At what point does the NCAA begin requiring kids to sign a contract to play at a certain school for a certain length of time? This seems to me the only way to combat the inevitable tampering which is already likely occurring and will just keep getting worse.
They have that, it's called a 1 year scholarship. The NCAA and the schools were the ones who were wrongly setting limitations on players. The supreme court rectified that. If they try to further impede, I expect the court to slap them down again.
It's just pro football with worse quality athletes and less parity now. The more the game has become like the NFL and the more they've changed rules to make it impossible to play defense the less I've cared. I think this year might be the final straw for me as the fun of following college football was built on things like regional rivalries, knowing who the players are on the team, as well as the fact that both you and the student athletes had being a UF alum in common (or at least being a student for a few years). Next year the SEC will officially not be southern or eastern anymore. There are also too many teams to maintain the same rivalries. I will have no idea who anyone on the team is and they'll be different players in 2024 anyway so who cares. What's the point? It's just a crappier version of the NFL (which I haven't watched in more than a decade, and even that is only in passing at other people's homes). The regular season will be mostly meaningless with a 12 team playoff since only the top 10 or so teams can afford to buy the talent to get to the playoff anyway. At least vanderbilt has student athletes on the team.
I'm kind of interested to see who we have for the bowl game. I was hoping Richardson and Dexter were staying but they've chose not to. I wish them the best. We've got many unknowns fixing to see the field for the bowl game and perhaps be a contributor for next season. The program is in transition, not falling apart.
I blame a large part of the Vandy loss on Richardson. He had chances to run but chose not to. He has the body of a Tebow, but the leadership qualities of a wet blanket. Time to move on.
If you enjoy being surrounded by fans on the caliber of NBA fans (have no idea how to play basketball, know no rules, just here for shiny points and bandwagons) and watching the same 10 teams be in the playoffs yearly, by design now, more power to you. Personally I enjoy college football for what it's historically been. I'm not naive enough to believe people like me outnumber the "oooh shiny" fans. I figured this was coming, but it still sucks. I guess the advantage of having uf be bad for a decade is that it's no longer an integral part of my fall weekends. Bye, I guess?
Think ya'll are having fun now? Just wait until the week of 12-14 to 21. (Week before early signing day). I personally think fans will see the biggest 'De-Commit" show that week, when all the supposed "commits" and anticipated "classes" fall apart. I hope I am wrong but I have a feeling most, perhaps all, schools will experience verbal commits switching gears at a much higher level than ever before experienced. We shall see.
No one is keeping you here or as a fan. Things change. Personally none of this bothers me. Honestly once it settles down it will put a better product on the field. Coaches will be able to fill holes and get the best players on the field. The historical nostalgia you pine over was forced onto the players because they had no other choice. Now players can do what they feel is best for their future and you cry foul.
I think you are most likely correct in your assertion considering that its "technically" not the Universities themselves that are offering the inducements. The only reason the NFL can ban tampering is because its a monolithic structure with a antitrust exemption.
That is true, but its still seems like the NCAA chose to throw the baby out with the bath water. I know some fans won't care, but a lot of fans will tune out. We already have a pro league that they aren't interested in, so why follow pro-college football? 10 years ago experiencing two back to back seasons like UF just experienced would have grievously wounded me. Now...meh, not so much. I don't like it, but what do I have in common with a bunch of guys that come to UF for a paycheck and an avenue to the NFL? We will see if the professional model for college sports works $wise in the long run.....I think that as a whole (maybe not the handful of haves), college football will suffer from this decision long-term.
Personally I hope its the biggest Shizz show that has ever occurred such the NCAA has no choice but to rein in the free for all at least a little.
Fair enough. But you really never had anything in common with the players. For the majority of them it has always been to get to the NFL but they had to jump through the hoops put in front of them. If it weren't for the 3 yr rule, they would leave as soon as they could or not play college at all.
I played a season of small college football 40 years ago, so maybe not when compared to major universities and certainly not this generation of players....but I did have a lot in common with the players I played and had classes (some) with. What I'm saying is there is a whole generation or two of fans like me that, as a business, you have disappointed. Whether I really had anything in common with Joe Football is immaterial to the perception that I did and the traditions and pageantry of my chosen school that I embraced. When those are gone, what is left? Personally, I dislike the 3 year rule and the colleges could immediately put an end to it if they said "Okay you keep that rule, but then we will allow any player back to campus if they don't like their draft position." They can already have agents, so why make them ineligible if they enter the draft?
Nope...they didn't have to throw the transfer portal wide open and create unlimited free-agency and that was not part of the Supreme Court ruling. They need to backtrack on that fast and put some reasonable limits in place.
Its much more likely they may switch to a higher payer that they perceive as being as good a place to get to the NFL. I don't think the flash in the pan TCU is suddenly going to be the "it" destination. The other three always were. That being said, I think that BN has spent a ton of energy finding the right recruits and the combination of opportunity and earnings they will get at UF will keep the large majority of our best recruits here. Now if I was KY, USCe, Arky...etc. I would worry more.
