Bowl skipping for draft prospects has begun

[YoloinOhio]

 

[mannc]

It's a growing and troubling trend.  After U of O's massacre of Oregon State on Saturday, Royce Freeman refused to say if he would play in the Ducks' bowl game.  I wonder who will be the first player to refuse to play in a playoff game.   

[BuffaloBill]

Not surprising.  Top flight prospects take out insurance - if they get hurt they get paid.  In theory they have no money to do so but “somehow” it happens.  I used to know someone who worked on underwriting such policies.

[Kirby Jackson]

42 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

Not surprising.  Top flight prospects take out insurance - if they get hurt they get paid.  In theory they have no money to do so but “somehow” it happens.  I used to know someone who worked on underwriting such policies.

The schools actually pay for these insurance policies in most cases. Additionally, once a player officially declares the agents will front them money and just get it on the back end. 

[26CornerBlitz]

Good for him to learn the lesson of Jaylon Smith. 

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The schools actually pay for these insurance policies in most cases. Additionally, once a player officially declares the agents will front them money and just get it on the back end. 

Bryce Love, the running back from Stanford, should not play in a bowl game when the season is finished. He has been playing with a high ankle sprain for most of the season. He has been gutting it out and playing with a lot of pain. He is a terrific player and person. I would hate to see him further damage that already injured ankle and jeopardize his pro career. That type of sprain takes a long time to heal. 

[Kirby Jackson]

16 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Bryce Love, the running back from Stanford, should not play in a bowl game when the season is finished. He has been playing with a high ankle sprain for most of the season. He has been gutting it out and playing with a lot of pain. He is a terrific player and person. I would hate to see him further damage that already injured ankle and jeopardize his pro career. That type of sprain takes a long time to heal. 

I agree 100%. I thought that I’d hate the sitting out of bowl games but I don’t. The Jaylon Smith injury sort of changed my perspective on it. 3 weeks of practice and then a game is a lot of risk for a top prospect. What if they suffer a Tannehill or Bridgewater injury in practice? What if they take a McGahee hit in the game? It’s not worth t for the Bell Bowl.

[JohnC]

29 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I agree 100%. I thought that I’d hate the sitting out of bowl games but I don’t. The Jaylon Smith injury sort of changed my perspective on it. 3 weeks of practice and then a game is a lot of risk for a top prospect. What if they suffer a Tannehill or Bridgewater injury in practice? What if they take a McGahee hit in the game? It’s not worth t for the Bell Bowl.

You bring up a very provocative issue. Is it different for a qb to sit out a bowl game for fear of injury compared to the rest of the positions? If a qb sits out a bowl game it is more likely to have a major affect on the offense. That profound effect from a player playing the other positions is much less when compared to a qb sitting out. Another related issue is if a top tier LT prospect sits out and a much lesser player plays in his place is the qb prospect then placed in greater jeopardy bringing up the issue of sitting out for the qb? 

 

The bottom line for me is that in a high stakes business and a high risk profession I'm not going to criticize a decision a player makes for his own best interest. 

Edited November 28, 2017 by JohnC

[BuffaloBill]

Coaching jobs may under certain situations be put at risk due to top flight players dropping out of Bowl games.  While it is unlikely that a Bowl game loss on its own will be enough to end a coach’s job, it may serve as another “straw.”  Most of these guys have very tenuous holds on the jobs to begin with.  Fan and booster impatience escalates quickly.  

 

On another note, while school loyalists will proabably buy tickets and watch the games if enough star players refuse to play there could be impact to the economics of Bowl games.

[The Now Moment]

They have to protect their careers.  The draft process is an enormous one.  Sitting out of the combine with an injury can cost a prospect a lot of money.  I don't blame them for missing one game to help set themselves up.  Now if the player isn't hurt, then questions may arise but with an injury it's just smart thinking by them.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

18 hours ago, JohnC said:

Bryce Love, the running back from Stanford, should not play in a bowl game when the season is finished. He has been playing with a high ankle sprain for most of the season. He has been gutting it out and playing with a lot of pain. He is a terrific player and person. I would hate to see him further damage that already injured ankle and jeopardize his pro career. That type of sprain takes a long time to heal. 

 

If you're hurt why play the year but then skip the bowl.

[JohnC]

19 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

If you're hurt why play the year but then skip the bowl.

He was playing hurt for most of the season. The reason why he would consider skipping the bowl is to heal and be ready for the draft preparations. If he further injures his ankle and is not ready to work out and demonstrate his abilities prior to the draft It would definitely affect his draft status. That would obviously cause him to lose a substantial amount of money. 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[row_33]

Bowls only have two functions.

 

1)  About 6 must see games of the 100 or so.

 

2)  You have to have a game on mute so you can stare at the screen waiting for all the uninvited guests in your living room to FINALLY go home, hopefully they left some of your booze and chocolates.

 

 

[YoloinOhio]

9 minutes ago, row_33 said:

Bowls only have two functions.

 

1)  About 6 must see games of the 100 or so.

 

2)  You have to have a game on mute so you can stare at the screen waiting for all the uninvited guests in your living room to FINALLY go home, hopefully they left some of your booze and chocolates.

 

 

Haha true... so many bowl games are background for holiday parties... though if you don’t want to make a small talk you can pretend to be really interested in the game!

Edited December 5, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[thenorthremembers]

I have no problem with this at all.  Until the coaches stop interviewing for new jobs or leaving their old job just before a bowl game I will continue to have no problem with this.  

[Kirby Jackson]

O/u players skipping bowls for draft prep 9.5

22 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Haha true... so many bowl games are background for holiday parties... though if you don’t want to make a small talk you can pretend to be really interested in the game!

Or just become a degenerate gambler!! Bowl season is the most wonderful time of the year. I like Troy -5.5 in the first bowl game!

[YoloinOhio]

4 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

O/u players skipping bowls for draft prep 9.5

Or just become a degenerate gambler!! Bowl season is the most wonderful time of the year. I like Troy -5.5 in the first bowl game!

The Fighting Leodis McKelvins of Troy are in a Bowl?

[Kirby Jackson]

3 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

The Fighting Leodis McKelvins of Troy are in a Bowl?

They won in Tiger Stadium this year!! They play North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl.

[YoloinOhio]

2 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

They won in Tiger Stadium this year!! They play North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl.

I will set my DVR! Truthfully, I’m in CFB withdrawal by then and will probably watch a few of those smaller bowls.

[Laughing Coffin]

On 11/27/2017 at 12:48 PM, mannc said:

It's a growing and troubling trend.  After U of O's massacre of Oregon State on Saturday, Royce Freeman refused to say if he would play in the Ducks' bowl game.  I wonder who will be the first player to refuse to play in a playoff game.   

He'll be the only one, cause that would hurt his draft stock.  I can understand skipping out on the chester's hot fries bowl lmao, but not a playoff game

[Captain Murica]

On 11/27/2017 at 6:19 PM, 26CornerBlitz said:

Good for him to learn the lesson of Jaylon Smith. 

Such a devastating injury. I enjoyed watching him during his time at ND. I believe people had him going top 10 at the time, and considered one of the best if not the best player in that draft. 

[row_33]

Must see TV with it on mute while I stare at it and nod and say "wow" once in awhile to the blathering idiots around me....

 

December 16th

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas State
8 p.m., ESPN

 

That oughta be a BARNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN-BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Here's the fight songs in case you are almost busted... memorize them...

 

http://fightmusic.com/mp3/cusa/Middle_Tennessee_State__MTSU_Fight_Song.mp3

 

http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sunbelt/Arkansas_State__ASU_Loyalty_Song.mp3

[Kirby Jackson]

10 minutes ago, row_33 said:

Must see TV with it on mute while I stare at it and nod and say "wow" once in awhile to the blathering idiots around me....

 

December 16th

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas State
8 p.m., ESPN

 

That oughta be a BARNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN-BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Here's the fight songs in case you are almost busted... memorize them...

 

http://fightmusic.com/mp3/cusa/Middle_Tennessee_State__MTSU_Fight_Song.mp3

 

http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sunbelt/Arkansas_State__ASU_Loyalty_Song.mp3

I’m betting Arkansas State because Malzahn used to be there.

[Augie]

I don’t blame anyone for protecting their future. It would disappoint me as a teammate, but I get it. Why wait for the bowl game? Did Clowney threaten to sit out the full year? Did he sit late?  I don’t remember the details. When will they put up a few good games of film and call it quits until the draft? 

[YoloinOhio]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

I don’t blame anyone for protecting their future. It would disappoint me as a teammate, but I get it. Why wait for the bowl game? Did Clowney threaten to sit out the full year? Did he sit late?  I don’t remember the details. When will they put up a few good games of film and call it quits until the draft? 

Clowney didn’t sit out, but he was banged up most of the year I think, may have made business decisions. 

[MAJBobby]

As they should. They get nothing but a gift pack from these games and the Conferences and Schools get Millions from these games. 

 

They are meaningless (unless maybe for the National Championship) skip away as they should 

[JaCrispy]

On 11/27/2017 at 3:48 PM, mannc said:

It's a growing and troubling trend.  After U of O's massacre of Oregon State on Saturday, Royce Freeman refused to say if he would play in the Ducks' bowl game.  I wonder who will be the first player to refuse to play in a playoff game.   

Yeah, I really don’t see an issue...I actually hope more of the top players start doing this...I would hate to see a player the Bills are targeting to get injured playing in a meaningless bowl game.

[Cripple Creek]

No problem with anyone other than a QB sitting out a meaningless bowl game.  QB is held to a higher standard (and should be).

[Chicken Boo]

On 11/27/2017 at 6:19 PM, 26CornerBlitz said:

Good for him to learn the lesson of Jaylon Smith. 

 

Exactly!

 

He is now a businessman.  His business is himself and this was a smart business decision.

[row_33]

19 hours ago, MAJBobby said:

As they should. They get nothing but a gift pack from these games and the Conferences and Schools get Millions from these games. 

 

They are meaningless (unless maybe for the National Championship) skip away as they should 

 

They get another chance to play football for the last time in their life for most of them.

 

 

[YoloinOhio]

Even though everyone at OSU has been saying no one will skip the Cotton Bowl, I heard that Denzel Ward and Jerome Baker are both considering it.

[Kirby Jackson]

15 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Even though everyone at OSU has been saying no one will skip the Cotton Bowl, I heard that Denzel Ward and Jerome Baker are both considering it.

Ward should IMO, not so sure about Baker

[YoloinOhio]

2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Ward should IMO, not so sure about Baker

Ward is one of the best corners in the draft, I could understand him not playing. Baker is an athlete trying to play LB and even though I’m not his biggest fan imo he’s too raw and should return to further hone his technique at LB. He’s not  close to as ready as Darren Lee was when he left and even he was considered a project. I don’t like Bill Davis coaching him, fickell was missed on that LB group, and think adding Alex Grinch to the staff from wazzou will be huge for his development. But Baker has a child to support and if he skips the game and leaves I won’t really blame him or care.

Edited December 18, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[Kirby Jackson]

4 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Ward is one of the best corners in the draft, I could understand him not playing. Baker is an athlete trying to play LB and even though I’m not his biggest fan imo he’s too raw and should return to further hone his technique at LB. He’s not  close to as ready as Darren Lee was when he left and even he was considered a project. I don’t like Bill Davis coaching him, fickell was missed on that LB group, and think adding Alex Grinch to the staff from wazzou will be huge for his development. But Baker has a child to support and if he skips the game and leaves I won’t really blame him or care.

Ward to me is a no-brainer. He was phenomenal this year. He’s a 1st round lock. 

 

I get Baker doing it but think it’s a mistake. It would be short-sighted. He should only improve going forward and head into next year’s draft with fewer questions. He’d be stepping over dollars to pick up pennies. That’s not a good idea. He will still go in the first few rounds I think.

[row_33]

I will never understand someone who plays and loves football with all his heart and soul refusing to take ANY opportunity to play the game for real, maybe the last time ever.

 

 

those of you who never played or loved sports thinking this is a great idea for money reasons are totally and completely wrong on this

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[/dev/null]

The NFL should disqualify any player voluntarily sitting out their Bowl from Day 1 Draft eligibility.

[Cripple Creek]

I have no problem with a kid sitting out a game, it is a business decision. My only gripe (knowing that coaches are walking a tightrope) is letting the kid wear his jersey and be on the sidelines with the team. Seems "off" to me.