re: Jacob Hester said that Damone Clark has been out in California so don’t expect him to play

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I feel your point, but amount of bowl games is worthless. You have the biggest names sitting out of the NY5 games as well. College football is starting by to die and will never go back to the days of tradition, pride, etc.

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It is because the sport chose to dilute the product in exchange for greater revenue. Sometimes less=more. In the times when there were only 10-15 (at most) bowl games it was a tremendous accomplishment to make one. It meant you either won your conference or had a great record. Some guys might play 4 years and only make it to 1 bowl game. Now, you literally have the LAST place team in the SEC West with a .500 record (LSU) making a bowl game. It is almost more difficult to NOT make a bowl game now. Then, you couple that with the schedule and it creates even less desire to play in them.

Take LSU for example. The players have been working tirelessly since early August. They go through the grind of camp, then 3 months where they play 12 games in 13 weeks. Many are hurt, physically exhausted, and probably just tired of the monotony. They complete the season, then are told they have to practice for another 20 days or so just to play ONE game that, win or lose, essentially ends with the same result. The season ends. A win in the Texas Bowl doesn't advance LSU one step closer to a championship. Likewise, a loss doesn't eliminate them from a shot at winning a championship.

They won't say so publicly, but I bet if you asked these guys what they really think about the Texas Bowl many would tell you they are just ready to take a break from football for a bit. No different than any of us if we worked an intense job, 7 days a week, for 4 months.

It reminds me of an interview with former LSU/MLB player, Ryan Theriot, from a few years back. Game 7 of the world series was being played that night and the host asked Theriot, who played in a game 7 of the WS (as well as other playoff series) what were his thoughts/mindset on the day of the game 7. His first response was "relief" because he knew that win or lose the season was going to end that night. He elaborated by saying of course he wanted to win, but the season was such a long grind most of the guys were just ready for it to be over so they could take a step away for a bit. And that was ahead of the game where the winner would achieve the highest accomplishment in the sport. So imagine the mindset of a guy ahead of a game where win or lose you don't really accomplish anything of great significance?

As a 40 year old on the outside looking in you look at the kids and say "cherish every opportunity to you get to play because the time to do so is so short and precious." But from the 20 year old's perspective who has had to live through the grind for several months he is just ready for a break.