I didn't think we could beat Iowa at full strength, but with a neutered offense facing very stout and unforgiving Iowa defense...forget about it. Opt outs stink for fans. I get why kids do it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it
Opt outs have ruined Bowl season
- Thread starter Jimerussell
- Start date
Bowl season ruined bowl season long ago. It's a dogcrap model and not a real postseason. Thank God we finally got a real playoff in 2014 and now its going to 12.
What I'm wondering is, if they keep taking one-year QB's like Leary, is this what every bowl game is going to look like for the foreseeable future?
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I've stated a lotta times I understand, but truth is part of me doesn't, and it just kind of sticks in my craw when these kids sit out. I know all the reasoning, but still.....
One thing that stinks is some of these kids have not played all year. So you have all of the first game jitters and mistakes. At key positions.
But i love that dr pepper commercial
The opt-out is fall-out of one main thing - the elongated season.
It used to be 10 games and bowl game. 11 games total. Now its 12 minimum (UK did 13 this year). If you go to the conference championship there is 13 (or 14). Then a bowl game (14 or 15) or a two game playoff (15 or 16 games). And in the near future your looking at a 3 or 4 round playoff.
There was always a certain "risk" for high level draft pick candidates but they did not opt out as much. So what is the change. The change is now players are now banged up more. There is less time to fix the damage between the regular season and the bowls. So players are opting out to get healed up. And you can not blame them.
It would not be too surprising in the expanded format to see high level players that are playing for the 7 though 12 seed teams in the playoff opt out. That is a risk to the new system that has not been played out.
It used to be 10 games and bowl game. 11 games total. Now its 12 minimum (UK did 13 this year). If you go to the conference championship there is 13 (or 14). Then a bowl game (14 or 15) or a two game playoff (15 or 16 games). And in the near future your looking at a 3 or 4 round playoff.
There was always a certain "risk" for high level draft pick candidates but they did not opt out as much. So what is the change. The change is now players are now banged up more. There is less time to fix the damage between the regular season and the bowls. So players are opting out to get healed up. And you can not blame them.
It would not be too surprising in the expanded format to see high level players that are playing for the 7 though 12 seed teams in the playoff opt out. That is a risk to the new system that has not been played out.
Listen, we can't have a 64 team football tourney, hell, 32 teams is unrealistic. The most we could ever hope to see is maybe 16. We all know that UK probably only qualifies for something like that under Stoops maybe once every 10 years. So, if there isn't a bowl season, what are you going to do, play 12 games and then just close up shop every year after that. Bowls were meant to be a reward for a season of hard work and accomplishment. Granted, the number of bowls definitely needs to be pared down.
But if you think bowl games are meaningless, and UK probably only makes a 12 or 16 team playoff once or twice every 25 years, what's the point of even having a season or a football program? Do you like college football or don't you? Do you want success for UK all the time or don't you? If you don't think bowl games mean anything and the only time a season matters is when UK makes a playoff, which may never happen, why even bother? You're going to be in for a lifetime of disappointing seasons. What are you watching UK football for if that's your attitude?
But if you think bowl games are meaningless, and UK probably only makes a 12 or 16 team playoff once or twice every 25 years, what's the point of even having a season or a football program? Do you like college football or don't you? Do you want success for UK all the time or don't you? If you don't think bowl games mean anything and the only time a season matters is when UK makes a playoff, which may never happen, why even bother? You're going to be in for a lifetime of disappointing seasons. What are you watching UK football for if that's your attitude?
It's mindless entertainment and a passionate hobby.
They can keep the cupcake who cares bowl with a 16 team playoff. People can still watch them and they will get decent ratings.
I'd rather make a 16 team playoff twice a decade than win 8 out of 10 cupcake bowls in the same stretch.
That's fair. But you've defined yourself as a fan. I'm sorry to say that most people would not label you as a "true" fan, but as a "casual" fan. That's fine! We're all where we are.
It is an indication of where the state of the program. The teams that do well in bowls with opt outs most likely have a better future as those teams are show casing their talent for the next couple of years.
It's a hobby for all of us. How the hell does that make me a casual fan? Stfu with that crap.
Sports are about competing for things that matter. I guarantee UKs coaches and players rather make a playoff than win the who gives a crap bowl.
If they opted out to prepare for the draft ... why were they in Nashville?
How long does it take to prepare for the NFL? That excuse is ridiculous. Just admit you’re a quitter and move on.
I understand the opt outs but disagree with the vast majority of them.
That said, where the fans really get screwed is we have to opt in on ticket orders a few weeks prior to any opt outs are announced.
The solution is to make the preorders non binding. If they can opt out, the fans should have the same option
That said, where the fans really get screwed is we have to opt in on ticket orders a few weeks prior to any opt outs are announced.
The solution is to make the preorders non binding. If they can opt out, the fans should have the same option
Have to admit, hard to be excited when your NFL QB and RB don’t play. Valentine, as well. The Music City Bowl is not a big time bowl, so I get it, but the game was hard to watch from an offensive perspective.
Fair enough, I was probably being too harsh there. But when players and coaches start giving out the vibe that some games just aren't important or don't matter, well, that's a bad road to start driving down. If you're a coach and you start giving off vibes of a game not mattering, fans are not stupid. If you don't care then I don't care (even if I want to). I'm sure all of the people that went to the bowl and invested their time and money to go and support the team when they didn't have to, would be more than a little upset if the coaches prepared and played like it was a "crap bowl". That's not going to endear fans to your program. Similar to Calipari saying the SEC basketball tournament doesn't matter. Even if that's true, YOU DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD, because that's stupid. You're only going to hurt fan interest in your program.
Speak for yourself
I've enjoyed crazy good football games for the last 2 weeks. To be hung up on the ones who chose to not be there so you don't enjoy all the ones who do is a you problem, not CFBs.
I've enjoyed crazy good football games for the last 2 weeks. To be hung up on the ones who chose to not be there so you don't enjoy all the ones who do is a you problem, not CFBs.
I was speaking for myself. I elected to spend lots of my money to go to the game, only to see our marque players standing on the sidelines and our coaches basically throwing the game to keep a kid from hitting the portal. So yeah MY bowl season kinda sucked.
Well...watching the top handful of kids on most of the games that aren't playoffs is not the real stuff is it?
Would a KC game in NFL be the same if Mahomes, Kelce, Chris Jones?
How about Dallas w/o CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott?
How about Bengals w/o Burrow, JaMar Chase, DJ Reager, Hendrickson, etc....?
I mean UK wasn't a good offense at full strength....watching Wade miss balls by 5 yards for the most of game was sort of dumb (and bad football to sell to fans). Not exactly a good product.
This. Bowl season will still be great television it will just be different. Non playoff teams will basically be a preview for next season and an opportunity for younger players.
That said, I definitely think the schools should make bowl preorders non binding. While the television aspect will still be good, the in person cost is pretty significant and the product can voluntarily change from time of purchase to time of game.
If we’re gonna have all these “opt-outs”, let’s just have the non-playoff bowl games be a “spring game” in which you are playing against an opponent. In other words, nobody that is a Sr, an already announced early draft entrant, or who’s gonna transfer plays. I think I could actually get on board with that.
