Bowl Game Absurdity in the NIL/Portal Era

[RUUTES]

We’re seeing an unprecedented number of starters just quitting teams or sitting during the post season because bowls “don’t matter” this has been a growing issue of course. But now we see a whole new level of manipulation and cynicism.

Last night’s Pop Tart bowl (and no I’ll never recover from the fact that name exists) was an amazing example. Miami fans were lured into attending with the promise that Ward was there to play. Heisman hopeful and record setting QB came out for the first half, got his personal record. Then sat down and that was it. From 31 points in the first half to a loss in the second he just stood around while the backup tanked. No injury, no reason for it. ZERO desire to win. Just wanted that personal record for the draft. Screw the game, screw the fans. Thanks for the cash.

This was the only bowl game I have watched so far this year and while I’m glad ISU won…I’m disgusted overall. I’m not watching more. Gutless, selfish, team and sport disrespecting actions like this have zero place at any level of the sport. It reduces the entire event to a WWE spectacle and I’m pretty sure that none of us came here for that. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think so.

And while things are going to evolve, I don’t have much hope that it will improve in ways that substantially changes the dead cat bounce I watched last night. At the very least I think this is an argument to just stop having all these extra oatmeal bowl games. Even the playoffs aren’t getting respect so why even pretend that the others matter when 1)the players aren’t developing they are just transferring 2) there is no quality play happening 3) the players don’t care so why should the fans.

[AlohaUte]

While Cam Ward did that, I give you Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter from Colorado who are both first round picks and played the whole game despite the current climate.

[The Miami Ute]

But did you hear how/why they did it? Colorado took out a massive injury insurance policy on both of them to insure that if they did get injured, they would receive a settlement commensurate to what their projected earnings would be as NFL draft picks. That’s the only reason either of those guys played last night.

[admiralute]

Exactly. Don’t give Saunders, Hunter, and Colorado too much credit. There is always money behind it, plain and simple. I suppose that’s where we’re at anyways now with college sports…$$$$

[ironman1315]

So why don’t most teams
Do it?

[The Miami Ute]

The real question should be why Colorado did it, not why other teams aren’t doing it, because it makes zero sense to outlay a large amount of cash to cover two players, to the detriment of the rest of the team, to play in an exhibition game. According to Colorado’s AD, this was Deion Sanders’ idea, though the school was the one that covered the check, which leads me to ask many questions, including whether there are conflict of interest issues here at play.

“It was [Deion’s] idea we should get disability insurance for our athletes for this game to ensure that they played and if there was some kind of injury that they would be well taken care of,” said Colorado Athletic Director Rick George.

Would Deion have suggested the same thing if Sanders wasn’t his son or if he didn’t have a special relationship with Hunter?

My understanding is that both Hunter and Sanders were insured for $18M and that the coverage extends through the NFL Draft.

[AlohaUte]

So? Every school should do it. Bowl games are essentially exhibitions. There’s real monetary risk to many of these athletes. That’s the whole point of insurance.

[The Miami Ute]

Why should a school pay for something that’s solely catering to a player’s self-interest? The school will get paid for going to a bowl whether the player plays or not. If the player is so worried about getting injured, then let the player get the policy on his own dime or sit out, as many do already.

[Trailgoat]

Guessing the risk to reward made sense for TV exposure/revenue for CU who is hanging on to every last minute of the Sanders-Hunter show. Half the teams rarely show up to play anyway. As for the non-playoff bowls, I still enjoy watching some of the games during the holidays. Honestly, I am finding my college football interest overall migrating in the same direction as college BB. The quality of the game is getting hard to watch.

[The Miami Ute]

What revenue? The team is going to get paid the same amount whether any player plays. And if it’s the exposure they are after, well, that’s a double-edged sword, especially after seeing them crap the bed last night.

[Utah]

If ESPN wants a certain player to play, then ESPN should pay for the insurance.

[The Miami Ute]

I agree with you in the sense that all bowl games not part of the CFP are irrelevant. However, I sincerely doubt that they’ll be going away for a number of reasons, the most important one being the money that the schools receive for taking part in what are essentially meaningless exhibition games.

The networks need a lot of sports content during the holidays and, since football is the most popular sport in the nation, they’re willing to pay well for the privilege of being able to televise bowl games.

Coaches and probably most players also aren’t opposed to bowl games. Coaches are allowed to get more practices in and see what players are on the rise for next season and players get a chance to set a marker for the following season with a good performance at a bowl game.

However, none of that takes away from the fact that, in the grand scheme. bowl games today are meaningless and irrelevant. As I said in another thread yesterday, can anyone imagine the NFL creating a tournament for teams that didn’t make the playoffs? Neither can I, so why continue to have bowl games for teams that didn’t make the college playoffs? No other college athletic division does it but the FBS.

[UteBaron89]

Yet another sign the college football apocalypse is upon us. With Ward’s decision yesterday, it was abundantly clear what his priorities were. The below order of his priorities are not an accusation, it is a statement of fact based on his choice.

1. Gain an individual record.
2. Preserve health for draft.
3. Help team win game (this is assumed, as it is possible he didn’t care about winning at all, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt)

This is where we’re at and it will continue to get worse. Until these kids get under contracts, the next thing that will become common are players tapping out mid-season once their team is no longer in contention for any type of championship or playoff spot. It’s already happened, but it will become more common.

[China Rider]

You know what the hardest part of the bowl season is? Admitting to yourself the are the way of the dinosaur.

[RustyShackleford]

I have watched several bowl games and they have all been awesome, close games. More football is always better.

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