I was reading some commentary on NIL and it got me thinking about how much we romanticize the idea of players staying put. We love that underdog story where someone sticks with their original school because of "heart" or "loyalty," but in the modern era, that feels more like a fairy tale than reality.
It feels like every time a massive opportunity comes along, the narrative immediately shifts to whether they're "greedy" or "loyal." Personally, I can't blame anyone for looking at the numbers. If you're a young person with a once-in-a-lifetime talent, why wouldn't you take the biggest bag available? It’s hard to tell where genuine school spirit ends and just smart business begins.
Do you think the concept of "staying true to your roots" is actually dead in college sports, or are we just being too cynical?
It feels like every time a massive opportunity comes along, the narrative immediately shifts to whether they're "greedy" or "loyal." Personally, I can't blame anyone for looking at the numbers. If you're a young person with a once-in-a-lifetime talent, why wouldn't you take the biggest bag available? It’s hard to tell where genuine school spirit ends and just smart business begins.
Do you think the concept of "staying true to your roots" is actually dead in college sports, or are we just being too cynical?