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Post by gwebb1994 on Apr 27, 2021 12:14:42 GMT -5
I figured we might as well start a thread on the football section since Gathings hit the portal this morning.
The portal, combined with the mentality of the current generation that loyalty to anything means nothing whatsoever, is ruining collegiate sports.
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Post by sidelinesgwu on Apr 27, 2021 15:13:54 GMT -5
I understand that mentality '94, but it's so backwards. The fact of the matter is that for some kids, collegiate athletics is the end, but for some (Gathings being one), it's a job interview for the NFL. He genuinely has a shot. Are you telling me that transferring to South Carolina, UNC, Coastal, or App State (to name just a few of his options) doesn't give him a better shot at that goal? If a law school applicant accepts admission to Liberty (yes, this one is for Jake), but then gets a late acceptance from Harvard or Duke, are you telling me you'd advise him to go to Liberty because he committed there? I know this doesn't happen, but let's say he finished a year at Liberty law school, then gets the chance to go to Harvard -- would you advise him to stay with Liberty because he started there?
You absolutely wouldn't.
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Post by gwebb1994 on Apr 27, 2021 17:32:57 GMT -5
I understand that mentality '94, but it's so backwards. The fact of the matter is that for some kids, collegiate athletics is the end, but for some (Gathings being one), it's a job interview for the NFL. He genuinely has a shot. Are you telling me that transferring to South Carolina, UNC, Coastal, or App State (to name just a few of his options) doesn't give him a better shot at that goal? If a law school applicant accepts admission to Liberty (yes, this one is for Jake), but then gets a late acceptance from Harvard or Duke, are you telling me you'd advise him to go to Liberty because he committed there? I know this doesn't happen, but let's say he finished a year at Liberty law school, then gets the chance to go to Harvard -- would you advise him to stay with Liberty because he started there? You absolutely wouldn't. Goes back to the old "big fish in a little pond" or "little fish in a big pond" mentality. I hope the kid makes the right choice and doesn't end up buried on a depth chart somewhere, especially at a non-P5 school.
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Post by sidelinesgwu on Apr 29, 2021 12:50:08 GMT -5
Couldn't agree more on that one! From everything I've heard he's a great kid and obviously has a ton of talent. Hope he makes it far!
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Post by gwebb1994 on May 7, 2021 7:49:33 GMT -5
Middle Tennessee State for Gathings. Best of luck to him, but a mediocre program at best, with a mediocre HC that has been there way too long. Hopefully he gets a fair chance to make a splash.
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Post by gwujake08 on May 12, 2021 18:11:59 GMT -5
Now Harper is gone too
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Post by gwebb1994 on May 12, 2021 19:06:51 GMT -5
Not surprising. These kids have no loyalty anymore. It's the me-first millennial generation at its finest.
At this point, we should have dropped to D3 and saved millions in the process if we're going to be nothing but a minor league program for players to go elsewhere from.
The transfer portal is ruining collegiate athletics. Period.
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Post by gwujake08 on May 12, 2021 19:23:43 GMT -5
It not these players are "bad kids" Most say they have enjoyed thier time at GWU its just that the siren song of P5 is too great
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Post by gwebb1994 on May 12, 2021 19:31:32 GMT -5
MTSU is not even a good group of five Jake. Hopefully Harper makes a better choice than Gathings did.
Looking at the flip side, we apparently don't have any decent and consistent QBs on the roster to get them the ball.
I was thinking we could get to 6-5 in the fall. Not now. If Lamb can get 5 wins losing such key players with no time to replace them it will be a masterful coaching job.
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Post by Fill Phulmer on May 13, 2021 9:35:04 GMT -5
Would love to see Devron come and return punts and kickoffs in knoxville. Reunite with his buddy coach pope.
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Post by sidelinesgwu on May 13, 2021 11:56:21 GMT -5
Not surprising. These kids have no loyalty anymore. It's the me-first millennial generation at its finest. At this point, we should have dropped to D3 and saved millions in the process if we're going to be nothing but a minor league program for players to go elsewhere from. The transfer portal is ruining collegiate athletics. Period. Hitting all the buzzwords '94! Again, the kid is responding to incentives and putting himself in the best position to play in the NFL. I'll go back to my analogy from the Gaithings post -- you can't tell me you'd blame someone for transferring from Liberty Law School to Harvard or Duke Law and call them disloyal. You wouldn't think twice about a kid in the Gardner-Webb orchestra program transferring because they had the opportunity to go to Julliard. You would never go after a kid in the GWU business program switching transferring to Wake Forest (hell, or Middle Tennessee) because they thought it was going to set them up better for their future career. So just because a kid plays on a football team at your alma mater he's supposed to pass up an opportunity that will set him up better for the career he wants? How is that any different from a kid making a move because of academics, if that kid's goal is to play football professionally? You and I can absolutely agree on one thing: we should have made the move to Division III (and still should). Nothing wrong with building an awesome DIII athletics department where you can compete on a national level and usually only have to worry about the occasional kid leaving as a grad transfer at the end of an outstanding career. It's a win-win in those cases. Chris White lurched the school into the ranks of Division I about 10 years earlier than GWU should have even considered making the move, but that's a rant for another time. I hope Gaithings and Harper crush it at the next level and that the kids who are now going to get some targets at GWU step up and shine in their new opportunities. College athletics is about the athletes, not us. Go be great fellas.
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Post by gwebb1994 on May 13, 2021 17:56:43 GMT -5
Not surprising. These kids have no loyalty anymore. It's the me-first millennial generation at its finest. At this point, we should have dropped to D3 and saved millions in the process if we're going to be nothing but a minor league program for players to go elsewhere from. The transfer portal is ruining collegiate athletics. Period. Hitting all the buzzwords '94! Again, the kid is responding to incentives and putting himself in the best position to play in the NFL. I'll go back to my analogy from the Gaithings post -- you can't tell me you'd blame someone for transferring from Liberty Law School to Harvard or Duke Law and call them disloyal. You wouldn't think twice about a kid in the Gardner-Webb orchestra program transferring because they had the opportunity to go to Julliard. You would never go after a kid in the GWU business program switching transferring to Wake Forest (hell, or Middle Tennessee) because they thought it was going to set them up better for their future career. So just because a kid plays on a football team at your alma mater he's supposed to pass up an opportunity that will set him up better for the career he wants? How is that any different from a kid making a move because of academics, if that kid's goal is to play football professionally? You and I can absolutely agree on one thing: we should have made the move to Division III (and still should). Nothing wrong with building an awesome DIII athletics department where you can compete on a national level and usually only have to worry about the occasional kid leaving as a grad transfer at the end of an outstanding career. It's a win-win in those cases. Chris White lurched the school into the ranks of Division I about 10 years earlier than GWU should have even considered making the move, but that's a rant for another time. I hope Gathings and Harper crush it at the next level and that the kids who are now going to get some targets at GWU step up and shine in their new opportunities. College athletics is about the athletes, not us. Go be great fellas. The academics comparisons are weak in that student-athletes are often the face of the school, and get the most exposure. When they start flip flopping en masse, it's not a good look on the program itself, Lamb is trying to build something here, it's not helping the cause. A vast majority of them wouldn't even sniff college if not for the ability to play ball, period. What does the public pay more attention to at a school, athletes leaving via transfer or overall academic retention rates? I rest my case. I sure as hell didn't say it was about 'us', it isn't, it's about GW the institution and public perception, not some jock, not some computer geek, not one individual student, faculty or staff member, or alumnus of any sort. That includes you and I as well. Of course, it wouldn't shock me at all if McCray, Wray, or any of the other former trash coaches are in the ear of these kids they recruited trying to undermine Lamb's efforts. It'd be right up their alley. Oh, and speaking of perception. I try my best not to mention that bastard's name on here, it's bad enough it is still on the Divinity School at GW.
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Post by Tranquillo on May 13, 2021 19:22:05 GMT -5
If you’d have told me a month ago that we could trade a couple guys, even Gathings and Harper, for the three, maybe four, who are coming our way from the portal, let’s just say I would have taken the deal. Good luck to them both . The portal taketh — but it also giveth. PLENTY of talent still available and this staff is agile enough to adjust. It’s a new world. Frustrating at times it will be. But rewarding too on the backside. Previous two staffs weren’t good at working the transfer routes. It helps that our alma mater is also much more transfer friendly in 2021. If this were 2009 it would be a problem. Summer school starts next week. Shopping and restocking the shelves will be fun.
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Post by gwebb1994 on May 13, 2021 19:36:44 GMT -5
If you’d have told me a month ago that we could trade a couple guys, even Gathings and Harper, for the three, maybe four, who are coming our way from the portal, let’s just say I would have taken the deal. Good luck to them both . The portal taketh — but it also giveth. PLENTY of talent still available and this staff is agile enough to adjust. It’s a new world. Frustrating at times it will be. But rewarding too on the backside. Previous two staffs weren’t good at working the transfer routes. It helps that our alma mater is also much more transfer friendly in 2021. If this were 2009 it would be a problem. Summer school starts next week. Shopping and restocking the shelves will be fun. Yes, there is hope, unlike with the previous two regimes.
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Post by gwujake08 on May 13, 2021 19:38:19 GMT -5
I see that point but I tend to side with '94. If you make a comittment to something or someone, you honor that committment unless provodencially hindered, It shows strong charecter and integrity. Just my two cents
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