College sports as we know it is over. All that is left is the formalities. I said this in a post several weeks ago, and, while some saw what I was trying to convey, most couldn't see the forest for the trees. Maybe,...maybe... the events of the last 24 hours, USC and UCLA leaving the PAC-12 for a conference 2-3 times zones away, will help some see that the possibilities that I threw out there, like involving the NFL, might allow for schools like Ole Miss to have a snowballs chance in the landscape of the future.
College football (and basketball) are a professional sports league. It is time to recognize and embrace that fact. Under the current setup, we simply cannot compete with Texas, A&M, USC, Ohio State, etc. We have to push for change that will allow for more than 2-4 teams to have a chance to win. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson are -650 AGAINST THE FIELD for the CFPNC this year. The field, the other 120+ teams, are +400. THINK ABOUT THAT. Is that parity? Is that scenario likely to improve in the NIL world? What do we do? Well, I posted about this before, and most couldn't grasp why, but you have to involve the NFL. That is the only hope schools like Ole Miss have. Involving the NFL will also solve Title IX issues as the players will no longer be playing for a scholarship, but for wages. The NFL's involvement will also establish a salary schedule that will encourage competition and parity. I am not typing out all of it again, here is the link.
olemiss.forums.rivals.com
Events of the last 24 hours have led me to conclude that the regional conference thing is out too. Here is how I would like to see fundamental realignment take place.
1. Separate Academic 1st schools - These schools, Vandy, Duke, Rice, Stanford, Northwestern, Wake, etc... form a league where they play the same brand the same way, with no paying players and academics are still something that matters. Let them play for a spot in the prestigious E=MC2 Bowl for the Academic league championship.
2. Place the top 64 schools into 2 leagues of 32 each. Have a Flagship division and a Land Grant Division. Schools like Notre Dame (if they don't decide to join and dominate the Academic league) and USC, which are neither, are placed to keep the leagues as equal as possible. Each NFL club is affiliated with 1 school in each league, and players are drafted, paid according to their draft slot, and assigned to teams.
3. Top 8 teams in each league advance to the playoffs, which will give you a 16-team playoff. Bowls can be for those that don't make the playoff.
Ok, all the naysayers and live-in-the-past thinkers, tear it apart. I know that I am ahead of my time on this. I usually am. If we want to have a chance in the fast-changing world that used to be big-time college athletics, we better get out of the peabrain past and start thinking proactively instead of reactively. That is all.
College football (and basketball) are a professional sports league. It is time to recognize and embrace that fact. Under the current setup, we simply cannot compete with Texas, A&M, USC, Ohio State, etc. We have to push for change that will allow for more than 2-4 teams to have a chance to win. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson are -650 AGAINST THE FIELD for the CFPNC this year. The field, the other 120+ teams, are +400. THINK ABOUT THAT. Is that parity? Is that scenario likely to improve in the NIL world? What do we do? Well, I posted about this before, and most couldn't grasp why, but you have to involve the NFL. That is the only hope schools like Ole Miss have. Involving the NFL will also solve Title IX issues as the players will no longer be playing for a scholarship, but for wages. The NFL's involvement will also establish a salary schedule that will encourage competition and parity. I am not typing out all of it again, here is the link.
I have to disagree with Neal about drafting players (Long)
I am a huge fan of the 10 thoughts column. It...
olemiss.forums.rivals.com
Events of the last 24 hours have led me to conclude that the regional conference thing is out too. Here is how I would like to see fundamental realignment take place.
1. Separate Academic 1st schools - These schools, Vandy, Duke, Rice, Stanford, Northwestern, Wake, etc... form a league where they play the same brand the same way, with no paying players and academics are still something that matters. Let them play for a spot in the prestigious E=MC2 Bowl for the Academic league championship.
2. Place the top 64 schools into 2 leagues of 32 each. Have a Flagship division and a Land Grant Division. Schools like Notre Dame (if they don't decide to join and dominate the Academic league) and USC, which are neither, are placed to keep the leagues as equal as possible. Each NFL club is affiliated with 1 school in each league, and players are drafted, paid according to their draft slot, and assigned to teams.
3. Top 8 teams in each league advance to the playoffs, which will give you a 16-team playoff. Bowls can be for those that don't make the playoff.
Ok, all the naysayers and live-in-the-past thinkers, tear it apart. I know that I am ahead of my time on this. I usually am. If we want to have a chance in the fast-changing world that used to be big-time college athletics, we better get out of the peabrain past and start thinking proactively instead of reactively. That is all.
