Saquon Barkley, Josh Rosen & Sam Darnold Would Be Crazy to Play in Meaningless Bowls

die hard gopher said:

A bowl game that features the #5 and #8 teams in the country, both of which are two of the most prestigious programs in the country is absolutely not meaningless regardless of whether it has national title implications or not. How is that more meaningless than a typical OSU vs Purdue or Maryland game? It absolutely isn't

Has every Rose Bowl that has been played since the start of the BCS era been meaningless too?

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I’ve already stated I don’t think players should sit. Bad juju at best, cowardice at worst. As far as the meaning of the bowls USC fans that I know absolutely are not that excited about this bowl. Helmet schools, it’s championship or bust year in and year out. Expectations are different. It’s a totally different animal than struggling programs breaking through and making a Rose Bowl or other prestigious bowl for the first time in decades.

Every bowl has meaning as far as record, etc, and I do believe the SC and Buckeye players will be more jacked to play each other than a Western Michigan. Should be a good game and I’m excited to watch.

is there a note worthy player that was projected a top draft pick that was knocked out of the draft due to a bowl game injury? If I am "Jim Brown" caliber player obviously headed to canton after my Super bowl years, I am not going to combine or playing when my team is favored. In fact if it looks like we might not be good this year I am taking off the whole season.

These players skipping bowls is a farce. It is a slap in the face to the fans who buy tickets and the school who pays for whatever education they take advantage of. Bowls are not meaningless if your a competitor. Most of these idiots will get a signing bonus then about 3 years later after they blow their cash on girls and cars, they will wish they had a degree because they are on waivers. This happens way more than pretty boy ripping up his knee in a bowl game then missing his draft spot.

MnplsGopher said:

We're only talking about players who are 100% certain to be in the following spring's NFL draft and thus moving on from the school. No player is refusing to play in the bowl game, yet planning on returning to the team the next semester.

So you clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

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Shocking.

I’m talking about commitment, honor and responsibilities. You are talking about what you believe in.

I can buy that.

I've been thinking about this one and after watching the players who sit out take in all the perks by going to a bowl game. I believe that the players should simply stay home if they aren't going to play and not take in the perks. They have a right not to play and that is their choice. Then they should stay home and prepare for the draft then. Can't dictate everything.

Pathetic to sit out.

Pompous Elitist said:

Pathetic to sit out.

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Prior to the USC - Ohio St bowl game I was pretty sure the right decision is to play, for all the team, school, responsibility, fearless reasons etc. But then Darnold goes out and has a poor performance and goes from first overall pick to lots of doubts. He could go back to school, he could end up a mid round pick. Maybe he comes out and scouts go...it's one game and he he's still in round one but it sure looks like his life is drastically different because he played in the bowl game.

If a pro team is going to judge a guy by one game I think they have a problem.

#2Gopher said:

If a pro team is going to judge a guy by one game I think they have a problem.

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Maybe, but it has to give you doubt or pause to how he performs in big games. Maybe the game confirmed weaknesses you were worried about. It didn't help his standing. I doubt anybody downgrades him if he chose to sit the game out and announced it a couple weeks ago. It does only take one team to like him.
To me a problem is drafting a guy rounds higher because he runs fast in the combine or has longer arms than you thought or etc. You have years of tape...how well can he play is #1, how well did he play against the best teams is a big deal for me. Great game against a 3 win team is a non factor for me.

60's Guy said:

Maybe, but it has to give you doubt or pause to how he performs in big games. Maybe the game confirmed weaknesses you were worried about. It didn't help his standing. I doubt anybody downgrades him if he chose to sit the game out and announced it a couple weeks ago. It does only take one team to like him.
To me a problem is drafting a guy rounds higher because he runs fast in the combine or has longer arms than you thought or etc. You have years of tape...how well can he play is #1, how well did he play against the best teams is a big deal for me. Great game against a 3 win team is a non factor for me.

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He played pretty well in the Rose Bowl last year

Tough crowd. He was 58% on the night with a bad pick, playing against a top defense with an incredible rush and top notch secondary. I think he’ll be fine. He made some incredible throws and some duds. The talent is glaringly bright, though. Name a QB that hasn’t had some rough games. Team game.

Any GM that judges a QB on a limited sample deserves Josh Rosen.

I don't begrudge the guys for not playing, but I think it is naive to think it doesn't hurt the game and really hurts the fans, or more accurately the customers. In case people haven't noticed there is a decreasing number of people willing to pay money to attend and support football teams. Now for Christian McCaffery and Josh Rosen, the future of college football isn't probably important, but it is for kids in the future who want to receive scholarships and play big time college football.

This issue itself isn't going to make or break college football, but it is one more in a growing list of issues that aren't good for the future of big time college football. The only essential part of the college football equation is the fans. They are irreplaceable and without them none of it exists. The players do play for themselves and their future, but that is only possible if there are enough people willing to pay a lot money to watch them do it. Good business and the employees of those businesses make sure that they don't alienate their customers.