Opt Out vs. Quitter?

[El Paso Eagle]

I am not a fan of players opting out but understand it.

Based on reports from the Okie State v Miami game, OSU receiver Tylan Wallace decided at half not to play for the rest of the game.

OSU coach said it was a "player choice" that there was no injury. Sad if this is the case. 

[SilverEagle]

Well, life is full of choices. Mr,. Wallace can choose to not finish the game, and if I were the Head Coach, I would choose to not renew his "ship" next year.

[Side Show Joe]

You opt out during the week before the game. At halftime that's called quitting on your team. Sad.

[BillySee58]

4 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

Well, life is full of choices. Mr,. Wallace can choose to not finish the game, and if I were the Head Coach, I would choose to not renew his "ship" next year.

He’s going to the NFL and any success he achieves there will look very favorably on OK State. Mike Gundy makes millions a year because of people paying big money to watch players like Wallace while Wallace can’t get anywhere near what his true value would be in a free market system.

Players like Wallace assume all of the risk, and he has already lost potentially millions on his rookie contract from where his stock was prior to his ACL tear, while the coaches don’t have to worry about losing out on their salaries. I’ll never understand peoples’ obsession with labeling these guys quitters for not playing these bowl games that the schools profit off of while the players get just a watch or something out of it, while risking hundreds of thousands of dollars by playing in (for NFL caliber guys).

Plus, I think it’s a good chance for coaches to work with the guys who will be on the team next season, and multiple reports have stated that this was the plan coming into the game.

 

[El Paso Eagle]

9 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Players like Wallace assume all of the risk, and he has already lost potentially millions on his rookie contract from where his stock was prior to his ACL tear, while the coaches don’t have to worry about losing out on their salaries. I’ll never understand peoples’ obsession with labeling these guys quitters for not playing these bowl games that the schools profit off of while the players get just a watch or something out of it, while risking hundreds of thousands of dollars by playing in (for NFL caliber guys).

So if we don't agree with you it's an "obsession"? Also, as far as getting "just" a watch or something", I guess I'll never understand people's' obsession in acting like an education doesn't count anymore. 

[BillySee58]

12 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

So if we don't agree with you it's an "obsession"?

Look on twitter at any announcement of a player opting out. Comments are filled with people proclaiming them as quitters. Every time, without fail. Using people in the plural sense.

Quote

Also, as far as getting "just" a watch or something", I guess I'll never understand people's' obsession in acting like an education doesn't count anymore. 

A $20,000 a year education when these players would command over $300,000 a year in an open market is a joke. Not to mention most of these players are encouraged to take easy classes and majors that don’t return much of an ROI at all anymore. They could pay for their education 10X over in a system where they received a fair share of the income they generate. It’s a farce. Especially when these guys are about to sign multi-million dollar rookie contracts, I don’t get how anyone can fault them for protecting the future of them and their families.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/college-football-player-value-2017-11%3famp

Edited December 30, 2020 by BillySee58

[keith]

What would their value be if universities didn’t provide them world-class coaching, the best facilities, nutrition programs, team doctors, sports medicine experts, trainers and the stage to showcase their abilities?  It’s a complicated issue. 

[Zeleny' Orel]

48 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Look on twitter at any announcement of a player opting out. Comments are filled with people proclaiming them as quitters. Every time, without fail. Using people in the plural sense.

A $20,000 a year education when these players would command over $300,000 a year in an open market is a joke. Not to mention most of these players are encouraged to take easy classes and majors that don’t return much of an ROI at all anymore. They could pay for their education 10X over in a system where they received a fair share of the income they generate. It’s a farce. Especially when these guys are about to sign multi-million dollar rookie contracts, I don’t get how anyone can fault them for protecting the future of them and their families.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/college-football-player-value-2017-11%3famp

Do they still list the academic majors of the football players in the game program?  I don't have a program handy but I don't seem to remember them doing so in the last few years, but I might be wrong.  I went to the athletic graduation ceremony a few years ago and there seemed to be a lot of "Integrated Studies" majors among all athletes, not just football players.   Is that a new name for "liberal arts?"  Not saying it is an easy major,  but noticed it was a popular one.

[RBP79]

Oh I only want to play a half a game coach......

BS! Then don't play at all. 

[MeanGreen_MBA]

Let him find his own way home

[MeanGreen_MBA]

Can’t you get hurt just as easy in the 1st half as you can in the 2nd half??

[BillySee58]

6 minutes ago, Zeleny' Orel said:

Do they still list the academic majors of the football players in the game program?  I don't have a program handy but I don't seem to remember them doing so in the last few years, but I might be wrong.  I went to the athletic graduation ceremony a few years ago and there seemed to be a lot of "Integrated Studies" majors among all athletes, not just football players.   Is that a new name for "liberal arts?"  Not saying it is an easy major,  but noticed it was a popular one.

Yeah I don’t see it on the roster but it was usually that or undecided major. I believe Integrated Studies is just the General Studies degree where there are areas of focus chosen rather than actually getting into the major. Which those degrees, while not entirely worthless, have no specific job market upon graduation. You could be a teacher or other jobs that require degrees without specific majors.

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, keith said:

What would their value be if universities didn’t provide them world-class coaching, the best facilities, nutrition programs, team doctors, sports medicine experts, trainers and the stage to showcase their abilities?  It’s a complicated issue. 

It would be just as much. The XFL was having a lot of success with NFL washouts. If a similar league was created for the top college-aged players who have not reached NFL eligibility, people would watch that and those players would earn enough in one year to afford 5 years of college. 

[BillySee58]

9 minutes ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

Let him find his own way home

Great look for recruiting. “We want to help you reach that dream of playing in the NFL. Unless you opt out to avoid injury once you’ve secured that multi-million dollar draft stock. Then we’ll disown you. But be sure to keep saying our name when they introduce you in the starting lineup and crediting us for your success.”

[emmitt01]

1 hour ago, keith said:

What would their value be if universities didn’t provide them world-class coaching, the best facilities, nutrition programs, team doctors, sports medicine experts, trainers and the stage to showcase their abilities?  It’s a complicated issue. 

For some, still millions.  

Adrian Peterson was NFL ready the day he walked onto OU’s campus.  He may have sat while he learned the NFL system, but physically he was ready.   He’s not alone in that regard.  
 

And the real question isn’t what the kid’s value is to the NFL, it’s what his value is to the university.  No amount of training, coaching or facilities would have made me marketable when I was a college student because I didn’t have the athletic pedigree.  
 

But these kids, kids who make it possible to sell more season tickets the moment they sign out of HIGH SCHOOL, have immense value to the schools.  That is why they put guys like Mason Fine on every schedule poster, on one of your season tickets, in every pre-season promo item, and why a #6 replica jersey (or a shirt that says “Mean Green” in Cherokee) sells out at the stadium store.  That is all money that is tied to their likeness, their brand (And if you ever wondered whether college kids have a “brand” ask EA Sports what happened when college football players challenged the use of just their jersey numbers on NCAA Football video game rosters).  

[MeanGreen_MBA]

He quit during a game. What bakes you think that once he has that bug contract he won’t quit in the pros as well. The school gave him an opportunity to showcase his skills to get to the next level.   Why did he even go to the game???  Opt out before the game. 

Edited December 30, 2020 by MeanGreen_MBA

[BillySee58]

2 hours ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

He quit during a game. What bakes you think that once he has that bug contract he won’t quit in the pros as well. The school gave him an opportunity to showcase his skills to get to the next level.   Why did he even go to the game???  Opt out before the game. 

Because he’ll get paid money to play. And he’ll get paid more if he does well. It’s not that complicated. Please show me the example of players opting out of bowl games then quitting once they get paid in the NFL? We have years of players opting out of bowls as a sample size at this point.

[MCMLXXX]

If you are going to opt out of half a game, why not make it the first half? 

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

I truly don't get this - aside from some baseline assumptions that a certain type of person is more likely a 'quitter' or lazy. 

Players at all levels have play counts, game minutes, quarters, etc - that they track. This player was to play the first half (likely X naps) to help his team get the win. Then it was the turn of a senior who rarely played, walk-on or a freshman to get their bowl game opportunity.  If the coaches agreed to that plan (they did), then the judgement on this guy's character is ridiculous. 

[MDH]

Ever taken a half day at work? I thought we agreed personal choice and liberties were values we all shared? If a player is comfortable in accepting the consequences of making the decision then so be it.

[UNTLifer]

You sign up to play for your team.  Play for them, period.

The difference in generations is easily defined by one's point of view on this thread.

Edited December 30, 2020 by UNTLifer

[El Paso Eagle]

17 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

It would be just as much. The XFL was having a lot of success with NFL washouts. If a similar league was created for the top college-aged players who have not reached NFL eligibility, people would watch that and those players would earn enough in one year to afford 5 years of college. 

Hopefully we will see a NFL sponsored developmental league in the near future similar to basketball and baseball.  

[DentonLurker]

I have no issue with players opting out. Loyalty is a two-way street. As long as coaches can quit/get fired by AD's before a season is over, I have no issue with players moving on whenever they see fit. Seems fair to me.

[UNT18Grad]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30622282/oklahoma-state-mike-gundy-says-tylan-wallace-limited-cheez-bowl-action-pre-planned-protect-injury

Argue about the issue all you want, but the coaches made this decision for this specific player before the game even started.  They say watching the injury to the Miami QB influenced the timing of the decision.  Nobody quit at halftime.

[UNTLifer]

15 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

Because he’ll get paid money to play. And he’ll get paid more if he does well. It’s not that complicated. Please show me the example of players opting out of bowl games then quitting once they get paid in the NFL? We have years of players opting out of bowls as a sample size at this point.

Recent years would be more accurate.  At the end of their college career, players with a shot at the NFL quickly drop their team mentality.