From: dwarner@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (David J.)
Subject: Minor League Football
Summary: The NFL should adopt a minor league farm system
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 17:10:42 GMT


I wrote the following commentary a few days ago for publication in the Indiana
Daily Student's upcoming college football tab.  I'd like to hear your opinions
through e-mail (dwarner@silver.ucs.indiana.edu).  Here goes...

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A commentary by
David J. Warner

   As college football season ap-
proaches, so do all the arguments 
surrounding the style and the eth-
ics of the game.
   Most of them usually sound 
like this: College football is noth-
ing more than a revenue-generator 
for the university and a breeding 
ground for the NFL. Players 
should receive a stipend. The 
bowl system stinks. We need a 
college playoff. A conference 
called the Big Ten should not 
have 11 teams.
   While nobody can solve con-
ference officials' apparent lack of 
math skills, the NFL could step 
in and solve many of college 
football's problems with one fell 
swoop.
   They should institute a minor 
league farm system.
   Football is the only major team 
sport which has no minor league 
player development system. Base-
ball and Hockey both incorporate 
elaborate farm systems, and the 
NBA has a player development 
deal with both the CBA and the 
GBA, though they could do 
more.
   The NFL, meanwhile, has this 
myth they call the practice 
squad,which is filled with players 
not ready for big time who usu-
ally get cut within a season or 
two. The World League doesn't 
count, either, because it doesn't 
play football during football sea-
son.
   A real minor league football 
system would allow players not 
quite good enough for the NFL to 
hone their skills in a competitive 
environment and prepare them-
selves for a spot on an NFL ros-
ter. At the same time, they could 
learn the pressures of trying to 
win a division title or a league 
championship.
   The NFL could place these 
teams in areas where the college 
game isn't quite as big _ To-
peka would be a good spot, while 
South Bend would not_ allow 
those teams to develop a follow"
ing and provide player devel-
opment for nearby NFL teams.
   Any extra development for a 
team would be a real plus. As a 
former Steelers fan, I know I 
would have loved to send Mark 
Malone or Bubby Brister back to 
Tidewater for some seasoning.
   How would a minor league 
solve some of college football's 
problems?
   For starters, players who look 
at college football strictly as a 
stepping stone to the NFL could 
enter the minors immediately and 
begin developing skills there. 
They would receive a stipend for 
the season already, which college 
football should not have to pro-
vide in the first place.
   The NCAA could then justify 
the term ``student-athlete'' by 
emphasizing that football players 
use the sport as a means to get a 
college education and better 
themselves outside of football. 
Certainly, some of them could 
enter the pros after college, but 
they would have the option to 
choose between a college educa-
tion and an immediate football 
career out of high school.
   That option would weed out a 
lot of players who would only go 
to college to major in eligibility, 
then use their college career to 
enter the NFL.
   Those that argue that getting 
kids right out of high school to 
play pro football would hinder 
them should be reminded that 
baseball teams regularly draft 
high school players, and many of 
those players have had long, suc-
cessful careers in the show.
   Injuries, more frequent in foot-
ball than baseball, would appear 
to cause more problems for minor 
league players, but injuries end 
careers anyway. Any athlete takes 
that risk by stepping on the field.
   More importantly, a minor 
league system would put the col-
lege back in college football. No 
more would we be rattled with 
stories about football programs 
cheating to win titles, college 
players believing they can get 
away with anything, or swindlers 
like Barry Switzer, Danny Ford 
and Elliot Uzelac who care noth"
ing about their school's ed"
ucational opportunities whatso"
ever.
   For those who argue monetary 
points, the adoption of a minor 
league system would not hinder
college football's popularity _ 
certainly not among hardcore fans 
from schools like Michigan, 
Notre Dame and Florida State. 
   In fact, minor league ball might 
actually increase football's popu-
larity and subsequently increase 
its revenue. Certainly baseball's 
bush leagues have helped propel 
that sport's popularity over the 
years. In fact, the minors' growth 
in popularity has been parallel 
with major league players' growth 
in salary.
   Whether that would be as true 
in football is uncertain, but it 
could help curb inflated rookie 
salaries like David Klinger's re-
cent deal with the Cincinnati 
Bengals. Owners should take 
note.
   Of course, most owners are ei-
ther too greedy or too boneheaded 
to see the opportunity that a 
minor league system could create 
for them. Pass the idea along to 
any owner, and they will quote 
the old Yogi Berri adage: ``If it 
ain't broke, don't fix it.''
   It is broke. The lure of big 
money has taken the college out 
of college football, and while a 
minor league system would not 
fix everything about college foot-
ball, it would go a long way to 
legitimize its educational aspects.

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-- 
- David J. --------- BLUE RIDDLE PRODUCTIONS.  Bloomington, IN; Durham, NC. -
- e-mail: dwarner@miami.ucs.indiana.edu -------------------------------------
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