OT: D1

[jrshooter]

I somehow missed that Fraud Graham was now at Hawaii - and its already a sh!t show. His own son has entered the portal.

I know the horse is out of the barn, nothing's going to change, blah-blah-blah. And I know we still have a ways to go in terms of fairness to the student-athlete.

But dammit, the transfer portal has been, and will be terrible for college football. Programs are going to lose their identity quicker from year to year now. Same thing happened when college basketball stars began leaving early.

I can't see how anyone would deny it. But I also know it's not for the betterment of the entity.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Buckeyes' D getting witch-slapped.

[iupgroundhog]

Buckeyes' D getting witch-slapped.

They held them to 45 and that was good enough.

[Matt Burglund]

But dammit, the transfer portal has been, and will be terrible for college football. Programs are going to lose their identity quicker from year to year now. Same thing happened when college basketball stars began leaving early.

You're right that the college football landscape is changing drastically, probably not for the better, but it's not because of the portal. The transfer portal is just a database of names. All it does is make it easier to know who's available.

The real culprit in D-1 is the NCAA's rule change that gives every player a one-time transfer without the need to sit out a year. (In D2, the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to use the portal starting August 1, 2020. Prior to that, they had to get permission from their current school to contact another school). Now, players can go from one place to another in the blink of an eye and play right away. Throw in the grad transfer rule from a few years ago and college football has become the wild west.

[Fightingscot82]

You're right that the college football landscape is changing drastically, probably not for the better, but it's not because of the portal. The transfer portal is just a database of names. All it does is make it easier to know who's available.

The real culprit in D-1 is the NCAA's rule change that gives every player a one-time transfer without the need to sit out a year. (In D2, the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to use the portal starting August 1, 2020. Prior to that, they had to get permission from their current school to contact another school). Now, players can go from one place to another in the blink of an eye and play right away. Throw in the grad transfer rule from a few years ago and college football has become the wild west.

As much as we may not like the effect, I like the rule. If we as society want these athletes to be treated more like regular students then the athletes should be able to transfer just as easily.

[Matt Burglund]

As much as we may not like the effect, I like the rule. If we as society want these athletes to be treated more like regular students then the athletes should be able to transfer just as easily.

I agree. The unintended consequences can sting for fans, but if coaches can leave abruptly with years left on their contract, why should student-athletes be bound for 4 years?

[Ship69]

I agree. The unintended consequences can sting for fans, but if coaches can leave abruptly with years left on their contract, why should student-athletes be bound for 4 years?

It's good and fair for the athletes, so I don't object to the rule. But I'm not sure it's good for the college game and competitive balance. I'm already sick of the drama at the Division I level. And I don't love transferring within a league. It's a little disconcerting to see a guy who played for your team last season lining up against you for a league rival the next season, not to mention the possibility of making the league's cellar dwellers more or less farm teams for the top division. What will be will be. I guess we'll see what the effects are down the road.

[Ship69]

They held them to 45 and that was good enough.

Ohio State's defense was really lacking all year, surprisingly so considering the caliber of athlete they can recruit, but their late-game heroics saved the B1G from its common New Year's fisaco. The league had been having a good bowl season up until then. I don't count the loss by Rutgers, which in normal circumstances wouldn't have been in a bowl anyway. Most of the teams played up to their capability. The two biggest eggs were probably laid by Michigan and Penn State. I thought Georgia would probably beat Michigan, but as Winston Churchill once said, there's a difference between defeat and disgrace. And, yeah, I know Penn State was missing some people, but another blah performance in a winnable bowl game.

[iupgroundhog]

As much as we may not like the effect, I like the rule. If we as society want these athletes to be treated more like regular students then the athletes should be able to transfer just as easily.

In many cases, they aren't admitted to the institution like regular students are and their college experience and relationship with the institution are much different. I am not a lawyer but this stuff gets played out in courts and then becomes law, policy, and reality.

It all comes down to the rights of the individual versus the rights of the institution, whether it's a private enterprise, public entity, or non-profit.

To go back in time, I see this movement as starting when Curt Flood challenged the system in MLB by refusing to play for the Phillies after his trade from the Cardinals in 1970. That was the birth of free agency in professional sports. Now we are seeing it finally trickle down to college sports.

l think if the impact is bad for the game overall, it is not good. I think it must be limited. If you look at free agency in professional sports, there are rules and there are limitations. In my mind, that is what makes it work. Currently, college sports seems to have abandoned all rules and limitations. In any framework, that is a recipe for disaster.

[Bart]

Transferring out is nothing new. IUP built their reputation on transfers. It was D1 athletes, now it has filtered down to D2 players leaving early. It reminds me of when the sixties culture hit the small towns in the early seventies. It takes time to filter down. Anyway if players don't love the school and program, it would be better for all if they leave before they infect everyone.

[jrshooter]

In many cases, they aren't admitted to the institution like regular students are and their college experience and relationship with the institution are much different. I am not a lawyer but this stuff gets played out in courts and then becomes law, policy, and reality.

It all comes down to the rights of the individual versus the rights of the institution, whether it's a private enterprise, public entity, or non-profit.

To go back in time, I see this movement as starting when Curt Flood challenged the system in MLB by refusing to play for the Phillies after his trade from the Cardinals in 1970. That was the birth of free agency in professional sports. Now we are seeing it finally trickle down to college sports.

l think if the impact is bad for the game overall, it is not good. I think it must be limited. If you look at free agency in professional sports, there are rules and there are limitations. In my mind, that is what makes it work. Currently, college sports seems to have abandoned all rules and limitations. In any framework, that is a recipe for disaster.

That stated it much better than I did.

And yes, Matt, the "grad transfer" doesn't sit entirely right, either.

[iupgroundhog]

Transferring out is nothing new. IUP built their reputation on transfers. It was D1 athletes, now it has filtered down to D2 players leaving early. It reminds me of when the sixties culture hit the small towns in the early seventies. It takes time to filter down. Anyway if players don't love the school and program, it would be better for all if they leave before they infect everyone.

But that system didn't hold athletes hostage in a situation they didn't like. There were limitations e.g. in that situation they could transfer down in NCAA classification without a time penalty. They could transfer within the same classification but had to sit out. I think there is some obligation to the school. They made a commitment and, to some extent, individuals have to be responsible for their decisions.

[Matt Burglund]

And yes, Matt, the "grad transfer" doesn't sit entirely right, either.

[Bart]

But that system didn't hold athletes hostage in a situation they didn't like. There were limitations e.g. in that situation they could transfer down in NCAA classification without a time penalty. They could transfer within the same classification but had to sit out. I think there is some obligation to the school. They made a commitment and, to some extent, individuals have to be responsible for their decisions.

For schools that can offer scholarships, perhaps the athlete should sign a four year contract in exchange for the money. If they leave before the four years, they must reimburse the school. There are programs where certain professions get government funded education when they agree to live and serve in certain areas. Let's do it with athletes who use up my scholarship dollars.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

For schools that can offer scholarships, perhaps the athlete should sign a four year contract in exchange for the money. If they leave before the four years, they must reimburse the school. There are programs where certain professions get government funded education when they agree to live and serve in certain areas. Let's do it with athletes who use up my scholarship dollars.

Can the coaches be held to the same? Worse industry than used car salesmen.

Contracts don't mean a thing.