Alright folks, pull up a chair because Grandpa’s got something to get off his chest. I keep hearing people say, “College football is broken.” Well, newsflash: they’re right. I’m not just dipping a toe into that statement; I’m diving in headfirst. Between the NIL money, the collectives, the transfer portal, and now stretching the playoffs wider than a pair of 20-year-old sweatpants, the whole system has flipped upside down.

Let’s start with this paying-the-athletes business. The moment we pulled out the checkbook and started handing cash to players, they stopped being “student-athletes.” They became professionals. And if you’re going to be a professional, you should be under contract. Simple as that. Instead, what do we have? Players jumping schools like they’re on a cross-country tour. Five years, four or five different colleges… that’s not loyalty, that’s musical chairs with shoulder pads.

But don’t go pointing fingers at the players. No sir. They’re just making the best of the system put in front of them. The SYSTEM is what’s broken. And the result? A whole batch of so-called “student-athletes” who know darn well they don’t have to care about class because if things get tough, they’ll just transfer out and enroll somewhere else. Rinse and repeat.

Here’s a radical thought, if you’re going to take the money, then you follow the rules of the professional world. You sign a contract for a set number of years. You meet expectations. You follow stipulations. And if you don’t? There are consequences. Fines. Suspensions. Accountability. That’s how the grown-up leagues do it, and once you’re getting paid, guess what? You’re part of the grown-up leagues now.

And don’t even get me started on the transfer portal timing. Players entering the portal during the season, sometimes while preparing for a bowl game? Are you kidding me? That’s like telling your family you’re moving out on Christmas Eve and then still showing up for dinner. It’s disrespectful to the team, to the coaches, and to the fans.

Now let’s talk about this playoff expansion nonsense. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: an eight-team playoff is the sweet spot. Five power conference champions. Three at-large bids. Bam. Done. Anything more than that and you’re pretending teams ranked 12th or 14th have a real shot. Maybe once every decade a lower seed gets hot, but let’s not rewrite reality, most of those teams are window dressing.

And while we’re talking about reality, let’s address this garbage line the “experts” keep feeding us: “It’s all about the athletes.” Yeah, sure it is. And I’m the King of England. We all know what it’s about, money. Cold hard cash. As the old saying goes, “actions speak louder than words,” and their actions are screaming that money comes first, second, and third. The athletes? They’re just part of the show.

I don’t claim to have every solution. If I did, I wouldn’t be sitting here ranting, I’d be making the kind of money these administrators drool over. But at the very least we can start holding them accountable. We can speak up. We can push back. We can remind them the fans still matter.

With all that said, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And yes… I’ll be back with plenty more to rant about.

That’s enough outta me for now.
But don’t worry, I’ve got plenty more to say next time.

Grandpa (Professional Ranter and Amateur Philosopher)