2016-17 College Football Bowl-a-Rama thread

Hell of a trick play though.

This Western Kentucky fake kneeldown tricked the defense AND the camera operator

 

See, I think this might be the start of something bigger. Guys sitting out the end of the regular season. Guys regularly skipping their junior seasons. The risk is just too high.

 

Good for the players.

 

For a few, I could see it. But for many guys on the fringe or below, it could be a bad choice. There is economic utility in having played for State U after the pro "career" dies in training camp or never even gets that far. Lots of ex-players who may or may not have been scholars scratch out good livings back home selling mutual funds or homeowners insurance or the like. But if you're the guy who prominently bailed the week of the State Tech rivalry, those warm feelings turn cold fast.

 

So... Tom Herman, Willie Taggert, Jeff Brohm - any blow back on any of these molders of men for not being there for their teams in the bowls?

 

Jeff Pearlman is always good for moralizing about this. Check his blog.

 

I am utterly shocked that people actually criticize these unpaid players for looking out for their careers. That by itself blows me away. Then, when you juxtapose it against the carpetbagger coaches who bail for greener pastures every december (not to mention the six and seven figure bowl administrators), it totally blows my mind.

 

Would one of those fringe guys really be the kind who would skip the bowl game to prep for the draft?

In any case, I don't feel like I've seen any blowback against McCaffrey or Fournette from fans. I think everybody is up to speed on what it's all about. And if it's a fringe guy, training camp or whatever, he arguably needs those months of draft prep more than the superstars do.

I don't think there will be a penalty of any kind on the players. It's such a stupid anachronistic thing, this bowl season, and everyone gets that.

 

I was listening to a podcast from your neck of the woods, KNBR, and more than one host seemed pissed at McCaffrey. One host said that he has a friend who is a big Stanford booster who is ready to give up on college football because of it.

I completely don't agree with the booster, or care. I wish college football would blow itself up. But there are 'fans' out there who are pissed. Go to any espn.com article about it, then read the comments.

 

Alright, well, I don't listen to that clown show. I wouldn't dispute if there was. Stanford in particular would be that kind of place -- they're amusing themselves by jacking off to the idea that Maverick McNealy might not even go pro in golf because he's a true amateur and oh btw his dad is a billionaire.

But by and large it isn't going to ruin college football. And when McCaffrey comes back to visit, he'll be hailed as a conquering hero.

One thing they could do is move the combine back and the bowl games up. I see this as only partly injury prevention. It's also aimed at getting players into the specific combine training program. Making them jack around for a month instead of doing the drills that are going to get them into a higher round and earn them millions is the part that should definitely end today.

 

They could certainly move the combine back. IMO it's just a means of acclimating players to the regimented style of the NFL. Foolish drills, borderline insulting interviews, all of it is just there to see if the kids can adapt to it. But McCaffrey and Fournette could've played in the bowl games, skipped the combine and had pro days instead. If I were a potential pro with in-season injury, I'd be very leery of playing in a game so far outside the normal season routine.

 

okay, southern california college football fans - what's the deal with ex SJ Bosco running back Sean McGrew at UW?

Did he redshirt this year?