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Do bowl games matter anymore?

Cy4All said:
When I originally posted this I was more thinking in the sense of do they matter in respect to a teams season as a whole. I get the money machine, tourist destination, television content matter to them. I was more thinking about the importance to the teams season. It used to be the reward for winning all those games throughout the season was the bowl game. But now with players opting out or transferring out and coaches getting fired or taking new jobs before the bowl game it's like they don't care about the reward. So the team that plays in the bowl game is completely different from the team who earned that spot in the bowl game in the first place.
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IMO, it's not that bowl games matter less, it's that in some cases, an individual has something that matters more.

If I'm a player who wants to transfer to another program, I want to get myself in position to join that program ASAP, which means start of the next semester. Missing spring practices does nothing to help me earn playing time next fall.

If I'm a player who's pretty likely to go in the NFL draft, my health and draft position is far more important to me individually than a single game. That's life-changing money with a very small window, and it's silly to run the risk.

If I'm a coach and I'm getting an offer for a better opportunity, I want to be on that ASAP to shore up recruiting and set myself up for success. We've seen coaches get axed after three years (or less) so the clock is ticking before you even sign the contract.

If I'm an AD and think we need to make a coaching change, I want to get my new guy in there before someone else snatches him up, and so he can get started on setting himself up. If he fails, my job might be in jeopardy as well.

Team and individual interests can diverge, it's really no different than a job in many respects. Other than the emotional investment of fans. If I find a better job and phone it in for the last two weeks, no third parties are really outraged or upset because nobody cares.
 
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exCyDing said:
IMO, it's not that bowl games matter less, it's that in some cases, an individual has something that matters more.

If I'm a player who wants to transfer to another program, I want to get myself in position to join that program ASAP, which means start of the next semester. Missing spring practices does nothing to help me earn playing time next fall.

If I'm a player who's pretty likely to go in the NFL draft, my health and draft position is far more important to me individually than a single game. That's life-changing money with a very small window, and it's silly to run the risk.

If I'm a coach and I'm getting an offer for a better opportunity, I want to be on that ASAP to shore up recruiting and set myself up for success. We've seen coaches get axed after three years (or less) so the clock is ticking before you even sign the contract.

If I'm an AD and think we need to make a coaching change, I want to get my new guy in there before someone else snatches him up, and so he can get started on setting himself up. If he fails, my job might be in jeopardy as well.

Team and individual interests can diverge, it's really no different than a job in many respects. Other than the emotional investment of fans. If I find a better job and phone it in for the last two weeks, no third parties are really outraged or upset because nobody cares.
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Well said. Bowl games still mean a lot to some folks, and to others there are more important things. It's pretty much that simple. There's nothing wrong with either viewpoint.
 
dahliaclone said:
Yep
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1. in the early 90's there were less than 20 bowl games. Then up to 30 in the 2000's. Now we are at 43. Apathy is correlated to supply

2. unpopular opinion. bring back New Years day when the AP/Coaches champion would be determined by voters. Give me Michigan in the Rose and Miami in the Sugar as a 1 and 2 ranked teams. Let the chips fall. Split champ? Who cares.

3. Bowl invites should feel like making the NCAA tourney. Currently, they feel like NCAA + NIT.
 
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Not really. Missing one is worse than making one is good. Before you could at least sorta use them to pitch to recruits. Now I feel like even that's 100% gone unless you made the playoff
 
JustAnotherTimeline said:
2. unpopular opinion. bring back New Years day when the AP/Coaches champion would be determined by voters. Give me Michigan in the Rose and Miami in the Sugar as a 1 and 2 ranked teams. Let the chips fall. Split champ? Who cares.
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Yeah, people thought split national champs was some sort of horrific scandal that needed to be rectified … it’s not that big of a deal, folks.

I miss the big bowls with the conference tie-ins … Big 10 champ vs PAC 8/10 champ in the Rose, Big 12 champ to the Orange vs the ACC champ, etc … do you realize the only bowl game this year matching up conference champions is the Cure Bowl (UTSA vs Troy)?
 
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I wish teams that made bowl games and the playoff were restricted from recruiting for the time period following their last game of the season until 1/1. That would help teams who didn't make a bowl while also allowing coaches to focus on the TV product in the bowl game.
 
Playoff and NY6 bowls matter. Others not so much but I still enjoy them.
 
JustAnotherTimeline said:
1. in the early 90's there were less than 20 bowl games. Then up to 30 in the 2000's. Now we are at 43. Apathy is correlated to supply

2. unpopular opinion. bring back New Years day when the AP/Coaches champion would be determined by voters. Give me Michigan in the Rose and Miami in the Sugar as a 1 and 2 ranked teams. Let the chips fall. Split champ? Who cares.

3. Bowl invites should feel like making the NCAA tourney. Currently, they feel like NCAA + NIT.
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The playoff finding more of an objective, concrete champ is fun but there is something about the ongoing debates that are part of it too. '97 Nebraska and Michigan is the prime example.
 
madguy30 said:
Well at least it's something where he wasn't going to be able to play or it would be risky.

But I can see sitting out cascading into the CFP sadly.
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I think this will be the rare player sitting out of the CFP and with his injury history this year can’t really blame him. He was considered a 1st round lock to begin the year and has been hurt all season. Not worth risking millions to get obliterated by Georgia.
 
madguy30 said:
The playoff finding more of an objective, concrete champ is fun but there is something about the ongoing debates that are part of it too. '97 Nebraska and Michigan is the prime example.
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I think the grass is always greener phenomenon crept into this. We thought it was gonna be fun. But it's not.

Completely agree on the debate. And how many years was there really a question. Not very many.
 
It only matters when ISU makes a bowl and IA does not. It creates excellent comentary on the boards. Problem is we are usually the ones left out. So no.
 
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