West Virginia

Universities make billions of dollars while the most talented players risk life and limb every game for college tuition. Lesser talented players mostly sit the bench unless needed due to injury.
Maybe the star athletes should be paid to play in high visibility bowl/play-off games.

 

If you pay one you have to pay them all.

 

AND every scholarship (and probably walk ons) athlete including women's crewing --- ALL at the same pay rate (they are receiving the same benefit --- a college education --- so pay would have to be the same).

 

Ok then. No more free rides. But we will write you a check every semester.

 

Oh jeez, not the "we should pay the players" crap again? Maybe we should also let them form a union because the Univerties have that "slaveholder" mentality.

On the other hand, if an athlete leaves early (i.e. before graduating) and gets a pay day, he / she should reimburse the university for all expenses; classes, books, room, board, nutrition counseling, tutoring, laptop rental, weight room usage, clothing / swag, etc. This should total well over $100,000 easily. However, if they graduate AND play all of their games, they owe nothing.

- Mike

 

Moon, so my question is, why didn’t Greer shut it down before the OU game? Very candidly, he could have had a career ending neck/leg fracture in that game. Yes, that game meant more for the team, but the risks were the same. He played the OU game “for the team and the program,” regardless of the risks. He didn’t play the bowl game for his own selfish reasons. He let his teammates and the program down and as a result, they were embarrassed by a team they should he beaten, easily. His coach looked inept, and his team, pathetic.

I get the financial implications, and I don’t care. Like someone else said, buy an a insurance policy. You’re either a team player or you’re not. Greer isn’t, and my guess is that he probably is now persona non grada in Morgantown. Had I been a WVU fan of Greer prior, I wouldn’t be after this decision.

To be consistent, I was disgusted by the decisions of Williams, Elliott and Jefferson to skip our bowl game last year.

Like the old saying goes, “there’s no “I” in team,” except for a number of selfish players like Will Greer.

 

"Like the old saying goes, “there’s no “I” in team,” except for a number of selfish players like Will Greer."

Ain't no "we" either

 

You fail to realize the world has changed over the past 20 years. There is very little loyalty nor dedication to anything anymore other than each person's own self anymore. As long as it benefits the person in their own mind then they'll work for it.

I work in retail and I see kids every year quit because they can't understand why they can't take off before every holiday because they think they should have the right to do whatever they want because it doesn't fit what they want right now. Some suffer and complain about the consequences but some just don't care.

We see the same with players sitting out because they see zero benefit in it for them with zero loyalty to the team. I don't like it and you don't like it but that doesnt matter at all because as long as their talents are in demand there are no consequences. This is only going to keep progressing regardless of whether you or I think it is good or bad. It's the world we live in and we just have to learn to deal with it.

 

I realize things have changed, but here's a poor man's response to several good prior posts:

"Hey dude, it's ALL about me"

It's not about your program that is so much BIGGER than me.

It's not about your program that gave me an opportunity to compete and get noticed on a D5 level.

it's not about your program that gave me a full ride, "Cadillac" level, 4 year scholarship to a Tier 1 University. One that if I earn a degree it really means something.

It's not about the TEAM...

It's about me.



Rant over...

 

Vol, believe me, I’m not failing to realize anything. I live in the real world just like you do, and I deal with Millennials (as an example) all the time.

I get it, but I don’t have to like it (not saying that you do). Unlike many situations in life, this behavior “may be controllable.”

As I suggested in another thread, it’s going to take a courageous high profile coach — or group of coaches — to “potentially” alter the behavior. For example, imagine the impact of a coach like Saban if he were to step up and express the opinion that such behavior is not only not acceptable, but that he doesn’t want such selfish players on his team.

Probably more importantly, imagine the impact if a few NFL coaches like Belichick and Reid made it known how they felt about this selfish behavior, that it was not a positive reflection on the player’s character, and that it would affect their assessment of such players?

This trend can be altered. Not saying that it will be, but it could be.

The players think they have the power, but I don’t believe they do. Greer wants fame and fortune. If he understood that his value to an NFL team would be deminished, my bet is that he would have played.

Finally, for those who believe that the NFL doesn’t have the power, ask Colin Kaepernick what he thinks.

 

I think we need to get the Pirate vocal. He wouldn't be skeered to say something.

NFL coaches couldn't care less if a college player skips a game. By the last game of their college career they've already shown everything an NFL coach needs to see.

 

Maybe the NFL can hold their draft the week after the regular season and then the colleges will just have to deal with their good players not playing in the bowl games. If it is all about the individual players', then f**k it, let them get paid earlier and let the ones who want to play...play.