Players Sitting out Bowl game

[Delmar]

Just heard that Arkansas’ stud wide receiver, Trayvon Burks, is skipping their bowl game. Sure fire 1st or 2nd round pick. I don’t blame him either. You are going to see more and more of this so you might as well learn to live with it. No amount of whining is going to change it. Waste of time to argue about it.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Yep. All of that stuff he listed and $5.00 will get him a high priced cup of coffee at Starbucks. Heupel already accomplished more this year than anybody thought and a loss won’t derail that. My feeling is that you can’t judge Alontae unless you are walking in his shoes. His choice and that’s that. Nobody else’s business.

It's also the business of his teammates. I haven't made it a secret that I think this practice sucks... but I will concede that if his teammates don't have a problem with it, then neither should anyone else. We don't know very much about how they feel about it.

The most troubling aspect of this, is how it is becoming a "fashionable" trend for players to skip their team's bowl game. Players with no chance of being invited to the combine, much less of being drafted, are starting to follow suit, for fear of looking like a scrub for being a senior playing in the Outback Bowl.

Finally, to those of you insisting that the Music City Bowl is meaningless... just remember that if Purdue kicks Tennessee's a$$. If it's truly meaningless, then there shouldn't be anyone on here complaining about Tennessee's performance after the loss... but we all know damn well that wouldn't be the case.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

Loyalty to the university that gave you a chance to get a diploma(free), which is not cheap,unbelievable meals, medical care, a great fitness center to help to get fit so you can get to your maximum as a athlete , add all of there benefits up and see what they are getting Free!

Taylor EARNED his scholarship, and everything that came with it.

If you invested the 4-year price tag on AT’s scholarship in the stock market, and got the same return as UT, the feds would investigate you.

UT has been made whole from its investment in Alontae Taylor…and then some.

It’s selfish entitled fans like you who feel cheated.

Taylor busted his ass for everything he’s EARNED. Please don’t get that twisted.

 

[ZZ13]

I think an NFL minor/developmental league would fail - or at least not generate the viewership that college football does.

For so many fans it's not just about the sport, it's also their attachment to the institution. That is one reason that tempers run high in debates like these (though it's in no way the primary reason).

I just know - for example - I wouldn't be as interested in watching some random team, even if they are located in Knoxville. The University is important to me, and that is one of the draws to the Vols. There is also just a history and the cache that comes with it that drives college athletics.

It's an interesting concept to discuss, at least.

I’ve thought since I was a student that you should just be able to major in any sport, such as Football. Your entire curriculum is all about football, which would essentially be practice and all the instruction that goes with that.

 

[Delmar]

It's also the business of his teammates. I haven't made it a secret that I think this practice sucks... but I will concede that if his teammates don't have a problem with it, then neither should anyone else. We don't know very much about how they feel about it.

The most troubling aspect of this, is how it is becoming a "fashionable" trend for players to skip their team's bowl game. Players with no chance of being invited to the combine, much less of being drafted, are starting to follow suit, for fear of looking like a scrub for being a senior playing in the Outback Bowl.

Finally, to those of you insisting that the Music City Bowl is meaningless... just remember that if Purdue kicks Tennessee's a$$. If it's truly meaningless, then there shouldn't be anyone on here complaining about Tennessee's performance after the loss... but we all know damn well that wouldn't be the case.

I can guarantee his teammates don’t have a problem with it. Because they’d do the exact same thing if they have the option. Just the way it is these days. As far as the bowl goes, I’ll enjoy a win. But if we lose, I’m not going to stew over it. Will look forward to next year. This game is just gravy to me.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I can guarantee his teammates don’t have a problem with it. Because they’d do the exact same thing if they have the option. Just the way it is these days. As far as the bowl goes, I’ll enjoy a win. But if we lose, I’m not going to stew over it. Will look forward to next year. This game is just gravy to me.

That is not true in every case. Velus Jones Jr. is in a similar position to Taylor, and it looks like he has decided to play in the Music City Bowl.

 

[901 Orange]

They are quitters I don’t like it at all and lose respect for these guys. You fought hard with your team for 12 games and 4 months and you quit on them during the last game that just doesn’t sit with me and alot of fans.

This is different when it comes to Taylor. We talking about a guy that's played like 50 games or so, stayed loyal to his commitment even after the HC that recruited him got fired. Keep in mind, this was before he stepped foot on campus. He changed to a new position that he wasn't even recruited for. Went through a 2nd coaching change, still stayed on the sinking ship when it was easy to abandon his crew. All he did was become a team leader, gave his all to the team & community, and not once did he complain. I'm not sure any Vol endured what Taylor and the guys from his class went through. If anybody should be able to move on without being criticized it's Alontae Taylor. That kid was everything u want a VFL to be. He is a the 1 guy that came to Tennessee FOR Tennessee. He has already given his all.

 

[chuckb1448]

I dont like it, if you are injured that's one thing, but who cares what I think.

What's one more game with your "Brothers"

 

[jeff1vol]

Schools are making more money.

Coaches are definitely making more money.

But we’re supposed to make villains out of kids talented enough to earn a scholarship, potentially make money off THEIR name, and 3-4 years later earn a Senior Bowl invite…which results in sitting out a low tier bowl game.

It appears you just don’t like kids making money and having control over their future.

Thats quite a stretch there, Bud. Not CLOSE to what I said at all, but good try. Im ACTUALLY advocating for kids to have MORE options. I shouldve known never to try and communicate with a gator. Its like speaking to a wall.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

Thats quite a stretch there, Bud. Not CLOSE to what I said at all, but good try. Im ACTUALLY advocating for kids to have MORE options. I shouldve known never to try and communicate with a gator. Its like speaking to a wall.

Upon further review, I did in fact misinterpret your post.

That’s on me.

 

[Volfansince1980]

They are quitters I don’t like it at all and lose respect for these guys. You fought hard with your team for 12 games and 4 months and you quit on them during the last game that just doesn’t sit with me and alot of fans.

I doubt any of these kids care about the bitter ramblings of old dudes on a message board that has never been in their position. Continue yelling at clouds though

 

[TheGoodStuff]

If they sit out, just to get to the nfl in a bowl game, then I consider them quitters. I consider them quitters to their team players, coaches, fans and the school.

Ya… but irl you have to worry about bills and your long term health. Obviously Cade has given his all and maybe he needs to make sure he’s good for the draft.

Who knows… but could you really blame these guys for using some common sense at key transitional moments in their life? Yeah don’t be a quitter in your sophomore or JR year cause your impatient on starts. Got it. This is a little different though... it’s the Music city bowl..Not the final 4.

 

[Rocky Top Raby]

OP setting up VolNation's next cloud to yell at.

 

[DuckinVol]

Ya… but irl you have to worry about bills and your long term health. Obviously Cade has given his all and maybe he needs to make sure he’s good for the draft.

Who knows… but could you really blame these guys for using some common sense at key transitional moments in their life? Yeah don’t be a quitter in your sophomore or JR year cause your impatient on starts. Got it. This is a little different though... it’s the Music city bowl..Not the final 4.

What in the hell has given anyone the idea Cade plans to sit it out?

 

[Rocky Top Raby]

It doesn’t matter, they should be playing in their bowl game for their teammates and fans. Those players in the playoffs can get hurt to.

You act like being a fan grants you all this entitlement to a kid's life. You bunch of fans need to get over yourselves.

 

[Rocky Top Raby]

They are quitters I don’t like it at all and lose respect for these guys. You fought hard with your team for 12 games and 4 months and you quit on them during the last game that just doesn’t sit with me and alot of fans.

By a lot of fans do you mean the 65 and up crowd who are so entitled they are crying on a message board about a kid, who has given their time and effort to this team for four years, not playing in the ****ing Music City Bowl? Because I'm pretty sure you'd have to be from the "should always be how it used to be" generation of cranky ass old people.

 

[LeBleu]

Probably been said bunch right now ( didn't read everything ) but Tayler is beat up and needs to heal, makes no sense for him to play beat up and get worse by the senior bowl and hurt his chances in the draft. We should want him to be healthy for a better payoff in the NFL.

 

[BowlBrother85]

It means 100x more to the fans and returning players than it does to those leaving the program. But in the grand scheme of things this game means little.

Oh, really? Do you know any of those departing players well enough to speak for them in such a way? I doubt it. You are projecting what you believe your own sentiments would be, if you were in their shoes... but you're not.

"In the grand scheme of things" is bull $hit rationalizing.

 

[feathersax]

OP setting up VolNation's next cloud to yell at.

You mad? Petulant is unbecoming for big boys like you.

 

[guido4198]

I guess I just wonder if it would ultimately be viable. Presently, the NFL doesn't have to worry about development, because the colleges are content to do it for them. So, there is no financial committment necessary, which I think is pretty beneficial to them.

There are a lot of things that are "beneficial to the NFL". I'm not sure why that is and this thread isn't the place to point out the many economic blessings politicians have handed out to the NFL, for decades.

That’s why there isn’t an NFL farm system.

Of course there's an NFL Farm System and it's financed by taxpayers. It doesn't cost the billionaire NFL owners a penny. SWWweeeettttt huh..??

 

[Volunteer08]

All of you posters hating on these kids for sitting out the bowl game to prepare for the NFL are idiots. I’m sorry, but if you had a legitimate chance to make some real money in this world, you’d do the same damn thing. Stop calling these boys quitters.

 

[hog88]

Oh, really? Do you know any of those departing players well enough to speak for them in such a way? I doubt it. You are projecting what you believe your own sentiments would be, if you were in their shoes... but you're not.

"In the grand scheme of things" is bull $hit rationalizing.

I know enough former players to make a pretty good guess at what most of the current ones are thinking about this.

 

[Sara Clark]

 

[jmacvols1]

Mike Leach: Players opting out of bowl games is 'one of the biggest absurdities that I've seen'

 

[DuckinVol]

Why do people keep using the plural "kids" for UT players choosing to sit out? My count is exactly one who has made that decision, and, while I'm on the "play if you can" side of the fence, his injuries make the decision understandable.

There may be others, but I've not heard it.