If you think the average Michigan man is happy with the Minutemen Miracle from Saturday, you’re wrong. The criticism has been directed not at the head coach, but at Dave Portnoy’s investment in Bryce Underwood.
Another post, which won’t embed here, looked like this:
A quick perusal of the comments and I came across one where someone said “he gets paid to be a great quarterback”. And, lo, we have entered the conundrum of NIL in college sports.
Consider some of our collective disdain for Mike Bobo. It’s one thing to disagree with his play calling, it’s another thing altogether when you find out he gets a raise. While we once could bemoan a quarterback or athlete for a subpar effort, now we’re complaining about a lack of return on investment.
This is what the Senator warned us about, and now it’s here. Minor League Football and media rights rule the day. Don’t want to sit in noon weather for a cupcake game in Sanford? Blame not the UGAA, but look to the media rights. You’ll sit in the nuclear heat of the sun because it fits the viewing schedule, I don’t care if you’re a sun stroked mongoloid who dies from heat stroke, we have money to make here!
I don’t come here to point fingers at Underwood. If he’s my son, I’m telling him to take the money and then transfer somewhere reputable his junior year to develop if he wants to go pro. Like a USC or somewhere they develop quarterbacks.
What’s sad is between litigation and likeness, kids are now becoming semipros and people aren’t chalking it up to “maybe there’s next year” but are turning their attention to deepening the coffers to bring in the next bright shiny toy to their roster.
Gone are the days of amateurism and the walk in hero who earns a scholarship. Well, mostly.
Looks like it still happens, but maybe won’t at the P4 level anymore.
While other people have embraced the portal – Mike Norvell – and others have rejected it – Dabo Swinney – one thing is becoming more and more clear…Kirby has the right approach to navigating the portal era.
It might not happen this year, or next, but he’s building some roster consistency where others are not. In the interim, the highest bidders and the new shows in town, like tOSU and Indiana, will hoist trophies and beat their chests, but the 2021 and 2022 seasons were not aberrations. A long road of roster consistency and management will yield results, and as far as I’ve heard, no one is questioning how much Gunner or Nate Frazier are making this year.
And that says something, given the modern circumstances.
Go Dawgs.
No sympathy.
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
He took the money 💰 perform.
Believe it was Rsy Goff that returned his signing bonus with an nfl team, maybe Denver. Didn’t make the team, & said he didn’t deserve it
I can’t think of a single human being who would do that today.
Young men coddled by mis-guided adults beginning in their childhood years are going to be learning very harsh and frankly unwarranted lessons about the cost of earning other people’s money. This is NOT what college athletics should be. A lot of kids are going to be mentally and financially broken by this and worse…no one will care. Disney will continue to orchestrate the show and we’ll all either look away or fully walk away. All this for what? Oh yeah…money.
I have a complaint about Portnoy: he’s a choad.
The entire problem with NIL – not the concept – how it utilized and managed. Why would anyone give a kid out of high school $12M without seeing him go through any work outs against college competition. It is stupid. How many times have we seen a high school 5 star wash out – not perform to expectations – have injury issues…..Answer – enough to know Kirby is approaching this in the right manner not selling out to recruits when he has a known player already on the squad. NIL is screwed just like pro sports because of agents. On what planet was Cousins or others worth $50M a year.
It is like the Red Elephant Club was shopping at Dollar General when they gave DerrickHenry $250K or when yellawood gave Rev Newton a $200K for a church tax free donation, bargains compared to today’s above the table pricing.
If you get a chance, the Wall Street Journal has an article on what some of the NIL kids are doing with their money. I do wonder if their handlers are taking care of their tax issues. At this high level of income, the state tax problems alone need attention from a solid pro, like someone who worked with “traditional” pro athletes that earn income in many states.
This new system will clearly leave a lot of (well-renumerated) casualties in its wake. Most youngsters aren’t ready to shoulder that type of load right out of the gate. Like the NFL, well-paid newcomers are going to be shoved out on the field before their time due to sunk costs and desire to immediately cash in on the investment. And to fail so spectacularly right in the public eye has to be excruciating. I saw the Vince Young documentary on Netflix and while illuminating, it reinforces the truth how high-profile QB’s that can’t cut it in the NFL are a dime a dozen. That same show is now coming to some CFB program nearby. Its inevitable.
When scheduling representatives of an institution to perform question and answer sessions (no matter the sport), pick solid student athletes, if none exist, then just throw someone like, this dude to be one of meeeshiguns finer reps, good Fucking luck with that…but, looking back at some meeeeshigun administration and hc selections, this dude really is true meeeshigun attitude….
These young men are all over 18. It’s a free country. Do you think they should not be in control of their lives and their money? Sure, they may make some foolish decisions. I’ve made a few myself. You know whose fault they were? Mine. And who should be in control of their lives and money? The NCAA, their coaches? Give me a break.
I’m not shedding tears for any of these young men; I’m simply describing what I think we’ll see in many places, due to the influx of money. This Michigan trainwreck is exhibit A. Better them than us.
A thought. If you consider the mindless college presidents & their lack of leadership & feeling entitled & they way they throw money at coaches and buy outs, it seems that the athletes & nil is simply a follow on to the cesspool