[teejers1]

Respectfully, fullmetal, I think you're way off base in believing that the team is fine with this decision.  They are good teammates so they are keeping their disgruntlement in-house, but really, it's hard to see how anyone who has played competitive team sports would not have a problem with this.  They might understand it - heck, I think most of us "get" the thinking behind Christian looking out for his own financial best interest - but like it or agree with it?  That is an entirely different matter.

Your characterization of what is/is not a meaningless game is also a reach.  Stanford finished 9-3 and is playing in its assigned bowl.  Given that you think it's meaningless, then I guess we all should just pack it in when Stanford hits 3 losses in any given season.  C'mon now . . . BTW, I'm 100% open to the argument that there are too many bowls and 10-20 should be eliminated (the Sun Bowl would NOT be in that discussion).

Finally, make no mistake: this will be McCaffrey's most lasting legacy to college football.  A healthy player (by all public accounts) bailing on his team's bowl game because it is "not worth it to him."  Fournette has been on the shelf and the concussed kid from Oklahoma may never have gained clearance to play.  But McCaffrey has played in the last 5 games (well, I might add) and has no injury that anyone publicly is aware of.  From here on out - and it's going to happen more and more - every time a healthy player bails on his team before the season is over because he deems it in his personal best interest to do so, the commentators will say "He's pulling a McCaffrey" or something akin to that.  Unfortunate, but true.

[teejers1]

Respectfully, fullmetal, I think you're way off base in believing that the team is fine with this decision.  They are good teammates so they are keeping their disgruntlement in-house, but really, it's hard to see how anyone who has played competitive team sports would not have a problem with this.  They might understand it - heck, I think most of us "get" the thinking behind Christian looking out for his own financial best interest - but like it or agree with it?  That is an entirely different matter.

Your characterization of what is/is not a meaningless game is also a reach.  Stanford finished 9-3 and is playing in its assigned bowl.  Given that you think it's meaningless, then I guess we all should just pack it in when Stanford hits 3 losses in any given season.  C'mon now . . . BTW, I'm 100% open to the argument that there are too many bowls and 10-20 should be eliminated (the Sun Bowl would NOT be in that discussion).

Finally, make no mistake: this will be McCaffrey's most lasting legacy to college football.  A healthy player (by all public accounts) bailing on his team's bowl game because it is "not worth it to him."  Fournette has been on the shelf and the concussed kid from Oklahoma may never have gained clearance to play.  But McCaffrey has played in the last 5 games (well, I might add) and has no injury that anyone publicly is aware of.  From here on out - and it's going to happen more and more - every time a healthy player bails on his team before the season is over because he deems it in his personal best interest to do so, the commentators will say "He's pulling a McCaffrey" or something akin to that.  Unfortunate, but true.