OT: Saban unloading in retirement

[18IsTheMan]

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me? Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field. So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

 

[DrMickeySC]

I saw that. Durn. He wasn’t playing around.
I’ve got a kid who is a sophomore at Bama (and my wife went there for a Masters), so we yell a lot of Roll Tide’s around the house. It’s a pretty awesome place. But…they will be very hard pressed to keep it going, that’s for sure.

 

[Cock-o-plenty]

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me? Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field. So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

He's being pretty chill if you ask me.

"I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

 

[KingWard]

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me? Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field. So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

That's a damning indictment of the state of college revenue-producing athletics.

 

[18IsTheMan]

He's being pretty chill if you ask me.

"I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

Except it’s clear from his statement he does think it’s bad, lol. If he thought it was good, it wouldn’t have contributed to his retirement.

 

[Uscg1984]

Right. "I'm not saying it's bad, but I want no part of it." lol

Kind of like when somebody prefaces their comment with "Don't take this the wrong way, but . . ."

 

[SuperCock99]

It’s a shame what the NIL is doing to college football. Its like a sleazy $$$ hustle.

 

[KingWard]

Except it’s clear from his statement he does think it’s bad, lol. If he thought it was good, it wouldn’t have contributed to his retirement.

Ipso facto

 

[Big JC]

College football had a good run. It will be interesting to see if the new professional football league can come close to doing as well as college football did for close to a century.

 

[18IsTheMan]

College football had a good run. It will be interesting to see if the new professional football league can come close to doing as well as college football did for close to a century.

Nah, it's simply not possible.

The main hallmark of college football was player continuity. More so than any professional sport, college football fans identified with the players. That's not even really a thing in pro sports, except in very rare cases. That aspect of college football has been destroyed, so whatever product it is going forward, it can't compare to what it was in the past for that reason alone.

This point is not arguable. Some may argue they like the new product, and that's fine. Different strokes for different folks. But this is the fundamental issue that has transformed the game.

 

[Prestonyte]

It’s a shame what the NIL is doing to college football. Its like a sleazy $$$ hustle.

Coaches = pimps/Players = prostitutes, or if you don't like the sex trade reference, Legalized Human Trafficking

 

[KingWard]

College football had a good run. It will be interesting to see if the new professional football league can come close to doing as well as college football did for close to a century.

Things are going to have to be brought under some kind of control, even if the template is different. Right now, it's worse than Dodge City used to be when they were between marshals.

 

[Forkcock]

The same people cheering on college players getting paid were the same ones cheering on LIV Golf. In both cases, things did not turnout well.

Money changes everything.

 

[Atlanta Cock]

The same people cheering on college players getting paid were the same ones cheering on LIV Golf. In both cases, things did not turnout well.

Money changes everything.

It does, and I'm as big a capitalist and free marketer as there is. But the reason CFB was so popular was two-fold: Identity with a specific school, perhaps an Alma Mater or childhood favorite team from the are you grew up, and the sweetness or innocence of amateurism, although we all knew many if not most were being paid something under the table. Like the really cute and fun girl who always acts innocent in public.

 

[Big JC]

Things are going to have to be brought under some kind of control, even if the template is different. Right now, it's worse than Dodge City used to be when they were between marshals.

Toothpaste is out of the tube. There is no going back and if anyone tries to rein it in there will be lawsuits. Lawyers aren't going to miss an opportunity to grab the kind of dollars that are out there in college football and the players aren't going to play for only a free education. The college game we knew and loved is gone and is never coming back.

The only salvation will be for the current model to collapse and for a new model to come about.

 

[KingWard]

Toothpaste is out of the tube. There is no going back and if anyone tries to rein it in there will be lawsuits. Lawyers aren't going to miss an opportunity to grab the kind of dollars that are out there in college football and the players aren't going to play for only a free education. The college game we knew and loved is gone and is never coming back.

The only salvation will be for the current model to collapse and for a new model to come about.

That's not the thing. The thing is that aspects of what is happening get recognized and formalized so that predictably can be restored. Wild and wooly is unsustainable and ain't gonna make it long-term.

 

[18IsTheMan]

That's not the thing. The thing is that aspects of what is happening get recognized and formalized so that predictably can be restored. Wild and wooly is unsustainable and ain't gonna make it long-term.

The game has fundamentally changed and can never return to what it once was. It's essentially a new sport. Some like it some don't. However, it can't continue to be totally unregulated. I don't know who thought the solution to over-regulation was complete de-regulation.

 

[KingWard]

The game has fundamentally changed and can never return to what it once was. It's essentially a new sport. Some like it some don't. However, it can't continue to be totally unregulated. I don't know who thought the solution to over-regulation was complete de-regulation.

Thaaaat's right!

 

[Prestonyte]

The game has fundamentally changed and can never return to what it once was. It's essentially a new sport. Some like it some don't. However, it can't continue to be totally unregulated. I don't know who thought the solution to over-regulation was complete de-regulation.

The big question is who has the kahunas to propose and implement regulations and do it with forethought, purpose and meaning.

 

[18IsTheMan]

The big question is who has the kahunas to propose and implement regulations and do it with forethought, purpose and meaning.

Yeah, no idea. At this point, it seems like ANY regulation will be met with lawsuits.

 

[Big JC]

The big question is who has the kahunas to propose and implement regulations and do it with forethought, purpose and meaning.

The problem is; any attempt at regulation will result in lawsuits against whoever tries to implement them. Players and attorneys now see unlimited NIL money as a right and any attempt to regulate it will be a cause of action. The NCAA is going to walk away and no conference is going to poke the bear and risk an expensive legal fight.

The only group that can effect change is the fans and they will have to vote with their wallets and stop pouring money into the college programs. If the money dries up change will happen.

 

[KingWard]

The big question is who has the kahunas to propose and implement regulations and do it with forethought, purpose and meaning.

It will go down one of two ways: Congressional legislation, or the SEC and the B1G agree on an operational framework on their way to absorbing every school that matters into two mega-conferences outside the NCAA. Might be a combination of both.