[Langdude]

[quote author=Langdude link=topic=16303.msg186407#msg186407 date=1484414881]
That does beg the question, though: If one skips the bowl game to avoid injury, why play in the Rice game when his value is well-established?

-m.

True. Every game has a risk-reward evaluation, as does crossing the street. It just depends on how you evaluate the options. That is usually pretty subjective for each individual. I suspect we will see players elect to set out their entire junior year and declare for the draft at the end of the season. We have already seen players who were injured during the year not come back (when they could have) and declare for the draft. Not saying I like it or agree with it, but it is clearly an option for some.
I don't know why CM chose to play in the Rice game. I suspect he just didn't think about it, and regarded it as a given. I also suspect, but don't know, that he hadn't fully decided to declare for the draft at that point. That does alter the loss equation. It also could be that he thought (probably erroneously) the Rice game could alter the team's bowl game destination. More calculatingly, possibly he felt (correctly IMHO) that he could absorb the PR hit from the Sun Bowl much more easily than for a "regular season" game. Or maybe his dad told him he should play in the Rice game and not the Sun Bowl and he just did that.
[/quote]

Good points.

-m.

[Langdude]

[quote author=Langdude link=topic=16303.msg186407#msg186407 date=1484414881]
That does beg the question, though: If one skips the bowl game to avoid injury, why play in the Rice game when his value is well-established?

-m.

True. Every game has a risk-reward evaluation, as does crossing the street. It just depends on how you evaluate the options. That is usually pretty subjective for each individual. I suspect we will see players elect to set out their entire junior year and declare for the draft at the end of the season. We have already seen players who were injured during the year not come back (when they could have) and declare for the draft. Not saying I like it or agree with it, but it is clearly an option for some.
I don't know why CM chose to play in the Rice game. I suspect he just didn't think about it, and regarded it as a given. I also suspect, but don't know, that he hadn't fully decided to declare for the draft at that point. That does alter the loss equation. It also could be that he thought (probably erroneously) the Rice game could alter the team's bowl game destination. More calculatingly, possibly he felt (correctly IMHO) that he could absorb the PR hit from the Sun Bowl much more easily than for a "regular season" game. Or maybe his dad told him he should play in the Rice game and not the Sun Bowl and he just did that.
[/quote]

Good points.

-m.