Could the end of major college sports be on the horizon?
After watching the Cincinnati – Alabama football playoff game and glimpsing at how convincingly Georgia manhandled Michigan, I think it’s almost a no-brainer.
In a nutshell, college sports aficionados want to watch teams like KU, MU and K-State fumble around and maybe knock off an Oklahoma from time to time – and buy and wear all those tacky team fashions. However given that there are only 10 or fewer teams playing high level competitive college football the chances of that happening are growing scarcer.
When Missouri bailed on the Big 12 for the almighty SEC and far bigger bucks, Mizzou stalwarts like Will Gregory were ecstatic. And leaving forlorn KU fans in the rear view mirror breathed meaning into their lives.
Nevermind that MU has not come close to being nationally ranked alongside KU in football ever since. Or that their basketball fortunes have sunk so low that they are now losing to nobodies like UMKC.
Take this past November…
“It was a night to forget at Mizzou Arena, as Missouri fell to in-state opponent Kansas City 80-66. It’s the second straight home loss to the Roos for the Tigers, as they fell 69-61 to Kansas City in 2014.”
No way Mizzou would have lost to UMKC in its Big 8 or Big 12 years.
Will Gregory
Remember back in 2006 when Missouri and Kansas were duking it out at Arrowhead for a Numero Uno ranking nationally? Not only are those heady days beyond gone, they’re completely unimaginable.
And as bad as KU football became – even though there is a glimmer of hope with a some of their performances this past season – and MU football and basketball are as unexciting as imaginable, things could easily get worse.
Will anybody outside of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State and maybe USC really much care about their team’s win-loss record and what meaningless Bowl game they may go to?
Does Kevin Kietzman need to schedule more fan walkouts at KU, MU and K-State football games to drive home the point that some sort of NFL-like parity needs to come into play for the good of the game?
Nothing is the same sports wise anymore. When it became all about the money in certain areas the fans either died or stop following. And I also think being able to watch sports 24/7/365 is burning people out on the sports some. 20 -25 years ago we more or less waited till the weekend to see and watch games. NFL is now playing 2 days and sometimes 4 nights a week. And if that’s not enough, all kinds of sports channels to watch games on till you pass out.
I have some KU buddies who did season tickets for football and BBall both every year, rode to the games together a lot of the time and not a one of them attends any games now. Heck they hardly ever wear anything with KU on it now days. I really think they are just burned out on it all. I many years back use to watch most of the Chiefs games but somewhere after Joe Montana I slowly just didn’t care anymore. I read the highlights on ESPN every once in a while and that’s it. Will I watch the Super Bowl? Probably not, I think I will do as Jack Poessiger and watch a good movie instead.
When MU left the Big 12 is when I think college watching and attending along with the hype took huge downward spiral of which I doubt it will recover..
Well, that’s certainly a viable explanation, Super Dave…
And I think in part as many “fans” have gotten older and found it more difficult to swallow the changes, they have a tendency to just move on.
Still, KU is contemplating a major overhaul of Memorial Stadium – in part some say – to expedite their possible entry into the Big 10.
Does it make sense spending 10s of millions of dollars to vie for above-average-mediocrity and maybe go to some relatively meaningless bowl game?
Hey, I hate to admit this, but in my early 20s I even purchased and on an occasion to three wore one of those goofy-looking KU Jayhawk plastic bird beak heads.
A worse look than even the plastic cheese heads some of the Wisconsin fans have been known to wear.
Please keep that under your proverbial hat!
Students, players and coaches care about win-loss records. Schools care about $$$$. It is reflected in every move they make. Schools can play musical chairs with conferences and coaches all they want. There is only one thing that guarantees wins. Talent. Period.
The cream of the SEC & Big 10 conferences win because of their player’s talent and despite their coaches. MU, KU, KSU, et al will never be able to attract a roster filled with 5-star recruits across the board.
There are about 10 teams in the country that will consistently compete for National Championships. The rest are trying to eke out 6 wins to get to the Cheez-It Bowl.
I don’t disagree with you, Jim…
BUT
Not that many years ago – just over 10ish – before everybody started chasing dollars, KU and MU were ranked one and two nationally.
I’m sure you can remember when Nebraska was HUGE in football.
Not so much today,
And UMKC cleaning Missouri’s clock?
My question is, is this truly healthy for NCAA Division One football?
And if not, how can we get back to where it’s not just those (maybe) 10 teams that matter?
Or can we?
‘Is local college football dead?’
– deader’n two swiss chefs football teams without a*teri*ks circa 1969 and 2019 (as all their wouldas couldas shouldas other afore, present and ongoing); ‘wait till next year’, as always, forever relegated a member the ‘no teams left behind’ modern farce is NFL.
More games annually now this easiest era ever to win, reach post season and stack up counterfeit, hollow stats football (and baseball/basketball) still not enough, stadiums, fields, and uniforms too now subject being adorned ‘groans under the weight thereof’ adverti$ing, flashing neon jerseys and an ‘every team will reach post season’ racket is nearer to reality now, than ever. All of which I predicted years ago, as oversaturation same which even Not Jack cannot take credit for. Far back as the mid-1960’s, folks in the know were predicting just that, Nostradamus’ all.
As everything since an then looming (1966) AFL/NFL merger 1970, ‘the thrill is gone’ for venerable types today – has been, nod BB King’s sorrowful blues – since ’69, when manipulation the game variously began, leaving integrity @%&! outa luck… R.I.P.
___________
Those are the PROS… what about the colleges? Far as locals, names afield aft century 20 have never matched the lore yesteryear, KU, K-State and MU – so – I care not what happened post 1969, even less if possible what has happened century 21. Why, ‘tween bent rules, bent knees/social justice pleas and advertising ad nauseam if you please… do not enjoy watching said any longer – do enjoy it cannibalizing itself.
Who since yore has matched those Pepper Rodgers vs Vince Gibson, pissing contests? Who has ever run like 1960’s Sayers, or Riggins, or played D like Zook?
KU was rescued ’67 by Rodgers and K-State by Gibson. Latter’s players include Dickey and Grogan and a handful more, aft that decade of darkness 1960’s when the Wildcats were matched by only New Mexico’s Lobos (fans there referred them as the ‘Ho-Ho’s.)
How low could they go? Those teams played today, present ‘someone must win’ game massaged rules/no-ties allowed regular season, neither would lose… or win.
Similarly, Dan Devine came to rescue MU from itself, the late 1950’s: he came, but did not conquer so much as tried hard – including a perfect if a*teri*k given his team 1960 season – afore leaving, choosing the bright lights, frozen tundra & big-time NFL world of… Green Bay, Wisconsin. Eventually moving on Notre Dame, then back to HC’s new stomping grounds Arizona (place Devine’s college head coaching career began) & thus completing the full sporting circle his, if coached no more in Arizona.
MU having produced as many if not more talented players in total (went on the NFL) than KU and K-State, a claim to glory. Decades since, names have changed – coaches (Mangino, Snyder, Pinkel among other), and players – the line forms to the right, but nary a Title National ever found a home any those locales… likely never will.
A once ardent follower all things the former Big 8, am still torn as to which team will (whatever conference they now call home) win a National Championship first, before exiting to join/take yet another different, mu$ical chair: will it be KU, K-State or MU football… or Nebraska basketball? Chicago Cubs managed it, so never say never – am saying never. Until then; so much to say, too little time/limited internet paper…
OK, I’ll bite….
In honor of Craig, tell me what you really think!
KU is about to announce the building a new football stadium. Probably on the site of the current stadium.
It’s a race towards the bottom.
I agree, Bob…
As something of a long term KU fan – football mainly and basketball later on -KU fans have NEVER gotten over Missouri bailing on the Big 12 for the SEC.
Only recently have they agreed to play them.
And now with Nebraska, Colorado and Texas A&M = and soon Oklahoma and Texas – they feel like the last ones out need to turn out the lights.
Nevermind that Mizzou has been mostly an utter failure in the SEC, Nebraska far less than a shadow of their Big 8 (Big 12) days and Colorado but a faint recollection that is pretty much out of site, out of mind in the Pac 12.
Texas has struggled and is just looking for an out in general and Oklahoma is making what I suspect is a foolish move.
Heard a highly respected, former LSU head coach characterize OU as being a likely third or fourth place team in the SEC. Seems like winning the Big 12 every year or two might be a better strategy than being 4th behind ‘Mama, LSU. Georgia and whoever else.
But that’s just me…
Don’t encourage me, HC – otherwise, I’ll have to get really grandiloquent with you/all…
🤣
I stand corrected