Where do you stand on players opting out of post-season games (with no injuries) to "prepare for the draft"?

[RockVol56]

What loser NFL team will burn money on this guy ?

Knowing my luck.....The Titans

 

[volfeeva]

You know so many like to cite the stats of bowl games won/lost, but once this trend of jumping ship to the pros, it all but destroys the history/importance/meaning of even going to the bowl games. The bowl games (except for the play offs ) have lost their significance relative to what they were decades ago. I used to love to see how SEC teams did over all against the other conferences, but with so many players leaving for the pros or just not going to the bowl games, it's all a mute point for the most part.

 

[DaddyChad]

I was a lot more sympathetic to it before NIL. Now much less so.

You’re talking thousands vs millions. It’s idiotic to judge someone who can change their life with that money.

 

[ftsandersvol]

I don't like it, but they are always only one play away from potentially losing a lot of draft stock.

 

[vols40]

I am firmly in the player doing what’s best for themselves and their family so long as it’s not a playoff game. They’ve given so much to the program at that point and can give so much more to the program by going pro and being drafted highly. Recruits look more at how many and who you had drafted than they do a meaningless bowl game.

Lol the I draw the line at the meaningless playoff game. You can still get hurt.

 

[DaddyChad]

Lol the I draw the line at the meaningless playoff game. You can still get hurt.

Truth. Yet there are measures that can be put in place to protect your players in that case.

 

[LWSVOL]

Would someone explain the Hyatt situation? He has just signed a NIL deal, so I assume he is returning for next year. How likely is it that he will opt out of the bowl game. I have not seen anything that says he will sit out, but some on this board think he will.

just because he does an NIL deal does not mean he is returning. Just means he is getting more money before signing pro contract. He can continue to represent companies and receive money from them. Even after signing pro deal. Depends on contract language.

He is trying to decide if he opts out of bowl and if he is going pro. no decisions yet.

 

[vols40]

Truth. Yet there are measures that can be put in place to protect your players in that case.

Play the freaking games or reimburse the school for schollie money from the last game of the regular season on.

 

[WilcoVolsFan]

I don't like sitting out. You start the season you should finish unless injury. If you play games 1-12, you can play game 13. Heck, you can get hurt preparing for draft, but you don't sit that out!

Meet Jaylon Smith.

Jaylon played linebacker at Notre Dame and was projected as a Top 5 pick for the 2016 NFL draft, but suffered ACL, MCL, and nerve damage in the Fiesta Bowl and was questionable if he'd ever play again.

Instead of going in the top 5 picks, Jaylon dropped to pick no. 34 by Dallas who took a pretty big risk on him as he'd been such a dynamic player prior to the injury and hoped he'd be able to return to form.

Jaylon signed a four-year, $6.495 million rookie contract with the Cowboys, with a signing bonus of $2.9 million.
Ronnie Stanley, taken w/the 6th pick, one behind where Jaylon was project prior to his injury, signed a fully guaranteed, four-year, $20.48 million rookie contract, with a signing bonus of $13.09 million.

An overall difference of about $14 million in the total value of the contracts, $10 million in the signing bonuses, and far less in guaranteed money.

But go off Mr. Sanctimonious.


P.S.
W/out googling it, anyone remember who Notre Dame played or the final score in that game that cost him $14 million?
Nope, me either.

 

[Delmar]

Meet Jaylon Smith.

Jaylon played linebacker at Notre Dame and was projected as a Top 5 pick for the 2016 NFL draft, but suffered ACL, MCL, and nerve damage in the Fiesta Bowl and was questionable if he'd ever play again.

Instead of going in the top 5 picks, Jaylon dropped to pick no. 34 by Dallas who took a pretty big risk on him as he'd been such a dynamic player prior to the injury and hoped he'd be able to return to form.

Jaylon signed a four-year, $6.495 million rookie contract with the Cowboys, with a signing bonus of $2.9 million.
Ronnie Stanley, taken w/the 6th pick, one behind where Jaylon was project prior to his injury, signed a fully guaranteed, four-year, $20.48 million rookie contract, with a signing bonus of $13.09 million.

An overall difference of about $14 million in the total value of the contracts, $10 million in the signing bonuses, and far less in guaranteed money.

But go off Mr. Sanctimonious.


P.S.
W/out googling it, anyone remember who Notre Dame played or the final score in that game that cost him $14 million?
Nope, me either.

Excellent research. Pretty much says it all. If folks don’t understand dollars and cents and the magnitude of what can be lost, that is on them. Can’t explain it any better.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

I don't stand anywhere. It's their lives, their potential loss of a career if injured. Their decision. I dislike peoplepresuming they can tell me what to do with what's important to me. So I try to make sure I don't do it to them.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

Play the freaking games or reimburse the school for schollie money from the last game of the regular season on.

Ahh, yes, risk their future for your pleasure is what it's all about. I'd rather they played, but won't condemn for opting out. It's not about me, or YOU, it's about what THEY believe is best for them.

 

[WilcoVolsFan]

Let’s look at this from the customers perspective.
I buy an expensive ticket to game, air travel, hotel to see a certain product.
After my purchase, one or more star players opt out.
Suddenly the quality of my purchase has gone down.
I should be able to get a ticket refund or discount.

Why?
If you went to a live concert or a play and the star performer opted out (not because of last minute illness), you would expect that the performance would be canceled and you’d get your money back.
A sporting event is likewise an entertainment performance.
Dont make me pay a premium price for a product that does not deliver that product.

Wow, this is a stupid argument. Just dumb on so many levels, including the 13th Amendment.

First off, you bought a ticket to watch a bowl game. Not a guarantee of individual players. That's the product. It was delivered.
The amount you spent on travel is immaterial.
If something unforeseen happens like an injury to the starting QB or the starting MLB getting disciplined and suspended from the game, you don't get a refund or discount for that either.

And if you went to a concert and a member of the ban opted out and was replaced, you still don't get a refund. When Fleetwood Mac booted Lindsey Buckingham and replaced him w/the dude from Crowded House, I didn't get a coupon to the show.

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

What I hated and will hate for the next 2 bowl seasons is players sitting out of historic bowls like the Rose, Sugar and Orange when they weren’t playoff games. One reason I’m excited for Playoff expansion. Don’t have to worry about that anymore. Non-NY6, don’t care. Don’t even care about the Citrus Bowl, which would be the bowl right below NY6.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Meet Jaylon Smith.

Jaylon played linebacker at Notre Dame and was projected as a Top 5 pick for the 2016 NFL draft, but suffered ACL, MCL, and nerve damage in the Fiesta Bowl and was questionable if he'd ever play again.

Instead of going in the top 5 picks, Jaylon dropped to pick no. 34 by Dallas who took a pretty big risk on him as he'd been such a dynamic player prior to the injury and hoped he'd be able to return to form.

Jaylon signed a four-year, $6.495 million rookie contract with the Cowboys, with a signing bonus of $2.9 million.
Ronnie Stanley, taken w/the 6th pick, one behind where Jaylon was project prior to his injury, signed a fully guaranteed, four-year, $20.48 million rookie contract, with a signing bonus of $13.09 million.

An overall difference of about $14 million in the total value of the contracts, $10 million in the signing bonuses, and far less in guaranteed money.

But go off Mr. Sanctimonious.


P.S.
W/out googling it, anyone remember who Notre Dame played or the final score in that game that cost him $14 million?
Nope, me either.

Meet Inky Johnson, who projected to be an NFL Draft pick in 2006 but had a career ending/life threatening injury in the 2nd game of the season. So what should he have done? Sit out his entire senior season to avoid any risk of any kind, ever? Players face that risk everytime they step on the field! You sign up to play, you accept the risk whether its game 2 or game 13. Willingly laying out of playing and refusing to help your team win their bowl game is shameful and dishonorable!

 

[volfeeva]

I was already popping popcorn waiting on the Music City Bowl, but now I hear Will Levis---the greatest QB at Kentucky ever---will not play and instead opt for the draft. Now I may have to just watch re-runs of Green Acres instead.

 

[Mightyvol]

NIL will affect the @ opting out “ in the future, imho. We will see.

 

[kptvol1]

If it was me, I’d hate to sit it out, but knowing the risk of potentially losing many millions of dollars after all the work I’d put into the chance of having that career, I’d sit.

 

[JoAllan]

Play the freaking games or reimburse the school for schollie money from the last game of the regular season on.

Is a scholarship dependent on number of games played? His “school” time will be over.

post season is just that…….”post season.”

A kid like Hyatt has provided more monetary value to Tennessee than his scholarship money given. If he “wants” to be done because the season is over and not participate in a bowl………because of fear of jeopardizing his entire career…..I don’t know why folks have a problem.

Workers do what’s best for them
Students do what’s best for them
Coaches do what’s best for them
Professors do what’s best for them

But student athletes aren’t supposed to? Or should be penalized?

 

[Brave Volunteer]

If it was me, I’d hate to sit it out, but knowing the risk of potentially losing many millions of dollars after all the work I’d put into the chance of having that career, I’d sit.

So why carry that mindset ONLY for the last game? If you're that concerned about it, why play in any games that season? Whats next? Players sitting out during all the cupcake games for fear of injury? You made a commitment to play, you ****ing play! If the university gives you 100% of a scholly to get a degree, you owe them to play in 100% of all the games you are physically able to. The jobs not finished until that last game is played. Thats what you signed up for.

 

[Vfl2407]

Wow, this is a stupid argument. Just dumb on so many levels, including the 13th Amendment.

First off, you bought a ticket to watch a bowl game. Not a guarantee of individual players. That's the product. It was delivered.
The amount you spent on travel is immaterial.
If something unforeseen happens like an injury to the starting QB or the starting MLB getting disciplined and suspended from the game, you don't get a refund or discount for that either.

And if you went to a concert and a member of the ban opted out and was replaced, you still don't get a refund. When Fleetwood Mac booted Lindsey Buckingham and replaced him w/the dude from Crowded House, I didn't get a coupon to the show.

We will just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

You know so many like to cite the stats of bowl games won/lost, but once this trend of jumping ship to the pros, it all but destroys the history/importance/meaning of even going to the bowl games. The bowl games (except for the play offs ) have lost their significance relative to what they were decades ago. I used to love to see how SEC teams did over all against the other conferences, but with so many players leaving for the pros or just not going to the bowl games, it's all a mute point for the most part.

People keep trying to assign some higher meaning to bowls instead of just accepting what they are: fun.

Usually, it's a chance for a bunch of Vol fans to have an excuse to all go party in another city. Trips are fun. We almost always get a somewhat interesting matchup and almost always against someone we rarely play. That is also fun. The players get a free vacation, a bunch of prizes, and occasionally get to play a game in a NFL stadium. The players talk every year about how much fun they have on bowl trips. The game doesn't need to mean anything just like most college football games don't actually impact the national championship.

My brothers and I have attended all of the Florida bowl games over the last decade or so, and every time was awesome. The fact it, "didn't matter," didn't matter.

 

[McDad]

So why carry that mindset ONLY for the last game? If you're that concerned about it, why play in any games that season? Whats next? Players sitting out during all the cupcake games for fear of injury? You made a commitment to play, you ****ing play! If the university gives you 100% of a scholly to get a degree, you owe them to play in 100% of all the games you are physically able to. The jobs not finished until that last game is played. Thats what you signed up for.

How do you feel when a coach withholds a super-talented receiver or DB from returning kicks or punts to reduce risk of injury?
Should the coach be forced to use their best to win more games regardless of risk? Perhaps the coach's salary should be docked for not going 100% in an effort to win?

 

[Probably_in_Class]

So why carry that mindset ONLY for the last game? If you're that concerned about it, why play in any games that season? Whats next? Players sitting out during all the cupcake games for fear of injury? You made a commitment to play, you ****ing play! If the university gives you 100% of a scholly to get a degree, you owe them to play in 100% of all the games you are physically able to. The jobs not finished until that last game is played. Thats what you signed up for.

Keep in mind these are human being, not physical assets. The reason the bowl is different is by bowl season your resume is already set. A nice bowl performance might provide a slight bump but a bad performance or an injury can impact your NFL stock which, for the guys we're talking about, is now very much a reality instead of a dream. Unless it's for a national championship, these guys deserve to make whatever decision they feel is best for them.

 

[JoAllan]

I was already popping popcorn waiting on the Music City Bowl, but now I hear Will Levis---the greatest QB at Kentucky ever---will not play and instead opt for the draft. Now I may have to just watch re-runs of Green Acres instead.

If a player ever needed to play their bowl and try to increase his stock……..it’s him (in my opinion).

His last game, 57.7%, 188 yards, 2td’s, sacked twice, -10 yards rushing 75 QBR (vs Louisville)

The previous game, 64%, 206, 1td, 1 int, 26 yards rushing, 84 QBR (vs Georgia)

The game before, 47.8%, 109 yards, no TD, 1 int, sacked 4 times, -16 yards rushing, 16.6 QBR (vs Vandy)

He hasn’t looked good AT ALL lately.