Florida Players Wish They Hadn't Chosen UF (fixed that teaser for you)

[BigEasyTider]

I think some of you guys need to be a bit more realistic about what all really goes on inside football programs.

It's not just one big fairy tale. Kids sign with schools and most kids feel stuck there due to rules designed to limit transfers, so you frequently have a fair share of unhappy campers. In that regard, none of this is in any way surprising, nor is it isolated to Florida. Remember a year ago when LSU OL Joseph Barksdale tweeted about how signing with LSU was the worst decision of his life? It happens, and it's more common than a lot of people probably realize.

Also, along those lines, with a lot of kids there really isn't much, if any, of an emotional bond between themselves and their school. It's just not like it is with diehard fans -- or like many of those fans assume -- and truth be told a lot of kids have stronger bonds with fellow players (some of whom play for other schools, or are considering other schools) than they do with their own school. To a lot of kids it's just a school where they play football, nothing more, nothing less.

Not trying to preach, just trying to point out that college football is not the fairy tale a lot of people assume.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

I think some of you guys need to be a bit more realistic about what all really goes on inside football programs.

It's not just one big fairy tale. Kids sign with schools and most kids feel stuck there due to rules designed to limit transfers, so you frequently have a fair share of unhappy campers. In that regard, none of this is in any way surprising, nor is it isolated to Florida. Remember a year ago when LSU OL Joseph Barksdale tweeted about how signing with LSU was the worst decision of his life? It happens, and it's more common than a lot of people probably realize.

Also, along those lines, with a lot of kids there really isn't much, if any, of an emotional bond between themselves and their school. It's just not like it is with diehard fans -- or like many of those fans assume -- and truth be told a lot of kids have stronger bonds with fellow players (some of whom play for other schools, or are considering other schools) than they do with their own school. To a lot of kids it's just a school where they play football, nothing more, nothing less.

Not trying to preach, just trying to point out that college football is not the fairy tale a lot of people assume.

And some kids still go out and party after a defeat.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

I think some of you guys need to be a bit more realistic about what all really goes on inside football programs.

It's not just one big fairy tale. Kids sign with schools and most kids feel stuck there due to rules designed to limit transfers, so you frequently have a fair share of unhappy campers. In that regard, none of this is in any way surprising, nor is it isolated to Florida. Remember a year ago when LSU OL Joseph Barksdale tweeted about how signing with LSU was the worst decision of his life? It happens, and it's more common than a lot of people probably realize.

Also, along those lines, with a lot of kids there really isn't much, if any, of an emotional bond between themselves and their school. It's just not like it is with diehard fans -- or like many of those fans assume -- and truth be told a lot of kids have stronger bonds with fellow players (some of whom play for other schools, or are considering other schools) than they do with their own school. To a lot of kids it's just a school where they play football, nothing more, nothing less.

Not trying to preach, just trying to point out that college football is not the fairy tale a lot of people assume.

You are absolutely right BET. Actually most of the time the fans take the rivalries much more serious that the players. Sure, our guys want to beat TN and AU. They want to beat LSU and FL, but even though they are players they don't stake their entire identity on it. I'm always amused at how fans react after a loss. There were even post on here about "what a long day its going to be at work" or "dread the barners tomorrow". Well usually if you don't run your mouth when things are going well, you don't have to catch too much flak when they go bad.



A lot of these guys get into the program and miss home and want to leave. Some want to play a certain position and although the coach told them they would have to compete for it they were so confident they never imagined not getting it. Once it sets in they won't their attitude can change and change quickly. I've know of a few who got so wrapped up in the moment and made their commitment during the recruiting process after attending a game or something, then sign and during fall camp it hits them that they don't fit in. They don't have any friends. When I was in school there was a player I had class with and ended up becoming good friends with. He had an excellent career and one of the longer careers of our players in the NFL. He told me once that he wished sometimes he had gone to southern miss (I think it was southern) with some of his buddies. He could have made it to the league from there and he would have had more fun playing his college ball with them. Seems more than one of his former teammates and some good friends he made during recruiting were on that team and rooming together, traveling together, partying together and the whole bit. When he would get to talking to them he literally wished he was on the team with them. He could have accomplished the same thing and had more fun he thought.


College teams are honestly full of guys who second guess their decisions and its not that their bad guys or the program is bad, its just human nature.
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[bamachile]

BET, I have no doubt that many players have doubts and second-guesses. At their age, I was in the military and many of us doubted and second-guessed our career decisions as well. The first years of adulthood bring many surprises, not all pleasant, and necessarily mean adjustments. So young men have complaints. That's part of living and growing and I don't blame them for that.

The basis of my reaction lies with the swelling tide of whining for attention that is growing within the sporting world. Whether it's TO crying about not getting pass attempts, Kobe whining about Shaq, or CFB players whining about the school which is paying for their education, it is unseemly and detracts from the game. Private complaints and inter-team grumblings are one thing; public airing of unhappiness is another. I can't say it should never happen, but I can say that it shouldn't be rampant, which it now is. I'll quit now, as I feel a rant boiling up, but biting the hand that feeds you has never sat well with me, and that's how I see much of this. I don't know. Maybe I'm just cranky today. Rant off.