FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[New Tradition]

A great 30 on 30 - Broke.. A docupic on what happens to the "Premier Athlete" and how 90%+ go broke withing two years after leaving the league. All sports, NFL, MLB, NBA NHL they all get hit...really enlightening...you can see it on Netflix

A great 30 on 30 - Broke.. A docupic on what happens to the "Premier Athlete" and how 90%+ go broke withing two years after leaving the league. All sports, NFL, MLB, NBA NHL they all get hit...really enlightening...you can see it on Netflix

[lmitzel]

I don't know what Shorts' NFL salary is but he's a six year veteran and as such the league's minimum salary is $760K.  In 2017 the minimum for a seven year veteran will be $900K.  He needs his degree...why?   

Shorts isn't the first DIII player who didn't graduate and he won't be the last.  However he will be one of the financially better off ones.

http://overthecap.com/player/cecil-shorts/919/

$800K guaranteed is a pretty good chunk of change. Obviously chump change compared to what the superstar quarterbacks make, but hopefully he's got a good enough head on his shoulders to not blow through it all.

[SaintsFAN]

The article Greg cited is consistent with what I have seen and read. It is a fact that close to 80% of professional athletes go bankrupt within 5 years of retirement. If you look at the reason why it's not hard to understand. I think all of the professional leagues are doing a  better job of supporting these kids when they come out

That is an insane number. 

Through my job, I had the opportunity to meet one of my childhood heroes, Gary Fencik.  But he took classes at Northwestern's Kellogg School in the off seasons.  I guarantee that he's earned more in the last 5 years than what his football earnings were. 

I feel like they should have guys like this talk at the rookie symposium. 

[formerd3db]

The article Greg cited is consistent with what I have seen and read. It is a fact that close to 80% of professional athletes go bankrupt within 5 years of retirement. If you look at the reason why it's not hard to understand. I think all of the professional leagues are doing a  better job of supporting these kids when they come out

That is an insane number. 

Through my job, I had the opportunity to meet one of my childhood heroes, Gary Fencik.  But he took classes at Northwestern's Kellogg School in the off seasons.  I guarantee that he's earned more in the last 5 years than what his football earnings were. 

I feel like they should have guys like this talk at the rookie symposium.

That is an excellent idea, SaintsFAN.  It would be a very worthy endeavor if they were to do that.

BTW, wishing you a great time at the Stagg Bowl with Pat and gang.  I hope the weather is decent, although you guys will be in the booth!  Enjoy the food, discussion and relaxing time at one of the neat sports bar/restaurants they have in Salem.  I can't remember the name of the one my brother and I went to the last time we attended the Stagg Bowl, but it was a neat atmosphere and great time.  Safe travels, my friend. 

[SaintsFAN]

The article Greg cited is consistent with what I have seen and read. It is a fact that close to 80% of professional athletes go bankrupt within 5 years of retirement. If you look at the reason why it's not hard to understand. I think all of the professional leagues are doing a  better job of supporting these kids when they come out

That is an insane number. 

Through my job, I had the opportunity to meet one of my childhood heroes, Gary Fencik.  But he took classes at Northwestern's Kellogg School in the off seasons.  I guarantee that he's earned more in the last 5 years than what his football earnings were. 

I feel like they should have guys like this talk at the rookie symposium.

That is an excellent idea, SaintsFAN.  It would be a very worthy endeavor if they were to do that.

BTW, wishing you a great time at the Stagg Bowl with Pat and gang.  I hope the weather is decent, although you guys will be in the booth!  Enjoy the food, discussion and relaxing time at one of the neat sports bar/restaurants they have in Salem.  I can't remember the name of the one my brother and I went to the last time we attended the Stagg Bowl, but it was a neat atmosphere and great time.  Safe travels, my friend.

Thank you.  Here's hoping the weather is decent enough to do the Pregame Show outside. 

[wally_wabash]

I don't know what Shorts' NFL salary is but he's a six year veteran and as such the league's minimum salary is $760K.  In 2017 the minimum for a seven year veteran will be $900K.  He needs his degree...why?   

Shorts isn't the first DIII player who didn't graduate and he won't be the last.  However he will be one of the financially better off ones.

Agree, bw.  By my estimation Shorts has made the entirety of his rookie deal with Jacksonville (2.67M), I think he got 4.8M of the 2-year 6M deal he signed with Houston, and then right around 1M this year.  So somewhere around $8.5M total.  Now, he could be set for life or he could lose it all before the next Olympiad, but I don't think those 8 credit hours at Mount Union are going to be the thing that decides how that goes. 

Also, I thought "Broke" was one of the more tepid 30 for 30 offerings.  They took a really interesting subject and didn't do a whole heck of a lot with it to enrich my understanding of why it happens.  It just kind of retold stories that we already knew without adding anything new to them. 

Further also, "Broke" prominently featured Bernie Kosar, which I think makes that the fourth 30 for 30 film (The U I and II, last week's Catholics vs. Convicts) that has direct tie-ins to the 80s/90s Miami Hurricanes.  They're the official team of the 30 for 30 series. 

[Bombers798891]

I don't know what Shorts' NFL salary is but he's a six year veteran and as such the league's minimum salary is $760K.  In 2017 the minimum for a seven year veteran will be $900K.  He needs his degree...why?   

Agree, bw.  By my estimation Shorts has made the entirety of his rookie deal with Jacksonville (2.67M), I think he got 4.8M of the 2-year 6M deal he signed with Houston, and then right around 1M this year.  So somewhere around $8.5M total.  Now, he could be set for life or he could lose it all before the next Olympiad, but I don't think those 8 credit hours at Mount Union are going to be the thing that decides how that goes. 

He doesn't need his degree, necessarily. If I were him, I'd want the degree because, there's really zero downside, and potential upside. Just because we can't currently envision a path for him in which he's going to utilize this degree* doesn't mean there won't be one. Why would you not want to increase your options just in case you fall prey to one of the many financial pitfalls facing athletes?

*By utilize, I don't just mean the knowledge he'll glean from his 8 credits, but the actual degree itself, which might open doors because, as we all know, sometimes you just need that piece of paper to get in the door.

[wally_wabash]

Oh, certainly he should finish the degree, Bombers.  Agree 100%.  If coaching in college is a thing he might want to do post playing career, he'll need it (that's one obvious example...there are hundreds more).  Not that Cecil Shorts needs me to have his back, but I was defending him a bit from that original post about him having not finished yet, which I don't think came from a well-intentioned place. 

[Bombers798891]

It absolutely amazes me how anyone can blow so much money so quickly.

Yeah, but I think of two things. The first being that it's not nearly as much money as we think it is. I'd think at least half of his salary, and probably more, is going to taxes, agent, and lawyer fees.

And the second being, the reason we can't comprehend it is because it's easy to make the smart decision when it's not your money. I imagine it's easier to resist the allure of say, buying a flashy car when you're surrounded by people driving Subarus and Volvos. But when everyone is driving the latest tricked out thing, and needling you over you not doing that, it's harder.

Kevin Hart did a piece of standup that talks about how hard it was to hang out with people who have a lot of money, because you kind of get sucked into the vortex of spending like they do (his point was more that he makes significantly less than those people, which isn't necessarily the case with Shorts). I mean, just as an example, I imagine players hang out with each other somewhat frequently. Imagine the feeling of getting invited to some player's mansion, and then thinking. "Hey, they're always welcome to hang out in my modest, two-bedroom apartment."

I mean, this happens to us normal people all the time, right, just on a smaller scale. You have those friends who always want to go out to dinner, rather than come over and eat something you make, and you go along, and you spend 20 bucks here, 40 there. I suspect it's like that, but with more zeroes

[D O.C.]

Wally W....it did not.
Professional athlete, astronaut, Olympian, the Division III school should make it their job to help the athletes get their degree.
This is the Brag About Academic Division, not the SEC.

[wally_wabash]

Wally W....it did not.
Professional athlete, astronaut, Olympian, the Division III school should make it their job to help the athletes get their degree.
This is the Brag About Academic Division, not the SEC.

Um, I'm fairly sure nearly all (or all) Division III schools give every student (and student-athlete) every opportunity to finish their degrees.  Whether they or do or not is ultimately up to the individual.  It's not like force feeding a toddler some broccoli.  These young adults get to make their own choices.

And this is a particularly dangerous game to play.  Should people start poking around at who did and didn't graduate from your preferred institution?  If we find some people who didn't (and of course they're out there), should we paint that school with the same negative broad brush you're painting Mount Union with?  Is that a fair thing to do? 

[D O.C.]

Broad brush? Or microscope?
Your glass house and stones is fair.
I can drop it.
PC knows I have an axe to grind with a Hessian from 2010 who played against my institution the first game of the year. We lost. His running was a big reason (though we gave up comfortable halftime lead). He did not finish out the season at the winning institution.

[AndOne]

I paged back to see if this has been mentioned before, and didn't see it. If I missed it, I apologize.

Congrats to North Central head coach Jeff Thorne on being named the NCAA Division III Region 4 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association.
Thorne, also the CCIW Coach of the Year, is one of five D3 Regional COY selections.
A very nice honor in only his second year at the helm.

http://www.northcentralcardinals.com/news/2016/12/6/football-thorne-recognized-with-regional-coaching-honor.aspx?path=football

[thunderdog]

As I look at the Thunder and where they are right now they have made some definitive steps forward in the program but also, despite the number of returning starters, have some obstacles to overcome to take the next step.

It seems to me the Thunder are as close as they have ever been to breaking through to the top tier (Purple Power level) of D3. The biggest indicator to me is the line play. Back in the late 90s and early 2000's when Wheaton was winning and making the playoffs, they did so withe exceptional skill players and a few great Linemen on either/both sides. In the last 4 years, really since Jesse Scott has been at Wheaton, the play and the personnel in the trenches has increased dramatically. Wheaton was not overmatched up front vs JCU in 2014 or vs UWW in 2015 or this year vs NCC or MHB. We outgained all three of those teams in yards and limited them to their lowest outputs of the season. Wheaton beat NCC with 2 OT's that didn't play in the game they lost during the regular season. The Thunder trotted Bates out after losing Greenlee and he responded with a huge game. Up front Wheaton is as deep and talented as they have every been in the 30+ years I have followed them.

In addition to the line play we have been deep and talented at LB and DB. This year especially we stepped up our DB play with the move of Sigler to corner. Last year we got beat by big plays from the UWW WR's down the field. IWU beat us last year and this year with the long ball. Since the move of Sigler to corner, our DB play has been high level.

What the Thunder need to take the next step is more playmakers (i.e. speed) on offense. We are 1-2 playmakers away from challenging the Purple powers IMO.

The other issue is coaching. Mike Swider has been tremendous at building a staff of young hungry coaches. Last year he lost his OC and replaced him without missing a beat. This year they will have serious questions again as Jordan Langs leaves to take a head position in Indiana and will likely take a couple of the current staff with him. Swider will again have to rebuild his staff (possibly in part on offense as well as most of the defensive staff) to take advantage of the 16 starters the Thunder have returning including 9 on a top 10 defense.

It's been a great year for the CCIW in football, getting 2 teams to the playoffs and ranked in the top 10, along with the improved play of IWU, Carthage and Elmhurst, the league is better than it was a year ago and I think there is strong reason to believe next year will be better still.

Losing Langs hurts. He's an UBER-TALENTED coach IMO. Great defensive mind. In just the past 4 years, WC has lost 3 coordinators that have gone on to become HC's. Former D-Coordinator Rod Sandberg left after the 2013 season to take the helm at Whitworth and has done some great things there in just his first 3 seasons. Then former O-Coordinator Josiah Sears left after the 2015 season to become HC at Benedictine U and has a very solid 2016 season (better start than finish...). Sears prowess as an offensive guru has been duly noted throughout the years. And now Langs... It will be interesting to see who gets the DC gig. One would have to think JJ Clark (given his title as "Associate Defensive Coordinator") would be a strong possibility. Swider seems to favor promoting from within as opposed to outside hires for coordinator positions. The only 2 outside coordinator hires I can recall are Joe Davis (enter Gregory Sager) and prior to that, a different OC (around 2005ish) whose name escapes me.

[CardinalAlum]

I'm disappointed that Chaun Maiava wasn't named to the first team. I understand that the last-place team in the league isn't going to get any breaks when All-CCIW teams are announced, but I can say with as much objectivity as I can muster that he was one of the four best linebackers in the league this season. (I think that Jack Asquini of Augustana can make a similar case, at least based upon the one game in which I saw him.)

I wonder when was the last time, if ever, that this league handed out a POY award to a freshman in this sport. Rutter is certainly as impressive a quarterback to come down the pike as the CCIW has seen in a long time.

Crazy considering the person who likely would have been starting (Hunniford) was very highly touted and played really well as a true freshman last year. Makes you wonder what's in store for him next year.

I wouldn't be shocked if he transferred

Justin Hunniford, Wheaton graduates it's top 2 QBs... just sayin'...

That would not be ideal!

Following up on this.  I've heard that Hunniford has transferred to St Xavier.  Wishing him all the best.  He gave his all and really played well for the Cardinals as a true freshmen.   It's rare that the state's player of the year finds his way to a CCIW school.  His injury and Rutter emerging on the scene put him in a tough spot.   Recruiting is in full swing.  Looking forward to hearing some names in the coming weeks.   Wishing you all the best of holidays.   Thanks for another great year of CCIW football.