Fireworks today as Saban accuses Texas A&M of “buying” all the players in their vaunted recruiting class.  Fischer responds that Saban better be careful going down that rabbit hole (I agree) because A&M “didn’t pay anyone” to come there (no one believes).

Is this a preview of the future of the sport?   

Yes, and it sucks.

Also, Saban is such a whiny asshole. “We were second. They were first because they paid players.” 🙄 Like anyone outside of Tuscaloosa believes Bama is anymore clean than the rest. 

It will settle down, as everything always does. These boosters didnt get rich by making bad investments. They will realize who is worth it and who isnt, and the same great players will be going to the same schools -- just they will be paid.

The only real way to make it fair is to limit scholoarships. 

posted by friendfromlowry

Yes, and it sucks.

Also, Saban is such a whiny asshole. “We were second. They were first because they paid players.” 🙄 Like anyone outside of Tuscaloosa believes Bama is anymore clean than the rest. 

Agreed.  I doubt any Power 5 school is squeaky clean.  Saban is mad about not getting the top class and losing the NC.  

I thought it was funny because it doesn't take much reading between the lines to see that Nick is all salty about how his team isn't going to be able to stay at the top of the sport simply because he can say "I'm Nick Saban and this is Alabama" and get his pick of the litter as far as recruits go.

It will take some time, but if this path continues, there will eventually be small market and big market teams. Alabama is a poor state and Texas is a wealthy state, so payrolls will be like MLB where small markets have to execute perfectly to win a championship. The open transfer rules will make it even harder.

I am early 50s, grew up in Columbus as a diehard OSU fan.  I have been a Buckeye/college football fan always.

In recent years, my interest has waned.  It’s to the point now where I rarely watch a game not involving the Buckeyes (used to watch any good matchup on tv) and even skip some Ohio State games.  My lack of interest probably started around the time Tressel was fired.  Urban Meyer was not someone I was interested in.  

Flash forward to today and I find my fandom is almost to the point of indifference.  Could be due to some combination of the following:

• Demise of the bowl system and its effect on regular season games

• Big games all being at night.  I know it’s popular and convenient for tv, but I love college football during daylight
• So many commercials

• Lack of parity / SEC dominance 
• Transfer portal / free agency
• NIL taking away all semblance of someone playing for a school for pride

Anyone else feel similar?  If so, to what do you attribute it?  For me, college basketball is a relevant barometer.  I used to love it.  But the one-and-done trend destroyed any interest I had.  

On schedule I will be at WVU@Pitt on a Thursday night and will travel back the next Saturday for Tennessee @ Pitt. Then my XC schedule makes games tough to impossible. Might catch Duke or Syracuse at Pitt in November 

If good potentially take in the bowl game.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

I am early 50s, grew up in Columbus as a diehard OSU fan.  I have been a Buckeye/college football fan always.

In recent years, my interest has waned.  It’s to the point now where I rarely watch a game not involving the Buckeyes (used to watch any good matchup on tv) and even skip some Ohio State games.  My lack of interest probably started around the time Tressel was fired.  Urban Meyer was not someone I was interested in.  

Flash forward to today and I find my fandom is almost to the point of indifference.  Could be due to some combination of the following:

• Demise of the bowl system and its effect on regular season games

• Big games all being at night.  I know it’s popular and convenient for tv, but I love college football during daylight
• So many commercials

• Lack of parity / SEC dominance 
• Transfer portal / free agency
• NIL taking away all semblance of someone playing for a school for pride

Anyone else feel similar?  If so, to what do you attribute it?  For me, college basketball is a relevant barometer.  I used to love it.  But the one-and-done trend destroyed any interest I had.  

Can’t relate. But I also don’t have a favorite team, either. So maybe that plays into it. I just like watching a good matchup. I’ll never get tired of the top ten showdowns on a Saturday night. 

Better stop talking about it. I don’t usually get anxious for football til late July. 

I think a lot of your interest level comes from where you live / grew up and age. As we get older we hold onto wanting what it was like when we were younger and accept change less. Also living in Dallas they talk about college football and college basketball maybe 1% of the time. They continuously rail on March Madness being a horrible product and boring to watch compared to the NBA. In Ohio we always saw OSU flags our or other teams on houses here it rare with the exception of someone from the Midwest flying their school flag or a few Texas AM fans. 

Big College football games are fun week in and week out. (Although I agree that 90% of bowl games are trash now) NFL games are fun week n and week out because of Fantasy. 

March Madness is still my favorite sports time of the year and I love watching a big matchup during the regular season and most Ohio State games. I can’t stand watching 95% of the NBA regular season games as players seem to coast most of the game. The NBA playoffs are fun when you get a good matchup. I also feel like a lot of the younger guys have a real competitive will to win vs the last 10 years where we went thru the best friends on the court period.

Maybe it’s not….but I thought this was cool as hell

https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/football/deion-sanders-reveals-the-sport-illustrated-cover

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

I am early 50s, grew up in Columbus as a diehard OSU fan.  I have been a Buckeye/college football fan always.

In recent years, my interest has waned.  It’s to the point now where I rarely watch a game not involving the Buckeyes (used to watch any good matchup on tv) and even skip some Ohio State games.  My lack of interest probably started around the time Tressel was fired.  Urban Meyer was not someone I was interested in.  

Flash forward to today and I find my fandom is almost to the point of indifference.  Could be due to some combination of the following:

• Demise of the bowl system and its effect on regular season games

• Big games all being at night.  I know it’s popular and convenient for tv, but I love college football during daylight
• So many commercials

• Lack of parity / SEC dominance 
• Transfer portal / free agency
• NIL taking away all semblance of someone playing for a school for pride

Anyone else feel similar?  If so, to what do you attribute it?  For me, college basketball is a relevant barometer.  I used to love it.  But the one-and-done trend destroyed any interest I had.  

Nope, not at all. College football is still my favorite sport and my level of interest is the same as when I was at OSU in early 2000s. 

I get a lot your points, but they are generational I think.

Also, big noon kickoff has shifted a lot those games back to the day.

NIL has just leveled the playing field where the players can now benefit from their likeness like any other college student can. 

Parity is a real issue, but that is thr other leagues not keeping up. I'm hoping Lincoln Riley can get SC back making them relevant again.

Transfer portal is fine as if coaches can leave, why not players? 

But, again, I think it is a generational difference as the game has changed so much quickly, it is off putting to some. 

posted by ptown_trojans_1

Nope, not at all. College football is still my favorite sport and my level of interest is the same as when I was at OSU in early 2000s. 

I get a lot your points, but they are generational I think.

Also, big noon kickoff has shifted a lot those games back to the day.

NIL has just leveled the playing field where the players can now benefit from their likeness like any other college student can. 

Parity is a real issue, but that is thr other leagues not keeping up. I'm hoping Lincoln Riley can get SC back making them relevant again.

Transfer portal is fine as if coaches can leave, why not players? 

But, again, I think it is a generational difference as the game has changed so much quickly, it is off putting to some. 

My opinion may be generational.  I don’t have any problem with players getting paid since schools / coaches and everyone else does.  I also agree with the transfer portal so long as coaches can leave anytime.

But these things have dramatically changed the game to a point where I don’t have nearly as much passion about it.  It’s much closer to NFL lite now.  The cat’s out of the bag I realize.  Just wondering if those empty seats at every school including OSU (which NEVER used to be there)are a barometer of things to come.

Mine is about the same, but I also took a big step back in the mid-2000s. The offenses got too good and product was terrible. People may like it, but I hated when a game was not only still in the balance with 40 seconds left, but both teams were likely to score again.

They need to adopt the NFL clock rules imo. Or at least some variation where it isn’t stopped nearly as often. The first down stoppage is brutal. 

I like college football slightly more in high school (2001-05) But when I got to college (05-09) I became a much bigger nfl fan.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

My opinion may be generational.  I don’t have any problem with players getting paid since schools / coaches and everyone else does.  I also agree with the transfer portal so long as coaches can leave anytime.

But these things have dramatically changed the game to a point where I don’t have nearly as much passion about it.  It’s much closer to NFL lite now.  The cat’s out of the bag I realize.  Just wondering if those empty seats at every school including OSU (which NEVER used to be there)are a barometer of things to come.

Yeah. I get that. Empty seats could be also the result of high ticket prices for horrible games. There is also the it is just easier to stay at home with HD, cheaper drinks and food. 

posted by Laley23

Mine is about the same, but I also took a big step back in the mid-2000s. The offenses got too good and product was terrible. People may like it, but I hated when a game was not only still in the balance with 40 seconds left, but both teams were likely to score again.

They need to adopt the NFL clock rules imo. Or at least some variation where it isn’t stopped nearly as often. The first down stoppage is brutal. 

1000% agree with you on the clock. 

I'm also more of a fan of college than the NFL simply cause there is more of it. I can have college games on from noon to 2am every Saturday. That doesn't include weekday games like MACtion. 

I'll gladly watch a mid tier ACC or Big 12 game or crazy Pac-12 after dark. 

posted by ptown_trojans_1

1000% agree with you on the clock. 

I'm also more of a fan of college than the NFL simply cause there is more of it. I can have college games on from noon to 2am every Saturday. That doesn't include weekday games like MACtion. 

I'll gladly watch a mid tier ACC or Big 12 game or crazy Pac-12 after dark. 

Yep. Teams run a 9 play drive for a TD, and because of first downs and the fast paced, only 1:39 comes off the clock. Gross.

Admittedly part of my problem might be that I lived in Alabama from 2015-21, thus experiencing Alabama/Auburn nonsense and general SEC insanity.  Being around those people can ruin playboy bunny orgy.

I still like good college matchups, but it seems like due to everyone wanting to get all home games non-conference that there are many more games that are not competitive. Look at the Buckeyes (or anyone's) non-conference schedule today compared to 30 years ago. Also, expanded conferences have watered down the product. In many years, there are only about 3 OSU games that excite me, and I love those weeks. I just wish that we had more of them.

Thinking more about this, I just cannot take the time. A fast college game is 4 hrs. It’s too much.

posted by Laley23

Thinking more about this, I just cannot take the time. A fast college game is 4 hrs. It’s too much.

I agree that it's too long. The clock rules and long halftime are problems.

It’s probably not very good in a bowl.

— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) June 12, 2022

Yesterday, Ohio State was finally granted the trademark for "THE"

posted by brutus161

Yesterday, Ohio State was finally granted the trademark for "THE"

Great, more ways for people to shit on the university. When I am at events, I get oh you graduated from THE Ohio State University and I just laugh. People hate it. 

I usually don't use it as it just sounds pretentious. 

posted by ptown_trojans_1

Great, more ways for people to shit on the university. When I am at events, I get oh you graduated from THE Ohio State University and I just laugh. People hate it. 

I usually don't use it as it just sounds pretentious. 

It's the way people say it. It's stupid to emphasize THE so much. Like, if you say Ohio State I am pretty sure everyone in the world knows what you are talking about. You don't need to add THE in such a way that makes it sound like there are multiple options of where you may have gone.