Do academics mean anything anymore at college

[Vespidae]

Heck yes today is better. At least now we know the going rate to buy a player and the champion actually earns it on the field. In other words - today everything is above board. You may not like it but at least everything is out in the open.

Compare that to the old days where sports writers were told how to vote by AD’s or their access would be cut off. Or when guys like Herschel were bought on the black market. Or when bowl invites were given out quietly in October (see ND 1990).

I simply can’t understand how any GT fan can long for the past 60 years where our program fell from a top 10 program to an afterthought today because of the underhanded and uneven system, let alone the inconsistent investigative portion of the NCAA. We finally have a system that can benefit our team and you guys are bashing it. Key’s use of the portal and NIL has us poised to finally be a consistently winning team and you guys are whining.

And all the proof you need is that guys like Saban and Kirby hate the portal and NIL because now they can’t lie to high school kids and own them for 4 years and stack 4 stars on the depth chart and their use of the under the table NIL they’ve had going for 50 years is now void. I love this new era. And I didn’t even address how much I love the expanded playoff where a school like GT has a much higher chance to get in than they ever did previously.

Better? Meh.

Tech 60 years ago was 1964. Still a great program but … withdrawing from the SEC. And before integration which dramatically changed college football. Was Tech ready for that? No.

Almost every player and team captain I’ve spoken to HATES the new system. Why? Nobody plays for school, tradition or development anymore. No playing time? Just transfer. It’s hard to build a team today. My neighbor played for a national championship team in the 80’s and loves football but wouldn’t want to play in today’s system.

I don’t think today is better. Its ok. But what we need is a tiered system. That will equalize competition. I rea like the Premier League approach.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

Of course asking old guys about the old days is gonna get the answer you got. But you know darn well if these same guys were 18 today they’d be taking whatever NIL they could get. And our starting QB who has led us back to respectability transferred for playing time and all I heard were cheers in Orlando. I have no problem with a tiered system. I’m down with that.

I also see no one ever addresses how horrible the previous system was for schools that tried to be honest and do the right thing. GT tried to admit players who had a brain. We also tried to not give away BK bags full of Benjamins. And what did we get for it under that old system? We dropped from a top 10 program to a nobody. We also got put on probation several times and were stripped of a title. What has Bama, ND, UGA, FSU, Ohio St, Mich, ever been stripped off? Nothing.

 

[4shotB]

Of course asking old guys about the old days is gonna get the answer you got. But you know darn well if these same guys were 18 today they’d be taking whatever NIL they could get. And our starting QB who has led us back to respectability transferred for playing time and all I heard were cheers in Orlando. I have no problem with a tiered system. I’m down with that.

I also see no one ever addresses how horrible the previous system was for schools that tried to be honest and do the right thing. GT tried to admit players who had a brain. We also tried to not give away BK bags full of Benjamins. And what did we get for it under that old system? We dropped from a top 10 program to a nobody. We also got put on probation several times and were stripped of a title. What has Bama, ND, UGA, FSU, Ohio St, Mich, ever been stripped off? Nothing.

You have an optimism about things under the new system that I can't quite muster. Maybe it's bc I am aware of history. There have been so many changes in the past that we all rationalized were going to help Tech. Leaving the SEC. integration. Scholarship limits. Academic requirements. Joining the ACC. At the end of the day, GT has treaded water (excluding the lightning in a bottle CBR era) while the teams you mentioned in your last statement have remained at the top. In other words, the more things have changed, the more they have stayed the same.

If there is one thing that does give me optimism, it's not NIL and the portal - it's that for the first time in my lifetime, it appears we have commitment at the very top (President) to pursue excellence. We have had those who have neglected the AA, those who were indifferent. and those who supported the AA but with a hands off approach. If there is ever going to be step change in our program's status, I believe it will come from this and not externalities.

 

[Southern psu fan]

This article just depresses me and further pushes me away from following college sports.
As every year goes by I am becoming less interested. I watched less college sports this year than I have ever done before. I contribute less than I used to. I probably watched more women's college basketball this year than men's. I certainly watch alot less college football and basketball than I used to.
I don't really follow recruiting that closely anymore because most of the young people are going to be gone in 2 years or less, so why bother getting invested in any of them.

I feel like I am maybe a year or two from just not following college sports anymore. Somewhere along the way we lost the thread. What is the point of following college sports if they really have nothing to do with college? I'd be all for college football being completely removed from colleges at this point. Just go make it a minor league professional sport.

As college football transfer portal becomes more chaotic, focus on educational values continues to dwindle

With the relaxation or elimination of NCAA transfer rules, there will be more chaos than ever as more players jump to new schools

www.cbssports.com

As the enterprise moves away from the educational component of college athletics, the question must be asked: What thread of academics tied to athletics will be left? Are players moving closer to majoring in football? We're not necessarily talking about a degree program -- although, who knows, maybe that's in the cards -- but eroding academic integrity in this transfer climate.

Athletes will continue to play. They will go to classes. But does it even matter anymore if they graduate?

"Quite frankly, they don't care," one Power Four AD said non-specifically. "They care, but [athlete] mobility and money is more important than graduation right now."

It's a long-proven fact that the more a student transfers, the less likely that person is to graduate.

"When we look back five years from now, what will our graduation rates be?" wondered one member of an NCAA committee dealing with the eligibility component.

It has now become much easier to assemble and retain a roster in professional sports than in college athletics. In the pros, there are salary caps and team budgets.

In major college sports, pure chaos continues to reign.

The NIL and transfer portal has a bad ending imo unless somebody steps up and puts strict restrictions on both. We can have them but we need strict rules. I don’t know how to fix it but I’m sure somebody in high places does.

 

[stinger78]

The NIL and transfer portal has a bad ending imo unless somebody steps up and puts strict restrictions on both. We can have them but we need strict rules. I don’t know how to fix it but I’m sure somebody in high places does.

I agree with you about the rules but am less hopeful than you about someone knowing how.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Heck yes today is better. At least now we know the going rate to buy a player and the champion actually earns it on the field. In other words - today everything is above board. You may not like it but at least everything is out in the open.

Compare that to the old days where sports writers were told how to vote by AD’s or their access would be cut off. Or when guys like Herschel were bought on the black market. Or when bowl invites were given out quietly in October (see ND 1990).

I simply can’t understand how any GT fan can long for the past 60 years where our program fell from a top 10 program to an afterthought today because of the underhanded and uneven system, let alone the inconsistent investigative portion of the NCAA. We finally have a system that can benefit our team and you guys are bashing it. Key’s use of the portal and NIL has us poised to finally be a consistently winning team and you guys are whining.

And all the proof you need is that guys like Saban and Kirby hate the portal and NIL because now they can’t lie to high school kids and own them for 4 years and stack 4 stars on the depth chart and their use of the under the table NIL they’ve had going for 50 years is now void. I love this new era. And I didn’t even address how much I love the expanded playoff where a school like GT has a much higher chance to get in than they ever did previously.

Again, you put a lot on the table to contemplate.

I certainly can agree that if Tech becomes a top 10 team much of our bellyaching will vanish. We have no solid proof yet that NIL and the portal are going to catapult us into the elites of college ball.

I still actually want my athletes to actually have to go to actual classes. Yeah, I’m a dinosaur.

I see no evidence that Kirby Smart is at all bothered by the new landscape. I think, if anything, it solidifies his place at uga for years to come and guarantees them a national championship run every year. Be happy for you to explain to me however how this is the beginning of the end for uga.

Part of me is encouraged by your optimism. And I would rejoice if you are right. But you seem to be extrapolating an entire picture of where this is going based on things I’m not seeing.

Yes, college football was less corrupt 60 years ago. That’s not the same as saying it was perfect or without flaws.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

You have an optimism about things under the new system that I can't quite muster. Maybe it's bc I am aware of history. There have been so many changes in the past that we all rationalized were going to help Tech. Leaving the SEC. integration. Scholarship limits. Academic requirements. Joining the ACC. At the end of the day, GT has treaded water (excluding the lightning in a bottle CBR era) while the teams you mentioned in your last statement have remained at the top. In other words, the more things have changed, the more they have stayed the same.

If there is one thing that does give me optimism, it's not NIL and the portal - it's that for the first time in my lifetime, it appears we have commitment at the very top (President) to pursue excellence. We have had those who have neglected the AA, those who were indifferent. and those who supported the AA but with a hands off approach. If there is ever going to be step change in our program's status, I believe it will come from this and not externalities.

I hear you. But the reason GT has fallen behind is because of GT. We could have offered Herschel two cars. We could have given Cam a million in Wendy’s bags. We could have admitted illiterates who would have bolstered our lines. We could have done a number of things that everyone else was doing to win games, but we didn’t. And we have suffered for 60 years.

I agree that a commitment from the top is important because at least now we won’t have administrators calling the NCAA to turn our coaches in for giving a kid money or taking a kid to the movies - because it’s legal now. That’s my entire point - the playing field is now level where any school can do what was illegal and done by many just a few years ago. Now, do I expect GT to properly utilize it? Heck no. As you pointed out, GT has made consistently poor decisions throughout its history so it is consistent to believe that GT will not use NIL like others will which means we will continue to be in the mediocre level of the sport.

It appears that many here liked the old ways where UGA, Auburn, Bama, Clemson, FSU, and others could buy players under the table and GT would not which cause us to lose. I just don’t understand those of you who loved that system. The entire system was broken and unfair but because it wasn’t done in the open you guys were fine with it. I’m from south Georgia. I’ve seen the number of high quality players who could have gone to GT and helped win games instead get bought and sold on the black market while the NCAA let it happen. I will take us getting outbid in an above board system every day over the old way. I could tell you stories of how Auburn would come into this area and buy players because I was friends with the Auburn families who funneled the money. They had an incredible bag man system down here for decades.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

You have an optimism about things under the new system that I can't quite muster. Maybe it's bc I am aware of history. There have been so many changes in the past that we all rationalized were going to help Tech. Leaving the SEC. integration. Scholarship limits. Academic requirements. Joining the ACC. At the end of the day, GT has treaded water (excluding the lightning in a bottle CBR era) while the teams you mentioned in your last statement have remained at the top. In other words, the more things have changed, the more they have stayed the same.

If there is one thing that does give me optimism, it's not NIL and the portal - it's that for the first time in my lifetime, it appears we have commitment at the very top (President) to pursue excellence. We have had those who have neglected the AA, those who were indifferent. and those who supported the AA but with a hands off approach. If there is ever going to be step change in our program's status, I believe it will come from this and not externalities.

I hear you. But the reason GT has fallen behind is because of GT. We could have offered Herschel two cars. We could have given Cam a million in Wendy’s bags. We could have admitted illiterates who would have bolstered our lines. We could have done a number of things that everyone else was doing to win games, but we didn’t. And we have suffered for 60 years.

I agree that a commitment from the top is important because at least now we won’t have administrators calling the NCAA to turn our coaches in for giving a kid money or taking a kid to the movies - because it’s legal now. That’s my entire point - the playing field is now level where any school can do what was illegal and done by many just a few years ago. Now, do I expect GT to properly utilize it? Heck no. As you pointed out, GT has made consistently poor decisions throughout its history so it is consistent to believe that GT will not use NIL like others will which means we will continue to be in the mediocre level of the sport.

It appears that many here liked the old ways where UGA, Auburn, Bama, Clemson, FSU, and others could buy players under the table and GT would not which cause us to lose. I just don’t understand those of you who loved that system. The entire system was broken and unfair but because it wasn’t done in the open you guys were fine with it. I’m from south Georgia. I’ve seen the number of high quality players who could have gone to GT and helped win games instead get bought and sold on the black market while the NCAA let it happen. I will take us getting outbid in an above board system every day over the old way. I could tell you stories of how Auburn would come into this area and buy players because I was friends with the Auburn families who funneled the money. They had an incredible bag man system down here for decades.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

Sorry, repost

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Sorry, repost

People from South Georgia do that.

Joking

 

[alagold]

Of course asking old guys about the old days is gonna get the answer you got. But you know darn well if these same guys were 18 today they’d be taking whatever NIL they could get. And our starting QB who has led us back to respectability transferred for playing time and all I heard were cheers in Orlando. I have no problem with a tiered system. I’m down with that.

I also see no one ever addresses how horrible the previous system was for schools that tried to be honest and do the right thing. GT tried to admit players who had a brain. We also tried to not give away BK bags full of Benjamins. And what did we get for it under that old system? We dropped from a top 10 program to a nobody. We also got put on probation several times and were stripped of a title. What has Bama, ND, UGA, FSU, Ohio St, Mich, ever been stripped off? Nothing.

don't get me started on unCheat--borders on the unbelievable with no punishment

 

[GoldZ]

Of course asking old guys about the old days is gonna get the answer you got. But you know darn well if these same guys were 18 today they’d be taking whatever NIL they could get. And our starting QB who has led us back to respectability transferred for playing time and all I heard were cheers in Orlando. I have no problem with a tiered system. I’m down with that.

I also see no one ever addresses how horrible the previous system was for schools that tried to be honest and do the right thing. GT tried to admit players who had a brain. We also tried to not give away BK bags full of Benjamins. And what did we get for it under that old system? We dropped from a top 10 program to a nobody. We also got put on probation several times and were stripped of a title. What has Bama, ND, UGA, FSU, Ohio St, Mich, ever been stripped off? Nothing.

Old guys have lived during both periods. The young guys haven't. Old guys rule in this instance. Everything is relative, and sure the old days had problems, but those same problems are much much worse now, as in the almost forgotten purpose of COLLEGE football (hint: academics), payola (hint:NIL), and put me in coach or I'll pull the TP card on ya (never mind that almost all players wanting more PT in college will never see an NFL field, like 98% of all players.