blomeup2day

June 30th, 2022 at 12:28 PM ^

If Michigan could figure out a way to make recruits pay for attending the university, I believe that transformational experience would be even greater. 

RedRum

June 30th, 2022 at 1:20 PM ^

dude! brilliant. Instead of paying the players, make the players pay Michigan to play. Genius. Ablalama won't know what hit them!

In all seriousness, why are we securitizing our players' future NFL money? From there we could create a derivative market, a futures market, and options trading. What could go wrong?

BTB grad

June 30th, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^

Jealous. I wish one of our assistant coaches would use this recruiting pitch while they’ve got recruits on the field of the Big House. 

St Joe Blues

June 30th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^

OK, but what's so different about what Michigan's doing? Hasn't Harbaugh said the same thing? If you come here, there will be opportunities for you to get paid by (the people behind these suites / other NIL opportunities we have lined up for athletes to take advantage of). There has to be more to it up front than this. The A&M time frame is prior to signing, you know what we're giving you? The Michigan time frame is after you get here you'll be approached for NIL opportunities? Or is A&M giving money with the expectation that kids just have to come to campus while Michigan says you get money when you go and do something like an autograph signing or star in a local commercial?

I'm so confused and feel like I'm only seeing parts of the picture.

UMForLife

June 30th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^

From my understanding, there are two differences:

1) there are no guarantees given by UM coaching staff or recruiting staff. Others seem to do this even though they can't or won't put it on paper as many state laws have limitations.

2) UM coaches don't want to facilitate NIL transactions. Others seem to do it. This is the part that I don't understand. Why not? Unless there is a legal argument.

I think I understand the first one but not the second one.

Hope I am getting the gist of what everyone has been saying. But there some posters who want UM to do #1 above, which I am not in favor of doing it. That is no different than what was going on before NIL.

Harball sized HAIL

June 30th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^

Maybe someday I will understand the aTm thing, but right now I don't.  

They had a top 5 finish a decade ago.  Since then not much.  And no 2020 does not count.  Baylor, TCU & Houston have all been better programs during that span.  Maybe even SMU.  So basically they are arguably the 5th best team in Texas.

jackw8542

June 30th, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^

We need to let the NFL start drafting kids out of high school and set up minor leagues where they can play. Then maybe colleges can get back to being colleges where the kids playing are also students. When I was at Michigan, I enjoyed rooting for my classmates, some of whom I knew. Since graduating, I have enjoyed rooting for similarly assembled teams. With NIL, it will get more and more like rooting for an NFL team and less and less like you are rooting for your alma mater. That will make me less interested, although not enough less interested that I will not still be watching the games and reading available media. But, it is not the same, and I don't think it is better. It's another way society has started rewarding entertainers much more than people who actually do necessary tasks (like teaching our kids and healing the sick).

Perkis-Size Me

July 1st, 2022 at 7:41 AM ^

I agree with you re: setting up minor leagues, but they will never do it. CFB is the NFL’s minor league and the best part is they don’t have to pay a dime to facilitate it. 

They’ll never throw their own money at building a minor league when they already have a perfectly good free one to draw from. Not to mention USFL, CFL, and whenever the XFL returns. Those are all minor leagues they don’t have to stroke a single check for. 

gustave ferbert

June 30th, 2022 at 2:14 PM ^

Jimbo's rant was highly nuanced.  His idea of "not cheating"  is "not breaking any state laws".  Paying players isn't a state crime.  Even SMU knew that. I think all that Texas cares about is they get their state income tax. 

Ranked right up there with FSU players being a "high character group."

Either way Jimbo Fisher is POS. 

CaliforniaNobody

June 30th, 2022 at 5:08 PM ^

Reminds me so much of the Ole Miss thing a few years back. Fans and coaches about piss themselves in anger over allegations of paying when it's painfully clear it's happening.

Perkis-Size Me

June 30th, 2022 at 10:22 PM ^

Whether you like it what it takes or not, A&M is doing what it takes and playing the game you need to play to win a national title. You can hate the current landscape of the game all you want, but for better or worse, this is what it is now.

If Michigan wants to thumb it’s nose at a transactional experience and think itself better than this, then so be it. But when/if the losses pile up, when OSU beats you 9 out of 10 tries, 7-8 of those involving you getting boat raced, when MSU beats you over half the time and starts to pass you by on the recruiting trail, when you once again can’t finish better than third in your own division, you’d better be ready to stand in front of the media after another 8-5 to 9-4 season and say “We’ve got no one to blame for our situation but ourselves.”