Fagnano and Bell are out for the Wasabi Bowl | Page 5 | The Boneyard
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Fagnano and Bell are out for the Wasabi Bowl

On the plus side we get a look at Evers for next year and maybe one or two of the other guys. Unfortunately, Army will be at full strength because nobody from there can go in the portal and there is nobody preserving their draft stock, but that's the way it goes.
 
The whole system is a colossal mess. Not sure what the right thing to do is at this point.

On one side, what's the point of going to watch your school in a bowl game if the coach & players who got you there all bail on you?

On the other side, the bowl era looks to be disintegrating fast before our eyes with all that's happening with college sports now, and if this happens to be the last bowl that UConn plays in for the foreseeable future, then I want to be there to support the UConn program and university, even if the game itself is reduced to a watered-down exhibition.

Already bought my ticket. I'll still try to go. But this situation really sucks.
 
BugsyCT said:
The whole system is a colossal mess. Not sure what the right thing to do is at this point.

On one side, what's the point of going to watch your school in a bowl game if the coach & players who got you there all bail on you?

On the other side, the bowl era looks to be disintegrating fast before our eyes with all that's happening with college sports now, and if this happens to be the last bowl that UConn plays in for the foreseeable future, then I want to be there to support the UConn program and university, even if the game itself is reduced to a watered-down exhibition.

Already bought my ticket. I'll still try to go. But this situation really sucks.
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I'll buy you a slushy beer
 
Anyone know if any of the guys in the portal are going to play? I hope so or our O-Line will be woefully down.
 
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metsfan2323 said:
Opting out of bowl games has become normalized. Coaches are gone, players have entered the portal. A month goes by between games. It feels like two different seasons.
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Yes, but it seems to me that the season long goal is to get to the post season. This is only a little tongue in cheek, but the record becomes a bit inconsequential if it’s all about the health of the individual rather than team and program goals. The only thing that would mean anything is each game in isolation. The post season obviously is not a goal of a lot of these kids (or their agents) Imagine a Super Bowl team with a lot of pending free agents who could opt out of playing because they might get hurt.
 
Palatine said:
courant -Cam in portal.
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giddyup said:
That absolutely sucks. Bought tickets and now screwed.
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I live here in Boston and I didn't purchase tickets for this reason. I was at the Fenway Bowl last year and enjoyed my time there as the game was entertaining. However, I was fairly sure that Bell and Fagnano wouldn't play and I can't really blame them, especially Bell who is projected to be drafted in the top 3 rounds if I am not mistaken. Also, I was not convinced the majority of the starters would be playing this time around.

I might still purchase tickets-I have not ruled it out, but I certainly was not eager or in a rush to do so.
 
metsfan2323 said:
Speak for yourself, I'm sure Skyler Bell's family was concerned during the FAU game. Remember when Bosa opted out of the majority Ohio State's season when he knew he secured a top pick in the draft.

You ask what has changed? Have you been sleeping for a month?
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I'm sure it's me, but I don't see an answer to the question. They played against FAU. It has been stated above (I'm still waiting to see something from at least a reporter before assuming it's true) that they're not going to play now. What has changed RELATED TO THE RISK OF INJURY? Yes, I know the coach has left but why does that increase the risk of injury beyond any of the games they were happily playing in?
 
Hoophound said:
I think the NCAA could mandate that players play in bowl games as part of their NIL contracts. I don’t see how it would meet institutional resistance. It benefits everyone except the player that doesn’t want to play. Frankly, the players have plenty now. It’s time to start worrying about the actual paying fans again.

Without those guys playing, we have no chance to win the game and we will likely have a poor fan showing too. Why play the game? Oh, because the schools and everyone associated with the bowl get a paycheck and the fans can still be guilted into wasting their money on a garbage game. I’d go if I lived in Boston, that’s about it. No point showing up to watch our second and third string get run over by Army in the cold. It just isn’t fair to the fans.
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I live in Boston and went last year and enjoyed my time in the Fenway Bowl. Even before the bowl game announcements I had my doubts that I would attend because I know for sure certain starters would not deem it worth the time and risk of injury to go. The only reason why I might attend is because the game is here in my backyard so to speak, but even then I might decline.
 
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SwingDog said:
Does anyone else feel this bowl game is rather anticlimactic? With the departure of our head coach, interim head coach, and several players, and after a long break (it will be over a month since the FAU game), it feels like all momentum from a successful season is gone and that the game is pointless. It doesn't even feel like the same team. Who will be handling head coaching duties? I know it's a business, but this all really puts a damper on things.
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Meme Reaction GIF by Robert E Blackmon
 
UConnTrumbull said:
The best idea really is a Week 0 bowl game. Or just add a 13th regular season game and replace bowls altogether besides CFP.
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I think this idea is the best one. Week 0. Make it like basketball with the preseason tournaments they have. Still make a bowl based on prior year eligibility. However it’s still a win for the teams. Real game action before the season starts. We talk about extra weeks of practice - make it extra weeks preseason so teams have an advantage going into the season. Helps for the at large bids if you win. So making a good bowl against a potentially good or named opponent only helps.
 
Also a win for fans because planning travel two weeks before when you are just learning bowl location sucks and it’s expensive. But knowing where a neutral site game is going to be next year makes it so much easier. Not to mention if it’s not coinciding with holidays maybe more people attend…
 
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SwingDog said:
Does anyone else feel this bowl game is rather anticlimactic? With the departure of our head coach, interim head coach, and several players, and after a long break (it will be over a month since the FAU game), it feels like all momentum from a successful season is gone and that the game is pointless. It doesn't even feel like the same team. Who will be handling head coaching duties? I know it's a business, but this all really puts a damper on things.
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I think they bring in the water boy as interim coach.
 
BOTH of these can be true:

1. I understand why Fagnano and Bell would skip the Bowl to protect themselves for combine/draft
2. I am very disappointed I won't get to see two of our best players in the Bowl and it significantly lowers my interest, knowing it won't really be the same team we've seen all year

With the NIL era, Bowl games just don't have the same appeal. A swag bag is not enough compared to what a lot of these kids already bring in NIL.
 
HuskiesFan1014 said:
Warm weather? I can only see up to the 26th and looks like cold rainy weather, temps in upper 30's. Maybe a 60 degree thaw??
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Is it even warm this time of year in these southern locations? I wouldn’t get excited about 55 degrees
 
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