The sport we have all loved for so many years is changing so fast, and IMHO, not for the better.
Looks like the 12 team playoff is going to have 4 SEC, 4 Big 10, ND, and 3 from the other 138 Division 1 schools. Big money has taken over the game, and things will only get worse, unless somebody steps in.
At a recent Colerain H.S. stag, we had Dave Latham as a guest speaker. He said when he was drafted by the Bengals in 1974, he had to work at McAlpin's during the off season, to pay his family bills. He started at $29,000 per year with the Bengals. Now the starting salary for the NFL is $795,000.
So with that in mind, do you really think that the NIL money thing is not going to stop at a semi-reasonable maximum $$ amount per player? My money says that in 5 years, unless changes are made, an 18 year old superstar will be getting $10 million to play for a big money school.
Then there is the portal. It used to be that 4-6 players would transfer each year, as they would have to sit out a year. Watch how many players leave UC, and other schools starting December 8th. How do you build a team with one or two year players?
5 years ago, a star player "sitting out" his team's bowl game was unheard of. Now, due to fear of injury and loss of big money, many teams are shells of their fall team, as so many of the starters sit out. UC had 7-8 star players sit out in the Pinstripe Bowl several years ago, when UL beat us up real good.
Solutions, I have no idea, but unless things change, I predict two super leagues (Big 10 and SEC), and the rest in the "minor leagues" of college FB, sooner than later.
Had we stayed in the AAC, our season would be continuing, and we would be off to a bowl game.... and as I recall, attendance was very good during Fickell's tenure, all in the AAC. No big TV money, but UC seemed to manage OK. I enjoyed games against Tulane, Tulsa, Memphis, Houston, and schools similar to UC, and I personally wish for the days of old, once again.
B.C. has spoken!
"Charter Forum Member with nearly 2500 posts since 2007"
