Fagnano and Bell are out for the Wasabi Bowl

[Scoe]

This is exactly the point. When a selfish a- ole coach cuts and runs overnight without the decency of finishing the season, what he’s done is take 100 young men who believed in teamwork, brotherhood, and program pride, and turned them into untrusting, cynical, take care of yourself people perhaps for the rest of their lives. When the authority you trust betrays you, it can damage people. Especially kids that don’t have father figures and believed somebody cared. The damage done to young men, the lessons the system is teaching and “values” it prizes, are not good for raising men of character nor for society. Off my rant.

Joe and Skyler are also grown men, they know the coaching landscape this is their program. Sammis is coaching this game before moving on and Cam as a running back the most physically brutal position is playing hurt all year is playing this game. I think their agents got into their head and told them what they wanted to hear.

Remember agents are looking for a pay day themselves so they will always tell you what you wanna hear, not saying their agents are lying to them but it’s all in nfl teams hands regarding the draft. It also is a risk sitting out a bowl game missing out on potentially more money. Skyler could put up a monster game and become a 1st rd pick, Joe could become a 2nd-3rd pick with a monster game you never know.

Donald Brown became a 1st rd pick pick playing in the international bowl, not saying it’s definitive but it’s a remote possibility, I bet you Dan O playing the motor city bowl in Detroit helped a great deal with the Lions trading up for him.

 

[Deepster]

Meh! If the team doesn’t care enough to be sent off in proper fashion, why should I care

I don't really care whether you do or don't. I had a blast last year and that game meant nothing. I'll have a blast this year.

 

[Woof 101]

That absolutely sucks. Bought tickets and now screwed.

A kick in the footballs for sure.... Was willing to pay a good price for mid field seats for 3. Glad I waited.
NIL money should not be paid until the last game is played!

 

[Hoophound]

I don't really care whether you do or don't. I had a blast last year and that game meant nothing. I'll have a blast this year.

I hope everyone that goes has a blast and I really hope we can find a way to win and get #10. However, a depleted team against a disciplined and complete triple option team is a nightmare on paper.

 

[ucp990411]

Which would be unthinkable back in the day.

Bit by a bit, they are making it harder and harder to care about college athletics.

They sure are

 

[Waquoit]

Play a game nobody cares about against a team that lives to go for the knees? I'd pass, too.

 

[UCan3]

Why should anyone play in the game? They can all get hurt.

This is where the road takes us. It’s a scary road for fans that are the ones that pay the bills at the end of the day.

Maybe re-look at what is officially meeting player requirements for scholarship and what is not. Standardize policy so bowl games don’t turn into joke? Just an idea…

 

[ATLDYKA]

It is if Reed and Ball decided that they were going pro.

Thats the point, it's not the same thing and Reed and Ball wouldn't for March Madness. There's no comparison when looking at March Madness vs a meaningless bowl game

 

[gopher2]

If they believed in team, brotherhood and not letting their team mates get embarrassed on national TV, they would play. Apparently neither one cares enough about any of that to suit up along with Cam Edwards, whose risk of injury is much higher. I will still go to the game and root for the guys that are playing but this is a real let down. Thanks, Joe and Skyler for some great times over these last 2 years. You are great players and I wish you both success at the next level. But I really wish you were playing this one last game though.

 

[ScottVib]

Did I see that Cam is out? Am I remembering that correctly?

You are not. He's in the transfer portal but has stated he intends to play in the game.

 

[ATLDYKA]

If they believed in team, brotherhood and not letting their team mates get embarrassed on national TV, they would play. Apparently neither one cares enough about any of that to suit up along with Cam Edwards, whose risk of injury is much higher. I will still go to the game and root for the guys that are playing but this is a real let down. Thanks, Joe and Skyler for some great times over these last 2 years. You are great players and I wish you both success at the next level. But I really wish you were playing this one last game though.

Perhaps they just believe in their teammates, next men up and have no reason to believe they will get embarrassed. Gesh, people need to get a grip. It's just a bowl game and will give coaches to see what they have for next year and where they need to hit the portal hard.

 

[Bongo Fury]

If they believed in team, brotherhood and not letting their team mates get embarrassed on national TV, they would play. Apparently neither one cares enough about any of that to suit up along with Cam Edwards, whose risk of injury is much higher. I will still go to the game and root for the guys that are playing but this is a real let down. Thanks, Joe and Skyler for some great times over these last 2 years. You are great players and I wish you both success at the next level. But I really wish you were playing this one last game though.

I’m guessing there is a reason they are choosing not to play more than not wanting to. Cam is not playing in the NFL next year and has a chance to make a good impression for his future wherever that is.

 

[uconnfan68]

I was born in the 1950s (late 50s, but still). I grew up with the rah-ray sis-boom-bah, win one for old Whatsamatta U attitude. Try as I might, I can't project those feelings onto today's athletes. I can, and mostly do, still feel the same way but everything is different for the athletes. I don't blame them, we made it a business, they're making business decisions. Maybe it's time to start rooting for Yale...

You need a like for Whatsamatta U. Favorite cartoon show ever.

 

[superjohn]

People will spin however they like but I believe everyone knows it's wrong for healthy players to sit out. Sure, college athletics are a mess and the current system blows but to pretend these games no longer matter just because there's a 12 team playoff now is horse manure. Who knows, we may never have the privilege of playing in that playoff and we weren't playing in the big bowls minus the fluky Fiesta bowl we had no chance in. We never had a chance at winning it in the old system but to pretend those bowls didn't matter or any of these bowls now don't matter is nonsense. Only a handful of teams are realistically in the mix to win the grand prize and as UConn football fans we certainly know we're not in that mix but pretending that Donald Brown running for a gazillion yards against Buffalo in the International bowl didn't matter, pretending Kashif making a Lynn Swann type catch in the Papa John's bowl against South Carolina didn't matter, even pretending last year against a not full strength UNC didn't matter is straight up bullsh^^t. All of it mattered, that game against UNC was one of the highlights of the Christmas season for a lot of us and I think it helped propel the team this season.

If we pretend none of this matters and it's fine for the stars to sit out then you really have to ask the question, what are we doing here? What are we playing for? Why are we watching and spending money on any of it?

 

[Zonepress]

People will spin however they like but I believe everyone knows it's wrong for healthy players to sit out. Sure, college athletics are a mess and the current system blows but to pretend these games no longer matter just because there's a 12 team playoff now is horse manure. Who knows, we may never have the privilege of playing in that playoff and we weren't playing in the big bowls minus the fluky Fiesta bowl we had no chance in. We never had a chance at winning it in the old system but to pretend those bowls didn't matter or any of these bowls now don't matter is nonsense. Only a handful of teams are realistically in the mix to win the grand prize and as UConn football fans we certainly know we're not in that mix but pretending that Donald Brown running for a gazillion yards against Buffalo in the International bowl didn't matter, pretending Kashif making a Lynn Swann type catch in the Papa John's bowl against South Carolina didn't matter, even pretending last year against a not full strength UNC didn't matter is straight up bullsh^^t. All of it mattered, that game against UNC was one of the highlights of the Christmas season for a lot of us and I think it helped propel the team this season.

If we pretend none of this matters and it's fine for the stars to sit out then you really have to ask the question, what are we doing here? What are we playing for? Why are we watching and spending money on any of it?

re your last paragraph
College football is entertainment and everyone involved as a professionl
The market place will determine whether people want to keep spending their money and keep watching
so far it seems that the general public continues to consume product in a major way
on a personal level, I generally agree with you
I find it very hard to invest in a team where there’s very little continuity from year to year where there is no potential championship to play for

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

People will spin however they like but I believe everyone knows it's wrong for healthy players to sit out. Sure, college athletics are a mess and the current system blows but to pretend these games no longer matter just because there's a 12 team playoff now is horse manure. Who knows, we may never have the privilege of playing in that playoff and we weren't playing in the big bowls minus the fluky Fiesta bowl we had no chance in. We never had a chance at winning it in the old system but to pretend those bowls didn't matter or any of these bowls now don't matter is nonsense. Only a handful of teams are realistically in the mix to win the grand prize and as UConn football fans we certainly know we're not in that mix but pretending that Donald Brown running for a gazillion yards against Buffalo in the International bowl didn't matter, pretending Kashif making a Lynn Swann type catch in the Papa John's bowl against South Carolina didn't matter, even pretending last year against a not full strength UNC didn't matter is straight up bullsh^^t. All of it mattered, that game against UNC was one of the highlights of the Christmas season for a lot of us and I think it helped propel the team this season.

If we pretend none of this matters and it's fine for the stars to sit out then you really have to ask the question, what are we doing here? What are we playing for? Why are we watching and spending money on any of it?

The fact that I keep agreeing with and liking @superjohn posts in this thread, is almost making me re-think my poistion. Almost.

But….you are right…these players can get injured at any point in time….they can get injured at the senior bowl..they can get injured at the combine…they can get injured at their pro day…they can get injured in the weight room…they can get injured running to cash their NIL checks (ok..that was snarky). But…they will go to the senior bowl…go to the combine..go to their pro day…go to the weight room. Bowl game? Nah!

These players have risked injury their entire football career…and now for some reason..with one game left in their UConn career…they decide ‘nah…not worth the risk”. They talked all year about getting bowl eligible….and now they take a pass on the bowl? They talked about getting 10 wins…and now they pass on the chance to win 10 games?

Doesn’t feel right.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Back when I lived in Pleasantville, a bowl game was a fun reward "for the players" for a good season. If they've stopped being fun or rewarding, why are we still playing them?

 

[Scoe]

The more non sports people make all the decisions in sports the worse sports is going to get, look at baseball where the starting pitcher has been outed essentially and a .230 average is considered good now, and football is starting to trend in that direction, voluntarily sitting out bowl games is not good for the sport.

When people are accepting of guys sitting out bowl games, then what's next are guys gonna sit out the rest of the year when there's no shot at a national championship. You might laugh and I'm speaking in hyperboles but who's to say agents won't tell their players to sit out a whole year, it's possible.

 

[Scoe]

The fact that I keep agreeing with and liking @superjohn posts in this thread, is almost making me re-think my poistion. Almost.

But….you are right…these players can get injured at any point in time….they can get injured at the senior bowl..they can get injured at the combine…they can get injured at their pro day…they can get injured in the weight room…they can get injured running to cash their NIL checks (ok..that was snarky). But…they will go to the senior bowl…go to the combine..go to their pro day…go to the weight room. Bowl game? Nah!

These players have risked injury their entire football career…and now for some reason..with one game left in their UConn career…they decide ‘nah…not worth the risk”. They talked all year about getting bowl eligible….and now they take a pass on the bowl? They talked about getting 10 wins…and now they pass on the chance to win 10 games?

Doesn’t feel right.

Right and if you get hurt in the bowl a team is still going to draft you if they want you it's not the 1970s anymore teams will draft you and shelve you on IR.

 

[RitzLuce1]

What bothers me about this is:

1. People will say “many teams have their best players sit out the bowl, it’s not held against them. ” We are not North Carolina. They are already in the P4. We are trying to get in one. They could fall on their face every season (like they did this year) and still end up in the SEC or big Ten. So them having players sit out is not the same thing as us having players sit out. They could get blown out by UConn and it won’t matter. Our B team getting blown out by Army will just reinforce people’s perceptions of us.

2. We play all our games on CBS Sports Network and ESPN Plus. The bowl is a chance to showcase the program and players on ESPN. It’s the only chance the program has to showcase to a larger audience during the season.

3. The program doesn’t play for a conference championship nor does it have access to the playoffs. So we are told we are playing for prestige, wins, and the prospect of building program momentum by winning a bowl making us more atttactive for the P4. We are basically being told the bowl doesn’t matter which means the program is playing for nothing. Kinda hard to get fans excited about that.

Based on all of the above, our NIL deals should be coming with the caveat that the team has to play in all games.

 

[ScottVib]

But…they will go to the senior bowl…go to the combine..go to their pro day…go to the weight room. Bowl game? Nah!

It's not apples to apples.

The difference is 32 sets of scouts/coaches etc. are there watching and evaluating in person for those events, you're building relationships and not tape. At the bowl game, you might get a handful of scouts, but otherwise you're just performing for game tape. Which you already have 12 games worth out there from this season, plus whatever practice film you want to send out.

Obviously, you'd prefer to see everyone there, and I couldn't fathom making the decision to sit out a game (of course I couldn't fathom having a legitimate opportunity at an NFL career), but comparing the bowl game to the dedicated opportunities to perform in person for the professional league or to the national championship tournament of the sport (as some have done in earlier posts trying to find a basketball equivalent) aren't apples to apples.

Regardless of who plays or who doesn't, I'm looking forward to one more chance to watch the Huskies and if nothing else, get a preview of next year's roster.

 

[Patman]

What bothers me about this is:

1. People will say “many teams have their best players sit out the bowl, it’s not held against them. ” We are not North Carolina. They are already in the P4. We are trying to get in one. They could fall on their face every season (like they did this year) and still end up in the SEC or big Ten. So them having players sit out is not the same thing as us having players sit out. They could get blown out by UConn and it won’t matter. Our B team getting blown out by Army will just reinforce people’s perceptions of us.

2. We play all our games on CBS Sports Network and ESPN Plus. The bowl is a chance to showcase the program and players on ESPN. It’s the only chance the program has to showcase to a larger audience during the season.

3. The program doesn’t play for a conference championship nor does it have access to the playoffs. So we are told we are playing for prestige, wins, and the prospect of building program momentum by winning a bowl making us more atttactive for the P4. We are basically being told the bowl doesn’t matter which means the program is playing for nothing. Kinda hard to get fans excited about that.

Based on all of the above, our NIL deals should be coming with the caveat that the team has to play in all games.

I am sorry. You committed through academics to die uconn blue. Athletes never see it that way and are far more mercenary with an eye to the outside. Uconn is a means to play their sport in as good as an environment as they can manage and if they can figure better they will. This was true when all of us were in school. Very remote through came to live and die as an athlete for ol connecticut through and through

 

[Waquoit]

You need a like for Whatsamatta U. Favorite cartoon show ever.

That arc nailed college football over 60 years ago. I remember one scene showed a couple of chemistry professors pleading for more money because they were down to their last test tube. The president said sorry but "all our money went to the new athletic facility." And then shows them a picture of the Taj Mahal.

 

[gopher2]

That arc nailed college football over 60 years ago. I remember one scene showed a couple of chemistry professors pleading for more money because they were down to their last test tube. The president said sorry but "all our money went to the new athletic facility." And then shows them a picture of the Taj Mahal.

Groucho Marx as a college president in the movie "Horse Feathers"in 1932: Do we have a stadium? Do we have a college? Well we can't afford both. Tomorrow we start tearing down the college."

 

[buddy]

Thats the point, it's not the same thing and Reed and Ball wouldn't for March Madness. There's no comparison when looking at March Madness vs a meaningless bowl game

Meaningless to whom? Not the fans whom they have begging for support.