Needless to say, the past several hours have been busy, so I am a little late checking in. Without commenting on any particular players, I thought I would share a few notes.
Some have expressed frustration with the idea that players receive money from BI and then enter the portal. We know that players will leave (whether on their own or at MSU’s invitation), so we work hard to prevent ourselves from being burned financially by players walking out during the term of an agreement. For example, the agreements BI signs are generally monthly, backloaded, and written with an understanding of transfer portal deadlines. In sum, the fan side of us is hurt, but the financial side is not. While this feels like an MSU issue, it is broader than that. Even yesterday, a starting player at another school decided to go in the portal just hours after signing an agreement with that school’s collective.
Although there is no way to stop it, the worst thing a fanbase can do when a player goes into the portal is to react negatively, especially on Twitter. For all the talk of programs needing to regain power, the players learn quickly how much leverage they have when the mere entry of their name prompts huge reactions. And, in some cases, those reactions eliminate much chance of regaining a player who might have otherwise pulled their name out of the portal. It is for this reason that divisive forces sometimes push players to enter, or incentivize some around players to convince them to enter, the portal just to see what will happen. They then exploit the backlash. The greater the backlash, the greater the opportunity to exploit it.
I have had a few people indicate in the past few hours that they do not want to participate in NIL until sanity is put back in the process. I understand that sentiment (I don’t even want to participate most days), and, as I have said before, I will not criticize those who do not want to help. But, I must emphasize that we didn’t create the insanity, and it isn’t going away any time soon. For those who cannot participate or just will not participate based on principle or distaste, I understand. For those who are on the fence but are hesitant to participate because of the drama, please consider rethinking your position. When the dry days of summer hit, the answer is not to put less water on the crops; rather, a smart grower will try to save as much of the crop as he can, even if some of it will certainly be lost. Like that grower, the help we are getting is making a difference, and it is vital that, even in the face of losing some of the crop, we hold on and keep fighting until the rains of sanity arrive, whenever that might be.
Finally - please do not buy into the view that these athletes are bad people or are largely disloyal. The more I talk to MSU athletes, the more I like them. We have some very good people. In many cases, they are young and subject to influence, and negative reaction only further pushes not just them, but their friends who are watching, away from us. It also discourages support of our coaches and NIL efforts, which only further undermines our hopes. Some of the people I like most actually transferred here, and I like some who have left, or might still leave, as well. And, as to loyalty, who among us hasn’t considered the need to go to the portal to find a better football, basketball, or baseball player to fill a particular spot? I have. The painful reality is that the portal door swings both ways, and it is hard to reconcile the fact that we will gleefully take from it to replace an existing player while attacking those players who decide to push that door in their chosen direction.
In closing, I read a book on negotiation over thirty years ago that said something that has stuck with me ever since - that the secret of negotiation was to exhibit the attitude that you care, but not that much. Behind the scenes, it would help greatly if we continue to care and and that people continue to spread the word about BI - even while understanding that no matter how hard we work, we will gain some players and lose some, too. And when that happens, my hope is that we not overreact. Or, as Herb Cohen said in that book, to care, but not that much.
More players will come and more will go - but good things are happening at MSU.
Thanks,
Charlie
PS - Didn‘t mean to sound preachy; it’s just a curse I live with.
Some have expressed frustration with the idea that players receive money from BI and then enter the portal. We know that players will leave (whether on their own or at MSU’s invitation), so we work hard to prevent ourselves from being burned financially by players walking out during the term of an agreement. For example, the agreements BI signs are generally monthly, backloaded, and written with an understanding of transfer portal deadlines. In sum, the fan side of us is hurt, but the financial side is not. While this feels like an MSU issue, it is broader than that. Even yesterday, a starting player at another school decided to go in the portal just hours after signing an agreement with that school’s collective.
Although there is no way to stop it, the worst thing a fanbase can do when a player goes into the portal is to react negatively, especially on Twitter. For all the talk of programs needing to regain power, the players learn quickly how much leverage they have when the mere entry of their name prompts huge reactions. And, in some cases, those reactions eliminate much chance of regaining a player who might have otherwise pulled their name out of the portal. It is for this reason that divisive forces sometimes push players to enter, or incentivize some around players to convince them to enter, the portal just to see what will happen. They then exploit the backlash. The greater the backlash, the greater the opportunity to exploit it.
I have had a few people indicate in the past few hours that they do not want to participate in NIL until sanity is put back in the process. I understand that sentiment (I don’t even want to participate most days), and, as I have said before, I will not criticize those who do not want to help. But, I must emphasize that we didn’t create the insanity, and it isn’t going away any time soon. For those who cannot participate or just will not participate based on principle or distaste, I understand. For those who are on the fence but are hesitant to participate because of the drama, please consider rethinking your position. When the dry days of summer hit, the answer is not to put less water on the crops; rather, a smart grower will try to save as much of the crop as he can, even if some of it will certainly be lost. Like that grower, the help we are getting is making a difference, and it is vital that, even in the face of losing some of the crop, we hold on and keep fighting until the rains of sanity arrive, whenever that might be.
Finally - please do not buy into the view that these athletes are bad people or are largely disloyal. The more I talk to MSU athletes, the more I like them. We have some very good people. In many cases, they are young and subject to influence, and negative reaction only further pushes not just them, but their friends who are watching, away from us. It also discourages support of our coaches and NIL efforts, which only further undermines our hopes. Some of the people I like most actually transferred here, and I like some who have left, or might still leave, as well. And, as to loyalty, who among us hasn’t considered the need to go to the portal to find a better football, basketball, or baseball player to fill a particular spot? I have. The painful reality is that the portal door swings both ways, and it is hard to reconcile the fact that we will gleefully take from it to replace an existing player while attacking those players who decide to push that door in their chosen direction.
In closing, I read a book on negotiation over thirty years ago that said something that has stuck with me ever since - that the secret of negotiation was to exhibit the attitude that you care, but not that much. Behind the scenes, it would help greatly if we continue to care and and that people continue to spread the word about BI - even while understanding that no matter how hard we work, we will gain some players and lose some, too. And when that happens, my hope is that we not overreact. Or, as Herb Cohen said in that book, to care, but not that much.
More players will come and more will go - but good things are happening at MSU.
Thanks,
Charlie
PS - Didn‘t mean to sound preachy; it’s just a curse I live with.
