Washing State U cuts players over Pac-12 movement

[Ibdancin]

Good for them!

And, according to some of the parents of Washington State football players, the Wazzu program has fired back as well. By, essentially, firing those who have come out in support of the movement. Among those is wide receiver Kassidy Woods (pictured), who was told he is technically still on scholarship.

Am told multiple other #WSU players who shared the "#WeAreUnited" graphics have been released from the team, as well. https://t.co/OA0Hg3aroo
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
​

I just got off the phone with John Woods, the father of #WSU WR Kassidy Woods, who says Kassidy was told to clean out his locker tomorrow. Woods is technically still on scholarship, but was "released" from the team yesterday, his father says.
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
​

The mother of #WSU WR Kassidy Woods claims multiple players were cut from the football team, including Woods. https://t.co/8P9Kv1eFZ6
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
​

During our phone call, Kassidy Woods' father, John, paraphrased what #WSU coach Nick Rolovich told his son. pic.twitter.com/thwp2ZRUQt
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020

​

All I can say is good for them. I hope they all follow suit!





https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...ll-releasing-players-support-pac-12-movement/

 

[mcdawg22]

Supply and Demand in full effect.

 

[Seinfeld]

Fan-freaking-tactic. WSU May have just become my second favorite team

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Who saw this coming***

 

[Xenomorph]

WSU just Rule 14'ed those guys. If you say you don't want to play, it's taken at face value and you're removed from the team.

Hey, keep your scholarship.. but otherwise, GTFO.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

Oh boy... can't wait for this to be spun into the COVID/BLM/Election/Confederate Statue news cycle.

 

[GloryDawg]

Are any of them DL or Corner Backs?

 

[aTotal360]

The First Amendment rules so hard.

 

[00Dawg]

ESPN article contradicts some of that.

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...assidy-woods-joining-unity-group-create-issue

Likely no drama explanation: the player with sickle-cell can't participate because of COVID (and understandably is sitting out). The other Unity guys heard about it and made incorrect assumptions. The drama vs intelligence ratio on all those involved skews to the former.

 

[mstateglfr]

Your view is clearly motivated thru a social/political lens.

I dont take issue with a program telling players who refuse to play due to health or payment demands that their locker is cleared out.
- If its due to COVID concern, then a program shouldnt demand the player play, so the program is simply honoring the player's safety concern.
- If its due to the demand to share in revenues before the player will play, then the program is simply being realistic since there is 0 chance of a payment system being implemented between now and when football starts.

If the program released players because it doesnt feel like fighting for racial justice, then Wazzu is missing a great opportunity to support its players and improve society.



I urge everyone to actually take time to read the demands with an open mind. I find many to be quite reasonable. Some are, as I already stated, unrealistic in the timeframe given. Many of the demands can be accomplished and align with common complaints on this board.
Demands II and III are absolutely issues I see repeated on here. Issue II is a constant complaint by many here and issue III sounds good to me if they expanded it from 'black' to 'racial/cultural minority' since Asian, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander athletes are strongly represented in the PAC12.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/pac-12-players-covid-19-statement-football-season

 

[patdog]

That makes a lot more sense. But what the hell Kassidy Woods? You want to opt out of the season because you're at high risk (the right decision for sure), but you still want to work out and practice with the team?

 

[Xenomorph]

OP made no political/social statements. He simply agreed with WSU's actions.

You assigned his political beliefs and social stance according to your own biased nature.

 

[mstateglfr]

OP made no political/social statements. He simply agreed with WSU's actions.

You assigned his political beliefs and social stance according to your own biased nature.

Based on inductive reasoning, I read the OP's comments of 'good for them' and whatnot and associated it to his well stated political and social views.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Mstateglfrmthrfkr will type 4 paragraphs of conjecture about why you’re wrong because you are biased and then offer up his own sacrifice to the bias assumption gods.

 

[Xenomorph]

So you profiled him.

 

[Seinfeld]

Oh, I read the full list yesterday morning, and the eye rolling started early with the document’s introduction:

“Because NCAA sports exploit college athletes physically, economically and academically, and also disproportionately harm Black college athletes”

The NCAA’s institutions provide an opportunity for a world class education to many that would’ve otherwise not had that chance. The NCAA also provides world class facilities, training, coaching, and a viewership platform for student athletes to display his/her talents. Does it make a lot of money? Yes, money that pays for scholarships, pays for phenomenal facilities, and pays for the best coaches/trainers in the world to work with these athletes. If the pie needs to be split differently, I have no issue discussing that, but spare me the exploitation dialogue. Players have the god given freedom to sign a letter of intent or not sign it.

As far as the rest of it, I’ve already stated that I’m in full support of any Covid19 talk, and I think that the point specifically related to medical expenses is 100% valid. If a player catches the virus and passes it to a brother, who’s paying for that? If a player develops complications 3 years after his college days are over, who’s paying for that? All great questions

That said, the tone of this list of demands isn’t about player safety to me. It’s littered with cash grab verbiage, and as I mentioned earlier, every one of these students knows what they’re signing up for when they sign their scholarship letter, and just like the rest of us, they are free to leave and go tackle the real world at any point if they genuinely feel that they’re being exploited.

I’ll also just drop Kassidy’s most recent comments here after he opted out of playing this year, told his coach that he was aligning with the movement, and was then informed that he couldn’t train with the team:

“Shoot, that’s all I’ve got to say about it. If they had shown me they wanted me to stay, they wouldn’t have done all this. So, I’m not the problem here. I didn’t create the problem. They did.”

Always someone else’s fault...

 

[mstateglfr]

So you profiled him.

Sure.

 

[mstateglfr]

Oh, I read the full list yesterday morning, and the eye rolling started early with the document’s introduction:


That said, the tone of this list of demands isn’t about player safety to me. It’s littered with cash grab verbiage, and as I mentioned earlier, every one of these students knows what they’re signing up for when they sign their scholarship letter, and just like the rest of us, they are free to leave and go tackle the real world at any point if they genuinely feel that they’re being exploited.

I agree that the into is not exactly welcoming wording. Its going to turn many people away before the meat of the demands are even addressed.
And yes some of it does seem like a cash grab, but they are literally asking for a piece of the cash, so it should sound like a cash grab. The only way to change the process/system is for someone to eventually push for change even while benefiting from the system. It would be meaningles for a bunch of 30-50 year olds to complain as they have 0 leverage. And its meaningless for a bunch of 14 year olds to complain as they will be dismissed as too young to know anything and also have 0 leverage.
The only real options for change are thru the courts so it becomes legislative(which has happened) and by players currently within the system.

And for the record, I dont agree with all the financial demands made.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Ibdancin is not one of my favorite posters. But just because I disagree with a lot of **** he says doesn’t mean he’s always wrong. You preach open-mindedness, try it yourself.

I was raised to believe you can’t claim to be a victim while practicing opportunism.

 

[Dawgg]

Honestly, I don’t see anything in the list that is extreme or unreasonable.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Holy 17 people like you are the reason it takes 38 pages of legal documents to buy a 17ing car

 

[mstateglfr]

Ibdancin is not one of my favorite posters. But just because I disagree with a lot of **** he says doesn’t mean he’s always wrong. You preach open-mindedness, try it yourself.

I was raised to believe you can’t claim to be a victim while practicing opportunism.

I have practiced open mindedness in this thread. I read the link and agreed with some of what the OP said, which was me being open minded. I have then had a follow up conversation where I consider another poster's views who didnt like the demands and kept an open mind by agreeing with some of what he said while disagreeing with another part of what he said.

This is practicing open mindedness. I didnt call ibdancin wrong in this thread and sided with him on the school's decision to push the players aside.

It is unfortunate that you expect open mindedness to be executed to the point that one never considers any prior experience with a poster before responding. That is far beyond realistic or even reasonable.
Also, when did I become the preacher of open mindedness?

 

[T-TownDawgg]

I agree that the into is not exactly welcoming wording. Its going to turn many people away before the meat of the demands are even addressed.
And yes some of it does seem like a cash grab, but they are literally asking for a piece of the cash, so it should sound like a cash grab. The only way to change the process/system is for someone to eventually push for change even while benefiting from the system. It would be meaningles for a bunch of 30-50 year olds to complain as they have 0 leverage. And its meaningless for a bunch of 14 year olds to complain as they will be dismissed as too young to know anything and also have 0 leverage.
The only real options for change are thru the courts so it becomes legislative(which has happened) and by players currently within the system.

And for the record, I dont agree with all the financial demands made.

What you just said was they should strike while the iron is hot as student-athletes. Fine. I’ll bite.

The iron WONT be as hot when they graduate from the university (with a degree) and actually have to work for a living and contribute meaningfully to a productive society.

Oh, and the “change the system from within” **** doesn’t fly with me, since they don’t seem to give two ***** about how this will affect the innocent student athletes destined to follow them. Thoughtful individuals realize this grandstanding will create more rules, verbiage, and legal mumbo jumbo that, history has shown, will not improve the standards or the experience of being a student athlete, which should be fun.

I fail to see how this is different from the bloodsucking opportunism we see in every circle of politics.

 

[EagleDawg97]

Many of these football athletes have zero interest in being a student. Put a process in place where highschoolers can be drafted and put a NFL development league in place. Preserve amateur athletics in college and many of the problems go away. Coaches salaries would also begin to come down over time.

Colleges being minor league football teams was never the intent. NFL is reaping way too many rewards from us running their farm system, with little to no financial/ risk investment on their part.

 

[Dawgg]

Oh, and the “change the system from within” **** doesn’t fly with me, since they don’t seem to give two ***** about how this will affect the innocent student athletes destined to follow them. Thoughtful individuals realize this grandstanding will create more rules, verbiage, and legal mumbo jumbo that, history has shown, will not improve the standards or the experience of being a student athlete, which should be fun.

Actually, they're specifically calling on schools to reinstitute programs that they have dropped while claiming Covid-19 is the cause. How is that hurting "the innocent student athletes destined to follow them"?

For example, they specifically note that Stanford has a $27.7 Billion endowment, but needs to cut 11 sports because of a 1 year downturn? GTFO.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Then go protest Stanford for 17's sake.

I'd like to know how reasonable people expect schools like WSU, Utah and Oregon State to be held to the same financial standards as Stanford.

Your turn.

 

[mstateglfr]

What you just said was they should strike while the iron is hot as student-athletes. Fine. I’ll bite.

The iron WONT be as hot when they graduate from the university (with a degree) and actually have to work for a living and contribute meaningfully to a productive society.

Oh, and the “change the system from within” **** doesn’t fly with me, since they don’t seem to give two ***** about how this will affect the innocent student athletes destined to follow them. Thoughtful individuals realize this grandstanding will create more rules, verbiage, and legal mumbo jumbo that, history has shown, will not improve the standards or the experience of being a student athlete, which should be fun.

I fail to see how this is different from the bloodsucking opportunism we see in every circle of politics.

Did you read the link? One of the demands is for non-revenue generating sports to be supported. That, to me, seems like them giving 'two *****' about how itll affect others. It would help improve the experience of being a student athlete because they are advocating for more student athletes at the PAC12 schools. So more would have that fun you think student athletes should have.

Im not saying what they are demanding is financially feasible at all PAC12 schools. Perhaps it isnt due to revenue and cost not aligning. It isnt a bad thing for that discussion to be had though.
Cutting $500K from a football coaching staff's total salary and allocating that to support an entire athletics program is something that could be considered and should be discussed. If the decision is to not re-allocate that money, at least the conversation is taking place. We continually claim we want the youth to give a **** and be engaged, but then some complain when youth give a **** and are engaged because they 'arent doing it right' or 'arent focusing on whats important'.

 

[Dawgg]

Then go protest Stanford for 17's sake.

I'd like to know how reasonable people expect schools like WSU, Utah and Oregon State to be held to the same financial standards as Stanford.

Your turn.

Well Stanford is part of the Pac-12 and was the example cited in the "We Are United" list (which you obviously haven't read).

You made the claim that it's hurting "innocent student athletes". I refuted that claim by showing you where they're specifically trying to protect non-revenue athletes from losing the sports they came to school to play.

Why are you so mad?

 

[Ibdancin]

Ibdancin is not one of my favorite posters. But just because I disagree with a lot of **** he says doesn’t mean he’s always wrong. You preach open-mindedness, try it yourself.

I was raised to believe you can’t claim to be a victim while practicing opportunism.

I respect that.

 

[Ibdancin]

I agree that the into is not exactly welcoming wording. Its going to turn many people away before the meat of the demands are even addressed.
And yes some of it does seem like a cash grab, but they are literally asking for a piece of the cash, so it should sound like a cash grab. The only way to change the process/system is for someone to eventually push for change even while benefiting from the system. It would be meaningles for a bunch of 30-50 year olds to complain as they have 0 leverage. And its meaningless for a bunch of 14 year olds to complain as they will be dismissed as too young to know anything and also have 0 leverage.
The only real options for change are thru the courts so it becomes legislative(which has happened) and by players currently within the system.

And for the record, I dont agree with all the financial demands made.

The meat of the demands are a problem. The issue of paying players was already being addressed. 30-50 year olds have way more power than you think and a ton of leverage.

 

[Dawgg]

The meat of the demands are a problem. The issue of paying players was already being addressed. 30-50 year olds have way more power than you think and a ton of leverage.

What about I, II, and III?

Do you take any issue with any of those?

 

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

The PAC XII player demands for compensation fly directly in the face of Title IX requirements.

Obviously these players are full blown misogynists and their male privileged should be checked. Did I do that right?

 

[Ibdancin]

The PAC XII player demands for compensation fly directly in the face of Title IX requirements.

Obviously these players are full blown misogynists and their male privileged should be checked. Did I do that right?

You did a fine job!

 

[FISHDAWG]

Fan-freaking-tactic. WSU May have just become my second favorite team

finally a reason to watch midnight football

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Not mad. Just checked out at "We Are United". This isn't hard to get. No one is united. Stanford is united with WSU as much as the University of Alabama is united with MSU. At one time UA's athletic budget was more than MSU'S entire budget, and may still be. UA has offers sports that MSU doesn't, and I expect UA likes it that way.

You used Stanford/WSU in an analogy where I juxtaposed an SEC correlation.

How would you view Missisippi State football players threatening a walkout AND demanding compensation because MSU can no longer support a Frisbee golf scholarship, or because MSU doesn't offer women's gymnastics like UA? And, how do you see the legal wrangling to follow such an ultimatum benefitting future student athletes as a whole?

Mark my words, the rich will get richer. A lot of smaller schools will get left out in the cold. That seems to be in the works, anyway, and it's my opinion these protesters are cashing in on athletics while they can.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

So athletes who play football (which is a money generating sport) are walking out and are demanding two things:
1.Funding for non-money sports AND
2.Money.

Gee, thanks, now I understand

 

[Dawgg]

The PAC XII player demands for compensation fly directly in the face of Title IX requirements.

How so?

 

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

How so?

[FONT=&quot]No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.




[/FONT]

 

[Dawgg]

Not mad. Just checked out at "We Are United". This isn't hard to get. No one is united. Stanford is united with WSU as much as the University of Alabama is united with MSU. At one time UA's athletic budget was more than MSU'S entire budget, and may still be. UA has offers sports that MSU doesn't, and I expect UA likes it that way.

You used Stanford/WSU in an analogy where I juxtaposed an SEC correlation.

To be clear, I used Stanford because Stanford was used in the letter. I didn't pull that out of the sky. When they say united, it's in reference to the players, not the institutions.

How would you view Missisippi State football players threatening a walkout AND demanding compensation because MSU can no longer support a Frisbee golf scholarship, or because MSU doesn't offer women's gymnastics like UA? And, how do you see the legal wrangling to follow such an ultimatum benefitting future student athletes as a whole?

RE: Compensation... you're not going to get me to argue for compensating the players beyond scholarships and cost of living. I feel like college sports are meant to be amateur sports and that there are options out there (G-League, Developmental/Experimental Football, etc.) for players that want to be paid. I don't think it's unreasonable for players to ASK to be compensated based on what they put themselves through, but I don't think they should.

Now, in this imaginary world where State has a Frisbee golf team and it was an SEC sanctioned sport, and Mississippi State at one time provided scholarships for Frisbee golf, but are now ending that program, I would be proud that the players were willing to risk their scholarships and opportunities to use their status to support their fellow student-athletes, the same way I was proud of Kylin for standing up against the state flag. In and of itself, that is a selfless act.

Your women's gymnastics angle isn't a viable comparison here because nothing in the list asks for new programs to be added beyond what was already in place. The list doesn't say "add beach volleyball to Utah or we won't play another down".

Mark my words, the rich will get richer. A lot of smaller schools will get left out in the cold. That seems to be in the works, anyway, and it's my opinion these protesters are cashing in on athletics while they can.

Rich getting richer has been happening for a while. Mississippi State was fortunate enough to be on the 'rich' side of the fence when conference lines started being drawn.

Of course, these kids are using their limited time in the bully pulpit to get attention to things they feel should be changed. Why shouldn't they?

 

[Dawgg]

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

I'm going to be honest with you, I read this part wrong the first time:
Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.

I read it as 'total conference revenue' to be split evenly among athletes, but you're right. I think they're saying the revenue each sport brings to be distributed back to the athletes in that sport. That does bring up a valid Title IX concern.