January 20, 2025
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To paraphrase “Dorothy”….
“Lions and Tigers and Bears … and NIL and The Portal and The CFP … Oh My!”
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By midnight tonight (Monday – January 20, 2025) there will be ONE reasonably happy fan base among the 90 or so Power4 and Group of Five programs that – back in early September – harbored delusions that “they” could be National Champions for the 2024-25 College Football season.
For all but ONE, those delusions were either ridiculous from Day One or shattered by grim reality along the way. If only …
- If only …. our stoopid coach had “thrown more to the tight end”.
- If only …. the crooked refs had not been against “us” like they always are.
- If only …. our stoopid AD had followed the advice I sent him in those 158 emails.
- If only …. the stoopid “committee” had someone “like me” who really knows college football
- If only …. “the media” appreciated what a really cool school we are.
- If only …. our school’s “fat cats” had given millions of $$$$ so we could rent really good players.
- If only ………………
Actually, if Ohio State wins tonight, their fan base will be only sorta “happy” … because they have still. lost FOUR STRAIGHT to “that school up north”. If Ryan Day does lead them to a win over Notre Dame, all the time and energy they put into “FIRE THE NO-GOOD SOB” will have been wasted … or, at least, put on hold until next November.
As we remind you so often … EVERY school’s fan base has a highly vocal faction of “short bus riders” that buy their shoes two sizes too small so they will always have something to scream obscenities about … sigh.
I recently overheard two gentlemen of the Baby Boomer persuasion discussing the Ohio State / ND game. “I HATE both Ohio State and Notre Dame” bemoaned one. “How come?” asked his friend. “…. because they are the only ones we get to see on TV every Saturday.” ?????????? Huh?
I thought about butting in to say that for the past 5-6 years, I have had easy TV access to virtually all Power4 / Group of Five games every Saturday; but I could tell how much “pleasure” the misinformed fellow was having “HATING both Ohio State and Notre Dame”. Why spoil his “fun?”
Me? I am perfectly satisfied that two “juggernaut” super powers have survived “the playoffs” to play for The Championship. I don’t HATE either juggernaut … or any college sports program. Who wins any sports competition has no effect whatsoever on me or my family.
Maybe one year an “underdog” WILL catch lightning in a bottle and survive … but don’t bet your 401-K on that. Football is a game of attrition. Not only how good your first strings are … do you have any depth of talent? Being good in September is one thing …. still being competitive in late October / November is what separates the juggernauts from the wanna-bees.
The launch of any large-scale program reveals glitches. The 12-team CFB has not been without “issues”. With input from knowledgeable individuals, those issues can/will be addressed and resolved. Regardless, those who piss and moan about everything will retain the “right” to piss and moan about The CFP as it evolves over time.
I know how I would tweak the seeding et al. All they need to do is ask me …
On to other issues …
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As we indicate in today’s title …. even 8,000,000,000 Chinese know that College Football Is A MESS!
Maybe the 18 y/o kids with 5th grade reading comprehension getting literally MILLIONS $$$$ to play football for XYZ “academic institution” (LOL) are quite happy with “the MESS” … but pretty much 110% of fans are upset about some or all of the seismic upheavals in College Football (and Mens Basketball).
Unlike The CFP … few, if any ,of the ridiculous crap that now engulfs Big Time College Sports is likely to change to any degree. The stuff that has fans ranting in ALLCAPS on social media that “college sports are ruined” and “it’s all about money” don’t matter unless enough of “those people” stop attending games and/or stop watching on TV.
Whatever “it’s all about” is not going to be effected one way or the other by ALLCAP rants on social media.
College sports will NOT be “ruined” so long as multi-millions attend games and/or are glued to their TVs every Saturday from September thru November. 2024 numbers indicate little to no drop in fan interest despite several years of NIL & The Portal”.
- “NIL” was suppose to be related to “Name Image & Likeness” regarding using college athletes in promotional advertising for sports events. That lasted about a week. NIL simply legalized that “paying athletes to play football / basketball for a college will be paying the going rate”. “Legalize” because it has been going on for multi-decades in various forms.
- …. and IT WILL CONTINUE to “go on” regardless of any limits that might be placed on it. Placing limits on how much a 18-19-20 y/o can be “paid” violates numerous laws and anti-trust legislation.
- Fans say “student athletes got “free college education”…. No, it was NEVER “free”. The “college education” was in exchange. for their representing the school in sports competition. It was a barter arrangement. … That “barter” was negated over the years when the “college education” was reduced to “eligibility majors” that had little/no post-college career marketability. After his eligibility expired 90% of the “student athletes” (??) had little/nothing to show for it other than a lifetime of aches and pains. Whose fault is that? …. a topic for debate! The term “student athlete” has about as much relevance to today’s college athletics as “single wing” football.
- “Coach Prime” at Colorado has admitted that neither his son nor Heisman winner Travis Hunter have never set foot in a Univ Colorado classroom in their two years in Boulder !!!! OUCH! Do Colorado fans care ??? Does Coach Belichick know where UNC’s Wilson Library. is located? Does anyone really care whether he does or not?
- Delusional Tru Blues on Franklin Street think “Michael” is going to give “Chapel Bill” and Hubert blank checks to go out and “rent” any players they want. THAT ain’t going to happen. …. The burden is going to fall on “Joe Fan” in terms of increased ticket prices, concessions and merchandise. Fans at Alabama and Arkansas have already been told “you people HAVE to ante up …”. Will that happen? I have said from Day One I do not believe it will happen to any appreciable degree. …. Same goes for NC State and several other ACC member institutions.
- The going rate for potential top talent is NOT going to go down. It is only going to go higher. Even some juggernauts will feel the $$$ pinch. Juggernaut Wannabees will find the cost of a seat at the Juggernaut poker table to exceed their means.
The Portal …
“The Portal” probably upsets more fans than NIL … since “most fans” are not writing those NIL blank checks … yet.
- “There is no school loyalty any more…” No, there isn’t. How much loyalty would you show to an employer if a rival company offered you double your salary? Should you be prevented from availing yourself of a better opportunity?
- The impact of The Portal is being felt – even by juggernauts – in the 2nd string players. Programs can no longer “stockpile” talent waiting their turn or as insurance when starters go down with injuries. If a player is not – in his estimation – getting enough “PT” (Playing Time) he cannot showcase his ability for “the next level” so he goes where the better $$$$ and PT can be found. There will always be opportunities.
- There are sure to be tweaks in the windows for entering The Portal but that will not effect the number. of disenchanted players availing themselves of the opportunity.
- Fans better get used to “cheering for a jersey color” ….not who is wearing the jersey.
- If you think “the answer” is “make them sign a binding contract” forget that. It would again violate laws and legislation unless you make them “employees” and that creates a whole new set of problems.
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A final word about “The Melee” that occurred in the closing minutes of East Carolina’s dramatic Whozit Bowl win over NC State. Yes, a ECU player initiated the on-field fisticuffs by trying to snatch a towel from an NC State player’s pants. … That’s a fact. As I recall two PIrates and five Wolfpackers were ejected from the final 2-3 minutes of the game.
Wolfpack fans immediately and predictably declared the game and its result as “meaningless” since it was a Whozit Bowl …. and since they lost. The Dump Doeren faction of NCState fans, of course, took the loss as anything but meaningless … a miserable conclusion to a disappointing season. …. despite a 4th consecutive win over You-Know-Who.
The real fun was in the respective and oh-so-predictable reactions of the overly-caffeinated lunatic fringe of both schools on social media. The Athletic covered the “melee” the following day allowing reader comments …. YEEE. HAA! The usual feces-flinging insults were abundant from both sides.
Back in 1987, ECU visited “Carter Stadium” for a game in the series mandated by the NCGA that in-state ACC schools MUST schedule ECU because …. ECU won that 1987 game in convincing fashion – its first win in State’s home stadium. Jubilant ECU fans rushed the field resulting in a security guard getting a broken leg. There wasn’t social media or “message boards” in 1987 but opposing fans found a way to insult one another … they always do somehow.
The “rioters” in 1987 were mostly students in their late teens / early 20s who would be in their mid 50s in 2024 …. parents and grandparents and pillars of their DownEast communities …
Were the feces-flingers in 2024 the SAME fans or a next generation? The insults being volleyed were almost verbatim as in 1987 ????
There may be major changes taking place in College Football but one key element will NEVER change. Overly-caffeinated “board monkeys” will NEVER go away …. like cockroaches … ya just can’t get rid of’em.
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