Hyatt opts out of Orange bowl - headed to NFL

If you didn't teach your children about risk/reward, that's probably something you should have added. Would you counsel them to do something that could have a life-altering impact on their future, when they were close to realizing the dream of a lifetime?

You mean, advise them in their best interest, instead of rolling the dice on their future so they - the adults - can live vicariously through 20 year olds??? What the hell kinda' fun is that?!

OTOH, these aren't their children, so why give a shite?
 
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When the playoffs expand, you are going to start seeing multiple players opt out. You guys going to be ok with it then? When it's a Vol?

We should return to the pre-portal, pre-NIL days of indentured servitude when schools, networks, and NCAA operated like a cartel and made kingpin $$.

While a lot of teenage players keeping an academic and athletic schedule, many with low income backgrounds, would have appreciated nicer clothes and some walking around money.
 
Why the hell shouldn't we be upset with the bowl game pulled right out from under us? I think we have the right to be upset.

You, random fan who isn't suiting up, have no rights at issue and no material risk of loss while sitting on your couch complaining a 20 y.o. isn't fulfilling your sense of well-being. Good grief, man.
 
Okay, I get it. Kid with NFL future decides not to risk injury by not playing in “huge” bowl game thereby driving yet another nail into any possible Tennessee Orange 🍊 Bowl trophy. But really without his well deserved 🏆, no doubt he would be playing in Miami. Hyatt does not beat his man as much as the scheme does. I’d wager half his TDs and over half his yards come when he is WIDE OPEN without a defender 10-20 yards from him. IMHO Hyatt does not currently have the size, strength, agility, or hands of a prototypical NFL outside receiver and likely was looking at a late 2nd to 4th round pick before getting his recent trophy 🏆. Before this season he was certainly expected to be undrafted and I must admit I have always had my doubts whether he would ever make a NFL roster. When good teams key in on him, he either disappears, can’t get open, or too often drops balls in the biggest moments. He’s best when the defense blows coverages or honestly if he bolts right by you. He is sneaky fast and a pretty smart cookie, which some folks have turned into all pro careers. But without that 🏆, if I were an NFL scout, I’d like to see him suit up one last time, with a sorta unfamiliar QB, in a sorta meaningful game, against a sorta good defense before I spent one of my first two picks on a guy who doesn’t really “measure” up. Doesn’t matter now though, with his new shiny 🏆, he won’t make it past the 2nd round. Some desperate NFL someone is gonna take a chance on the “best” receiver in CFB. But then again, maybe I’m wrong and maybe they won’t.

Hope he has an amazing career and makes it to Canton! And yes in my book he’ll always be a VFL!

And no, I don’t blame him one bit.
 
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Good Luck to Jalen and all the best to him in his NFL career.
Today's opportunities are so vast for players like Jalen that it would be foolish to chance an injury. Back in the day, great players in the NFL didn't live much differently than you and I as salaries were slightly above the normal working man but not outlandish as they are today. Take Joe Nameth ... a great quarterback but he made history signing a 3 year contract for $300,000 and a $5000/month pension. Though ole Broadway Joe has a net worth of 25 million now, it wasn't from his football career but smart investments with what money he could put up.
25 million nowadays in the NFL probably won't get you a great player but hey, you might not have to work much at all after your football days are over. It all goes back to supply and demand. We the fans demand things from our favorite sports teams and when its delivered we're ready to pony up and pay for it in merchandise and tickets. That concept in sports is currently on steroids and prices are climbing astronomically. Nissan stadium is only what, just over 20 years old in Nashville but already many or clamoring for a new up-to-date stadium. The investors and government officials always say, it won't affect the common man in increased taxes but bet your a$$, it definitely will.
Bottom line. these athletes of talent have a golden opportunity to ensure and solidify their financial future, who are we to deny it for our own satisfaction just for bragging rights?
 
vfl means quitting on your teammates?

What does it mean when the team is doing poorly, and fans get up and leave the stadium? Is that VFL or quitter (QFL) fans for life? What about fans who sell their tickets? Some even sell them to the enemy? Is this VFL-ing or QFL-ing? Some of you act like, "How dare you to opt out! I own you, mofo, I own you! You're my piece of property, so get out there and perform, you trained monkey. I paid the pet shop for you! Go and perform!" That's exactly what it boils down to for such fans. Yet any of you, ANY, if given the opportunity to fast track to total financial security. To instantly leave poverty, whether due to social ethnic realities, or debt burden, you take it and run. You'd do everything to not let that once in a lifetime chance slip through your fingers. Yet you damn players for doing the same. For adopting the same attitude that Frankie Dunn sagely tried to instill in Maggie Fitzgerald. And Frank was/is right, the only person who really looks out for you, is you. It dayum sure isn't fans like you. Therefore, Frankie was/is right, "Protect yourself at all times." So, just how much of a VFL are YOU??

Someone said it 100% right when s/he said bowl games are merely exhibition games. That's true, but it also serves to make rich fat cats richer. The sponsors who have advertising privileges. The city that gains extra revenue by hosting the game. Broadcasting executives line their pockets even further, and forever by claiming the rights, which generate revenue long, yea, decades after the game is played. If a player gets injured and his career ends before it got a chance to even begin, what does he get out of all that revenue? Not a dayum thing. And fans like you presume to dictate he may not choose for himself to opt out? If it wasn't so sad, it'd be funny. But there's no fun in snatching a promising future from anybody. Including you.


Go ahead and lie.
 
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I think you can understand the decision, but also be upset that he is quitting on his team before the biggest post season game we've played in over 15 years.
These is my thoughts exactly and a couple vol fans on fb trashed me for saying so, acting like this game didn't mean much of anything. One called it an exhibition game. Huh?
I responded to a guy who said "he gave his all" with the fact that no, he did not since he's skipping lol. Perhaps Hooker would have skipped too, but I would think he is bummed that he is missing out after all he did for the team to get to this reward (of a NY6 bowl).
I'm not mad at the guy. He can do whatever he wants. Perhaps it's a wise decision for him. I'm just disappointed and think he gave them a much greater chance to win. Clemson has guys sitting too. I feel like it's more of a scrimmage game at this point. I was pumped to play in the Orange Bowl. Dang it felt good. Now I'm caring less because apparently the players don't care that much.
 
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I think there needs to be some kind of extra incentive for players to compete in these bowl games. What that would entail , I don’t know.
 
Slim to no chance of a better chance to get drafted high I wouldn't think. But, there's no way around having an asterisk by quitting before your season is over. God speed young man.
 
Like Mike Tyson said: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth". Do you have a plan NCFisher? Does sitting behind your keyboard insulting people that you don't know make you feel better about your weak mind? Knowing that you would never have the courage to ever speak to another human being in that manner in person? Oh, that's the problem, you actually don't know that you're weak. You're somehow under the impression that if you portray yourself as intellectually superior it will cover that weakness and make your opinions relevant.
😂 I’m sorry Mr Super Intellectual Internet Badass.
 
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We should return to the pre-portal, pre-NIL days of indentured servitude when schools, networks, and NCAA operated like a cartel and made kingpin $$.

While a lot of teenage players keeping an academic and athletic schedule, many with low income backgrounds, would have appreciated nicer clothes and some walking around money.

While getting a free education. 🙄
 
We should return to the pre-portal, pre-NIL days of indentured servitude when schools, networks, and NCAA operated like a cartel and made kingpin $$.

While a lot of teenage players keeping an academic and athletic schedule, many with low income backgrounds, would have appreciated nicer clothes and some walking around money.
No,, .. but the money that the kids are getting now should at least allow for them to play in the games, you know, which generate the money that the kids are now getting.
 
Thanks for the memories........especially the Alabama game! Hope Jalen does great.......where he is projected means he has a decent shot of getting on a good team!
 
AND there is the wildcard called "education". BS!!! most major college sports have become nothing more than business ventures to make money for the schools, conferences, advertisers, and now the youngsters who were looking for a good cheap education after leaving high school. BUT WAIT!! now high schooler can make money for playing!!! Oh well nothing is new here.
 

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