Tony’s Take | Like it or Not | Alternative | Week 2 | Super 6 + 1 | Edition 111 

By Tony Duckworth, [email protected]

Like it or Not.  College football is underway, and this past weekend had it all.  Nail-biters, blowouts, great plays, domination, a major upset turned into controversy, a power outage, and despite all the legal battles in recent weeks – toe met leather. 

I have had many conversations with folks who don’t like the new era of major college athletics.  There is plenty to discuss, including but not limited to: unrestricted transferring, university collectives providing over $50 million budgets to build football rosters, 5 years of eligibility, NFL and NBA players potentially returning to college rosters, and head coaches signing contracts worth generational money, to name a few.   =

As a reminder, P5, now P4, universities have been paying players for decades.  Yes, I said it. The difference today is that the payments are no longer in the shadows. Unfortunately, once a version of the NFL salary cap is set in college sports, money will still be funneled under the table.  Cynical?  Perhaps, but it is a reality that will always be a part of the college game.   

What about the current legal battles regarding pro players returning to college rosters?  I don’t like it, but it is an unintended consequence of the current rules.  That being said, I want to stop select media members and fans from claiming the “sky is falling”.  News flash: major college football and men’s basketball, among other sports, are already professional.  ESPN’s Reece Davis recently spoke to this point.  Davis pointed out that many players on P4 college football teams are making more money than players on NFL practice squads.  Davis also points out that major college athletes are currently professional.   While the major college student-athletes are taking classes, they are not at their respective institutions being paid to go to class – they are there to help the program win games.   

Davis also made a point about, “why” don’t most fans agree with someone in a pro camp coming back to play college football?  It’s a professional coming back to compete against other pros. Clearly, those attempting to return to college athletics aren’t the cream of the crop, or they would be on an NFL roster.  Davis gets to the heart of the matter for many sports enthusiasts; it just doesn’t “feel” right.  

I agree it doesn’t feel right, but like it or not, until college athletics defines who can and who cannot compete in college athletics in a way that minimizes future lawsuits, it will be difficult to argue against a pro returning to play in the “minor” league when they have remaining eligibility.        

Alternative.  Many sports fans view college athletics only through the lens of Power 4 teams that play in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC.   I encourage those who want a traditional amateur college athletics fan experience to find an NCAA D-II, D-III, NAIA, or Junior College team(s) to follow and support.  Yes, the portal and NIL are permitted at the small college level, but the NIL deals are rare in comparison to the P4 level.  There are approximately 120,000 D-II student-athletes, and according to Google, D-II accounts for less than 2% of NIL deals, averaging approximately $200 for those fortunate enough to secure one. 

Don’t underestimate the level of play; the competition is fierce, teams are well-coached, fan bases are passionate, and access to the players and coaching staff affords relationships unlike the way P4s celebrity athletes are insulated from the fans.   

Finally, every dollar you spend at the small college level has far greater impact than at a P4 institution.  A $20 ticket, a season ticket purchase, or a $250 donation will have a more meaningful impact than those amounts at a major university.  

Week 2.  CFB is out of the gate.  The marquee matchup is the Saturday night showdown and rematch of #1 in Austin @ #4.  Matthew McConaughey will be flashing his Hook ‘em Horns signs throughout the night.  I agree with Vegas and give TX the slight edge in the rematch of last year’s game that was north of the Mason-Dixon line at Ohio State.  Look for Arch Manning to play good, not great, but he will not damage his chase of the Heisman.  The SEC will take pride in taking down this BIG10 power.      

Super 6 + 1.  #4 TX v #1 Ohio State | Ariz State @ #10 TX A&M |  #11 OKLAHOMA @ Michigan | #12 BAMA @ Kentucky | #18 TENN @ Ga Tech | Falcons @ STEELERS | COWBOYS @ Giants 

Tony Duckworth is a native of Macon and is the President and CEO of the Albany Area YMCA. Tony worked in intercollegiate athletics for thirty-one years. He was an NCAA Division II Director of Athletics at three universities following ten years as a head men’s basketball coach at two colleges. eMail Tony Duckworth at [email protected].