Link: Christian McCaffrey Declines to Participate in Bowl Game

Go Bama said:

You don't quit on your team. Some of his teammates will never get over this.

Not good karma.

Jonathan Allen played a whole extra year. It worked out well for him.

His Stanford memory will be tainted.

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He played an extra year because he knew he would become a first round player if he came back. IOW, he came back to get more money.

RTR91 said:

He played an extra year because he knew he would become a first round player if he came back. IOW, he came back to get more money.

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Yaeh, I know that, but he's risking injury in 15 games and a whole season worth of practice. Probably a bad example.

I'm a team guy. I'm 100% committed to my family and my staff. This kind of thing just doesn't sit well with some of us. I guarantee at least some of his teammates are disappointed regardless of what they say.

I view it like this. Imagine that you have a $10MM winning lottery ticket in your hand. The money is yours. What would you risk that money for? Each of us would answer the question differently. And while some are 100% certain where they stand on this issue, they are only as certain because they are not the ones facing the decision.

I bet that these players agonize about this kind of decision. They want to play in these bowl games as much as their fans and team mates want to see them play. But the risk has to be weighed.

They wouldn't be sitting out if something of meaning to them or their teams were on the line. I think that this is the change. These bowl games simply are not as valued by the players anymore. They have become just another game.

B1GTide said:

I view it like this. Imagine that you have a $10MM winning lottery ticket in your hand. The money is yours. What would you risk that money for? Each of us would answer the question differently. And while some are 100% certain where they stand on this issue, they are only as certain because they are not the ones facing the decision.

I bet that these players agonize about this kind of decision. They want to play in these bowl games as much as their fans and team mates want to see them play. But the risk has to be weighed.

They wouldn't be sitting out if something of meaning to them or their teams were on the line. I think that this is the change. These bowl games simply are not as valued by the players anymore. They have become just another game.

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Fair enough, but see my earlier post. Why now? Why not quit when your team is out of the playoff and/or conference picture with say 2 reg. season games left? Aren't those games meaningless as well? Point being, if it's OK to quit on your team but only in the "meaningless" games, where do you draw the line? Maybe I'm just too old school, but you commit to a team and you should finish what you started. JMHO

I'm cool with it & I fully understand folks that don't like Player's doing this..Personally..There's no way in hell I'd sit out the very last game I can suit up with my Brothers one last time, just too much pride, blood, sweat n tears invested playing the game of football not to go to war the very last time you can with your teammates..

It's not how I'd want to end my college football career, there's a lots of way in life we can be injured at any moment you're living your life, we don't stop living life from those fears, you live life & never quit because of fears, cause your actions or inactions can affect those around you love & care about the most..Always finish what you've started is what I was taught growing up..

Special K said:

Fair enough, but see my earlier post. Why now? Why not quit when your team is out of the playoff and/or conference picture with say 2 reg. season games left? Aren't those games meaningless as well? Point being, if it's OK to quit on your team but only in the "meaningless" games, where do you draw the line? Maybe I'm just too old school, but you commit to a team and you should finish what you started. JMHO

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I don't disagree - I am just trying to understand. This is life changing money for most of these players. (though not McCaffrey, since he comes from money). The thought of losing that money has to be terrifying.

ccc2259 said:

I hear and understand the various view points presented. Admittedly, I am old-school, so that paradigm affects my view on this....but if a kid takes a scholarship to play football, he should play in every game the team plays unless the medical staff says the kid shouldn't play. That's what he signed up for. It's a breach of contract, so to speak, in my mind. But more than that, the kid is stating in no uncertain terms, he is more valuable than rest of his team. A real team mate doesn't do that.

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Yes, well said, this post hits on the issues squarely. It's not only about self-interest in the sense of making a good business decision. It also involves the integrity of doing what you signed up to do, and honoring the relationships built while doing it.

I take it he's left school as well?

RTR91 said:

He played an extra year because he knew he would become a first round player if he came back. IOW, he came back to get more money.

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If all Allen cared about was money, he'd be doing the same thing as McCaffrey; quitting.

B1GTide said:

I view it like this. Imagine that you have a $10MM winning lottery ticket in your hand. The money is yours. What would you risk that money for? Each of us would answer the question differently. And while some are 100% certain where they stand on this issue, they are only as certain because they are not the ones facing the decision.

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I agree and was about to add that it is an all-or-nothing decision. But this is not quite true. A player could make a private agreement with the coaches that they will give say 10 snaps or something, instead of 30. This would still support the team and provide value, but would reduce the risk of injury and give playing time to other up-and-coming players.

LA4Bama said:

If all Allen cared about was money, he'd be doing the same thing as McCaffrey; quitting.

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I'm sure Jonathan and all our pro prospects have rather substantial insurance policies should they suffer a career ending injury during the playoffs, at the combine, or even by freak injury any time between now and the draft.

Why are so many people acting like you can't buy insurance to protect against the loss of future earnings? I see a lot of talking around that fact. I also know in some instances schools have even helped pay for it. So, if you can just insure against the loss of future earnings, why not play?

Edit: I'd also add I support things that allow and support a player in their attempts to secure this insurance. It's a fair compromise. But, it exists, it's an actual thing. So, sitting out seems a lot more selfish in light of that does it not?

LA4Bama said:

If all Allen cared about was money, he'd be doing the same thing as McCaffrey; quitting.

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Are you 100% certain that Allen wouldn't be sitting and McCaffrey playing if their team's positions were reversed?

KrAzY3 said:

Why are so many people acting like you can't buy insurance to protect against the loss of future earnings? I see a lot of talking around that fact. I also know in some instances schools have even helped pay for it. So, if you can just insure against the loss of future earnings, why not play?

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I agree, to a point. Keep in mind that the insurance wouldn't make you whole. It pays a set sum, generally a few million dollars. Go in the top half of the first round and your guaranteed income would be much higher than one of these insurance policies would likely pay.

KrAzY3 said:

Why are so many people acting like you can't buy insurance to protect against the loss of future earnings? I see a lot of talking around that fact. I also know in some instances schools have even helped pay for it. So, if you can just insure against the loss of future earnings, why not play?

Edit: I'd also add I support things that allow and support a player in their attempts to secure this insurance. It's a fair compromise. But, it exists, it's an actual thing. So, sitting out seems a lot more selfish in light of that does it not?

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McCaffrey has that. The problem with these insurance policies (from what I've read) is they're very difficult to collect on..

B1GTide said:

These bowl games simply are not as valued by the players anymore. They have become just another game.

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Yep. Way too many Bowl games. The playoffs are going to start eating into the season for some games if the team has no chance and it's not a rival. It's been obvious what Bama has played like after a late season disappointment that blew their chance to reach their goal.

Leonard Fournette probably doesn't have a particularly strong degree to fall back on. A player at Standford should have a much higher regarded diploma "if he graduates" from Standford, even if it's not in chemistry, law or mechanical engineering. I'm not sure Christan McCaffery has a top degree, but most college kids would trade theirs for a 10 to 20 million dollar contract, especially if it's guaranteed. I do not see McCaffery as an every down running back in the NFL. He does have NFL skills.

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The flip side of so many bowl games is it's very good for the players fighting for a spot next year and EE players. I think Jalen made a very good impression during Bowl prep last year. Tua may make a similar impression. I'd like to see each playing on one hand and a redshirt for Tua on the other. Hopefully Tua can redshirt and push Jalen to new heights or overtake him. Hopefully both will become record setters at their position for the Tide....and we will still need to recruit another top QB each year IMHO.

B1GTide said:

I agree, to a point. Keep in mind that the insurance wouldn't make you whole. It pays a set sum, generally a few million dollars. Go in the top half of the first round and your guaranteed income would be much higher than one of these insurance policies would likely pay.

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Well, to reiterate though a lot of posters in this thread are acting as though his choice to play or not is to risk losing everything, when I am fairly certain Stanford can help him pay for the insurance. Also, I'm sure Ed can afford to pay for the insurance anyway (and give Christian a comfortable life no matter what). So, I just question why so many people are framing a selfish act as though it protected him from more risk than actually exists.

Anyway, I'm all for schools being more aggressive in not only buying this sort of insurance, but also in trying to insure the insurance plans themselves are more in line with what might be lost. I'd like to see things like, draft evaluation triggering a certain level of insurance automatically and the like.

CrimsonForce said:

McCaffrey has that. The problem with these insurance policies (from what I've read) is they're very difficult to collect on..

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Point A: is that as your own post shows he's not completely up against he wall in terms of his choice. Point B: would be that insurance isn't something you ever really hope to collect on. I'd like to see more being done to insure players have good protection, but clearly as your post shows it isn't play and risk losing everything. He would make millions if he suffers a major injury. Remember, he's still a football player. He's still going to have that risk going forward. He could get hurt his first NFL game and lose every non-guaranteed dollar to...