Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.
On opting out of bowl games
To the editor: The announcement of Ohio State starting football players opting out of the Rose Bowl is a bunch of baloney. I don’t know if there is anything the NCAA can do about this problem, but they need to address it. Not to play is grossly unfair to the kids’ teammates, the school and the thousands of fans who follow the Buckeyes. All of these kids have received a free education, room and board and campus privileges during the time they have been in school, and, in my opinion, as part of the scholarship agreement, they should be required to agree to play in all games they are eligible for, including bowl games. They should be required to fulfill their commitment.
Mike Welsh, Westerville
Rob Oller: Me argues with Myself about Ohio State players opting out of Rose Bowl
To the editor: It is disgraceful that a few OSU football players have declared that they will be available for the NFL draft, but unavailable for play in the Rose Bowl. This, after making the cushy trip to the West Coast with the team and coaches.
Let’s look at the less materialistic issues: these guys have an unwritten moral contract to finish the season. That season is not finished until all games affiliated with the 2021 season have been completed. That means bowl games. I understand that they do not want to endanger their professional careers by playing in another game. Does that mean that they would not exert maximum effort for fear of injury? Perhaps this is what happened in the Michigan game.
Let’s carry the example one step further: Would they still opt out if playing for the national championship? These student-athletes owe one more game to the school, coaches and fans. Where would they be if not for these mentors? The NFL gold would never come about if they had not been recruited, educated and nurtured by their college and all that comes with it.
I quote from Garrett Wilson’s tweet: “To Buckeye Nation with love.” Is it love which makes him quit? Petit-Frere quotes from Carmen Ohio: “How firm thy friendship.” Sounds a bit loose to me.
What’s the answer? I believe we are seeing a failure of leadership. School officials and perhaps the NCAA should put their collective feet down (Is this possible?) and at the outset of the season require all players scheduled to play in a bowl game to sign an agreement to do so. I think there could be some effective penalty if the agreement was violated. I shudder to think that college football has been battered to this extent, but perhaps that is part of the world in which we now live.
Don Denton, Westerville
Ohio State football: Defensive linemen call for ‘next man up’ without Haskell Garrett
To the editor: I’m a OSU graduate from the ‘80s and completely disgusted with the selfishness of the four football players opting out of the Rose Bowl. What!? Playing in the granddaddy of bowls isn’t worth your time without a national championship in play? I guess you should have done better against Michigan. The fans where disappointed also and still ready to cheer in Pasadena, but these selfish children are taking their “toys” and going home.
In the real world one has to repay on obligations. These four self-focused individuals should be required to reimburse the university the full value of their scholarships so someone more deserving can enjoy an education.
Chris Collings, Marion, Mass.
To Mike, Don, Chris: While many think the players “should” be required to play, that isn’t the case now and never will be. And how can you require players to promise to play when coaches aren’t required to stay put and serve out their contracts until the kids they recruited graduate? I fully believe that if Ohio State was in a playoff game all the players would stick around and give their best efforts. But with no title on the line, they are making business decisions and remembering players such as Michigan’s Jake Butt, who stuck around for one more game in 2016 and lost a lot of money due to injury. And what if Ohio State demanded that they play? That would not go well in the world of recruiting, where they tell players they are preparing them for the NFL.
Ohio State football: Chris Olave practicing with Ohio State football despite opting out of Rose Bowl, and other notes
To Brian: As disconcerting as it is to learn that four players have opted out of the Rose Bowl, it’s especially aggravating that the news comes 30 days after they last played a game and, I assume, have still been practicing. How many practice reps have they deprived players who still want to represent the university from having which would have better prepared them for the game?
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
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To Dennis: Not much news comes out of top-secret OSU practices, but I’d think that the moment the players decided to sit out, their practice reps went to others.
On Ohio State-Michigan
To the editor: Robb Price said that Michigan held every play? When did he become an expert? Watching a game on TV is not exactly watching film.
The Joe Moore award goes to the best offensive line in the country. The voters are all 130 offensive line coaches in FBS and writers who were offensive linemen. Michigan won this award, according to REAL experts.
Also one of the most respected coaches in the last 60 years, John Madden, has said that Michigan’s offensive line played the best game that he had ever seen an offensive line play. Madden has seen thousands of games in the NFL and college in his career.
Robert Oyster
On Urban Meyer
To the editor: Urban Meyer should apply for a GM position and stay out of football coaching on the pro level.
Gary Davis
To Gary: I’m pretty certain that Meyer is finished with the NFL and that the NFL is finished with Meyer.
More from The Mailbox
Yes, Urban Meyer is fit to teach class on leadership, character; Is Harbaugh lying?
Lessons from Urban Meyer, and it was Ohio State that was holding at Michigan
Is Quinn Ewers the new Curt Flood? Did refs let Michigan get away with holding?
Ohio State lost to Michigan in football, and people aren’t happy
On OSU’s hard-to-watch defense, overrated Cincinnati and, yes, Ryan Day’s salary
Ryan Day needs to call more run plays; and, of course, more mail on Day’s salary
‘Garbage officiating’ in Penn State game; and more on Ryan Day’s salary
Ryan Day’s salary (cont.), weird head-butting, high school playoff inequality
More Urban Meyer, plus how many professors you could hire with Ryan Day’s salary
Plenty of backlash for Urban Meyer, and non-Daves weigh in on stadium noise
Media, and social media, equally to blame in Urban Meyer mess
Empathy for K’Vaughan Pope, plus more debate about loud music
Too much ‘ear-splitting’ music at Ohio State games?
Enough about Ryan Day’s beard; what about local colleges?
Shohei Ohtani vs. Babe Ruth? Table that discussion for 20 years
OHSAA gets it right with expanded playoffs; Cleveland baseball got it wrong
Does it make any sense to sit maskless in a packed Ohio Stadium?
Ohio State opener was a horrible mess, from ticketing to Kerry Coombs and beyond
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