Treatment of Players By College Football Programs

[corbi296]

Poor treatment of players like this and worse is rampant in College Football but guys like Jim Harbaugh get huge extensions and guys like Pat Fitgerald get fired. Using kids like a piece of meat and discarding them when they are viewed as no longer useful. But yeah, that's not as bad as hazing. Ridiculous.

Maize&BlueReview - Former Michigan DB claims he was 'finessed' into medically retiring

A former Michigan defensive back took to social media to explain that he was 'finessed' into medically retiring.

michigan.rivals.com

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

I think there is a real dichotomy here with college athletes. Their hard work brings in millions to the institution and they are rewarded with scholarships and maybe receive other privileges. I’ve admired our athletes and don’t know how they manage to participate in a Big5 level program and maintain their grade and graduation levels achieved for decades. I am reminded that one of the most impressive aspects of our athletic program including football is that a high percentage of our athletes graduate. Even some players came back (like Autry?) and finished their degrees. Those of us outside the program don’t know what hardships our athletes have endured. Also I know athletes spend hours in the community working with youth and performing meaningful community service projects. Many of our athletes have gone on to have had successful careers and been engaged in activities which have had a positive impact on their communities. I guess that is part of the sorrow I feel about this situation, that all of the good acts by individual athletes and teams over the years are getting swept away.

The program and the institution will be facing very difficult times ahead to come to grips with hazing issues which seem so counter to the positives of the program. I guess some might argue is what the good acts of the program were just window-dressing. But in the articles I’ve seen over the years about our athletes and their civilc engagement in the community seems totally at odds to what limited public information has emerged so far about hazing in the program.

 

[rll1957]

You’re the closest here to reality football is a very closed society there is no where else in sports like it. It’s like the old spartan era. It requires warriors willing to sacrifice for the good of others so it’s very susceptible to abuse think about it 300 lb young men throwing themselves at each other play after play after play it’s psychotic but we all applaud it

 

[stpaulcat]

You’re the closest here to reality football is a very closed society there is no where else in sports like it. It’s like the old spartan era. It requires warriors willing to sacrifice for the good of others so it’s very susceptible to abuse think about it 300 lb young men throwing themselves at each other play after play after play it’s psychotic but we all applaud it

Huh?

 

[Colonel Kong]

Our guy committed robbery and got busted, their guy committed armed robbery and didn't. No fair!

 

[corbi296]

Our guy committed robbery and got busted, their guy committed armed robbery and didn't. No fair!

GTFOH!

 

[CappyNU]

Our guy committed robbery and got busted, their guy committed armed robbery and didn't. No fair!

Funny how you only come around when things are going poorly. You must be thrilled that Fitz is gone now, you've only been asking for it to happen for 7 years.

 

[corbi296]

Funny how you only come around when things are going poorly. You must be thrilled that Fitz is gone now, you've only been asking for it to happen for 7 years.

Then why don't you ban his ass? I know Wildcat Report is desperate for posters but this is the only Board in the Big Ten that would let these trash posters continue to post for years.

 

[Colonel Kong]

Funny how you only come around when things are going poorly. You must be thrilled that Fitz is gone now, you've only been asking for it to happen for 7 years.

When did I ever call for him to be fired? I came around because I was curious how people on here - as opposed to the general alum population - were reacting to this. And I stop by every season - just don't comment much. Lighten up.

 

[Colonel Kong]

Then why don't you ban his ass? I know Wildcat Report is desperate for posters but this is the only Board in the Big Ten that would let these trash posters continue to post on for years.

Are you an NU alum?

 

[corbi296]

Are you an NU alum?

Kellogg grad. More importantly, an NU football fan since 1982. Why does it matter to you?

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

I’ve admired our athletes and don’t know how they manage to participate in a Big5 level program and maintain their grade and graduation levels achieved for decades. I am reminded that one of the most impressive aspects of our athletic program including football is that a high percentage of our athletes graduate.

Football is a ton of work and I want to give all due respect to the team, but it’s not like our football players are unique. Every women’s team does the same, gets better grades and brings home championships.

 

[Colonel Kong]

Just curious why my commenting was so infuriating to you. I neither particularly disliked nor liked Fitz. I did not think he was a particularly good reflection of NU as a whole, but he seems a decent guy and his teams usually played hard. I really didn't much care whether he was fired or not. I do, however, think players behavior while involved in team activity is the ultimate responsibility of the head coach. (I was an athlete at NU btw) What the punishment should be in this case is more a matter of opinion than anything else - there is no hard and fast standard, though no doubt there is relevant language in the contract. Anyway, I do care about the school and don't think my comment was particularly inflammatory. Most of all, I would hope our athletic programs are above this backward bullshit.

 

[corbi296]

Football is a ton of work and I want to give all due respect to the team, but it’s not like our football players are unique. Every women’s team does the same, gets better grades and brings home championships.

And they wouldn’t be able to do any of that at NU without the revenue generated for the Athletics Department by the football team. Without revenue from football, there is no Kelly Amonte Hiller or Izzy Skane at NU.

 

[NUCat320]

You’re the closest here to reality football is a very closed society there is no where else in sports like it. It’s like the old spartan era. It requires warriors willing to sacrifice for the good of others so it’s very susceptible to abuse think about it 300 lb young men throwing themselves at each other play after play after play it’s psychotic but we all applaud it

You should use punctuation, bro.

 

[NUCat320]

And they wouldn’t be able to do any of that at NU without the revenue generated for the Athletics Department by the football team. Without revenue from football, there is no Kelly Amonte Hiller or Izzy Skane at NU.

NU football doesn’t really *bring* that revenue. NU football simply benefits from a historical association with Ohio State and Michigan and Penn State, who *bring* the revenue. The same applies for NU basketball, which had the good fortune to be associated with a school that was established enough to be invited to the Western Conference in 1896.

Without Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes and Joe Paterno, and without Bobby Knight and Gene Keady and Jud Heathcote, there is no Kelly Amonte Hiller.

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

Football is a ton of work and I want to give all due respect to the team, but it’s not like our football players are unique. Every women’s team does the same, gets better grades and brings home championships.

I totally agree and admire student athletes generally across the board with their ability to balance athletics and academics. At UCSD some of our top top students are also athletes. They’ve developed their skills in time management to the max. I remember my best grades growing up were when I particpated in organized sports. I simply had no time between practice, games, classes and homework. Add on our athletes participating in internships and community service so they have had a positive impact on the community that should not be forgotten in the midst of this hot mess.

 

[Eurocat]

Football is a ton of work and I want to give all due respect to the team, but it’s not like our football players are unique. Every women’s team does the same, gets better grades and brings home championships.

Does any time but football and basketball lift like the football team does? I guess maybe wrestling, basketaball perhaps. Does any time besides basketball watch an astonishing number of hours of film study and have a new offense and defense to prepare for every week like the football team does? What film study could someone do in track and field (I know we don't have such a team anymore, but we still did when I went to NU). How much can you weight lift if you are on the rifle team or the golf team. (Yes I know, no rifle team for us, it's just an example). Yet they get scholarships too.

This is absolutely no knock on those athletes, they are tough, and they play hard for our purple pride and God Bless Them all!!

I just think football and basketball players (and perhaps baseball and come to think of it, cheerleaders) are "uber stretched" compared to the other sports when it comes to commitment to their athletic craft. I spent my freshman year in a dorm with a track scholarship athlete and a football scholarship player and the football player just seemed to be around a helluva lot less often due to Central Street team responsibilities than the track kid. Perhaps that is making my opinion biased, I dunno.

For goodness sakes the football team trained with Navy Seals last summer. I don't see any other NU teams training with Navy Seals or running up "Mount Trashmore" (if that is still around). Maybe the Swim and Dive team could do some of the water things.

 

[olshin]

Poor treatment of players like this and worse is rampant in College Football but guys like Jim Harbaugh get huge extensions and guys like Pat Fitgerald get fired. Using kids like a piece of meat and discarding them when they are viewed as no longer useful. But yeah, that's not as bad as hazing. Ridiculous.

Maize&BlueReview - Former Michigan DB claims he was 'finessed' into medically retiring

A former Michigan defensive back took to social media to explain that he was 'finessed' into medically retiring.

michigan.rivals.com

Now that we've professionalized college sports, this is going to be normalized. Can't have all the "pros" (money and free agency) without the "cons" (athletes getting pushed out the door)

 

[corbi296]

Now that we've professionalized college sports, this is going to be normalized. Can't have all the "pros" (money and free agency) without the "cons" (athletes getting pushed out the door)

Agreed but it still doesn't make it right. I'd rather be hazed as part of an infantile team building ritual than to being driven off the team because my coach no longer thinks I am good enough to honor the athletic scholarship he offered me.

 

[Hkjb]

You’re the closest here to reality football is a very closed society there is no where else in sports like it. It’s like the old spartan era. It requires warriors willing to sacrifice for the good of others so it’s very susceptible to abuse think about it 300 lb young men throwing themselves at each other play after play after play it’s psychotic but we all applaud it

Nowhere else in sport like it? Ever hear of Rugby?

 

[hdhntr1]

Wh

Huh?

at part of that was so hard to understand?

 

[hdhntr1]

GTFOH!

Hazing?