Grasp the Difference

[ZoomZoom]

The HC leaving for the big check is what started this whole mess.

Arkansas State weathered multiple changes and were still successful until they missed on the next hire. They aren’t the first or last to do this.

The former coach doesn’t create the mess, it’s the administration making the next hire, along with the new coach.

Destroying the PAC told me all I need to know. They are going to create a super league of about 50 schools in the SEC/B10.

Nobody has mentioned the FACT, whatever the magic number of super teams end up, someone has to finish last. And someone may become the new Vanderbilt.

[VObserver]

Destroying the PAC told me all I need to know. They are going to create a super league of about 50 schools in the SEC/B10.

I don't disagree with your super league conclusion, but the SL will be more likely to include Clemson, Florida State and Oklahoma State than Vanderbilt, Purdue and Mississippi State.

[CajunT]

I'm old and tired.

Y'all didn't get the I-AA/FCS experience. It wasn't bad, it wasn't great. One thing though is teams CAN draw crowds. If anyone saw Montana vs NDSU, packed house, rowdy as all get out and frankly the crowd, atmosphere, and actual game is likely to be better than the three playoff games this year.

If LSU and their SEC brethren and Michigan, Ohio State and B1G brethren want to expand themselves into a 36-40 team pro circuit of football, more power to them, Godspeed, go on and do your thing.

Think of it from this angle. Who sits around grumbling that the Cajuns don't get a crack at the Saints? If LSU goes full on pro in football, they are closer to the Saints than the Cajuns, for the old farts, they are basically the New Orleans Breakers circa 1984.

You go full pro, why bother with "five to play four" just require that they be enrolled for at least 12 hours during the season, maintain a 2.0 GPA and make progress towards a degree whether it's your first bachelor's, second one, or masters degree, or PhD, pick a degree plan and successfully navigate it. Why give up a quality player just because they've played four seasons? Replacing them is a crapshoot.

Look at the salaries paid in B1G and $EC. They can compete with late second round NFL Draft salaries if they really want to. They can beat round 6-8 salaries if they choose to.

It will be a fascinating turn. Remember you can't get together and agree to limit compensation but you CAN limit compensation on your own.

There may be some schools that choose to remain "amateur". It's happened before. The Ivy League schools were once dominant and opted to step out of the rat race.

Wouldn't bet on it happening but the leadership at Notre Dame might surprise us and opt to not go full pro.

I don't think the leadership at a lot of schools is going to be agreeable to sending a team to play a full pro team that has guys with 8 years of playing experience at that level.

Already ESPN and Fox are pushing the top leagues to cut back on the filler games. Going full pro they are going to be working hard to up their TV money and getting a boost will mean cutting back on non-conference games.

The question is will Big XII and ACC try to chase them. They can't offer the same money across the roster. They might be able to outbid on some players but they won't have as big of a spend.

The AAC tried to chase for years labeling themselves P6 and all they got out of it was losing Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston to the P4. They've replaced them with teams with lower budgets.

If it goes full pro AAC, Sun Belt, MAC, CUSA, Pac2/MWC won't be able to throw anything close to similar roster money.

I am perfectly fine with being stuck in a group that doesn't include $EC and B1G and mostly OK losing ACC and B12.

During the I-AA now FCS days for AState the hard thing was explaining the difference between I-A and I-AA. People didn't really understand that. People can grasp the difference in being NFL Lite vs playing college football.

I think becoming NFL Lite runs some really big risk for schools like USC, UCLA, Washington, Northwestern, Maryland, Vanderbilt, etc., who run the risk of no longer being compared vs college peers but rather compared against the local NFL teams. I doubt OU wants people comparing their basketball team to the Thunder instead of Kansas and Texas.

They need to LEAVE and make it clear the shop is closed so presidents don't foolishly spend trying to get invited to the club.

Mark,

This was inevitable. Their endless greed will lead to another reclassification as many of us thought. Once that happens as you stated, we should create our own playoff system. At that point if you are not a member of the 40 or so programs that reclassified, we will all be in the same boat regardless of what conference you remain in.

[CajunNation]

Mark,

This was inevitable. Their endless greed will lead to another reclassification as many of us thought. Once that happens as you stated, we should create our own playoff system. At that point if you are not a member of the 40 or so programs that reclassified, we will all be in the same boat regardless of what conference you remain in.

I just want them to get on with it so the rest of us can begin fixing everything the bastards broke. We will still be at the top level of collegiate athletics.

Their NFL lite will not end the way they think it will.

[ZoomZoom]

I just want them to get on with it so the rest of us can begin fixing everything the bastards broke. We will still be at the top level of collegiate athletics.

Their NFL lite will not end the way they think it will.

It will legally crash and burn. Just look at the BCS, CFP, and name du jour. They cannot even settle on that. Unbridled greed.

[CajunT]

I don't disagree with your super league conclusion, but the SL will be more likely to include Clemson, Florida State and Oklahoma State than Vanderbilt, Purdue and Mississippi State.

I think that is correct Charlie. There is no way many of these programs will be able to fund a number of the requirements that they are discussing including unlimited scholarships or pay every athlete a yearly income of $30K plus.

[SlickRick]

I think that is correct Charlie. There is no way many of these programs will be able to fund a number of the requirements that they are discussing including unlimited scholarships or pay every athlete a yearly income of $30K plus.

It all depends on how much money is thrown at the SL members from the networks and or streaming services.

[Duggie35]

The term Student Athlete should never be uttered again by any University administrator, anyone associated with the NCAA or anyone in the media!

[Turbine]

Student Athlete

[RaginCajun77]

I think that is correct Charlie. There is no way many of these programs will be able to fund a number of the requirements that they are discussing including unlimited scholarships or pay every athlete a yearly income of $30K plus.

The super league concept is filled with flawed thinking. The SL universities will need boat loads of cash from collectives for NIL offers and athletic foundations for coaches/facilties to win SL Championships. We are no longer in the days of the "bagman", the SL universties will have to find ways to pay their athletes or expect transfers. Today, SL university collectives and athletic foundations are fishing for $$$ from the same donors, that isn't sustainable.

The SL universities discussing unlimited scholarships for athletes or paying every athlete a yearly income of $30K plus becomes an incredibly slippery slope when compared to non-student athletes. At some point I expect non-student athletes to push back against these universities due to the focus on athletics over academics.

Finally, the SL will hit networks and streaming services for big money broadcast rights deals. However, the networks and streaming services will want top tier games filling their broadcast schedule for top dollar. The SL will lose its luster when you have a lot more .500 teams.