Leon O’Neal opts out

opt outs are reducing non-playoff bowl games to being inconsequential. it's a cowardly practice and should be discouraged and punished. I wouldn't be against having them pay back some of their scholarship. if they're going to act like pro's, then treat them as such.

this selfish "me" culture is shameful.

quote:

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players who have NFL aspirations want to opt out of meaningless bowl games

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the players and fans are who give the game meaning, because we want to see one final game and they should want to play in one for their fellow students, teammates and alumni. after all, they did receive a "free" education with the expectation of representing our university while having amenities the average student could only dream of.

if the standard is "meaningless" with respect to not making a playoff or NY6, then one could argue that after 2 losses all games are meaningless, so why keep playing the rest of the season?

this is like simone biles not participating in the olympics because she didn't feel like she was doing it for her. but instead of ridicule, we applaud them. we've lost all sense of duty and perspective.

There is no reason a guy who will get paid a pile of money should be expected to risk that over an exhibition game.

If his next paid gig is accountant, or engineer, he probably wants to play in that game, and risks much less by doing so.

It's a low-mid probability risk with an inordinately high impact versus zero risk and extremely high reward. Thats a no brainer to me.

If teams want guys to play, insure them at a high enough value to do so. If they don't want it that badly, neither should the guy.

But I do wonder when the fact that guys can leave at will becomes one where teams can cut guys at will, too.

Awhile back Josh Pate had a really good idea on making bowl games "meaningful" again

Every bowl should have a prize (ex. $150k) and the winning team gets 75% of the pot and the losing team gets 20% but only players who compete get the money. Something like that would be a good idea I think

"you should play for the love of the game"

Imagine getting worked up about who is playing in a bowl game

In the year 2021

The same people who think that are the ones who thought the season was completely over after Miss State

Easy fix, make the playoffs. Any other bowl below a playoff game is a exhibition game and folks shouldn't worry so much about the outcome given so many players opt out these days. Who could be fired up about Wake Forest after the way the last minute of the last game went? Let the guys leaving go, get extra practice time for the guys you will be counting on next year and get the current year done and over.

Blake Bost is about to learn the sanctity and honor of a 10:30 AM bowl game