Is this the future of college football?

[zincfinger]

Your contention, to begin with, was that the players were better off going to college because of the network of favortism that would develop on their behalf in college. If not, they're runnin' a jackhammer on I-90, right?

That was one reason among many, yes.

My contention wasn't to say they should because they will.

My brain hurts.

My contention is that the NCAA is a crock of shit. Their rules are shit. Their leadership are hypocrits, as is their enforcement department, which almost exlusively relies on schools reporting their own guilt, then punishing them, is bullshit. They have no real power...until they hand down sentence. I do, however, believe the student athletes are entitled to a little more than they get now. If anyone has earned it, it's them.

Maybe I'm off-base here, but wasn't I correct in distilling this previously as "college football players should formally be converted to professional football players"? (plus the NCAA is a farce for trying to prevent that?)

 

[SmoovP]

In contrast, a guy who played football at, say, Oklahoma for four years, even if he was a lousy student, would have some decent options.

The guys who go to the minor leagues, who aren't mortal locks for the NFL, would be wasting their talents because they'd be exchanging their talent for something of transient value (a few years of having some cash in their pocket and having fun), rather than exchanging their talent for something of permanent value (a college degree and, more importantly, the resume boost and support network that comes with being "ex player on the big University football team").

Put it this way; if you're a former Buckeye who never made it to the pros and graduated with a 2.1 GPA, someone's probably going to hook you up with a far better job than what your educational background merits. If you're a former Binghamton Mauler who never made it to the NFL, you're operating a jackhammer on I-90.

Exactly and precisely correct. This has always been my argument against paying college football players - they are already being given something so incredibly valuable that will last an lifetime.

And back on topic, "gotcha" journalism is not the same thing as investigative journalism.

This so-called gotcha journalism is really more of an editing process - selectively editing things to make them appear worse than they really are to lead the reader to a pre-determined conclusion.

I'll assume you guys think that's what's going on here regarding OSU.

 

[MaxBuck]

... "gotcha" journalism is not the same thing as investigative journalism.

This so-called gotcha journalism is really more of an editing process - selectively editing things to make them appear worse than they really are to lead the reader to a pre-determined conclusion.

I'll assume you guys think that's what's going on here regarding OSU.

I think there's a bit of both. Stewart Mandel has especially disappointed me, I have to say. He keeps parroting the same tired refrain that Jim Tressel can't possibly keep his job, which means he has a vested interest in ensuring that Tressel looks as bad as possible.

 

[SmoovP]

I think there's a bit of both. Stewart Mandel has especially disappointed me, I have to say. He keeps parroting the same tired refrain that Jim Tressel can't possibly keep his job, which means he has a vested interest in ensuring that Tressel looks as bad as possible.

Or maybe he's just a dumbass with an opinion and an internet connection.

 

[MaxBuck]

Or maybe he's just a dumbass with an opinion and an internet connection.

So you're saying he's just like me!

 

[knapplc]

I think there's a bit of both. Stewart Mandel has especially disappointed me, I have to say. He keeps parroting the same tired refrain that Jim Tressel can't possibly keep his job, which means he has a vested interest in ensuring that Tressel looks as bad as possible.

No, it just means he has a vested interest in keeping eyeballs on his stories. Like any other media entity, Mandel is writing what he writes to make you read his stories. He may also believe Tressel should get the axe, but there are people who think he should be fired who also think Tressel is overall a good guy and/or who think positively about the Ohio State football program.

A person doesn't need an agenda or an axe to grind with a particular school/program to say a coach should be fired.

 

[alexhortdog95]

Or maybe he's just a dumbass with an opinion and an internet connection.

Dead on. Just about everybody working for ESPN that calls themselves 'journalists' now a days meet this description, SmoovP.

Kind of like the 'hard hitting' journalism on such pieces like:

ESPN?s Adam Schefter writes that the Bills "have to be heartbroken" because they were going after Tebow, who was square on their radar.

Really? Eh, not so much....

"I went to every quarterback workout and I went to see every quarterback and that kind of thing," said [Buddy] Nix (GM of Bills). "I love Tim Tebow and he's going to be successful, but we didn't have time to wait on a guy."

Or, one of my now favs.....

During the 1 p.m. Eastern SportsCenter, ESPN broke in with an on-screen graphic saying, "BREAKING NEWS: Court grants temporary stay of players' injunction, reinstates NFL lockout."

With that graphic on the screen, ESPN's John Clayton reported that "The doors are going to be closing very, very quickly."

But during the 2 p.m. SportsCenter, ESPN changed its graphic to, "DEVELOPING STORY: Court expected to decide whether to grant temporary stay of players' injunction, reinstating NFL lockout."

I was so hoping that the judge would rule against the owners, just to spite ESPN at this point.

Here's another gem from the four-letter network:

The departure of Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the Pac-10 is imminent, four sources within the Big 12 said Monday.

One source said commissioner Dan Beebe's last-minute plan to save the conference has "zero" chance to succeed. Another source said it is "very unlikely" to succeed.

Yeah....not so much. Finally, here's another one that's still developing....

Certain news reports already have identified Nebraska as a front-runner for Gabbert's services. Tyler -- just as his brother Blaine had -- verbally committed to the Huskers as a high schooler before changing his destination to Columbia, Mo. Any talk of Gabbert, who was a redshirt freshman last season, zig-zagging back to Lincoln, Neb., is premature at best.

We'll see how this one goes.

 

[Mrstickball]

I apologize for the stupid thing I am about to say, but:

To me, the whole issue of NCAA violations on improper benefits is just a way for the NCAA to dog specific schools, to generate interest in the sport (via ESPN headlines), and to keep themselves in a position of power. After all, if it weren't for the NCAA working so hard to attack schools for monetary issues.....What would the NCAA be good for?

To me, I see them lunging out at all of these schools as a way to keep the fiduciary power to the colleges and the NCAA, and not the players. To me, it is insane that a college athlete can generate so much revenue for a school, yet cannot get paid. Comparatively, you could go to school on scholarship for anything else, and get billions of dollars from inventions, projects, or anything else.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Exactly and precisely correct. This has always been my argument against paying college football players - they are already being given something so incredibly valuable that will last an lifetime.

Try takin' a bitch to a movie with a fucking report card.

I'm not advocating players should be paid. I'm saying that cashing in on a bit of fame isn't the fucking devil, regardless of what the people that have the most to lose think.