl Games for Draft

[MWHeels]

Several elite draft prospects including Rashan Gary, Ed Oliver and most recently Will Grier have announced that they are skipping their team's bowl game to focus on preparing for the draft. Where do you all stand on this issue? I get the injury risk factor, but it doesn't seem right to me.

 

[TarHeelMark]

As a fan, I don’t like it. I really wanted to see McCaffery a couple years ago vs the Heels.

But... if I was guaranteed to be a first round pick (maybe 2nd), I can understand why the player would choose to do this.

 

[gteeitup]

i’m cool with it...scarolina’s best player is skipping their meaningless bowl game because he’s going pro and he’s at best a 2nd round pick.

 

[strummingram]

I'm conflicted. I understand the reason, but it's also letting a lot of people down and is antithetical to the TEAM FIRST mentality. You're letting all your teammates and coaches and fans down. But, I understand you have to consider your future. Just goees to show that college teams are pro farm teams with no pay.

 

[gteeitup]

I'm conflicted. I understand the reason, but it's also letting a lot of people down and is antithetical to the TEAM FIRST mentality. You're letting all your teammates and coaches and fans down. But, I understand you have to consider your future. Just goees to show that college teams are pro farm teams with no pay.

i don’t think teammates care quite honestly...fans, exact opposite by and large.

 

[Hogwash69]

The ME generation...

 

[sctarheel30]

The ME generation...

True

I understand it although I don’t like it to each their own

 

[DSouthr]

Don't like it at all, your team works all year to get to a bowl game and once they get there all the sudden key players decide it is all about them more than the team? Very selfish IMO and it should be a red flag to NFL teams....

 

[Hogwash69]

Don't like it at all, your team works all year to get to a bowl game and once they get there all the sudden key players decide it is all about them more than the team? Very selfish IMO and it should be a red flag to NFL teams....

Ding ding ding...Bell of the Steelers...

 

[tcb22]

Don't like it at all, your team works all year to get to a bowl game and once they get there all the sudden key players decide it is all about them more than the team? Very selfish IMO and it should be a red flag to NFL teams....

I would have agreed with this 100% until just a few years ago. Things have changed drastically with the amount of money to be made by a player and the proliferation of bowl games that have made many of them meaningless. Many of these games do not even attract very many fans any longer. And, the last couple of drafts have indicated that the NFL has no problem with individuals who go in this direction. As much as I hate this, I really can't blame a player who has given 3-5 years of commitment to his team/school for passing on a meaningless game.

 

[KOOL123]

Don't like it at all, your team works all year to get to a bowl game and once they get there all the sudden key players decide it is all about them more than the team? Very selfish IMO and it should be a red flag to NFL teams....

Red flag I disagree...They are looking out for there future...Why would you play in a game that is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage...

 

[gteeitup]

nfl doesn’t care...you guys should hear the kinds of questions they asked at the combine.

 

[midline]

I don't have an issue with it. Now I know that some of the bleeding hearts think that nothing should mean more than the old school colors. But even in college, it is a business. If a kid has a chance to make millions of dollars, I don't blame him for not wanting to chance injury in some meaningless bowl game. They see their head coach making millions, assistants making more than they ever dreamed of, and the university making big money off of TV contracts. They get a scholly, and a small stipend. Not exactly a fair trade for the most talented. After all, it is indeed a business.

 

[Archer2]

Putting aside for a moment that it’s d00k, would you be okay with Williamson and Barrett shutting down the rest of the season since they’ve already proven themselves against college competition and are projected #1 and #2 in the upcoming draft?

 

[TarHeelMark]

Putting aside for a moment that it’s d00k, would you be okay with Williamson and Barrett shutting down the rest of the season since they’ve already proven themselves against college competition and are projected #1 and #2 in the upcoming draft?

I’d be ok with that. LOL.

It’s not quite apples to apples, since the chance of injury in football is much greater. But the OADs probably want that NCAA tourney experience while unless you’re in the football final four, skipping a meaningless bowl game doesn’t mean that much.

 

[tarheel0910]

Putting aside for a moment that it’s d00k, would you be okay with Williamson and Barrett shutting down the rest of the season since they’ve already proven themselves against college competition and are projected #1 and #2 in the upcoming draft?

Isn't that what Irving did?

 

[KOOL123]

Putting aside for a moment that it’s d00k, would you be okay with Williamson and Barrett shutting down the rest of the season since they’ve already proven themselves against college competition and are projected #1 and #2 in the upcoming draft?

Truth be told they are both stupid to even step back on the court...Plus dook has already paid them enough money to make it until the draft...Biggest scam in college sports is dook basketball...They are going to class at dook bout like I am....

 

[TarHeelMark]

Truth be told they are both stupid to even step back on the court...Plus dook has already paid them enough money to make it until the draft...Biggest scam in college sports is dook basketball...They are going to class at dook bout like I am....

All those dookies and kensukcies have to do is stay eligible for that fall semester, right? They’re season will end before the spring semester so they can forget about that one. What a joke.

 

[midline]

All those dookies and kensukcies have to do is stay eligible for that fall semester, right? They’re season will end before the spring semester so they can forget about that one. What a joke.

May be a joke, but the rules are the rules. If I know I am going to be a top five NBA pick, I'm not going to class in the second semester, and nobody else on this board would either. These guys ought to be able to go straight to the NBA out of high school, but the NBA likes having the college game as a bit of a proving ground. World ain't perfect, but one has to compete in it.

 

[MWHeels]

I’d be ok with that. LOL.

It’s not quite apples to apples, since the chance of injury in football is much greater. But the OADs probably want that NCAA tourney experience while unless you’re in the football final four, skipping a meaningless bowl game doesn’t mean that much.

I agree. Most of these bowl games are meaningless, while the tournament provides a chance to win a national championship. Totally different.

 

[GoNtheDistance]

I don't have an issue with it. Now I know that some of the bleeding hearts think that nothing should mean more than the old school colors. But even in college, it is a business. If a kid has a chance to make millions of dollars, I don't blame him for not wanting to chance injury in some meaningless bowl game. They see their head coach making millions, assistants making more than they ever dreamed of, and the university making big money off of TV contracts. They get a scholly, and a small stipend. Not exactly a fair trade for the most talented. After all, it is indeed a business.

BINGO!

 

[GoNtheDistance]

Midline hit the nail on the head. Let’s say you have a son that plays for UNC and he’s a first round NFL lock, and UNC has a decent year at 6-6 and gets selected to play Middle Tennessee State in the Shitbag.com Bowl in Fayetteville, NC. Would it be smart for him to play? Hell no

 

[strummingram]

Amateur Athletics!

 

[Tigertown_a_Rick]

When a lot of this started, I was against it for some of the reasons mentioned above, but after the Notre Dame LBer blew out his knee in a meaningless bowl game, I changed my mind...Fortunately, he is still living his dream by playing and now contributing to the Cowboys recent success, but I fully understand why some of the top players are choosing to avoid the bowl games....What's puzzling though is the kid from S.C. who chose not to play in the Belk bowl, but is playing in the Senior Bowl?....Maybe, it's because a lot of NFL scouts will be watching the Senior Bowl?...

I guess the next step is to see whether or not guys will be willing to skip the current 4-team playoff or not in the future if they know that they're going to go high in the upcoming draft?

That would really impact the way fans think about this situation and College football in general IMO!

 

[midline]

A lot of folks around USC are a bit upset by the Senior Bowl deal with Samuel. But it makes sense from a business perspective. Samuel isn't a top 10 pick, nor a sure first rounder. And he does have a history with injury. Figure he, and his advisors, made the calculated decision to go to the Senior Bowl because he would be playing against draft worthy competition and can hopefully improve his draft stock. Playing Virginia in Charlotte does nothing for his prospects.

 

[uncboy10]

I don't know why people are knocking these guys for making a responsible decision. Jeopardizing millions of dollars to play a bowl game is silly IMO. I'm surprised anyone that's projected to go in the first round would play any bowl games outside of the playoff.

 

[midline]

In a way, I do understand why some folks recoil at the idea of a player skipping the bowl game. With them it is more an emotional decision than a business decision. As far as many fans are concerned there is no cause greater in life than the school colors. While many of the players care about their teammates, they don't have that deep emotional connection. The coaches even less so. No matter what they say to the press about how they love U of whatever. They are simply highly paid mercenaries saying what they need to say to make the masses feel good. Then they change schools and that next school is the most special place in the world to them. It's all just business. That surely wasn't the intent of college athletics, but it is where we are.