The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

What do you guys think about college players skipping bowl games because they want to train for the NFL Draft?  I personally think it's ludicrous and if I was an NFL GM, I would lose respect for that player for bailing on his team before the season was over. 

The season IS over.  With exactly three exceptions, bowl games are exhibitions.  I blame no NFL prospect for declining to risk his career for a meaningless game.

If they sat out a game for the National Championship I'd be pissed.  But all those other meaningless bowl games are about making money for the colleges and the game hosts.  I'm fine with a player not risking a future career to make more money for the universities that have used them to line their own pockets.

Incorrect. Bowl games count for individual and team records. Exhibition games don't.

As for my thoughts, I know WVU is going to be missing our top RB. I'm not happy about it at all.

Unless it is for the CFP playoffs, I don't have any problem at all with NFL prospects sitting out their bowl games. Would I like to see them play? Sure, as an armchair scout, the more I can see a prospect, the better I can evaluate their chances of making it in the NFL. Hard to argue about a kid saying "I'm healthy, let's stay that way until after I get hired."

As a sports fan, I don't like it.  As a former athlete, I totally get it. 

To me it puts self over team. Their teammates are counting on them. I don't want those kind of players because too many times they have to play hurt. A me first person will find reasons not to play when a team player will do whatever needs to be done.

If the draft/signings were held before bowl games, then sure.  But given that universities already leech extreme amounts of value from these players in exchange for "scholarships" that cost <$50k/year for degrees many players have no intention of completing, again, I blame no player for making the financial choice in their best interest.

By itself it would not be a reason not to draft, but if part of a pattern of selfish behavior it would be a concern that said player might be the type of player who pouts after a win because he didn't get enough touches or who mails it in if the team drops to 3-6.

It also might be an indicator of the kind of behavior you might expect from a player who selfishly insists on getting paid full market value for his second contract, which is definitely not the kind of team-first player an organization would prefer.

However, when a team cuts a player without paying out the full contract, well, That Is Just Smart Football Business.  Only players are expected to adhere to these extremely important concepts of Loyalty and Selflessness, but never the people signing the checks.

Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing...

looks like the entire akron team missed the bowl game yesterday against FAU .. boom !

And they locked in your boy Kiffin to a 10 year deal

This!

And This!!

BUMP

And the trend continues.   University of Houston DL Ed Oliver who is expected to go in the top five has announced he will skip his team's bowl game

If someone does this do they lose their scholarship for the spring semester? 

Are you asking do they or should they? I don't think they currently do but if they do it then they are heading to the NFL and it really doesn't matter anyway.

After what happened to McKenzie Milton I wouldn't be surprised to see more people than usual bailing on meaningless (Not final 4) bowl games.

Yes they do but that's small potatoes considering that they leave school and spend said semester training for the Combine and the NFL Draft

I get professional sports is employment and big business.  But I have played and coached youth sports, never met a child that played because the were expecting a big payday at the end.  Yes some dreamed of playing professionally, but the dream focused around winning the championship of the relevant sport not the size of the contract. 

Problem I have with players like this is they have stopped loving the sport, they have stopped dreaming about winning a bowl game, they have stopped caring about there team mates. They only care about money.

There are players who only care about money.  But someone who given the choice of playing for bowl game and declines is someone who I question their competitiveness and drive for success.  Likewise a player that gets two offers one that pays 10 million and play for a team with a serious chance of winning the championship and another that pays 11 but will likely be at the bottom of the league and chooses the money is not someone I would want as a teammate.  I am not saying they should play for free or rollover to the owners but you have to wonder about there passion for a game many kids love to play so much they beg their parents to pay the league fees and ask Santa for equipment.

professional sports is a business, i see nothing wrong with making sure you can take advantage of your opportunities.

college players area already bringing in billions for coaches and ADs i see nothing wrong at all with sitting out a meaningless game you're not being paid to play .. this isn't their job.

I hate calling bowl games meaningless. They are not.

what is the meaning of a bowl game outside of the top 4 with regards to a championship ?

it would be like having a losers bracket in the NFL playoffs for 3-12 ranking

The two most significant sporting events on the planet - Olymipics and World Cup have a 3rd place game.

But if we consider any games that won’t impact which team will be national champions then 90% of all college football is meaningless.  Including such classics as Army-Navy and Harvard-Yale.  Should players skip any game once the team is out  contention for being top 4?

if i'm an agent i'm telling these college players absolutely .. they're risking an nfl career for nothing

To be fair he's missed some games this year due to an injured knee, include the season finale, so I can't blame him for skipping a bowl game that he may not be 100% healthy for.

Just because you aren't in the championship it doesn't make it meaningless. It is not an exhibition; the game goes on the coach's and school records, the stats count, it creates exposure for recruiting, etc. By your definition of not being in the championship as making it meaningless, the majority of schools played meaningless football almost the entire season.

Bowl games can skyrocket a players stock.  See JaMarcus Russell.  He was a high-ish prospect that skyrocket #1 overall after his bowl game.

I think "meaningless" is different for everyone.  In all fairness .. If I'm a 1st or second round prospect and am looking at 10-15 million guaranteed already ... then it's meaningless in the sense it isn't going to help me. History has shown it doesn't hurt those that do sit out and instances like Milton show how quick that money can disappear.  Football players are in the business of selling themselves and that is what will drive their final decision.