'14 CO RB Christian McCaffrey (Stanford Verbal)

[IrishLion]

i just think it's a bad move for the kid, its bad enough he's from a wealthy family and went to stanford but so many NFL scouts/coaches are gonna label him as entitled. In the end him skipping the game is gonna be more hassle than its worth. He should just play and ask the OC to limit his carries but keep it on the downlow

I just don't know if that's true about how he'll be labeled. He made a good business decision, and I think a lot of GMs will see it that way. Some former coaches and players that want to look like tough hardasses will speak out against it, but it's not their money on the line.

 

[Blaise]

<blockquoteclass="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the lesson fournetteand mccafferywill learn is that sometimes, you gottado what you gottado, and sometimes people gottajust be mad.</p>— El Flaco(@bomani_jones) <a href="https://twitter.com/bomani_jones/status/810871777698189314">December 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Blaise]

<blockquoteclass="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Football has chewed 'em up and spit 'em out for so long fans have become convinced it shouldn't be any other way. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/McCaffrey?src=hash">#McCaffrey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fournette?src=hash">#Fournette</a></p>— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) <a href="https://twitter.com/Espngreeny/status/810875601527652353">December 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Blaise]

<blockquoteclass="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Say JaylonSmith went 5th overall. He'd get a fully guaranteed 4-yr, $23.5M deal. Wound up with a 4-yr, $6.5M ($4.5M guar) deal instead.</p>— Albert Breer(@AlbertBreer) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/810875544929796096">December 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[bkess8]

<blockquoteclass="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">the lesson fournetteand mccafferywill learn is that sometimes, you gottado what you gottado, and sometimes people gottajust be mad.</p>— El Flaco(@bomani_jones) <a href="https://twitter.com/bomani_jones/status/810871777698189314">December 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I can't stand Bomani Jones, he is on the same level of Steven A. Smith IMO. Horrible to listen to and just say things for clicks.

 

[tko]

I can't stand Bomani Jones, he is on the same level of Steven A. Smith IMO. Horrible to listen to and just say things for clicks.

It's Smiff

 

[beryirish]

I'm not seeing McCafe in a few mock drafts going in the first round - checked about 4-5 and he was projected 1st round in one of them and it was near the end.

So obviously, he could be training to up his draft stock to climb up those ranks and/or to even get into the 1st round.


But Fournette is projected to be Top 5/Top 10. Last year's Top 10 picks had a contract averaged out to be $21 million.

Jaylon Smith was probably a Top 2 draft pick that year (high 20's contact). With his injury he got a contact for $6.5 million. I know some people may say well that's still alot. Well that's a huge difference in cash and lifestyle. And there's still no guarantee Smith will even play. So this could be his only contract.

A lot of people on here and talk and say he's selfish and don't leave your brothers...this isn't the military. This is a business decision. This is a life altering decision. He's assessing the risk and opportunity loss of the situation. He decided to leave his job for a different company with better compensation. How many on here have had this opportunity come up in their lives? I'm sure the decision would be the same. If not, then i feel pride and ego are getting in the way of protecting your future for yourself and your future family.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I can't stand Bomani Jones, he is on the same level of Steven A. Smith IMO. Horrible to listen to and just say things for clicks.

Bkess this has been bothering me all morning, who's the guy in your avatar? Every time I look at him I see Mark Strong, but I don't think that's right hah

 

[irishroo]

Some absolutely scorching takes here, which I guess shouldn't surprise me. Couple things to keep in mind:
- Stanford operates on quarters, with their fall quarter officially ending last Friday. He's no longer on scholarship.
- Our own coach did essentially the same exact thing to Cincinnati when he made the jump to ND
- If you're attributing this to the "millennial mindset," you don't know what you're talking about and are the living embodiment of "Get Off My Lawn"
- His teammates largely won't care - they'll be happy for him. That's how friendship works

 

[tko]

Bkess this has been bothering me all morning, who's the guy in your avatar? Every time I look at him I see Mark Strong, but I don't think that's right hah

It's our dream coach, PJ Fleck!!!!!

 

[Wingman Ray]

Cannot blame the kid at all. To play in the game would be honorable but foolish. Again, take a look at Jaylon last year. Why risk your future on one play? One play cost Jaylon millions and for what?

 

[Free Manera]

We're talking about the Citrus and Sun bowls. Win or lose, no one will even remember that they sat it out. These second rate bowl games don't mean a lot to teams that expected to be in the playoff hunt at the beginning of the season. Easy decision to sit it out.

 

[STLDomer]

Coach moves on to next job and doesn't coach bowl game = okay.
Player moves on to next job and doesn't play bowl game = damn millennials!

Plus you think Christian just made this decision by himself? Didn't have talks with not soft millennial coaches or his not soft millennial parents? LOL.

Also to whoever said why not play at least some of the game that is idiotic. A torn ACL has nothing to do with the volume of snaps on a given game.

Insurance policy gave him $1,000,000. Missed out on close to $20,000,000. Plus uhh Jaylon's career is still in jepordy.

 

[arrowryan]

We're talking about the Citrus and Sun bowls. Win or lose, no one will even remember that they sat it out. These second rate bowl games don't mean a lot to teams that expected to be in the playoff hunt at the beginning of the season. Easy decision to sit it out.

But he had no problem playing two meaningless games against Cal and Rice when it was impossible for them to get into the conference championship. He had a combined 61 carries in those games, btw.

How is this game anymore meaningless than the last 2 of the season? Where, looking at the stat sheet, he played his ass off.

 

[IrishLion]

But he had no problem playing two meaningless games against Cal and Rice when it was impossible for them to get into the conference championship. He had a combined 61 carries in those games, btw.

How is this game anymore meaningless than the last 2 of the season? Where, looking at the stat sheet, he played his ass off.

Bowl season is exhibition season. His scholarship is not determined by bowl games, it's determined by those two games you mentioned.

 

[bkess8]

It's our dream coach, PJ Fleck!!!!!

You know it!!!

 

[zelezo vlk]

It's our dream coach, PJ Fleck!!!!!

Reps for answering my question

 

[ThePiombino]

I can't stand Bomani Jones, he is on the same level of Steven A. Smith IMO. Horrible to listen to and just say things for clicks.

x 100

 

[arrowryan]

Bowl season is exhibition season. His scholarship is not determined by bowl games, it's determined by those two games you mentioned.

So should guys like Myles Garrett, Mitch Trubisky, Quincy Wilson, and Derek Barnett not play in their bowl games either?

All 4 of those guys are probably top ten picks, will be picked way before McCaffrey, and have more to lose than McCaffrey.

It doesn't make much sense to me to not play in your bowl game when you're probably not even a 1st round pick

 

[gkIrish]

Coach moves on to next job and doesn't coach bowl game = okay.
Player moves on to next job and doesn't play bowl game = damn millennials!

Plus you think Christian just made this decision by himself? Didn't have talks with not soft millennial coaches or his not soft millennial parents? LOL.

Also to whoever said why not play at least some of the game that is idiotic. A torn ACL has nothing to do with the volume of snaps on a given game.

Insurance policy gave him $1,000,000. Missed out on close to $20,000,000. Plus uhh Jaylon's career is still in jepordy.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Got a text from a coach. "If some coaches can skip bowls to get ready for their next job, how can anyone fault Fournette or McCaffrey??"</p>— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/810858358714400768">December 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Brings up a very good point.. Bruce Feldman, Dan Wetzel, Donte Stallworth have all praised it.... From a Fan perspective it sucks, but from a players, do whats best for you and your family

Who ever said it was okay for coaches to skip bowl games? People in Cincinnati still talk about how evil Brian Kelly is because he left before the bowl game.

Everyone keeps framing this as "if he plays, he will get hurt." In reality it's "if he plays he has a very small chance of a serious injury." <5% chance actually.

 

[WaveDomer]

Why even sign a scholarship to a competitive school? Why get beat down by players in the SEC when you can cruise through the Sun Belt? Why drive in a car when accidents happen? Why fall in love only to get your heart broken? Why eat out when there may be gluten?

 

[BobbyMac]

a trickle can become a flood, how far away from a player withdrawing from school and skipping a season to prepare for the draft?

Kizer's kicking himself in the azz bout now. Should of caught mono right after the Texas game.

Some absolutely scorching takes here, which I guess shouldn't surprise me. Couple things to keep in mind:
- Stanford operates on quarters, with their fall quarter officially ending last Friday. He's no longer on scholarship.
- Our own coach did essentially the same exact thing to Cincinnati when he made the jump to ND
- If you're attributing this to the "millennial mindset," you don't know what you're talking about and are the living embodiment of "Get Off My Lawn"
- His teammates largely won't care - they'll be happy for him. That's how friendship works

He's a junior. Where are you reading he has graduated?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Got a text from a coach. "If some coaches can skip bowls to get ready for their next job, how can anyone fault Fournette or McCaffrey??"</p>— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/810858358714400768">December 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Brings up a very good point.. Bruce Feldman, Dan Wetzel, Donte Stallworth have all praised it.... From a Fan perspective it sucks, but from a players, do whats best for you and your family

Bad comparison. When a coach leaves for another job, the old school no longer pays him and in many cases gets compensated for him opting out of his contract. So in this case, to be fair... maybe multi-millionaire Dad should front CM the jack to pay back the entire value of 3 years at Stanford plus extra athletic benefits like training table, athletic training services, health insurance, airfare, lodging.

Why shouldn't athletes have buyouts like coaches? The schools investment in him led to his payday. Why shouldn't he repay the school 100% when he doesn't fulfill his end of the agreement? Is that not fair?

 

[STLDomer]

Who ever said it was okay for coaches to skip bowl games? People in Cincinnati still talk about how evil Brian Kelly is because he left before the bowl game.

Everyone keeps framing this as "if he plays, he will get hurt." In reality it's "if he plays he has a very small chance of a serious injury." <5% chance actually.

And people in Cincinnati are delusional and salty they aren't in a real conference and haven't been good since BK left.

 

[IrishLion]

Kizer's kicking himself in the azz bout now. Should of caught mono right after the Texas game.



He's a junior. Where are you reading he has graduated?



Bad comparison. When you a coach leaves for another job, the old school no longer pays him and in many cases gets compensated for him opting out of his contract. So in this case, to be fair... maybe multi-millionaire Dad should front CM the jack to pay back the entire value of 3 years at Stanford plus extra athletic benefits like training table, athletic training services, health insurance, airfare, lodging.

Why shouldn't athletes have buyouts like coaches? The schools investment in him led to his payday. Why shouldn't he repay the school 100% when he doesn't fulfill his end of the agreement? Is that not fair?

Again, bowl games are exhibition games. How has he not fulfilled his agreement when he's played in all regular season and league games?

 

[Blaise]

Why shouldn't athletes have buyouts like coaches? The schools investment in him led to his payday. Why shouldn't he repay the school 100% when he doesn't fulfill his end of the agreement? Is that not fair?

So if Team doesn't make bowl game he honored his agreement and if they do, then he has to play one more exhibition game.. Even in NFL when they make the playoffs, players get more money for playing in more games...

 

[irishfan]

lol why'd he play against Rice in the last game of the season then?

 

[BobbyMac]

Again, bowl games are exhibition games. How has he not fulfilled his agreement when he's played in all regular season and league games?

First of all he's a junior. If he graduated I'll give him a pass.

Secondly, I'd have to read what a DI scholarship says now a days. Have you seen his scholarship or a Stanford grant in aid athletic scholarship? You are calling bowl games exhibitions but the NCAA counts the W-L's on each teams official record and can make a team vacate a win so they are not exhibitions in the truest sense of the word.

If ND and Rice decided to play a game on New Year's Day in Hawaii so the alumni could have a warm vacation and the players could get an extra month of practice, that would be an exhibition as the NCAA wouldn't recognize the outcome and more importantly would most likely have legal grounds to stop them from doing it in the first place.

 

[ACamp1900]

Who.
Cares.

 

[irishroo]

He's a junior. Where are you reading he has graduated?

Who said he graduated?

 

[IrishLax]

lol why'd he play against Rice in the last game of the season then?

Probably because it was senior day and maybe he hasn't yet made a decision to declare.

As an aside, the Jaylon Smith effect is real.