Aaron Rodgers: “I know I’m not an epidemiologist. I’m not a doctor. I’m not an immunologist. Whatever the f**k, I can read though. I can learn and look things up like any person. I can do my own research… but that was the game plan back then.”
TRANSLATION:
"I admit to not being an expert or even being close to understanding science. However, I have the freedom to selectively search for debunked pseudo-science and conspiracy theory articles written by nutjobs...and take that as truth. I don't care about the spread of mis-information either."
Rodgers publicly pleads with his NYJ teammates to lock in on football and not let outside distractions interfere with the business of winning NFL games…all the while going on Pat McAfee Monster Energy Drink lowest common denominator bro culture show, or flirting with political campaigns with crackpots.
Any assumption that being a quality athlete AND having good reasoning skills should be thoroughly debunked by now. McAfee even tossed Rogers off his show because he thought Rogers' incendiary (read loopy) pronouncements (Aaron's petty, vicious and libelous attacks on Jimmy Fallon, e.g.) might get the program sued. And McAfee's willing to be edgy. So...Wow.
I remain dumbfounded by the amount of money being thrown around to these kids. To think that a young 20 ish old college (in name only) athlete deserves $400 k on top of the huge amount of money that is poured into each player for coaching snd development, scholarships, room and board, tutoring, medical care, and counseling is so far beyond reasonable it defies explanation. The inmates are now running the asylum, buttressed by sleazy agents and rival school poaching. This unregulated free for all has destroyed amateur college athletics as we knew them. I’m waiting for a shoe to drop, when some courageous university stands up and says NO MORE. To
Put this in perspective, how many hard working, law abiding and productively employed friends and family members do you know that have received such a windfall? An amount of income that exceeds that of the vast majority of people. Until the system is reeled in and fairly regulated, it will destroy itself.
I understand what you are saying . However, the odds of what you are wishing for would happen if we only had more money to throw at this is akin to taking the family savings and placing it all on the green “00” on a roulette wheel in Vegas. You missed my point. Continuing to think of this from the perspective of more $$$ will solve the problem and keep us in the game is flawed. Its the same perspective a gambler has as after losing, thinking things will be rosy if he/she just hits on the next bet. As Kenny Rogers said, “you got to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.”
Hi J C and all. It is a sad situation these young players are facing today with so “many” people telling them what to do and some of them are not financial people or Attorneys, such as the “jerk” that Martinez has.
They are only looking out for themselves and the “BIG $$$” .
This NIL, portal, and all of the other BS that is being given out to these young people will ruin them in the future.
When it is time to get a real job, some of them will be hit “between the eyes” that all of the “big” $$$ are not what you get when you start to “earn” a TRUE living.
Some will believe they should start at the TOP of the profession,(because of what happened and was caused by the NIL, etc.)
Only to find out, you start at the lower ring of the ladder and you must earn a promotion to get to the top.
We had that experience in our family with a former son-in law. He could not handle not being at the top to start with. Resulted in a divorce with our daughter and a baby child.
She has landed on her feet (with financial help from us) remarried, two great children and a great husband and father.
I was really put off by the picture of the OSU running back standing on the hood of his new car - not exactly the pose struck by a team mate and team leader at least from my day. I wonder...what would happen if OSU took a real leadership position and used its NIL Collective to say, "We will pay every single player on the team the same $x.xx dollars per month (or year) - it doesn't matter if you're an offensive lineman, a long-snapper, a tight end, or THE quarterback of the century. A fair paycheck, plus a college education, room and board, for being a member of the team." You'd likely not get guys like Martinez, but maybe you'd end up with a better overall, deeper team?
Running backs are a dime a dozen. The guy ran for 1,100 yards not 2,000. Beavs have a long history of good RB’s, they’ll plug and play. To me bigger issue is did he talk to anyone about buying a 60k car when he already had a free SUV from local dealership?
Randy Bennett rarely — I mean, VERY rarely — has had players transfer out. That Mahaney is likely leaving speaks volumes about the disruptive impact of NIL.
I’m entirely supportive of players being compensated — scholarship recipients in revenue sports are, effectively, full-time employees — but this “here they come, there they go” thing is ridiculous. Just nuts.
There’s got to be a better way to fairly compensate players without continuously rewarding those schools with the most $.
Travesty of justice that Bennett has not had more serious looks at bigger basketball schools. The guy is a monster coach. And I am saying this as a zag! Zags have a good NIL bank, so they are gonna be a machine next year.
Am pretty confident Randy is still in Moraga by choice. Saint Mary’s is a unique place — pretty early in his tenure there was a commitment from the administration to invest in hoops. Once he had a reliable talent pipeline and genuine momentum, his family had planted pretty deep roots.
At one point, when ASU opened up (his hometown), I thought he might go. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen and I doubt he’d leave now. (No likelier than Few leaving Spokane.)
Lotta cool ditties here, John. Appreciate all of them.
You have to give Tinkle credit for trying to restore a decent roster after last year and the realignment. Hope Dam Nation is helpful for this. And I am seeing a lot of quietness from Scott Rueck. I have no idea, but I hope and expect he is working hard to replace and move on from the mass bail. He did it once after Wagner left and he arrived….he can do it again albeit it a different landscape.
It would be interesting to hear his thoughts on athletes forming unions. Will it add more structure to transferring, NIL or payment from schools. Could it lead to an NFL like contract structure between Universities and a college football player union, where all transfer and payments are agreed and structured?
I think declaring players as employees of the universities and then letting them unionize is the only thing that can "possibly" save major college sports. Until now it had always been a one sided venture. For years only the schools and coaches had a say. Now the tables have turned and the players run things with few rules in place. It should've never come to this, but now that it has the only way out of it is to legalize the entire operation, negotiate a bargaining agreement and determine legal parameters for both sides. But how do you negotiate an agreement that applies equally to football players and the women's rowing team? Just my thoughts, but if you do this I think you only do it for football, and separate/remove them from college athletics. Of course, that will bring on an entirely different set of challenges. Make football, or even add in men's basketball, employees and they're no longer part of the Title IX funding and scholarship equation. The remaining sports will suffer greatly, mostly women's sports as each one will have to heavily pay for itself and be self sufficient, other than scholarships. That's why I figured we'd be seeing a lot more push back on this from women athletes and not just the NIL lawsuits. This is trending to basically chop women's college sports off at the knees. It's killing their golden goose, football. Anyone who can't see this coming is flat out blind.
You might want to ask all the factory workers and hard laborers who used to have to work 14-16 hours a day, 7 days a week for 12 cents a day if they think a union ever solved a problem. Now, just like everything in America, people and their greed have figured out a way to exploit and ruin something that was born out of necessity, but such is way we live today. Interested to hear what you believe the solution is.
It sure isn't unionization. the answer (just my honest opinion) is hard guardrails...I do not have an issue with NILs...I have a huge issue with unrestricted NILs. giving Martinez $400,000??? on top of his $200,000 scholarship...sorry, but that is insanity!!! I'm sure its happening at Oregon too. I'd be fine paying every single player on scholarship 45K...the average income in the US. But...PAY THEM ALL THE SAME! With the way it is, with huge money going out to the best athletes at the top football factories, the rich get richer, and the nuts are running the asylum.
I agree with everything you said. I just don't think, with the court decisions that have already been made, universities will ever be allowed to "cap" an athletes earnings again. I believe the courts have already eliminated that option. As Charlie wisely said above, sometimes just because there's a problem doesn't mean there's a solution. This might be one of those times.
Unions in my experience are incredibly net positive. I was a diesel engine mechanic while I worked my way through my undergraduate and graduate degrees. In fact I will someday get a pension when I retire from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace. Not a lot, as it was a short few years, but a few hundred extra bucks a month to me. The union provided us training. Ensured we were paid prevailing wage, demanded safety, fairness, and integrity between the company o worked for and us as the labor force. At one point we came to a contractual impasse, where the company wanted to take take take. And we went out on strike. The company intent was to break us, but the union lined us up with jobs that paid as much, or more than our current wages were. So I don’t agree with your take. Respectfully, and as someone that lived it.
Mr. Kelly...I also "lived it"...and from what you typed, a whole hell of lot longer than yourself. "net positve"? Hah!....Unions are in place not to support or help workers, but to grow unions...and support their political agenda's, PERIOD!. Do some research on unions, especially Teamsters, ACLU, farmworkers, Longshoremen's, Teachers...if you have an objective mindset, it will really enlighten you as to what unions & their leaderships does & say vs what they do.
Probably a better question for his interview with Barnes. But in nutshell, yes. If you can collectively bargain with the athletes you can put in controls in exchange for things like revenue sharing. That's really the only way I see college sports can get rid of the chaos while not running afoul of antitrust laws.
Question is who is doing the bargaining on the college side? NCAA? Unlikely. Individual conferences? Perhaps. An entity that does not yet formally exist? That'd be my bet.
John, I’d love to have you ask Lanning about why the Ducks first two possessions during the PAC12 championship game were pass, pass, pass…
It seemed like the Ducks strayed from who they are which is a running team with a balanced passing attack. Did they head into the game with pass, pass, pass as a stated strategy? Or did they see something at the line of scrimmage? Maybe Lanning knew they needed to jump out to a quick lead to go toe to toe with Washington?
In hind sight (which us armchair coaches love to use) it gave the Ducks two quick and out possessions and the feeling of a huge momentum shift.
Mahaney's a heck of a talent, but his departure coincides with one of his coaches - Justin Joyner - leaving to go to Michigan. Doubt Madsen has a chance, nor do I think it had anything to do with NIL. I've heard he's really only interested in 2 programs - Michigan, to join Joyner, and SDSU, where 1 of his best friends plays and where he spent part of his spring break hanging out & playing ball with Aztec players.
Before SMC turned it around early in the year he'd hinted he wouldn't mind playing at SDSU, so it didn't surprise me to see him in the portal. The timing with the Joyner hire though, rather than entering the portal earlier, makes me think that's where he ends up.
Oklahoma and Texas left the Big 12. USC, Oregon, Washington and little brother UCLA have distanced themselves from the Four Corners schools. Are there ANY attractive games in the Big 12 this season? Utah will still probably sell out every game, but their schedule is quite a comedown from the Pac-12.
I have a fraternity brother who is friends with the Mahaney kid's family. Apparently, he loves SMC but the money is too good to turn down. Welcome to loyalty in the 21st century NIL era.
Aaron Rodgers is a fool and an embarrassment to the University of California.
So, Jonathan Smith says it was "culture" that kept his players out of the portal? Apparently, that culture mattered not a wit to the coach himself, who hopped the earliest bus out of town at the first sign of trouble. And, if culture is indeed what keeps players at home and teams together, what does that say about the OSU women's basketball program?
It tells me that culture is a shallow concept for 18-20 year olds—especially if they have adult voices in their ears harping on dollars and exposure. A shame, but the way of the world,
Aaron Rodgers: “I know I’m not an epidemiologist. I’m not a doctor. I’m not an immunologist. Whatever the f**k, I can read though. I can learn and look things up like any person. I can do my own research… but that was the game plan back then.”
TRANSLATION:
"I admit to not being an expert or even being close to understanding science. However, I have the freedom to selectively search for debunked pseudo-science and conspiracy theory articles written by nutjobs...and take that as truth. I don't care about the spread of mis-information either."
Rodgers publicly pleads with his NYJ teammates to lock in on football and not let outside distractions interfere with the business of winning NFL games…all the while going on Pat McAfee Monster Energy Drink lowest common denominator bro culture show, or flirting with political campaigns with crackpots.
See comment above, Charlie
Aaron Rodgers, to me, is an excellent downside example of a Berkeley education. Just sayin', Charlie
You're assuming star QBs actually go to classes. Or to classes that have any actual, you know...knowledge and stuff.
that is a good point.
Too bad they don’t,or didn’t, go to Faber College. Where….”Knowledge is good”
The sweatshirt said it all..."College"!!
Except he doesn't associate himself with Berkeley.
Perhaps because he can't spell it?
Any assumption that being a quality athlete AND having good reasoning skills should be thoroughly debunked by now. McAfee even tossed Rogers off his show because he thought Rogers' incendiary (read loopy) pronouncements (Aaron's petty, vicious and libelous attacks on Jimmy Fallon, e.g.) might get the program sued. And McAfee's willing to be edgy. So...Wow.
I think the ‘shroom and sweat lodge schtic is stripping whatever neurons remain in his active brain cell roster
I remain dumbfounded by the amount of money being thrown around to these kids. To think that a young 20 ish old college (in name only) athlete deserves $400 k on top of the huge amount of money that is poured into each player for coaching snd development, scholarships, room and board, tutoring, medical care, and counseling is so far beyond reasonable it defies explanation. The inmates are now running the asylum, buttressed by sleazy agents and rival school poaching. This unregulated free for all has destroyed amateur college athletics as we knew them. I’m waiting for a shoe to drop, when some courageous university stands up and says NO MORE. To
Put this in perspective, how many hard working, law abiding and productively employed friends and family members do you know that have received such a windfall? An amount of income that exceeds that of the vast majority of people. Until the system is reeled in and fairly regulated, it will destroy itself.
I understand what you are saying . However, the odds of what you are wishing for would happen if we only had more money to throw at this is akin to taking the family savings and placing it all on the green “00” on a roulette wheel in Vegas. You missed my point. Continuing to think of this from the perspective of more $$$ will solve the problem and keep us in the game is flawed. Its the same perspective a gambler has as after losing, thinking things will be rosy if he/she just hits on the next bet. As Kenny Rogers said, “you got to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.”
Hi J C and all. It is a sad situation these young players are facing today with so “many” people telling them what to do and some of them are not financial people or Attorneys, such as the “jerk” that Martinez has.
They are only looking out for themselves and the “BIG $$$” .
This NIL, portal, and all of the other BS that is being given out to these young people will ruin them in the future.
When it is time to get a real job, some of them will be hit “between the eyes” that all of the “big” $$$ are not what you get when you start to “earn” a TRUE living.
Some will believe they should start at the TOP of the profession,(because of what happened and was caused by the NIL, etc.)
Only to find out, you start at the lower ring of the ladder and you must earn a promotion to get to the top.
We had that experience in our family with a former son-in law. He could not handle not being at the top to start with. Resulted in a divorce with our daughter and a baby child.
She has landed on her feet (with financial help from us) remarried, two great children and a great husband and father.
a lot of cooks in the kitchen
....Steven Jackson will be speaking at OSU's commencement June 15
I'll tune in.
I was really put off by the picture of the OSU running back standing on the hood of his new car - not exactly the pose struck by a team mate and team leader at least from my day. I wonder...what would happen if OSU took a real leadership position and used its NIL Collective to say, "We will pay every single player on the team the same $x.xx dollars per month (or year) - it doesn't matter if you're an offensive lineman, a long-snapper, a tight end, or THE quarterback of the century. A fair paycheck, plus a college education, room and board, for being a member of the team." You'd likely not get guys like Martinez, but maybe you'd end up with a better overall, deeper team?
Running backs are a dime a dozen. The guy ran for 1,100 yards not 2,000. Beavs have a long history of good RB’s, they’ll plug and play. To me bigger issue is did he talk to anyone about buying a 60k car when he already had a free SUV from local dealership?
Great stuff in a Crazy time!
Yup
GO DAWGS
Randy Bennett rarely — I mean, VERY rarely — has had players transfer out. That Mahaney is likely leaving speaks volumes about the disruptive impact of NIL.
I’m entirely supportive of players being compensated — scholarship recipients in revenue sports are, effectively, full-time employees — but this “here they come, there they go” thing is ridiculous. Just nuts.
There’s got to be a better way to fairly compensate players without continuously rewarding those schools with the most $.
Travesty of justice that Bennett has not had more serious looks at bigger basketball schools. The guy is a monster coach. And I am saying this as a zag! Zags have a good NIL bank, so they are gonna be a machine next year.
Am pretty confident Randy is still in Moraga by choice. Saint Mary’s is a unique place — pretty early in his tenure there was a commitment from the administration to invest in hoops. Once he had a reliable talent pipeline and genuine momentum, his family had planted pretty deep roots.
At one point, when ASU opened up (his hometown), I thought he might go. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen and I doubt he’d leave now. (No likelier than Few leaving Spokane.)
Just top of mind he has interviewed with UCLA, USC, Cal and Stanford. None of the interviews got very far. I disagree, Bennett would love to jump.
Lotta cool ditties here, John. Appreciate all of them.
You have to give Tinkle credit for trying to restore a decent roster after last year and the realignment. Hope Dam Nation is helpful for this. And I am seeing a lot of quietness from Scott Rueck. I have no idea, but I hope and expect he is working hard to replace and move on from the mass bail. He did it once after Wagner left and he arrived….he can do it again albeit it a different landscape.
Go Saxons
Re: Interview with Mr. Lanning.
It would be interesting to hear his thoughts on athletes forming unions. Will it add more structure to transferring, NIL or payment from schools. Could it lead to an NFL like contract structure between Universities and a college football player union, where all transfer and payments are agreed and structured?
I think declaring players as employees of the universities and then letting them unionize is the only thing that can "possibly" save major college sports. Until now it had always been a one sided venture. For years only the schools and coaches had a say. Now the tables have turned and the players run things with few rules in place. It should've never come to this, but now that it has the only way out of it is to legalize the entire operation, negotiate a bargaining agreement and determine legal parameters for both sides. But how do you negotiate an agreement that applies equally to football players and the women's rowing team? Just my thoughts, but if you do this I think you only do it for football, and separate/remove them from college athletics. Of course, that will bring on an entirely different set of challenges. Make football, or even add in men's basketball, employees and they're no longer part of the Title IX funding and scholarship equation. The remaining sports will suffer greatly, mostly women's sports as each one will have to heavily pay for itself and be self sufficient, other than scholarships. That's why I figured we'd be seeing a lot more push back on this from women athletes and not just the NIL lawsuits. This is trending to basically chop women's college sports off at the knees. It's killing their golden goose, football. Anyone who can't see this coming is flat out blind.
LOLOL...when has unionization ever saved a labor entity, or solved a problem? Unions just add a middleman to the list of grifters.
You might want to ask all the factory workers and hard laborers who used to have to work 14-16 hours a day, 7 days a week for 12 cents a day if they think a union ever solved a problem. Now, just like everything in America, people and their greed have figured out a way to exploit and ruin something that was born out of necessity, but such is way we live today. Interested to hear what you believe the solution is.
It sure isn't unionization. the answer (just my honest opinion) is hard guardrails...I do not have an issue with NILs...I have a huge issue with unrestricted NILs. giving Martinez $400,000??? on top of his $200,000 scholarship...sorry, but that is insanity!!! I'm sure its happening at Oregon too. I'd be fine paying every single player on scholarship 45K...the average income in the US. But...PAY THEM ALL THE SAME! With the way it is, with huge money going out to the best athletes at the top football factories, the rich get richer, and the nuts are running the asylum.
I agree with everything you said. I just don't think, with the court decisions that have already been made, universities will ever be allowed to "cap" an athletes earnings again. I believe the courts have already eliminated that option. As Charlie wisely said above, sometimes just because there's a problem doesn't mean there's a solution. This might be one of those times.
Isn’t paying every person on squad the same amount called socialism or unionization?
Unions in my experience are incredibly net positive. I was a diesel engine mechanic while I worked my way through my undergraduate and graduate degrees. In fact I will someday get a pension when I retire from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace. Not a lot, as it was a short few years, but a few hundred extra bucks a month to me. The union provided us training. Ensured we were paid prevailing wage, demanded safety, fairness, and integrity between the company o worked for and us as the labor force. At one point we came to a contractual impasse, where the company wanted to take take take. And we went out on strike. The company intent was to break us, but the union lined us up with jobs that paid as much, or more than our current wages were. So I don’t agree with your take. Respectfully, and as someone that lived it.
Great post.
Mr. Kelly...I also "lived it"...and from what you typed, a whole hell of lot longer than yourself. "net positve"? Hah!....Unions are in place not to support or help workers, but to grow unions...and support their political agenda's, PERIOD!. Do some research on unions, especially Teamsters, ACLU, farmworkers, Longshoremen's, Teachers...if you have an objective mindset, it will really enlighten you as to what unions & their leaderships does & say vs what they do.
We will agree to disagree.
Just because there is a problem is no guarantee there is a solution - well played analysis, Jim. Charlie
Probably a better question for his interview with Barnes. But in nutshell, yes. If you can collectively bargain with the athletes you can put in controls in exchange for things like revenue sharing. That's really the only way I see college sports can get rid of the chaos while not running afoul of antitrust laws.
Question is who is doing the bargaining on the college side? NCAA? Unlikely. Individual conferences? Perhaps. An entity that does not yet formally exist? That'd be my bet.
Great comment on who the "negotiating" parties are!
I know a certain conference commissioner who has some time on his hands...
A good question for both!
I'll not be surprised if Lanning cancels with the Daylen Austin arrest still being sussed out.
John, I’d love to have you ask Lanning about why the Ducks first two possessions during the PAC12 championship game were pass, pass, pass…
It seemed like the Ducks strayed from who they are which is a running team with a balanced passing attack. Did they head into the game with pass, pass, pass as a stated strategy? Or did they see something at the line of scrimmage? Maybe Lanning knew they needed to jump out to a quick lead to go toe to toe with Washington?
In hind sight (which us armchair coaches love to use) it gave the Ducks two quick and out possessions and the feeling of a huge momentum shift.
What did Lanning learn?
Omg! That game was 4 1/2 months ago. It’s over and past, who cares.
So you don’t like to learn from mistakes? You know the saying: “those that don’t learn from their mistakes are destined to make them again.”
Mahaney's a heck of a talent, but his departure coincides with one of his coaches - Justin Joyner - leaving to go to Michigan. Doubt Madsen has a chance, nor do I think it had anything to do with NIL. I've heard he's really only interested in 2 programs - Michigan, to join Joyner, and SDSU, where 1 of his best friends plays and where he spent part of his spring break hanging out & playing ball with Aztec players.
Before SMC turned it around early in the year he'd hinted he wouldn't mind playing at SDSU, so it didn't surprise me to see him in the portal. The timing with the Joyner hire though, rather than entering the portal earlier, makes me think that's where he ends up.
You have a smart 9 year old! I noticed the same thing about Cardoso and Reese both being drafted by Chicago. Very interesting…
Oklahoma and Texas left the Big 12. USC, Oregon, Washington and little brother UCLA have distanced themselves from the Four Corners schools. Are there ANY attractive games in the Big 12 this season? Utah will still probably sell out every game, but their schedule is quite a comedown from the Pac-12.
I have a fraternity brother who is friends with the Mahaney kid's family. Apparently, he loves SMC but the money is too good to turn down. Welcome to loyalty in the 21st century NIL era.
Aaron Rodgers is a fool and an embarrassment to the University of California.
Aaron Rodgers and I are fellow Counting Crows FANATICS. This makes me question where I went wrong in life. Sheesh..
So, Jonathan Smith says it was "culture" that kept his players out of the portal? Apparently, that culture mattered not a wit to the coach himself, who hopped the earliest bus out of town at the first sign of trouble. And, if culture is indeed what keeps players at home and teams together, what does that say about the OSU women's basketball program?
It tells me that culture is a shallow concept for 18-20 year olds—especially if they have adult voices in their ears harping on dollars and exposure. A shame, but the way of the world,
Dang, I sure enjoyed this week’s edition.
Thanks