College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

[blockski]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

The insistence on a national championship, with sports media and BCS presidents screaming anything else is Un-American, is what destroyed college football. In 1975 there were 20 schools that ended their seasons very happy. Now 1 does (and it immediately starts fretting about next year and/or preparing for the discovery phase of its investigation). That's what the fascism of ESPN has done. And it has made them A LOT of money. A playoff will be the apotheosis of this philosophy.

There is nothing wrong with college football that a cap on budget and an insistence on actual academic standards wouldn't cure. It would force the NFL to start operating a real minor league system rather than leaching off our educational system, and of course they don't want to do that and will use their megaphones to stop it. But the Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl and god help us the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl and every conference title would matter again, and people would use college football the way they do non-revenue athletics, rather than just abuse it for profit.

This is the key phrase.

For everyone who raises the issue of academic honesty, "student-athletes," and so on, I say take a long, hard look at European soccer and European sports.

In Europe, professionalism isn't tied to education. Collegiate sports are more like our D-3 sports. If an athlete has potential to be a pro, they are groomed by a professional team in their academy, rather than by a college or a high school.

America's problem is that we have college athletics acting as a minor league. And when you give these schools minor league talent (with potential for great things), fans will be interested and thus money will become an issue.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

If you guys are suggesting that only players that don't have the skills to eventually play at a professional level should be playing college sports, I don't even know what to say. The idea of bringing all NCAA sports to a level of D3 competition and fan involvment is simply a bad one. The economics of it just don't work, and I'm not talking about money for the schools or TV contracts. How much more money is made by businesses in the downtown/campus area of Madison on a football weekend compared to a non-football weekend? I have to imagine that amount is significant and it is the same story all around the country.

[Kepler]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

The economics of it just don't work, and I'm not talking about money for the schools or TV contracts. How much more money is made by businesses in the downtown/campus area of Madison on a football weekend compared to a non-football weekend? I have to imagine that amount is significant and it is the same story all around the country.

"It makes too much money to change it" is always really good logic.

[Kepler]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

If an athlete has potential to be a pro, they are groomed by a professional team in their academy, rather than by a college or a high school.

We have this distinction. It's the line between FBS and FCS.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

"It makes too much money to change it" is always really good logic.

I think the argument is more "It makes too much money for us to be able to change it"

[Kepler]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

I think the argument is more "It makes too much money for us to be able to change it"

Things change.

*****http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Jeorg_Breu_Elder_A_Question_to_a_Mintmaker_c1500.p ng******

[blockski]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

If you guys are suggesting that only players that don't have the skills to eventually play at a professional level should be playing college sports, I don't even know what to say. The idea of bringing all NCAA sports to a level of D3 competition and fan involvment is simply a bad one. The economics of it just don't work, and I'm not talking about money for the schools or TV contracts. How much more money is made by businesses in the downtown/campus area of Madison on a football weekend compared to a non-football weekend? I have to imagine that amount is significant and it is the same story all around the country.

Oh, I don't think it will ever change, but let's just be clear on what we're talking about.

Long ago, England made the decision that split the professional sport development track (for soccer) away from the educational track. The US never made that split, hence college sports are essentially minor leagues.

If you want a contemporary, North American example, just look at the contrast between college hockey and Major Junior, vis a vis CIS college hockey in Canada.

The point is that NCAA football is essentially minor league pro football, it just hasn't admitted it yet. Hence, I don't find the statements about the sanctity of student athletes compelling when put against the grand traditions of college football. The grand traditions they speak of weren't exactly free and clear of any market influence, either.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Things change.

False. This is America. Things change...unless it's going to lose money.

[Patman]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

If you guys are suggesting that only players that don't have the skills to eventually play at a professional level should be playing college sports, I don't even know what to say. The idea of bringing all NCAA sports to a level of D3 competition and fan involvment is simply a bad one. The economics of it just don't work, and I'm not talking about money for the schools or TV contracts. How much more money is made by businesses in the downtown/campus area of Madison on a football weekend compared to a non-football weekend? I have to imagine that amount is significant and it is the same story all around the country.

some days I'd wish the professorship would get what they want and then see their institution sink... can you imagine some of the farmland campuses or college towns would last long without popular athletics?

edit: UConn wouldn't be where it is today without the performance of basketball.

[WeWantMore]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Army-Navy in half an hour. First time since 96 (I think?) that both teams will be going to a bowl game.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Army-Navy in half an hour. First time since 96 (I think?) that both teams will be going to a bowl game.

First time ever all 3 service academies will be in a bowl game, IIRC...

[French Rage]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Army-Navy in half an hour. First time since 96 (I think?) that both teams will be going to a bowl game.

But will it be as awesome as the '96 game was (still the greatest sporting event I've seen in person)? I think not.

Go Army! Beat Navy!

[amherstblackbear]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

So much for that whole coach-in-waiting thing.

Florida replaces Urban Meyer with Dan Mullen Texas Assistant Will Muschamp.

[bronconick]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Granted, I'm a FSU fan and tend to look for the worst in everything orange and blue, but you've gotta get a kick out of Florida announcing their new head coach right in the middle of Cam Newton's coronation of his Heisman Trophy rental.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Anyone see the SMU 30 for 30? Probably the 2nd best one behind The U.