[The Miami Ute]

I think the answer to that is without a doubt. Given the current environment, there’s zero benefit to conducting games of this ilk. That’s the reason why so many programs have stopped doing them. All you’re doing is exposing yourself to last-minute defections by key players on your team. At the end of the day, all it is, is a watered-down scrimmage put on for the fans.

[The Miami Ute]

Arizona as well. It seems like every time BYU goes to Arizona, there are issues with very public insults towards BYU and LDS Church in general.

[The Miami Ute]

LOL, let me tell you something Phil…I’m not from Utah, so I have an East Coast perspective as to where you stand in the football pecking order. And what BYU is, figuratively speaking, is a pimple in a cow’s ass, or maybe a tick in a billy goat’s balls. In the real world, BYU didn’t exist in the past, doesn’t exist now, and won’t exist in the future. And, just like the Gulf Arabs I dealt with for long periods of my work career, you overpay for what you get and are swindled at the slightest opportunity. Sorry, but that’s the truth.

[The Miami Ute]

Rick, at this point, I think the timing is irrelevant. As college sports become more professionalized and almost identical to NFL franchises, down to having GMs, etc…anything that in the current environment provides potential personnel intel to opponents will be eliminated. Can you imagine if the NFL were run like college football is run today, with year-round free agency and giving opposing scouts the ability to attend events like the 22 Forever Game?

[The Miami Ute]

How so? Please elaborate…

[The Miami Ute]

Personally, I think I’m done even if he stays. I’m kind of feeling this might be my last year as a season ticket holder. I had way too much fun going to about 30 x Utah Hockey Club games, and I think I’m going to fully transition my time, money, and attention to that team. At the very worst, they’ll never approach the hypocrisy that abounds in college sports today.

[The Miami Ute]

Well, it’s the highest rated, with regards to academics, university in Utah. Yeah, I know, shocker that any athlete nowadays would be concerned about something like that. Personally, I think that the only reason why non-Mormon athletes go there is because they blow off the Honor Code, and no one cares.

[The Miami Ute]

I totally agree with that…in fact, you could make the case that the reason that BYU lost the games they did was due to Retzlaff’s poor play. He was absolutely horrible versus Kansas and ASU.

[The Miami Ute]

Actually, pro athletes (and specifically NFL players) do not hold out for more money “all of the time.” If you do a Google search on the subject, you’ll see that the actual number of players holding out on a year-to-year basis is minuscule compared to the player population at large. The only reason why any player holding out creates a splash is because of how rare it is to happen. The reality is that in a world of signed, ironclad contracts, the scales are decisively against any player who decides to hold out. Lastly, there’s a huge gulf between holding out and entering the portal. A pro athlete can hold out, but that doesn’t give him or her the right to go to another team without consequences. As it stands right now, there are zero consequences for individuals who have signed multi-year NIL contracts but then decide to move on to greener pastures.

[The Miami Ute]

I don’t think anyone is calling for NIL to go away. What many others and I are calling for, is for the system to have some valid structure. Right now, the players are living in a Fantasyland where multi-year NIL contracts don’t mean squat. That’s how Nico Iamaleava was able to ditch Tennessee for UCLA after having one good season. Can you imagine a minor league baseball player under contract to the Marlins having a monster season in AAA and then, after the season is over, saying “I’m transferring to the Yankees.” Why can college football players who have signed multi-year NIL deals back out of them without any financial or legal repercussions? Because, at this point, there’s this romantic ideal that they’re not professional athletes, and that NIL, as Central Coast Ute said, isn’t “pay for play”, even though that’s exactly what it is. I have to imagine that, somewhere down the line, some school with deep pockets is going to call BS on the whole thing and say “see you in court” to the athlete(s) involved.

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