Insignificant to teams that have titles as their aspirations. Bowling Greens of the world probably still get motivated along with nonstarters trying to gain snaps the following year.
I believe more than likely, we look much better this year. If we get a false start on our first play, I’ll probably have an aneurism.
We always spout off about players not playing bowl games, treating the games as meaningless. But we've had decades of head coaches who move on to a better job before the bowl game. Barely mentioned. Just like so many of the asymmetries between the adults and the kids.
Good point, but just because some teammates quit for their own reasons (some reasons are hard to argue with) does not mean that the games are meaningless to the players left on the team. Fans are meaningless to some football players... I know that if I had the opportunity to play a game on an empty lot, and no one was watching, that I would play football just for the fun and thrill of it. Fans that say, "bowl games are meaningless..." miss the point... Some football players don't give a damn about what the fans think and do.
That's true. I don't think they should count anymore though. They're just exhibition games played by half of each team.
There didn't use to be. I used to agree with that sentiment completely. I don't in the current opt-out environment.
My point is that fans need to stop acting like they speak for the football players that do want to play in bowl games... it matters to the ones that stay and suit up for these bowl games. Bowl games are not about the fans as much as they think these games are... If you're a fan and don't like the bowl game we're playing in, don't watch the game.
Yup, I agree. But the same applies to perpetually underachieving FSU....A FSU team that would be under .500 in the SEC (except in 2023, perhaps), and was for 4 straight seasons in the mighty ACC. My point is that the same rules apply across the board.
I don't really think I'm trying to speak for the players, nor any other fan for that matter. I'm only speaking for myself as a fan. If half the players don't care enough to show up, then I don't care enough to buy tickets either. And, yes, I agree about the not watching the bowl games if you don't like them. To me, the non-playoff games only matter now if they make the difference between having a winning season, or not, since they technically still count. Again, I didn't used to think that way. Today's opt-outs have adjusted my thinking. Back to the predictions now, I guess....
I think the main problem is that the players recognize that the Emperor has no clothes. Bowls were created by tourism committees to attract fans of school x and school y. At one time it was for the fans. Now its for ESPN to have programming content so that they can make money, and the players realize that. In this era of pay for play, what's in it for them? Maybe for a backup to show off his skills for next season, but for players collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a game riding around in their Lambos before heading off to the league, why should they care? Its another opportunity to get hurt and potentially miss their big payday. This isn't about school pride for the most part anymore...it's transactional. Do I sound jaded? I'll be the first to admit that this new system disgusts me to no end and has taken most of the joy out of "amateur" sports.
Sorry to say but the day is coming where players will sit out of significant games in order to preserve their draft status. If making the league is the ultimate goal and life generational wealth is waiting for them then winning a college football title pales in comparison if someone suffers a career ending injury. Now maybe the silver lining to NIL is that now there may be ways to secure a good chunk of money in other ways and prevent that from happening.
Some of us fans will watch these bowl game that have Gator football players involved. Is there a push to diminish their importance, probably, but that does not matter to me. I will watch the Gators play fooball...
