Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni have started a new podcast called Who Killed College Football - it has a 'true crime' format where each episode is/will be focused on a different 'suspect' (TV networks, Larry Scott, The NCAA, etc). Two Episodes out so far: The Prologue and Suspect #1: Television.
Anyone else listening?
I'm almost done the Television episode. Learning some of the details of OU Board of Regents vs NCAA has been pretty fascinating. Wild (but not surprising) to hear how much the NCAA shot themselves in the foot.
Also, I can't imagine living in a pre-streaming world, living in Atlanta, and not being able to watch VT every week, even at a bar. Absolutely wild.
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My money is on Television/ESPN.
Should have been GOOD for football, but blind greed turned out to be a golden goose killer.
There's a line from an old movie I remember that seems apt here:
Absolutely. When I think about the "killing" of college football, the first thing that comes to mind is the destruction of the PAC12. Sure it's giving us some exciting new B1G matchups, but I hate to see the destruction of the historic rivalries + Wazzu and Oregon State left on the cutting room floor. Not to mention Cal and Stanford ending up in the ACC (WTF?). I think it's a harbinger of what's to come, and the root cause to me is clearly television/money.
Excited to give this pod a listen.
The iconic Rose Bowl?? Pac 10/12 vs. Big 10 - the granddaddy of them all - 5pm eastern on New Years Day - what a wonderful event and unique to college football and the world. Watched by millions and a HUGE deal to the schools. awww Fuck that. Lets go to cookie cutter games like Tampa and Jacksonville on a Sunday because all we fucking care about is money. Fuck the Rose Bowl- fuck being unique. Colts vs. Broncos is the same thing on a random sunday.
Yeah, man. My dad went to UDub and talks about how cool and iconic the Rose Bowl was as a clash between B1G/PAC champs. Not nearly what it was once. Absolutely hate to see it.
In a strictly traditionalist sense, and especially if you're an alum or fan of a PAC 12 or Big Ten school, I totally get it about the Rose Bowl. But honestly though, I would argue it's not necessarily the conference affiliation but the game itself that is so special. The Michigan-Alabama Rose Bowl last year was awesome, the UGA-Oklahoma Rose Bowl was fantastic. Most all of the national title games that the Rose Bowl has hosted in the BCS era were magical too, like USC-Texas 2005, the FSU-Auburn game in 2013. It's still a game I must watch every year, regardless of whether it's playoff or not, conference champs or not. That stadium and game is like the Masters of college football.
Emotional based decisions killed college football. You can argue the players deserve more than a scholarship without calling them slaves, held against their will, etc. You can argue for players getting paid without pretending that the 3rd QB at Clemson has the same value as Dabo Swinney, and Dabo gets paid. That bullshit ruined college sports. The players were never slaves, never indentured servants and head coach is a different skillset than WR. Nick Saban, Joe Gibbs, Bill Bellichick, Chuck Knoll, Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes, Urban Meyer- NONE great football players- none. Pat Riley and Phil Jackson were mid at best NBA players. Its a different and more scarce skillset to be an elite coach vs. player. The emotional play killed any chance at a reasonable compromise- thus you have the wild wild west.
I wouldn't vote for that as the killer, but it certainly had more influence than it should have.
The options don't have to be No compensation vs Unlimited/ungoverned compensation.
No, you have the wild wild west because we are collectively clinging to the sheen of amateurism in what is clearly a pro sport. Without guardrails in place, you get the third string punter asking for his bag. You get collectives that'll throw money at entire O-line three deeps.
You cite the hyperbole on the "pay the players" side, but employ your own. (Who has ever said that the third string Clemson QB has the same value or should be paid the same as Swinney?)
You rail against the professionalization of college sports, when the problem is that, having gone part way to professionalism, we need to go the rest of the way. Government exemptions. Collective bargaining. Trading windows. Contracts.
Who has ever said that the third string Clemson QB has the same value or should be paid the same as Swinney? plenty of people argued that "coaches get paid, thus players get paid." I heard Swinney used as an example yes- but sub any name in you want.
You said "3rd QB at Clemson has the same value as Dabo Swinney" which is notably different than "the coach gets paid so players should too."
Regardless, my point (which is separate from your hyperbole) stands.
I'm a religious SZD listener and I totally missed this. Thanks for sharing! This must be one of the special projects Godfrey has been alluding to for a while.
I saw the title and I immediately knew who posted this. Real post/user synergy here. Good job, bar.
I just downloaded the new episode today! Still need to listen to the prologue.
The most recent 'behind the scenes' episode was an interview with the Chancellor of Texas A&M in 2010. He walked through - with extreme candor - what happened with the (failed) PAC expansion, and how TAMU wound up in the SEC.
Really good listen
Ken Star knew nothing about athletics he only knew about all the rapes he was covering up. This was campus wide not just in athletics.