Phillip Marshall: Locking out the little guys a bad idea

Harry · May 30, 2014

The thing is that there is nothing that can be done to make 60-plus teams all play equal or even close to equal schedules. Just because a matchup looks attractive when it is scheduled doesn’t mean it will be attractive when it’s played. Auburn’s SEC schedule includes as many as six teams – LSU, Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, South Carolina and Ole Miss - that could be ranked in the preseason top 25. And that doesn’t include a Thursday night trip to Kansas State. Should it even matter that Auburn plays Samford between Georgia and Alabama?

Fans – some of them anyway – complain about lopsided games, but they will complain more if their team faces a serious test every week and fades in the games that matter down the stretch because of injuries and just plain fatigue.

Big changes are coming to college football. More than half the programs in the FBS and certainly the entire FCS will be left out. There’s no reason to slap their faces again by telling them they can’t even visit the neighborhood.

Read more: http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/053014aaa.html

forevereagle · May 30, 2014

So his argument is that it is a privilege for the smaller schools to get to play the big schools and how great is it for those players. That's so considerate of him.

drex · May 31, 2014

Right or wrong, the 'big boys' invest millions of dollars into their programs to play 'semi-pro' football. Could those dollars be better spent by the university? Yes. Will it happen? No. So all we can do is emphasize that we play college football and do our best to make everyone aware that the big boys have sold their soul to professional athletics. Now, should we prostitute ourselves by playing the semi-pro teams? My heart says no, but I realize the financial benefits of playing the semi-pro teams.

UNTexas · May 31, 2014

This is the kind of stuff that's going to make me lean towards the NFL. If college ball is going to be a more BS organization than it currently is then I'm done. I'll always take my family up to Denton for Soccer, basketball, and hopefully baseball but I won't be spending money to travel to games when I can have just as good of a time (if not better) watching my favorite NFL team.

We already have professional football. The best players play on Sundays, not Saturdays. College football is bleeding out.

NorthTexan95 · May 31, 2014

Right or wrong, the 'big boys' invest millions of dollars into their programs to play 'semi-pro' football. Could those dollars be better spent by the university? Yes. Will it happen? No. So all we can do is emphasize that we play college football and do our best to make everyone aware that the big boys have sold their soul to professional athletics. Now, should we prostitute ourselves by playing the semi-pro teams? My heart says no, but I realize the financial benefits of playing the semi-pro teams.

But would the schools have those millions if they didn't have football?