This is one of our better threads in recent times. Defense, thank you for starting it. So many things came to mind as I just read down if tor the first time:
Long time, I suspect that more kids enter the portal as a first step seeking playing time. Those who are looking for money have generally already been tampered with and enter the portal as a second step with some pseudo-guarantee of money to come if they transfer. Initially, most of the portal was the first case. Today, my bet is that most of the FBS non-starters are still looking for PT; FCS starters are looking more for a bigger stage along with some money; but virtually every starter of a FBS team entering the portal has already been tampered with and is expecting the money that was already informally promised. I say "informally", because even with a sleeping NCAA, a team would have to be colossally stupid to put figures in writing in advance.
Biggs, your Lane Kiffin comment is what we all are seeing. Way too many folks telling kids what they want to hear in order to get them, then failing to deliver, as Chugs also noted. The kids are partially at fault for believing promises that clearly cannot be made legitimately. As for DNA and engines, again, I think we all agree. I completely agree with Chugs that prioritizing linemen in our limited WSU spending is a good move; though I also agree with Biggs that you can find or make O guards. Centers are more difficult. DT's and edge rushers, along with OT's, are where I'd be spending first.
Roses, I loved your recap of Hugh's comments; I had not read that in quite a while. You made some good observations.
How, what we have at present is the worst combination of the pro and college games from a player resource standpoint. It clearly is not sustainable if the goal is to have anything resembling the college game of 10 years ago, 10 years from now. The complete lack of sustainability is what drives my despair at what is happening. Why despair instead of anger? Because individuals like you and I have no influence. The thing about despair, though, is that it leads relatively quickly to resignation and withdrawal. The college football money suck depends on more people watching & spending. Resignation and withdrawal leads to less people watching & spending. Again, it is not sustainable.
Finally, all the conversation about what the NCAA realistically can and cannot do has led me to finally accepting something Biggs has promoted for a long time. A 70 scholarship limit. Scholie limits are something the NCAA indisputably can do, whereas financial limits appear to not be within their purvey. So if you can't shave spending on each individual, instead shave the number of individuals on each team. Perhaps also limit # of transfers, or impose a time delay between them. Perhaps nix the portal until after all the bowl games are played. Taken together, this will help to spread talent more broadly by limiting stockpiling, limit the ability of the deep pockets teams to lie to everyone without fear of losing more than a little NIL money, and limit a little bit the pre-bowl game betrayals.
Finally, fan support...I actually bumped my athletic dept contributions quite a bit instead of going the collective/NIL route, though I understand the reasons for both. We'll need both. And either the NCAA does some of the things noted above to get it under control, or within 2-3 years I believe the resignation & withdrawal will be in full force as fans of the cr*pped upon teams become sufficiently disillusioned to decide that other activities are more worthy of their interest...at least enough of them will decide that to tilt available revenue downward and get the attention of the ESPN's of the world. If you've paid any attention to the stock market or business news for the past year, you recognize that every media platform has a business model that is 100% dependent upon growth, and they all recognize that they are competing for the same audience. They will not all survive. If the college football market is damaged, they will all bleed, one way or the other. Keeping the game healthy and fans involved is in all their best interests.
We live in interesting times, and I expect 2023 to be pivotal in terms of the future direction of college athletics.
