Or we lean into what it’s been all along. NFL Minor League.
How about we let them decide when they will be students. The scholarship is a transferable voucher for four years full or part time studies at any college they played for . I’m just brainstorming.
Or we lean into what it’s been all along. NFL Minor League.
How about we let them decide when they will be students. The scholarship is a transferable voucher for four years full or part time studies at any college they played for . I’m just brainstorming.
Bowlesman80, you are a great contributor to WFC, and yes, FBS is a minor league for The League. But there is a long history of athletes who are also students at FBS schools and we are losing this. The last few years have not emphasized college education, especially for football and basketball (Colorado makes me ill). Here's a brainstorm idea: college athletes play 2 years minimum at 1 FBS/FCS school (redshirt allowed, agents not allowed), then NFL can draft anyone with 2+ years of college experience. Players not drafted can go into the Portal for a 2 year commitment to another school, agents allowed. Emphasis on these athletes getting a degree. This might separate NFL-caliber college players from those who need to earn a degree for a non-NFL career. Just spit balling here, thoughts?
Interesting. I like it. However, what unleashed the flood was not policy, NCAA or otherwise, about amateur college athletics, but court rulings based upon free trade. If I understand rightly, that's why they can Portal like there's no tomorrow.
Your model seems similar to how it is for baseball, where's there's college baseball and minor league, where players can follow either or both paths. Careful, the spitball can get you ejected. LOL
I think Cal (and by extension Furd) needs to just get with the times. There are ways to spin it.
Cal should be a university where everyone goes to be the best at whatever they want to be -- a pipeline to success in the career that you want. Some sports (football, basketball, baseball) lead to a career in that sport. Others don't, and they'll worry more about academics.
Some of the more athletically inclined won't be the brightest academics, but if they're really fucking good at football that's still impressive -- being great at one thing but not another doesn't diminish how they represent the university, their character does. Not to mention, committing to winning in the modern era of football will pay for all our gymnastics & other scholarships so that THOSE kids can come to Cal and take advantage of everything that's offered.
School is important and it's important that whoever comes to Cal is supported academically so they can get their degrees if they don't make it athletically. But school also isn't *everything*. There is a greater social good that can be achieved here.
mrjpark, you wrote "Some of the more athletically inclined won't be the brightest academics, but if they're really fucking good at football that's still impressive -- being great at one thing but not another doesn't diminish how they represent the university, their character does". That is why I proposed for the great athletes a 2 year and out NFL opportunity; and for other players not going to the NFL, a focus on education. I know I don't run either FBS/FCS or the NFL, but as Elvis sang "If I Can Dream..."
Seems like that ship has sailed. I think we just lean in hard and license the Cal Football brand for a handsome fee to a private actor, who can field whatever athletes they want and pay whatever. Cal uses that money to support real college sports
Or we lean into what it’s been all along. NFL Minor League.
How about we let them decide when they will be students. The scholarship is a transferable voucher for four years full or part time studies at any college they played for . I’m just brainstorming.
Bowlesman80, you are a great contributor to WFC, and yes, FBS is a minor league for The League. But there is a long history of athletes who are also students at FBS schools and we are losing this. The last few years have not emphasized college education, especially for football and basketball (Colorado makes me ill). Here's a brainstorm idea: college athletes play 2 years minimum at 1 FBS/FCS school (redshirt allowed, agents not allowed), then NFL can draft anyone with 2+ years of college experience. Players not drafted can go into the Portal for a 2 year commitment to another school, agents allowed. Emphasis on these athletes getting a degree. This might separate NFL-caliber college players from those who need to earn a degree for a non-NFL career. Just spit balling here, thoughts?
Interesting. I like it. However, what unleashed the flood was not policy, NCAA or otherwise, about amateur college athletics, but court rulings based upon free trade. If I understand rightly, that's why they can Portal like there's no tomorrow.
Your model seems similar to how it is for baseball, where's there's college baseball and minor league, where players can follow either or both paths. Careful, the spitball can get you ejected. LOL
I think Cal (and by extension Furd) needs to just get with the times. There are ways to spin it.
Cal should be a university where everyone goes to be the best at whatever they want to be -- a pipeline to success in the career that you want. Some sports (football, basketball, baseball) lead to a career in that sport. Others don't, and they'll worry more about academics.
Some of the more athletically inclined won't be the brightest academics, but if they're really fucking good at football that's still impressive -- being great at one thing but not another doesn't diminish how they represent the university, their character does. Not to mention, committing to winning in the modern era of football will pay for all our gymnastics & other scholarships so that THOSE kids can come to Cal and take advantage of everything that's offered.
School is important and it's important that whoever comes to Cal is supported academically so they can get their degrees if they don't make it athletically. But school also isn't *everything*. There is a greater social good that can be achieved here.
mrjpark, you wrote "Some of the more athletically inclined won't be the brightest academics, but if they're really fucking good at football that's still impressive -- being great at one thing but not another doesn't diminish how they represent the university, their character does". That is why I proposed for the great athletes a 2 year and out NFL opportunity; and for other players not going to the NFL, a focus on education. I know I don't run either FBS/FCS or the NFL, but as Elvis sang "If I Can Dream..."
Seems like that ship has sailed. I think we just lean in hard and license the Cal Football brand for a handsome fee to a private actor, who can field whatever athletes they want and pay whatever. Cal uses that money to support real college sports
In so many ways, that's what it has already become.