Current trend: Grier will skip bowl game, focus on draft

[TN G8tr]

As a fan is pi$$e$ me off. Sitting out only gives you about one month, if not 5 weeks to prepare. Sure that is valuable time to prepare for the combine. I can see the point, but we didn't see Tebow bow out of his last bowl game. It really comes down to the individual, love of the game/school, and their priorities. I guess if it were for me, I'd be ringing up LL and get a good policy.

 

[no1g8r]

I don't think there is a "force them to play or pay" scenario that works. If you try to force a 1st round draft pick to play, at any time during the season, they can either play half-assed, fake injury, or violate an NCAA rule. The player's agent can explain to the NFL scouts what is going on, and would front the money for a financial penalty that might be assessed against the player by the school.

I also can't see the "breach of contract" penalty working, as recruiting already puts all of the power in the player's hands. It would simply become another bargaining chip: "Ohio State isn't going to have a financial penalty for leaving early in their commitment contract, but Florida is. Hmmm, I think I'll go to Ohio State".

As fans I think we need to reset our expectations that likely 1st round picks are going to skip their bowl games, and be pleasantly surprised when a few don't. I don't like it, but the stakes are simply too high to expect a top-talent facing a multi-million dollar payoff for years of hard work to risk it all.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

C'mon, you stated "but that seems like what the repercussion would be for what I consider their contract" referring to simply losing their scholarship after they quit. And I disagree. The payment the kids received didn't come from an employers bottom line, it didn't come from the school. It came from the tax payer, an entity that for the most part has zero say in who/what/how that money is spent but pay taxes in good faith knowing that some will go to supplement college kid's education. My opinion is either kids on tax payer funded athletic scholarships hold up their end of the bargain or pay back some of it. I realize this doesn't sound like a popular opinion; I don't mind. I dont know what you're getting at with non competes or cool off periods; this is simply financial. I dont hate kids that bail before the games are done or want them punished which is what those rules do. There simply needs to be some repercussions for breaking of what amounts to a contract, especially when the money used to pay the individual comes from a 3rd party entity with virtually no say in the situation.

 

[5-Star Finger]

As a college football fan I don’t like this, but I understand it.

I hate it as a fan, but it is clearly the smart business decision for anyone with a 1st round grade. What if he goes out there an gets a freak injury like the UCF kid? No reason to risk that when you're about to be a guaranteed millionaire.

 

[Gator97]

The top guys already have insurance policies before the season even begins and it’s not an insignificant amount.

Some do, many don’t. Either way they are the ones paying for it right? And I bet the coverage varies wildly.
Guessing for some the expense is prohibitive for a broke kid or a family scraping by.

For the bowl situation, make it easy by giving them, not selling, great coverage for one game. Minimize the risk.

Then if they punk out of a bowl, it’s more clear cut what the reasons are.

 

[Pablos Tunnel]

I don't know what repercussions and by type, are and aren't appropriate but it seems that some type of fiduciary obligation should be in order. If we are going to let the players treat the games and the team like business and nothing more, then they need to be handled like coaches who are strictly handled like business. And despite popular belief, a coach under contract can't simply walk to a better job in the middle of a contract with no penalty.

I'd be less vested in this if it wasn't state tax dollars paying for these kids schollies, but as it is, and as a significant amount of them never even get the degrees we're ultimately fronting the bill for, the least they can do is hold up their end of the sports bargain. Most of us have long since realized that's all we're truly paying them for anyway. Now they can even snub their nose at that when they see fit? If they aren't gonna get the degree, and aren't gonna play in the games they are eligible and capable to play in, why exactly are our tax dollars paying for?

I do not know how much of our tax dollars are used to fund football. Maybe 40 yrs ago the program was subsidized. I believe the UAA is a profitable going concern. The net cost of the academics is nothing compared to the exposure and revenue football brings to the institution. If a young man is looking at a $10-15m pay day, and is told he must play in some meaningless corporate game, well anyone with any brains would tell him to walk away.

 

[GatorTom85]

I can see both sides of this. Grier was given an opportunity by WVU to play so I can see the side that says he should suit up and play. As a college football fan who doesn't watch the NFL I want to see players like Grier play. What makes this not clear cut is that the most bowl games are meaningless. It's just an extra game at a neutral site. And then factor in the big gap between what they pay you to play college ball and what you can get from an NFL contract and then you have the situation where potential NFL draftees don't want to risk getting hurt. It's where we are.

Exactly! With the amount of money involved in professional sports in this day and age, no amount of school loyalty is enough to realistically offset the risk to the potential future of a top draft prospect in a non-playoff bowl even if it is a New Year's 6 type bowl. That is especially true in a case like Grier's who stands to likely be a 1st round NFL selection and is being asked to play a mediocre team like Syracuse in a backwater game like the Camping World Bowl. Grier is making the right choice.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

There are some rumors that Grier isn't eligible.

If it is true, this will leak as the NFL teams do their due diligence checks on him.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I do not know how much of our tax dollars are used to fund football. Maybe 40 yrs ago the program was subsidized. I believe the UAA is a profitable going concern. The net cost of the academics is nothing compared to the exposure and revenue football brings to the institution. If a young man is looking at a $10-15m pay day, and is told he must play in some meaningless corporate game, well anyone with any brains would tell him to walk away.

No debate there at all, if I was that kid's rep I'd say the same thing purely from a biz decision stand point. Also agree that UAA is making a lot of money, but as much as Ive read on the topic, the kids scholarships are still being funded, in part, with tax dollars. If this is stopped and the school pays for them purely out of revenue that itself isnt being made using tax dollars unless the money is paid back prior to any expenses, then I'd have no further issue. I just really dislike the idea that hard working ppl that weren't afforded all sorts of incredible opportunities are propping others up who get them; then making it worse, can cut bait and walk at any time with no repercussions. I guess I just detest the whole system altogether. I love cfb itself, but the system is as full of cronyism and corruption as any other agency in the country.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

There are some rumors that Grier isn't eligible.

If it is true, this will leak as the NFL teams do their due diligence checks on him.

Now THAT would be an interesting development, and plausible considering his history. Sas would probably jizz himself into a coma. Crete would need to be put on suicide watch.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Some do, many don’t. Either way they are the ones paying for it right? And I bet the coverage varies wildly.
Guessing for some the expense is prohibitive for a broke kid or a family scraping by.

For the bowl situation, make it easy by giving them, not selling, great coverage for one game. Minimize the risk.

Then if they punk out of a bowl, it’s more clear cut what the reasons are.

Oftentimes the school is allowed to pay for it on behalf of the player. Players are also allowed to take out loans. Here’s a good article about it.

How athletes get insurance and figure out what their bodies are worth

 

[oxrageous]

There are some rumors that Grier isn't eligible.

If it is true, this will leak as the NFL teams do their due diligence checks on him.

Link? Certainly haven't seen this reported or even implied anywhere. With your jilted, irrational hate and your history of spreading "cocaine" lies about Grier out of personal butthurt, I'd be willing to bet it came out of your hairy ass.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

There are some rumors that Grier isn't eligible.

If it is true, this will leak as the NFL teams do their due diligence checks on him.

I'm pretty sure Creatine isn't on the NFL's banned substance list...

 

[Pablos Tunnel]

No debate there at all, if I was that kid's rep I'd say the same thing purely from a biz decision stand point. Also agree that UAA is making a lot of money, but as much as Ive read on the topic, the kids scholarships are still being funded, in part, with tax dollars. If this is stopped and the school pays for them purely out of revenue that itself isnt being made using tax dollars unless the money is paid back prior to any expenses, then I'd have no further issue. I just really dislike the idea that hard working ppl that weren't afforded all sorts of incredible opportunities are propping others up who get them; then making it worse, can cut bait and walk at any time with no repercussions. I guess I just detest the whole system altogether. I love cfb itself, but the system is as full of cronyism and corruption as any other agency in the country.

and hypocrisy!

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Link? Certainly haven't seen this reported or even implied anywhere. With your jilted, irrational hate and your history of spreading "cocaine" lies about Grier out of personal butthurt, I'd be willing to bet it came out of your hairy ass.

Cocaine lies?

 

[Omar's Coming Yo!]

This sort of thing will be the norm in 5 years.

West Virginia quarterback Will Grier to sit out bowl game, prepare for NFL Draft

Discuss.

No issues with it. Coaches don't coach bowl games when they take new jobs. This is no different.

 

[Omar's Coming Yo!]

Should be a requirement if you start all season, you are required to play the bowl game.

Should coaches do the same since they agreed to contracts?

 

[Omar's Coming Yo!]

This thread has potential

Will be interesting if a Heisman finalist, or worse, the heisman winner sits out the bowl game.

Murray has a fully guaranteed million dollar+ deal from the As. Will doesn't . Tua is a sophomore

 

[Omar's Coming Yo!]

I just wanna say one more time...fck Will Grier and his selfish ass.

Rigggght because him looking out for his wife and daughter and his financial future isn't as important as winning the camping world bowl.

 

[Omar's Coming Yo!]

Back in 2016, it was a huge controversy when LSU running back Leonard Fournette, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and Derwin James after declaring for the NFL draft, decided to skip their team’s bowl game.

itll be interesting. sooner or later a player in the final 4 will skip for the same reason, hell bosa from osu sat out since mid season after injury

Bosa is the #1 pick and his recovery isn't finished for months.



Nick Bosa would not have been ready to play during the regular season, his father John told10TV's Dom Tiberi.

Bosa actually played with a groin injury during the first two games of the season and then suffered a bilateral tear in his abdomen against TCU, John said. The recovery time for that injury is about 12 weeks, putting his return date "well into December."
Redirect Notice

When you play hurt you risk chances at getting hurt worse because you're body is overcoming another injury