UNLV Rebels (Official Thread)

[Buckeneye]

The sport I loved is gone.

I wanted to touch on this sentiment, and I'm going to use this thread.

Why our connection to college football is unique to the pro's is because of the shared experience built around tOSU.

Tradition, pageantry, ceremony, the belief of being apart of something greater than ourselves. The idea being that time in our lives around the university was as much transformational as it was transactional.

There was also the feeling, built around regional culture, identity, and shared community, that was reflected in our rosters across college football.

This is from the starting offense in 2006...




9/11 players are from The Great State of Ohio, where kids born here have special powers.


This is the 2024 depth chart.

2025 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.

www.ourlads.com

1.... 1 player from Ohio starting.



Now there are many reasons for that. But the blue blood programs used to be built on the best of regional, especially in State players, then sprinkling in a select few from elsewhere who felt a connection and bond with the team, the University and the state.

It's also why loaded rosters just felt more special and more uncommon. Because it's easy to have a loaded rosters when you get to pick and choose the best of the best every year over the whole of the country.

The move towards more National recruiting as the base for your roster pre-dates NIL, but it was a shift that did make the rich richer.



Now with National recruiting, combined with NIL, the rich are even richer. The swelling of their influence greater, and the condensing of the blue bloods financial power more evident. See; "20 million dollar roster".

But with the shift from football being as transformative and bonding to transactional and entertaining (gambling isn't immune to his cause) we've felt that poison in our souls. As a result, our hearts have sort of withered on the vine. Not to be insulting, but QB1 at tOSU doesn't know Carmen Ohio or Hang on Sloppy. All things every raised Buckeye is baptized in from a young age. It only further highlights the transactional nature that almost every facet of life, including our relationships, has become.

You used to feel like you could relate, even a little bit, to those on the field. You also felt like there was a part of you out there with them, as the team represented the University, the fans/alumni and really, the whole State of Ohio. As the lyrics go " Show them Ohio's here". Difficult to relate to someone doing that who isn't even remotely from your region and, not that I don't think these athletes shouldn't profit from their image, but make more money as student athletes than 90% of the people filling the seats; of which that money is a primary drive to the University. Of what common bond do we have then?

This is the disconnect between fans and pro sports. It never was and will never hit you in the heart and soul like CFB used to, because you're watching professional athletes get paid to entertain you. Ultimately their representation of your colors boils down to dollars and cents. Probably why when the Browns lose I feel very little other than an opportunity to profit from my wagers on or against them. The emotional tie has long faded when you look at it like that.

College football *wasn't* that, but now? Well, isn't far behind.

 

[brodybuck21]

I wanted to touch on this sentiment, and I'm going to use this thread.

Why our connection to college football is unique to the pro's is because of the shared experience built around tOSU.

Tradition, pageantry, ceremony, the belief of being apart of something greater than ourselves. The idea being that time in our lives around the university was as much transformational as it was transactional.

There was also the feeling, built around regional culture, identity, and shared community, that was reflected in our rosters across college football.

This is from the starting offense in 2006...

View attachment 46593


9/11 players are from The Great State of Ohio, where kids born here have special powers.


This is the 2024 depth chart.

2025 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.

www.ourlads.com

1.... 1 player from Ohio starting.



Now there are many reasons for that. But the blue blood programs used to be built on the best of regional, especially in State players, then sprinkling in a select few from elsewhere who felt a connection and bond with the team, the University and the state.

It's also why loaded rosters just felt more special and more uncommon. Because it's easy to have a loaded rosters when you get to pick and choose the best of the best every year over the whole of the country.

The move towards more National recruiting as the base for your roster pre-dates NIL, but it was a shift that did make the rich richer.



Now with National recruiting, combined with NIL, the rich are even richer. The swelling of their influence greater, and the condensing of the blue bloods financial power more evident. See; "20 million dollar roster".

But with the shift from football being as transformative and bonding to transactional and entertaining (gambling isn't immune to his cause) we've felt that poison in our souls. As a result, our hearts have sort of withered on the vine. Not to be insulting, but QB1 at tOSU doesn't know Carmen Ohio or Hang on Sloppy. All things every raised Buckeye is baptized in from a young age. It only further highlights the transactional nature that almost every facet of life, including our relationships, has become.

You used to feel like you could relate, even a little bit, to those on the field. You also felt like there was a part of you out there with them, as the team represented the University, the fans/alumni and really, the whole State of Ohio. As the lyrics go " Show them Ohio's here". Difficult to relate to someone doing that who isn't even remotely from your region and, not that I don't think these athletes shouldn't profit from their image, but make more money as student athletes than 90% of the people filling the seats; of which that money is a primary drive to the University. Of what common bond do we have then?

This is the disconnect between fans and pro sports. It never was and will never hit you in the heart and soul like CFB used to, because you're watching professional athletes get paid to entertain you. Ultimately their representation of your colors boils down to dollars and cents. Probably why when the Browns lose I feel very little other than an opportunity to profit from my wagers on or against them. The emotional tie has long faded when you look at it like that.

College football *wasn't* that, but now? Well, isn't far behind.

Spot on

 

[NFBuck]

I wanted to touch on this sentiment, and I'm going to use this thread.

Why our connection to college football is unique to the pro's is because of the shared experience built around tOSU.

Tradition, pageantry, ceremony, the belief of being apart of something greater than ourselves. The idea being that time in our lives around the university was as much transformational as it was transactional.

There was also the feeling, built around regional culture, identity, and shared community, that was reflected in our rosters across college football.

This is from the starting offense in 2006...

View attachment 46593


9/11 players are from The Great State of Ohio, where kids born here have special powers.


This is the 2024 depth chart.

2025 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.

www.ourlads.com

1.... 1 player from Ohio starting.



Now there are many reasons for that. But the blue blood programs used to be built on the best of regional, especially in State players, then sprinkling in a select few from elsewhere who felt a connection and bond with the team, the University and the state.

It's also why loaded rosters just felt more special and more uncommon. Because it's easy to have a loaded rosters when you get to pick and choose the best of the best every year over the whole of the country.

The move towards more National recruiting as the base for your roster pre-dates NIL, but it was a shift that did make the rich richer.



Now with National recruiting, combined with NIL, the rich are even richer. The swelling of their influence greater, and the condensing of the blue bloods financial power more evident. See; "20 million dollar roster".

But with the shift from football being as transformative and bonding to transactional and entertaining (gambling isn't immune to his cause) we've felt that poison in our souls. As a result, our hearts have sort of withered on the vine. Not to be insulting, but QB1 at tOSU doesn't know Carmen Ohio or Hang on Sloppy. All things every raised Buckeye is baptized in from a young age. It only further highlights the transactional nature that almost every facet of life, including our relationships, has become.

You used to feel like you could relate, even a little bit, to those on the field. You also felt like there was a part of you out there with them, as the team represented the University, the fans/alumni and really, the whole State of Ohio. As the lyrics go " Show them Ohio's here". Difficult to relate to someone doing that who isn't even remotely from your region and, not that I don't think these athletes shouldn't profit from their image, but make more money as student athletes than 90% of the people filling the seats; of which that money is a primary drive to the University. Of what common bond do we have then?

This is the disconnect between fans and pro sports. It never was and will never hit you in the heart and soul like CFB used to, because you're watching professional athletes get paid to entertain you. Ultimately their representation of your colors boils down to dollars and cents. Probably why when the Browns lose I feel very little other than an opportunity to profit from my wagers on or against them. The emotional tie has long faded when you look at it like that.

College football *wasn't* that, but now? Well, isn't far behind.

Nailed it

I will always root for tOSU, but I haven't had an emotional connection to the team in a few years now. My Saturday's used to be arranged around the Buckeyes. Now I watch if nothing else is going on, evidenced by my lack of participation in most game threads these days. The losses aren't as hard as they used to be; now it's kind of like "well damn, oh well." And the successes aren't as joyous. The next NC won't hit like it did in 2002 or 2014. It won't be close, and that sucks. CFB rosters are largely mercenaries now, many who bail at the first chance if they aren't playing. Hard to get invested in that.

 

[pnuts34]

I wanted to touch on this sentiment, and I'm going to use this thread.

Why our connection to college football is unique to the pro's is because of the shared experience built around tOSU.

Tradition, pageantry, ceremony, the belief of being apart of something greater than ourselves. The idea being that time in our lives around the university was as much transformational as it was transactional.

There was also the feeling, built around regional culture, identity, and shared community, that was reflected in our rosters across college football.

This is from the starting offense in 2006...

View attachment 46593


9/11 players are from The Great State of Ohio, where kids born here have special powers.


This is the 2024 depth chart.

2025 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.

www.ourlads.com

1.... 1 player from Ohio starting.



Now there are many reasons for that. But the blue blood programs used to be built on the best of regional, especially in State players, then sprinkling in a select few from elsewhere who felt a connection and bond with the team, the University and the state.

It's also why loaded rosters just felt more special and more uncommon. Because it's easy to have a loaded rosters when you get to pick and choose the best of the best every year over the whole of the country.

The move towards more National recruiting as the base for your roster pre-dates NIL, but it was a shift that did make the rich richer.



Now with National recruiting, combined with NIL, the rich are even richer. The swelling of their influence greater, and the condensing of the blue bloods financial power more evident. See; "20 million dollar roster".

But with the shift from football being as transformative and bonding to transactional and entertaining (gambling isn't immune to his cause) we've felt that poison in our souls. As a result, our hearts have sort of withered on the vine. Not to be insulting, but QB1 at tOSU doesn't know Carmen Ohio or Hang on Sloppy. All things every raised Buckeye is baptized in from a young age. It only further highlights the transactional nature that almost every facet of life, including our relationships, has become.

You used to feel like you could relate, even a little bit, to those on the field. You also felt like there was a part of you out there with them, as the team represented the University, the fans/alumni and really, the whole State of Ohio. As the lyrics go " Show them Ohio's here". Difficult to relate to someone doing that who isn't even remotely from your region and, not that I don't think these athletes shouldn't profit from their image, but make more money as student athletes than 90% of the people filling the seats; of which that money is a primary drive to the University. Of what common bond do we have then?

This is the disconnect between fans and pro sports. It never was and will never hit you in the heart and soul like CFB used to, because you're watching professional athletes get paid to entertain you. Ultimately their representation of your colors boils down to dollars and cents. Probably why when the Browns lose I feel very little other than an opportunity to profit from my wagers on or against them. The emotional tie has long faded when you look at it like that.

College football *wasn't* that, but now? Well, isn't far behind.

What you’re describing now is HS football.
And half of those starters would be playing for UK or another B1G program today.

 

[Thump]

Nailed it

I will always root for tOSU, but I haven't had an emotional connection to the team in a few years now. My Saturday's used to be arranged around the Buckeyes. Now I watch if nothing else is going on, evidenced by my lack of participation in most game threads these days. The losses aren't as hard as they used to be; now it's kind of like "well damn, oh well." And the successes aren't as joyous. The next NC won't hit like it did in 2002 or 2014. It won't be close, and that sucks. CFB rosters are largely mercenaries now, many who bail at the first chance if they aren't playing. Hard to get invested in that.

This.

 

[ScriptOhio]

UNLV admits it can only afford first two years of new coach Dan Mullen's $17.5 million contract

The Rebels' financial predicament is a sign of the new times

www.cbssports.com

UNLV admits it can only afford first two years of new coach Dan Mullen's $17.5 million contract​

The Rebels' financial predicament is a sign of the new times​

UNLV athletic director Erick Harper admitted that the school can only afford to pay the first two years of new football coach Dan Mullen's five-year, $17.5 million contract.

Harper made the admission at a Board of Regents meeting last week, telling the group that the athletic department is in at least $26 million worth of debt and could only afford the first two years of a contract that pays the former Florida coach $3.5 million annually.

"We have the funds to pay the coach over the next two years," Harper said. "We have been working with our donors to assist with philanthropic dollars. We have one that has already paid their commitment, and that money is in an unrestricted line and that will be utilized in the future to help with the salaries."

UNLV hired Mullen in December to replace Barry Odom, who left for Purdue. The Big Ten school will pay UNLV $3 million to buy out Odom's contract, slated to arrive in two $1.5 million payments paid over the next two years. Mullen hadn't coached since 2021, instead working as an analyst for ESPN, after a four-year stint at Florida where he finished with a 34-15 record that included three top-15 finishes.

Mullen's contract also calls for an annual $100,000 retention bonus starting in 2027 and bonuses ranging from $25,000 for playing in the Mountain West championship game to $100,000 for participating in the College Football Playoff. Making any bowl game comes with a $75,000 bonus.

Mullen takes over a UNLV program that went 10-3 last season and is considered a preseason Group of Five favorite to make the College Football Playoff. Harper said that UNLV has sold an additional 970 season tickets since Mullen's hiring, putting the total at more than 5,000 for the Mountain West school.

Harper's admission the school can only afford two years of Mullen's five-year contract is arresting yet not without precedent. When Colorado hired Deion Sanders to a five-year, $29.5 million contract, the school's AD made a similar comment as Harper.
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