College Football and Movie Quotes: What Can We Learn?

[Ktmguy2018]

I really enjoy good movies.  Movies provide insight, life lessons, contemplative moments, and laughter.  I love extracting nuggets of dialogue from a movie and finding a way to weave that into my normal conversations.  I am certain that we all have answered a  question with “Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full” at some point in our lives.  I've been told "You can't handle the truth" more times than I can remember.  And everyone who left to run an errand developed an Austrian accent after a certain 1984 movie came out..."I'll be Bach"

 

As I was thinking about the future of college football, various movie lines began to fling themselves around in my thought processes.  “Coincidence?  I think NOT!!” – Dash’s teacher, Bernie. (The Incredibles, 2004) 

 

Do movies give us a glimpse of the future of college football?  You be the judge.

 

WHO KNEW?

 

“Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.”  - Agent K (Men in Black, 1997)

 

Transfer portal.  NIL.  Conference realignment. Super-conferences.  Expanded Playoff. 

 

Ten years ago, none of these phrases were part of the college football experience.  Five years ago, no one believed that college athletes would be able to legally accept money from boosters or sponsors.  Two years ago, nobody was openly discussing super-conferences.  Yet here we are.

 

We can all discuss, argue, and dialogue back and forth about if this is good for college football.  I’ve been a part of this forum long enough now to know that the majority of us are missing some of the attributes of what college football used to be.   I think we have to remove the word “good” from the question and simply ask “is this college football?”.  The answer is yes.  This is what college football has become.  Is it “good”?  That is more complicated. 

 

WHAT NOW?

 

“The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air.” – Galadriel (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001)

 

I wrote a response to a post not very long ago where I compared NIL and the transfer portal to a type of mercenary activity.  That may have been a little harsh.  There are certainly those mentalities surrounding the “I’ll go to the highest bidder” actions, but as I am writing this; Bo Nix has said he is returning to Oregon for his final year of college football.

 

There have been three players in the PAC-12 this past season who have completely changed my outlook on the transfer portal of college football.  Those players are Travis Dye, Michael Penix, Jr., and Bo Nix.  Each of these players went looking for a new start with a new team.  They became the leaders of those teams by earning the respect of the coaches and players.  I did NOT want Travis Dye to leave and go to USC.  When he sustained that horrible injury and the ENTIRE TEAM gathered around him, it was hard for me to be emotional.  That young man was a LEADER.  At that moment, I did not care what color of uniform he wore; I was proud of what he represented. 

 

I was not high on the Ducks acquiring Bo Nix.  I’ve never been more wrong about a player.  Bo has shown class, leadership, and maturity that makes all of us proud to be Duck fans.  I hated, HATED, that UW beat us.  But, knowing Michael Penix, Jr’s history; his struggles and injuries, I could not help but feel glad for the young man.  He is considered by some to be joining Bo and Caleb as Heisman favorite for next year.

 

This would NOT have happened without the transfer portal and maybe some NIL as well.  It rejuvenated two careers and showed the depth of leadership of another, even when cut short by injury.  How many other stories like this are out there? 

 

SO IT’S GOOD?

 

“Are you not entertained?” – Maximus (Gladiator, 2000)

 

College football is enjoying the greatest revenue infusion ever.  Massive media deals, record television ratings, and unparalleled attendance (well, except for UCLA).  With all media deals, conference realignment, and money being thrown around, what could be the next domino to fall?  How about the NCAA.

 

As conferences realign and the super-conferences become a reality, what is to stop them from feeling like they do not want to play second fiddle to the NCAA.  Officially, the post season play is not governed by the NCAA.  The NCAA certifies the bowl to host NCAA teams and ensures they meet minimum standards of governance.  That is the extent of involvement.

 

Given the amount of money in these media deals, the super-conferences could simply pull out of playing football under the regulation of the NCAA.  Is it plausible that the major super-conferences elect to do their own thing and let the NCAA handle smaller conference football?  Far-fetched, maybe.  But so was LEGALLY paying college football players not very long ago.

 

Since we have started down that path, what is to prevent the super-conference from becoming the official “D” league of the NFL?  Players who are not quite ready to go to a super-conference team could spend a few years in the smaller conference football before transferring to a super-conference team and then on to the NFL.

 

I used to believe that college football was about the STUDENT-athlete and there was a reason why “student” was first.  I do not see things that way anymore, with rare exceptions.  Modern college football seems to be about money.  That is why we are seeing the conference realignments happening.  If a super-conference has a billion-dollar television deal and can potential form their own college football league, why would they not leave the NCAA behind? 

 

SO IT’S BAD?

 

“It means your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it” – Doc Brown (Back To The Future III, 1990)

 

I was watching “Talking Ducks” from December 15^th and I heard Mr. Anthony Newman say that he relished the opportunity to compete with another player, to get better and try to take that player’s spot on the field.  Has college football lost that?

 

I do not think it has.  But those stories do not get the attention or the clicks on the websites.  A major player transferring to another program gets attention.  As a media consumer, I have to look deeply for stories like Mr. Newman is talking about.  The high-profile player looking to go somewhere else to make a splash is the easy story to find.

 

There is an urgency around any new coaching hire, player from the transfer portal, five star recruit to have an immediate impact on the field and produce immediate results.  As a fan, I am guilty of demanding that.  Dan Lanning in his first year?  Doesn’t matter, he should make the playoffs!  Realistic, probably not.  But it is what is expected. 

 

Dig deeper into Googler and you will find stories like what Mr. Newman is talking about.  Maybe about how a certain UCLA quarterback with the initials DTR stayed for his entire career and became a star in the PAC-12. 

 

Or maybe we step outside the PAC and look at a certain Max Duggan from TCU.  At the beginning of 2022, Duggan LOST his status of starting QB.  Rather than entering the transfer portal, Duggan told his coaches that he intended to be the best backup quarterback in the country and that he'd do anything to help the starter succeed.  We all know what happened this year with Mr. Duggan.

 

Those stories are out there.  They just do not produce the flashiness of a PriME hire or transfer.

 

WHERE ARE WE?

 

“If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead.” – Gusteau (Ratatouille, 2007)

 

In the previous referenced “Talking Ducks” episode, Mr. Joey Harrington mentioned that college football has changed.  It is not the same as when he played, and it will not be same.  It does not make it bad or worse, it just makes it different. 

 

For those of us who have been around college football for quite some time, that can be hard to hear.  I have to constantly remind myself that not all change is bad.  When change happens, it just requires a thorough and in-depth analysis.  My initial and emotional reaction to the changes may not always be accurate.

 

There are things about the current state of college football that I do not like.  When I start to dwell on those things, it can be irritating.  But then, something happens and I am thankful for where college football is.

 

Something like, ohhhhh I don’t know….BO NIX.

[Annie]

On 12/19/2022 at 9:53 AM, Ktmguy2018 said:

...

 

In the previous referenced “Talking Ducks” episode, Mr. Joey Harrington mentioned that college football has changed.  It is not the same as when he played, and it will not be same.  It does not make it bad or worse, it just makes it different. 

 

...

One big difference to me is that my feelings about college football are in danger of drifting toward the feelings I have about college basketball, where it is so rare to have a player for 4 years, so we don't really get to know the teams the way we used to. I used to feel as if I knew all the players, or at least most of them, including 3rd and 4th stringers. Now, not so much.