College players who skip bowl games cheat their teams, fans
Editor’s note: Unfortunately, we don’t have room in the print edition for all of the great reader feedback we’re getting. For more of the letters, go to Dispatch.com. Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.
On opting out of bowl games
To the editor: The announcement this week of Ohio State starting football players opting out of the Rose Bowl is a bunch of baloney. I don't know if there is anything the NCAA can do about this problem, but they need to address it. Not to play is grossly unfair to the kids' teammates, school and thousands of fans who follow the Buckeyes. All of these kids have received a free education, room and board and campus privileges during the time they have been in school, and, as part of the scholarship agreement, they should be required to agree to play in all games they are eligible for, including bowl games. They should be required to fulfill their commitment. Mike Welsh, Westerville
To the editor: It is disgraceful that a few OSU football players have declared that they will be available for the NFL draft, but unavailable for play in the Rose Bowl. This, after making the cushy trip to the West Coast with the team and coaches.
Let's look at the less materialistic issues: These guys have an unwritten moral contract to finish the season. That season is not finished until all games affiliated with the 2021 season have been completed. That means bowl games. I understand that they do not want to endanger their professional careers by playing in another game. Does that mean that they would not exert maximum effort for fear of injury? Perhaps this is what happened in the Michigan game.
Let's carry the example one step further: Would they still opt out if playing for the national championship? These student-athletes owe one more game to the school, coaches and fans. Where would they be if not for these mentors? The NFL gold would never come about if they had not been recruited, educated and nurtured by their college and all that comes with it.
I quote from Garrett Wilson's tweet: “To Buckeye Nation with love.” Is it love that makes him quit? Nicholas Petitfrere quotes from Carmen Ohio: “How firm thy friendship.” Sounds a bit loose to me.
What's the answer? I believe we are seeing a failure of leadership. School officials and perhaps the NCAA should put their collective feet down (Is this possible?) and at the outset of the season require all players scheduled to play in a bowl game to sign an agreement to do so. I think there could be some effective penalty if the agreement was violated. I shudder to think that college football has been battered to this extent, but perhaps that is part of the world in which we now live.
Don Denton, Westerville
To Mike, Don: While many think the players should be required to play, that isn't the case now and never will be. And how can you require players to promise to play when coaches aren't required to stay put and serve out their contracts until the kids they recruited graduate? I fully believe that if the Buckeyes were in a playoff game all the players would stick around and give their best efforts. But with no title on the line, they are making business decisions and remembering players such as Michigan's (and Pickerington's) Jake Butt, who stuck around for one more game in 2016 and lost a lot of money due to injury. And what if Ohio State demanded that they play? That would not go well in the world of recruiting, where they tell players they are preparing them for the NFL.
On Urban Meyer
To the editor: Urban Meyer should apply for a GM position and stay out of football coaching on the pro level. Gary Davis
To Gary: I'm pretty certain that Meyer is finished with the NFL and that the NFL is finished with Meyer.
On Ohio State-michigan
To the editor: Robb Price said that Michigan held every play? When did he become an expert? Watching a game on TV is not exactly watching film.
The Joe Moore award goes to the best offensive line in the country. The voters are all 130 offensive line coaches in FBS and writers who were offensive linemen. Michigan won this award, according to real experts.
Also one of the most respected coaches in the last 60 years, John Madden, has said that Michigan's offensive line played the best game that he had ever seen an offensive line play. Madden has seen thousands of games in the NFL and college in his career.
Robert Oyster
On Austin Carr
To the editor: Listening to Austin Carr broadcast Cleveland Cavaliers games is worse than watching the TV stations broadcast pictures of “Buck-iguy” or “Big Nut” during the OSU football games. Please spare us the pain!
Jimmy Ryan, Canal Winchester