OT Mccaffrey to skip Sun Bowl to focus on draft

[The Funster]

So once he has established himself as a pro prospect, is it ok to sit out a conference championship game? Or a rivalry game? The last 3 games of the season?

Would you be ok with someone sitting out the NCAA tournament? Most guys know they'll be drafted by then. The occasional borderline guy moves up to draftable and sometimes a guy moves up to lottery but not usually.

FWIW I hate that coaches leave before their teams play in bowl games. I wish it could be changed but I'm not sure how.

You make a good point. If you're the consensus #1 pick in the draft and everyone knows it, what's to stop you from saying, "You know what? I'm not playing the next 4 games and am going to save myself for the draft."

 

[BlueMAB]

So once he has established himself as a pro prospect, is it ok to sit out a conference championship game? Or a rivalry game? The last 3 games of the season?

Would you be ok with someone sitting out the NCAA tournament? Most guys know they'll be drafted by then. The occasional borderline guy moves up to draftable and sometimes a guy moves up to lottery but not usually.

FWIW I hate that coaches leave before their teams play in bowl games. I wish it could be changed but I'm not sure how.

Each of those is dependent on a number of variables, but at the end of the day, it is the player's choice. Basketball, particularly, is a much different situation.

If I were a GM, you scenarios would give me a negative impression of the player, but they are each completely different situations than sitting out a mediocre bowl game.

 

[BlueMAB]

You make a good point. If you're the consensus #1 pick in the draft and everyone knows it, what's to stop you from saying, "You know what? I'm not playing the next 4 games and am going to save myself for the draft."

How about a fear of loss of that "consensus", and dropping down from #1 to #5... or worse...which could mean millions of dollars lost.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

So once he has established himself as a pro prospect, is it ok to sit out a conference championship game? Or a rivalry game? The last 3 games of the season?

Would you be ok with someone sitting out the NCAA tournament? Most guys know they'll be drafted by then. The occasional borderline guy moves up to draftable and sometimes a guy moves up to lottery but not usually.

FWIW I hate that coaches leave before their teams play in bowl games. I wish it could be changed but I'm not sure how.

Didn't Calhoun have a problem keeping one of his teams focused during the tourney because he said the players were thinking about the draft? I think it was one of the Rudy Gay teams.

 

[huskymedic]

So once he has established himself as a pro prospect, is it ok to sit out a conference championship game? Or a rivalry game? The last 3 games of the season?

... the Pro Bowl?

 

[uchusky32]

It's highly unlikely that a band member is going to tear an ACL during a concert; thus costing himself millions.

Or play for free.

 

[kris1]

Does anyone else see this as players taking a stand against the NCAA? It's certainly going to hit the NCAA in the wallet at these bowl games, if the top players opt-out of bowl games. TV, ticket sales, concessions, merchandise will all be affected. Am I alone in this thought process? It's a bold, but brilliant move (in my opinion) to get the NCAAs attention in regards to how athletes are being treated and used. If the NCAA starts losing money, they'll have to pay attention to what these kids are saying. No???

 

[FartMan69]

So once he has established himself as a pro prospect, is it ok to sit out a conference championship game? Or a rivalry game? The last 3 games of the season?

Would you be ok with someone sitting out the NCAA tournament? Most guys know they'll be drafted by then. The occasional borderline guy moves up to draftable and sometimes a guy moves up to lottery but not usually.

FWIW I hate that coaches leave before their teams play in bowl games. I wish it could be changed but I'm not sure how.

 

[Scoe]

What does "be a man" mean? He is looking out for his best interesting as any person should do. What happens if he tears his ACL goes from a 1st round pick to a 4th round pick? What happens then? People who think like you will be like "Well he was a man" and then go on and forget about him...?

He would go from being a Cleveland Brown to a Patriot or Seahawk it wouldn't be all that bad.

 

[sportsart]

It's highly unlikely that a band member is going to tear an ACL during a concert; thus costing himself millions.

You really never know.

 

[Scoe]

It is the smart move I'm just saying if this were a Uconn player you would all be pissed off, on the flip side it might be better for Stanford going into next season finding out what life will be like without their star back before the offseason, and get your other backs more reps.

 

[EJHarrington]

I don't blame him, it just exposes how truly meaningless all but a handful of these Bowl games are.

 

[BlueDogs]

LMAO, must nice and comfy sitting in that bubble judging the character of someone you don't even know based on a personal decision that doesn't break any sort of laws, rules, ethics, or morals. Give me a break with the "commitment" nonsense. He could have transferred anytime he wanted to, and the coach could have rescinded his scholarship after any prior season. There's no commitment beyond one season in college football, come to grips with it.

He isn't coming back for his senior year either....what a .

The team will miss him. But this isn't the playoffs. It's a mediocre bowl game. The players don't get extra SWAG for winning. This game really doesn't impact the team's future, or the rest of the players other than it being one more game they have the opportunity to win or lose. And if they think they can't win without him they shouldn't step out on the field ever again.

Not even worth responding to this stupidity. Either keep your commitment like a man or make excuses. Fascinating problem with out culture.

 

[crewbear742]

If Stanford wants him to play, then Stanford could indemnify him against the potential of lost wages due to injury. Say, the difference between his projected draft position (however determined) and his actual draft position. This issue becomes "Who carries the risk?"

This is a wise decision. This is a sound decision. It's just not a team decision. Most of the seniors on the team are about to play their last meaningful football game. He isn't. At some point, he has to sever himself from the team and look forward to that place they aren't going.

 

[jrazz12]

Not even worth responding to this stupidity. Either keep your commitment like a man or make excuses. Fascinating problem with out culture.

Lol okay Mr. Tough Guy. Tell me, in your day when you used to walk 5 miles in the snow to get to school, was it uphill in both directions or just one of the ways?

 

[Stainmaster]

Lol okay Mr. Tough Guy. Tell me, in your day when you used to walk 5 miles in the snow to get to school, was it uphill in both directions or just one of the ways?

Back then, nobody used helmets or pads. They took their concussions and broken bones like men instead of seeking medical attention!

 

[huskypantz]

Fournette is doing the same thing. And McCraffey isn't going top 10. Kiper has him at 28 and the 4th best RB. He should be a first round pick, maybe top 20. But most would be shocked if he went in the top 10.

Would be a great fit for the pats if he lasted to the end of the first round. Slot WR or RB and a skilled returner.

 

[gtcam]

How about a fear of loss of that "consensus", and dropping down from #1 to #5... or worse...which could mean millions of dollars lost.

Is he still attending school?
If so he is in a commitment - plain and simple
Like my father said - once you quit, quitting becomes so easy
There is always what ifs in life but you don't hide in fear of what ifs

Wing - I see your argument but I'm of the school that you complete what you started before you go on to the next thing

 

[gtcam]

... the Pro Bowl?

Pro Bowl is a personal commitment not a team commitment

 

[gtcam]

Lol okay Mr. Tough Guy. Tell me, in your day when you used to walk 5 miles in the snow to get to school, was it uphill in both directions or just one of the ways?

Jerk off remark

 

[jrazz12]

Jerk off remark

I don't think you know what that means lol

But while you're up on your high horse, care to comment on the "commitment" level of coaches making millions of dollars leaving before their bowl games for future opportunities while their kids who "committed" to their program and are making no money get left behind?

 

[CTMike]

15 years from now :

"Sorry kids, I know I could have provided you a comfortable life and college education. But at least I'm a man to some guy on a message board!"

 

[BlueMAB]

Not even worth responding to this stupidity. Either keep your commitment like a man or make excuses. Fascinating problem with out culture.

Here's a redacted scholarship agreement. Show us where it says that if a player is capable of playing, they are required to play exhibition games. Or every game. Or any game.

http://www.athleticscholarships.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Example-Athletic-Aid-Agreement.pdf

Question: If a woman makes a commitment and keeps it, does that make her Kaitlin Jenner?

This is an exhibition game. Nothing more. He has a TON of miles on him based on how many touches he's gotten the last 3 years. Just like Fournette. This makes sense for the two of them, regardless of what you guys think it says about their integrity. You don't know them, you're in no position to question their integrity.

Is he still attending school?
If so he is in a commitment - plain and simple
Like my father said - once you quit, quitting becomes so easy
There is always what ifs in life but you don't hide in fear of what ifs

Wing - I see your argument but I'm of the school that you complete what you started before you go on to the next thing

This isn't quitting. This is choosing not to play in an exhibition game so you can focus on preparing for your career. These guys go to school with the dream of playing professional football, not the Sun Bowl. This is a guy who smashed Barry Sanders' all purpose yards record. Whatever his team needed, he did it. Choosing to sit out a game doesn't make him a quitter.

 

[BlueMAB]

Would be a great fit for the pats if he lasted to the end of the first round. Slot WR or RB and a skilled returner.

Unless they find an OL they like, I think the Giants would take him in a heartbeat. They could use his versatility too.

 

[UCFBfan]

Does anyone else see this as players taking a stand against the NCAA? It's certainly going to hit the NCAA in the wallet at these bowl games, if the top players opt-out of bowl games. TV, ticket sales, concessions, merchandise will all be affected. Am I alone in this thought process? It's a bold, but brilliant move (in my opinion) to get the NCAAs attention in regards to how athletes are being treated and used. If the NCAA starts losing money, they'll have to pay attention to what these kids are saying. No???

This thought crossed my mind as well. I think it would need to cross over to basketball too for this to be a real stand. It would also require more players to do it. I think football is more likely of a place to see this sitting out happen because of the whole "Next Man Up" philosophy in football. If a star player hurts themselves they are just replaced. No point risking your career for a meaningless game. In basketball players are not as replaceable and I feel like the risk of career threatening injury is not nearly as high.

Regardless, I did think that this could be the start of a bigger stand against the NCAA and the exploitation of college athletes. However, I think we're getting ahead of ourselves it's even thinking this.