SEC who?

[medaille]

College football and basketball as we know it, growing up is done.  When billionaires decide their alma mater should win the championship NCAA sports is no longer.  Oh by the way, fuck Cuban and his dollars to buy a championship.

I guess I don’t see much difference from what we had before until what we have now, except that players switch teams more often.  Nobody was going to Alabama because it was a great education.

[supafreak84]

I guess I don’t see much difference from what we had before until what we have now, except that players switch teams more often.  Nobody was going to Alabama because it was a great education.

Every player is a gun for hire now with zero consequence for breaking a commitment. Before if you wanted to transfer, you could, but you had to sit out for a year. It's extremely difficult to build culture, hold players to a commitment, and it is all about the teams that have the financial booster base to pay and get the best players. Ohio State spent 25 million on their roster last year. Who knows how much Cuban ponies up the last couple years in Indiana. College football has definately lost its luster. I'd hate to be a college coach anywhere who has to continually recruit his own players now to stay at a program where you are trying to build a culture. You don't know who you will have on a roster from year to year as it's now free agency for everyone every offseason.

[purplefaithful]

Wait, I thought we didnt care about culture? Ok, just giving you a hard time Supa

Hasn't there always been $$ out there? Boosters have always been around and $ exchanged hands? Or car keys? Or vacations?

Look, I don't luv the direction things have gone, but it seems like it's kinda always been going on...Now it's just out in the open and formalized. Oh and players are getting a bigger slice of the pie.

[Montana Tom]

And I understand Jane Pauley (a distinguished Indiana alum as well), made a point that it is NOT University of Indiana. It is Indiana University.

Good for them.

[JimmyinSD]

And I understand Jane Pauley (a distinguished Indiana alum as well), made a point that it is NOT University of Indiana.  It is Indiana University.

Good for them.

its a nice story,  but like others have said,  its hardly Hoosiers 2.0, they bought a championship,  but who doesnt in college sports, and thats not really a new thing.

[StickierBuns]

Wait, I thought we didnt care about culture?  Ok, just giving you a hard time Supa

lol.

Did paying players happen in the past? Of course. To the NIL level? Not in the same universe. Teams have collectives now that contribute money to players, almost like political PAC donors. Some schools have bigger collectives than others or a big donor that knocks it out of the park. And Nick Saban is right, getting southern players to come north to play is HARD. But $$$ always talks. Listen, I'm a Michigan fan but fully understand how lucky the sports program is to have Larry Ellison's 5th wife be a Michigan alum and fan of sports.

[supafreak84]

Wait, I thought we didnt care about culture?  Ok, just giving you a hard time Supa

And this is precisely my point, how do you establish culture when teams change so drastically from year to year? That goes for pro football, and now college. The Vikings winning five games to end the year is meaningless when it comes to next year's team. We've talked ad nauseum about the plethora of team needs on this roster and how much turnover there's going to be. Do you think any of those players care that we beat Washington last December? Nope. "Culture" was a cool catchphrase in the 70's and 80's when you could keep players and teams together long term, now it's just a myth from year to year

[purplefaithful]

And this is precisely my point, how do you establish culture when teams change so drastically from year to year? That goes for pro football, and now college. The Vikings winning five games to end the year is meaningless when it comes to next year's team. We've talked ad nauseum about the plethora of team needs on this roster and how much turnover there's going to be. Do you think any of those players care that we beat Washington last December? Nope. "Culture" was a cool catchphrase in the 70's and 80's when you could keep players and teams together long term, now it's just a myth from year to year

I think culture is still a really important part of the locker room, but agree its harder to infuse now with roster turnover, especially in college ball...

Coaches are still going to be expected to instill it though. 

I dont know if you could pay me enough to coach college ball in this era forward. I think coaches like Saban saw the writing on the wall and said no thanks/I'm outta here.

[supafreak84]

I think culture is still a really important part of the locker room, but agree its harder to infuse especially now with roster turnover, especially in college ball...

Coaches are still going to be expected to instill it though. 

I dont know if you could pay me enough to coach college ball in this era forward. I think coaches like Saban saw the writing on the wall and said no thanks/I'm outta here.

The bottom line is, to get any type of "culture" established, you better have the front office right, the coach right, and a franchise quarterback in the fold. If you are missing any one of those ingredients...good luck trying to establish any type of "culture" which is just a fancy word for sustainability, of which the Vikings have had none in my almost 50 years of fandom.

[purplefaithful]

The bottom line is, to get any type of "culture" established, you better have the front office right, the coach right, and a franchise quarterback in the fold. If you are missing any one of those ingredients...good luck trying to establish any type of "culture" which is just a fancy word for sustainability, of which the Vikings have had none in my almost 50 years of fandom.

I think the Vikings have had some good coaches along the way, even RS in his prime was good and b4 the Zimmer kerfuffle...The Vikings problem has been at QB. It will continue to be a problem unless JJM proves worthy or they go another direction in 27.