Fitzgerald and Addison

[raleighpanther]

I'm trying to put this whole thing in perspective.
Fitzgerald was great at Pitt, then left after 2 years. Addison was too, and did the same.
Both did it for the money.
Fitz is held in high regard by Pitt fans, while Addison is about to be forgotten, hated, etc., depending upon your attitude at the moment.

I honestly don't see the point in hating on Addison. The difference between his and Larry's situation is that he is just 2 years removed from H.S, Larry was three. If Addison were eligible for the draft this year, he would certainly have entered it, and no one would have held it against him, and we would've all been proud of him when he got drafted in the first round.
But he was PROHIBITED from entering the draft, so he's getting his money elsewhere. And elsewhere is not likely to be one of our competitors. If he transferred to Clemson, UNC, or god forbid, WVU, I'd hate on him too. But if he goes to a Pac-12 or SEC team, whatever. He'd be gone, just like if he'd been drafted.

The thing that is wrong here is the lack of rules and enforcement of coaches tampering and offering big money to players on other teams rosters. We all know that. And both Saban and Dabo have publicly stated that this needs to be fixed and soon, so its not another case, like conference realignment, of the blue bloods cannabalizing everyone else. Saban and Dabo hate this too, even if Saban is doing his own poaching, because he's not going to get left behind.

One more thought...the national uproar that this has caused happened in part because it happened to Pitt, which shows how Pitt has risen in national prominence. If this had been a story about USC raiding Texas or a mid-level AAC school, it wouldn't have sparked as much outrage. Texas can take care of itself, and there isn't that much concern for the latter. But Pitt has risen into a level just below the powerhouse schools, and seeing one of those teams get raided struck a nerve regarding how bad this is for college football.

 

[ratking17]

I harbor no ill will at against him one way or the other. I am mad at the system that is creating this mess. The system needs addressed immediately

 

[Pitt2006]

Agreed. Coaches leave all the time and I feel Addison would have entered the draft if eligible. Life can change in an instant. Take some guarantees and learn from the mistakes in the process. His success may have helped land mumpfield and means, etc. He helped us win the ACC, but we also beat Clemson with him missing the second half. It is not the end of the world, but I would not be opposed to him returning. It is life. There will always be discrepancies in compensation for stars versus the support crew. I direct more of my anger towards possible tampering, etc.

 

[BVGPitt]

If we matched or went above and he still left then it is okay to be mad at JA personally. If he got way more than be mad at the new pay for play system. My view is once he is gone then I will not give him another thought. As a football card collector (of only Pitt players) he will not be in my collection unless he goes tot the NFL from Pitt.

 

[lilspainishflea]

I just think this is a fundamentally wrong way of looking at it.

Fitzgerald left to play pro ball. He should have won the Heisman at Pitt and played on a pretty bad team. He had nothing else to achieve at Pitt and no money to make by staying at Pitt.

Addison left to play college ball for money. And actually, he was rich either way because Pitt offered him $2 million. He just left for marginally more money than Pitt offered. Further, Addison could have returned to Pitt and remained a 1st round pick, plus been competitive for a conference championship. He didn't significantly improve either his professional profile or his team strength by going to USC.

Again, this was about a marginal amount of money. The gross is about $1,050,000 (if his home rental is $4,000 per month). However, federal taxes (37% of $1,050,000), state (9%) and local (also 9%) tax differences will eat almost $600,000 of that plus other cost of living differences (flying your parents to LA, food, personal services, etc.). So back of the envelop math, he left for $400,000 or less. That's a lot of money but it also comes at the price of abandoning the team that offered you from the start, developed you, put you in a position to win the Biletnikoff, etc. And considering he is 12 months away from about $6 million guaranteed and may be 4-5 years away from getting $60 million or more in guaranteed money, it's really kind of peanuts in the grand scheme of hurting your legacy with a team and fanbase with whom you were an all timer. Addison may not even be the most popular or most talented USC receiver of the last 2 years, let alone get a retired number like he would at Pitt.

No disrespect to Addison. Money is important but I'm not sure that I'd make the same decision that he did for the amount of money he did compared to his future career earnings. I think it's fine to be frustrated with his decision, particularly as it came with basically no notice and no ability to backfill his position when we're the defending conference champs.

 

[Phillypanther2]

Bad comparison. LF would have issued a statement on Monday or Tuesday of last week, thanking The University of Pittsburgh, and then given a generic explanation of why he was entering the transfer portal. Most people would gripe for a few days and then be fine. But the way JA handled this is COMPLETELY different than how LF, and most would handle it. Unless it comes out that HCPN or someone else at Pitt mistreated JA, he’s handled this horribly. It reeks of F you, I’m just looking out for myself. Which is why everyone is being so hard on JA. And every 21- year old today is social media savvy. So it seems like he either wanted this to be a circus, or he didn’t care.
It really seems like he’s either doesn’t care about anyone at Pitt, or he’s intentionally trying to jerk Pitt around for some reason.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

"Who cares if he got murdered? His dad and grandpap both died of heart disease at 52 anyway, so he probably only had like five more years. Plus, he very easily could have died in that car crash he was in 21 years ago, so he was basically playing with house money. I think this murder pretty much makes everything square."

 

[pittzap]

I just think this is a fundamentally wrong way of looking at it.

Fitzgerald left to play pro ball. He should have won the Heisman at Pitt and played on a pretty bad team. He had nothing else to achieve at Pitt and no money to make by staying at Pitt.

Addison left to play college ball for money. And actually, he was rich either way because Pitt offered him $2 million. He just left for marginally more money than Pitt offered. Further, Addison could have returned to Pitt and remained a 1st round pick, plus been competitive for a conference championship. He didn't significantly improve either his professional profile or his team strength by going to USC.

Again, this was about a marginal amount of money. The gross is about $1,050,000 (if his home rental is $4,000 per month). However, federal taxes (37% of $1,050,000), state (9%) and local (also 9%) tax differences will eat almost $600,000 of that plus other cost of living differences (flying your parents to LA, food, personal services, etc.). So back of the envelop math, he left for $400,000 or less. That's a lot of money but it also comes at the price of abandoning the team that offered you from the start, developed you, put you in a position to win the Biletnikoff, etc. And considering he is 12 months away from about $6 million guaranteed and may be 4-5 years away from getting $60 million or more in guaranteed money, it's really kind of peanuts in the grand scheme of hurting your legacy with a team and fanbase with whom you were an all timer. Addison may not even be the most popular or most talented USC receiver of the last 2 years, let alone get a retired number like he would at Pitt.

No disrespect to Addison. Money is important but I'm not sure that I'd make the same decision that he did for the amount of money he did compared to his future career earnings. I think it's fine to be frustrated with his decision, particularly as it came with basically no notice and no ability to backfill his position when we're the defending conference champs.

Well, the timing was pretty much BS on his part, too. If he had interest in leaving Pitt, he could have done it long ago. But he actually said he was not leaving. Then, a few days before the portal deadline, the story comes out. It's suspect.

 

[cruzer]

I just think this is a fundamentally wrong way of looking at it.

Fitzgerald left to play pro ball. He should have won the Heisman at Pitt and played on a pretty bad team. He had nothing else to achieve at Pitt and no money to make by staying at Pitt.

Addison left to play college ball for money. And actually, he was rich either way because Pitt offered him $2 million. He just left for marginally more money than Pitt offered. Further, Addison could have returned to Pitt and remained a 1st round pick, plus been competitive for a conference championship. He didn't significantly improve either his professional profile or his team strength by going to USC.

Again, this was about a marginal amount of money. The gross is about $1,050,000 (if his home rental is $4,000 per month). However, federal taxes (37% of $1,050,000), state (9%) and local (also 9%) tax differences will eat almost $600,000 of that plus other cost of living differences (flying your parents to LA, food, personal services, etc.). So back of the envelop math, he left for $400,000 or less. That's a lot of money but it also comes at the price of abandoning the team that offered you from the start, developed you, put you in a position to win the Biletnikoff, etc. And considering he is 12 months away from about $6 million guaranteed and may be 4-5 years away from getting $60 million or more in guaranteed money, it's really kind of peanuts in the grand scheme of hurting your legacy with a team and fanbase with whom you were an all timer. Addison may not even be the most popular USC receiver of the last 2 years, let alone get a retired number like he would at Pitt.

No disrespect to Addison. Money is important but I'm not sure that I'd make the same decision that he did for the amount of money he did compared to his future career earnings. I think it's fine to be frustrated with his decision, particularly as it came with basically no notice and no ability to backfill his position when we're the defending conference champs.

I understand your general point, but your numbers are off....they're actually worse. The top personal income tax rate in CA is 12.3% on income over $625K. Cities are not allowed to impose a separate personal income tax. That said, there is a gross receipts tax on businesses. Local sales tax varies but ranges from 8 - 10%. Don't get me started on property taxes. Your larger point is that top line isn't the same as bottom line and roughly half of your earnings will go to taxes in CA. I suppose the good news is that JA will learn a valuable lesson in taxation and economics. Maybe he'll eventually join the exodus of people leaving the state.

Cruzer

 

[pitt1976]

Your right. Fitz would have issued a thank you to Pitt, the coaches and fans.

 

[Saboteur II]

I understand your general point, but your numbers are off....they're actually worse. The top personal income tax rate in CA is 12.3% on income over $625K. Cities are not allowed to impose a separate personal income tax. That said, there is a gross receipts tax on businesses. Local sales tax varies but ranges from 8 - 10%. Don't get me started on property taxes. Your larger point is that top line isn't the same as bottom line and roughly half of your earnings will go to taxes in CA. I suppose the good news is that JA will learn a valuable lesson in taxation and economics. Maybe he'll eventually join the exodus of people leaving the state.

Cruzer

Don’t forget Obama care tax. I’m not commenting on the program at all, just pointing out the ICs have to pay into the program

 

[New York Panther]

I think this makes Addison look bad period. I have no sympathy for him.

 

[pittmeister]

I'm trying to put this whole thing in perspective.
Fitzgerald was great at Pitt, then left after 2 years. Addison was too, and did the same.
Both did it for the money.
Fitz is held in high regard by Pitt fans, while Addison is about to be forgotten, hated, etc., depending upon your attitude at the moment.

I honestly don't see the point in hating on Addison. The difference between his and Larry's situation is that he is just 2 years removed from H.S, Larry was three. If Addison were eligible for the draft this year, he would certainly have entered it, and no one would have held it against him, and we would've all been proud of him when he got drafted in the first round.
But he was PROHIBITED from entering the draft, so he's getting his money elsewhere. And elsewhere is not likely to be one of our competitors. If he transferred to Clemson, UNC, or god forbid, WVU, I'd hate on him too. But if he goes to a Pac-12 or SEC team, whatever. He'd be gone, just like if he'd been drafted.

The thing that is wrong here is the lack of rules and enforcement of coaches tampering and offering big money to players on other teams rosters. We all know that. And both Saban and Dabo have publicly stated that this needs to be fixed and soon, so its not another case, like conference realignment, of the blue bloods cannabalizing everyone else. Saban and Dabo hate this too, even if Saban is doing his own poaching, because he's not going to get left behind.

One more thought...the national uproar that this has caused happened in part because it happened to Pitt, which shows how Pitt has risen in national prominence. If this had been a story about USC raiding Texas or a mid-level AAC school, it wouldn't have sparked as much outrage. Texas can take care of itself, and there isn't that much concern for the latter. But Pitt has risen into a level just below the powerhouse schools, and seeing one of those teams get raided struck a nerve regarding how bad this is for college football.

Here’s my take:

I have nothing against Addison. Nobody in their right mind could blame him for wanting to make some money?

The only thing I fault Addison and the people that advised him was the way it was done.

I blame the system and especially the coaches involved for not setting a good example and not acting like adults.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

I'm trying to put this whole thing in perspective.
Fitzgerald was great at Pitt, then left after 2 years. Addison was too, and did the same.
Both did it for the money.
Fitz is held in high regard by Pitt fans, while Addison is about to be forgotten, hated, etc., depending upon your attitude at the moment.

I honestly don't see the point in hating on Addison. The difference between his and Larry's situation is that he is just 2 years removed from H.S, Larry was three. If Addison were eligible for the draft this year, he would certainly have entered it, and no one would have held it against him, and we would've all been proud of him when he got drafted in the first round.
But he was PROHIBITED from entering the draft, so he's getting his money elsewhere. And elsewhere is not likely to be one of our competitors. If he transferred to Clemson, UNC, or god forbid, WVU, I'd hate on him too. But if he goes to a Pac-12 or SEC team, whatever. He'd be gone, just like if he'd been drafted.

The thing that is wrong here is the lack of rules and enforcement of coaches tampering and offering big money to players on other teams rosters. We all know that. And both Saban and Dabo have publicly stated that this needs to be fixed and soon, so its not another case, like conference realignment, of the blue bloods cannabalizing everyone else. Saban and Dabo hate this too, even if Saban is doing his own poaching, because he's not going to get left behind.

One more thought...the national uproar that this has caused happened in part because it happened to Pitt, which shows how Pitt has risen in national prominence. If this had been a story about USC raiding Texas or a mid-level AAC school, it wouldn't have sparked as much outrage. Texas can take care of itself, and there isn't that much concern for the latter. But Pitt has risen into a level just below the powerhouse schools, and seeing one of those teams get raided struck a nerve regarding how bad this is for college football.

Fitz went pro while Addison went .... well not sure at this point! If he transfers to another college he will be vilified by Pitt fans and rightfully so.

 

[raleighpanther]

OMG, several of you are guilty of taking very suspect internet rumors about the situation and treating them as if they're facts. None of us knows what USC actually offered, what Pitt may or may not have countered with; all rumors that I put no stock in. Working up a financial spreadsheet based these rumors to assess his decision is silly. But even if those calculations were accurate, I might agree that I wouldn't be making the decision to leave that he might make. No decision has been made yet by him, so criticizing this not yet made decision with an assessment of the tax implications is pretty funny.

As for how this played out, don't take the media coverage and when the story broke and what and when things were learned as having anything to do with what Addison was doing. For one, he's done nothing public. As to the timing of any of this, none of us know. Discussions probably started a long time ago. Someone recently found out about it, just at the transfer deadline, so it appears to be have happened last minute. The suspicious timing has more to do with what we've learned rather than when things happened.
And regarding the nice/thank you goodbye that Larry did/Addison didn't issue, I think when he picks his new location, he'll probably issue one himself. Or at least, he will have intended to issue one, but may not now because it will give people another chance to tell him to go F himself.

 

[303vND]

I harbor no ill will at against him one way or the other. I am mad at the system that is creating this mess. The system needs addressed immediately

THIS!!! ^^^

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

If we matched or went above and he still left then it is okay to be mad at JA personally. If he got way more than be mad at the new pay for play system. My view is once he is gone then I will not give him another thought. As a football card collector (of only Pitt players) he will not be in my collection unless he goes tot the NFL from Pitt.

I kinda wished Pitt didn't match because if they did he is leaving Pitt for reasons other than money. I would have no ill will towards the kid if he left to get paid but if we matched, well, he's a quitter then in my book.

The Fitz example is terrible because he left to get rich. He couldn't stay at Pity and get rich. Addison, by reports, could have made as much at Pitt as other places.

 

[upj87]

I'm trying to put this whole thing in perspective.
Fitzgerald was great at Pitt, then left after 2 years. Addison was too, and did the same.
Both did it for the money.
Fitz is held in high regard by Pitt fans, while Addison is about to be forgotten, hated, etc., depending upon your attitude at the moment.

I honestly don't see the point in hating on Addison. The difference between his and Larry's situation is that he is just 2 years removed from H.S, Larry was three. If Addison were eligible for the draft this year, he would certainly have entered it, and no one would have held it against him, and we would've all been proud of him when he got drafted in the first round.
But he was PROHIBITED from entering the draft, so he's getting his money elsewhere. And elsewhere is not likely to be one of our competitors. If he transferred to Clemson, UNC, or god forbid, WVU, I'd hate on him too. But if he goes to a Pac-12 or SEC team, whatever. He'd be gone, just like if he'd been drafted.

The thing that is wrong here is the lack of rules and enforcement of coaches tampering and offering big money to players on other teams rosters. We all know that. And both Saban and Dabo have publicly stated that this needs to be fixed and soon, so its not another case, like conference realignment, of the blue bloods cannabalizing everyone else. Saban and Dabo hate this too, even if Saban is doing his own poaching, because he's not going to get left behind.

One more thought...the national uproar that this has caused happened in part because it happened to Pitt, which shows how Pitt has risen in national prominence. If this had been a story about USC raiding Texas or a mid-level AAC school, it wouldn't have sparked as much outrage. Texas can take care of itself, and there isn't that much concern for the latter. But Pitt has risen into a level just below the powerhouse schools, and seeing one of those teams get raided struck a nerve regarding how bad this is for college football.

the difference is simply professional football and college football are not the same thing...Fitzgerald left Pitt to go to the next level. Boys to men as it were. Addison left Pitt to stay at the same level and deserted his teammates. A whole different thing when a kid who is not going to start or play going to the transfer portal than the star of your team searching out greener pastures when it comes to fandom perception of said kid...I'm pissed at the lack of honor and that is my prerogative.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

The cynically funny part of the Fitzgerald situation is that it underscores another ‘exploitive’ rule, that there is an arbitrary number of years outside of high school required before the NFL will allow a player to participate. It’s absolutely NOT a rule to benefit anyone but the NFL (they merely want someone else to pay to develop the skills and bodies of their talent). But since the league is so popular (aka powerful) this rule is never debated.

 

[PittPanther44]

I just think this is a fundamentally wrong way of looking at it.

Fitzgerald left to play pro ball. He should have won the Heisman at Pitt and played on a pretty bad team. He had nothing else to achieve at Pitt and no money to make by staying at Pitt.

Addison left to play college ball for money. And actually, he was rich either way because Pitt offered him $2 million. He just left for marginally more money than Pitt offered. Further, Addison could have returned to Pitt and remained a 1st round pick, plus been competitive for a conference championship. He didn't significantly improve either his professional profile or his team strength by going to USC.

Again, this was about a marginal amount of money. The gross is about $1,050,000 (if his home rental is $4,000 per month). However, federal taxes (37% of $1,050,000), state (9%) and local (also 9%) tax differences will eat almost $600,000 of that plus other cost of living differences (flying your parents to LA, food, personal services, etc.). So back of the envelop math, he left for $400,000 or less. That's a lot of money but it also comes at the price of abandoning the team that offered you from the start, developed you, put you in a position to win the Biletnikoff, etc. And considering he is 12 months away from about $6 million guaranteed and may be 4-5 years away from getting $60 million or more in guaranteed money, it's really kind of peanuts in the grand scheme of hurting your legacy with a team and fanbase with whom you were an all timer. Addison may not even be the most popular or most talented USC receiver of the last 2 years, let alone get a retired number like he would at Pitt.

No disrespect to Addison. Money is important but I'm not sure that I'd make the same decision that he did for the amount of money he did compared to his future career earnings. I think it's fine to be frustrated with his decision, particularly as it came with basically no notice and no ability to backfill his position when we're the defending conference champs.

Fair take. Wish it was something he could read

 

[jayhawks65]

I kinda wished Pitt didn't match because if they did he is leaving Pitt for reasons other than money. I would have no ill will towards the kid if he left to get paid but if we matched, well, he's a quitter then in my book.

The Fitz example is terrible because he left to get rich. He couldn't stay at Pity and get rich. Addison, by reports, could have made as much at Pitt as other places.

Southern Cal. Vs Oakland seems like a slam dunk to me. How can anyone be mad at this kid. He is following the rules. NCAA had years to establish some sort of system to pay the players. They fought and forced the legal system to get involved. The Supreme Court spanks them makes it clear they have been getting over on the players for years. People get mad at the players for finally getting paid. Unreal.

 

[lilspainishflea]

Southern Cal. Vs Oakland seems like a slam dunk to me. How can anyone be mad at this kid. He is following the rules. NCAA had years to establish some sort of system to pay the players. They fought and forced the legal system to get involved. The Supreme Court spanks them makes it clear they have been getting over on the players for years. People get mad at the players for finally getting paid. Unreal.

To be clear, Addison was getting paid already at Pitt. No one is mad that he got paid.

Appreciate you stopping by though.

 

[prez41]

Southern Cal. Vs Oakland seems like a slam dunk to me. How can anyone be mad at this kid. He is following the rules. NCAA had years to establish some sort of system to pay the players. They fought and forced the legal system to get involved. The Supreme Court spanks them makes it clear they have been getting over on the players for years. People get mad at the players for finally getting paid. Unreal.

Very few people are mad at Addison trying to get paid. They are mad at the system in general and the 11th hour bullshit he pulled off.

Believe it or not, not everyone wants to live in Cal

 

[pittmeister]

Southern Cal. Vs Oakland seems like a slam dunk to me. How can anyone be mad at this kid. He is following the rules. NCAA had years to establish some sort of system to pay the players. They fought and forced the legal system to get involved. The Supreme Court spanks them makes it clear they have been getting over on the players for years. People get mad at the players for finally getting paid. Unreal.

SMH... Nobody is mad about a player wanting to get paid some money... It was the way it was done, by the USC coaches, & Addison's advisors.

If your wife wants a divorce, do you want to find out about through the neighbors, the lawyers, or from her new lover? I would want to discuss it with my wife so that we can make amicable split.

 

[prez41]

SMH... Nobody is mad about a player wanting to get paid some money... It was the way it was done, by the USC coaches, & Addison's advisors.

If your wife wants a divorce, do you want to find out about through the neighbors, the lawyers, or from her new lover? I would want to discuss it with my wife so that we can make amicable split.

Besides, If he REALLY wanted to make big bucks, then he should've turned pro. The way the receivers were coming off the board during the draft, he would have been a 1st round pick

He didn’t have the option to enter the draft.

 

[pittmeister]

He didn’t have the option to enter the draft.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. My mistake. I will edit……A cure for some of this nonsense is to allow a player to go pro when they want.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

The cynically funny part of the Fitzgerald situation is that it underscores another ‘exploitive’ rule, that there is an arbitrary number of years outside of high school required before the NFL will allow a player to participate. It’s absolutely NOT a rule to benefit anyone but the NFL (they merely want someone else to pay to develop the skills and bodies of their talent). But since the league is so popular (aka powerful) this rule is never debated.

Of course lost in all of this noise is that conceivably the #1 reason and priority for any of these college players is to finish college and get a degree. That's why they're supposed to be there, while letting their athletic skills pay for it. Of course, we all know that's not the reason most of them are there. The whole process is a fascade and a sham just so some jocks can benefit the school and now themselves monetarily. This is how college sports has devolved.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. My mistake. I will edit……A cure for some of this nonsense is to allow a player to go pro when they want.

Interestingly it may get to the point with all the bidding that it will be worth more to the player to accept a NIL bid for his senior year vs the max rookie deal he might get going to the NFL. At this point I actually do want to see preposterous things like that occur.

 

[lilspainishflea]

Interestingly it may get to the point with all the bidding that it will be worth more to the player to accept a NIL bid for his senior year vs the max rookie deal he might get going to the NFL. At this point I actually do want to see preposterous things like that occur.

That's absolutely going to happen, especially for fringier players like Desmond Ridder and Colt McCoy. They're going to play college ball for 15 years once the big schools split football from the NCAA.

 

[Hayekr]

Addison left to play college ball for money. And actually, he was rich either way because Pitt offered him $2 million. He just left for marginally more money than Pitt offered. Further, Addison could have returned to Pitt and remained a 1st round pick, plus been competitive for a conference championship. He didn't significantly improve either his professional profile or his team strength by going to USC.

In all fairness, this remains to be seen since we're working with counterfactuals. Him being competitive for a conference championship at Pitt compared to USC isn't very meaningful since it's already on his resume.

I think we may be focusing too much on the money side of his decision making. It's important to consider a few things regarding the offense he left and the one he is going to:

1. Pitt is installing a new offensive coordinator with playbook and play calling focused more on the run game (especially when compared to Whipple's offense). It has been publicly stated by Cignetti and others that the philosophy of the offense is changing from what Addison thrived under with Whipple.
2. Heisman finalist KP is gone and a QB battle is underway to replace him by a career backup with spot duty and a transfer QB who literally regressed every single year at USC until he lost the starting job. I think we can say with relatively high confidence that Addison's numbers were going to go down this year if he stayed. The question is "how much?", and I think people are understating it.
3. Lincoln Riley runs a modified Air Raid offense where smaller receivers like Addison can and do typically thrive. Riley put 5 WR's into the NFL in his offense and 2 of them were 1st round picks at roughly the same size of Addison.
4. Caleb Williams will be a pre-season Heisman candidate and he already has a year of experience with Lincoln Riley's playbook and coaching as a starter. I don't see Slovis or Patti bringing the same starting experience and talent combined.

I think once we consider the above, Addison going to USC has positioned himself for a better draft position. Obviously these things aren't guaranteed, but the risk/reward ratio for him in terms of his draft stock just makes more sense the more I look at it.

It sucks losing him and he way he went, and I hope Slovis/Patti have our offense churning, but I can see the reasoning in his decision making beyond simply the extra money.

 

[cashisking884]

In all fairness, this remains to be seen since we're working with counterfactuals. Him being competitive for a conference championship at Pitt compared to USC isn't very meaningful since it's already on his resume.

I think we may be focusing too much on the money side of his decision making. It's important to consider a few things regarding the offense he left and the one he is going to:

1. Pitt is installing a new offensive coordinator with playbook and play calling focused more on the run game (especially when compared to Whipple's offense). It has been publicly stated by Cignetti and others that the philosophy of the offense is changing from what Addison thrived under with Whipple.
2. Heisman finalist KP is gone and a QB battle is underway to replace him by a career backup with spot duty and a transfer QB who literally regressed every single year at USC until he lost the starting job. I think we can say with relatively high confidence that Addison's numbers were going to go down this year if he stayed. The question is "how much?", and I think people are understating it.
3. Lincoln Riley runs a modified Air Raid offense where smaller receivers like Addison can and do typically thrive. Riley put 5 WR's into the NFL in his offense and 2 of them were 1st round picks at roughly the same size of Addison.
4. Caleb Williams will be a pre-season Heisman candidate and he already has a year of experience with Lincoln Riley's playbook and coaching as a starter. I don't see Slovis or Patti bringing the same starting experience and talent combined.

I think once we consider the above, Addison going to USC has positioned himself for a better draft position. Obviously these things aren't guaranteed, but the risk/reward ratio for him in terms of his draft stock just makes more sense the more I look at it.

It sucks losing him and he way he went, and I hope Slovis/Patti have our offense churning, but I can see the reasoning in his decision making beyond simply the extra money.

Yeah, he was hitting the reset button no matter what.

If you’re going to do that, it makes sense to:

1. Get paid

2. Pick the best of the reset options.

 

[Franb]

The cynically funny part of the Fitzgerald situation is that it underscores another ‘exploitive’ rule, that there is an arbitrary number of years outside of high school required before the NFL will allow a player to participate. It’s absolutely NOT a rule to benefit anyone but the NFL (they merely want someone else to pay to develop the skills and bodies of their talent). But since the league is so popular (aka powerful) this rule is never debated.

This rule is part of the Collective Bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players' union. That is why it is not debated.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

This rule is part of the Collective Bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players' union. That is why it is not debated.

Ok, so you have a business, and your workforce is unionized, and you agree on a contract where your business agrees not to hire people who are Asian, or left handed, or Jewish. It’s discrimination … but the Asian Jewish southpaws have no recourse, because you and the Union agreed to it in collective bargaining?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Ok, so you have a business, and your workforce is unionized, and you agree on a contract where your business agrees not to hire people who are Asian, or left handed, or Jewish. It’s discrimination … but the Asian Jewish southpaws have no recourse, because you and the Union agreed to it in collective bargaining?

No, because there isn't anything inherent in left handed Asian Jews that would keep them from doing the job. But that's completely different than an age requirement or an experience requirement to be able to get a physically demanding job.

If you want another example, in lots of union positions you can't be hired as a journeyman until you have finished an apprenticeship.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

No, because there isn't anything inherent in left handed Asian Jews that would keep them from doing the job. But that's completely different than an age requirement or an experience requirement to be able to get a physically demanding job.

If you want another example, in lots of union positions you can't be hired as a journeyman until you have finished an apprenticeship.

There’s nothing inherent in legal adults of any age 18 or above from being able to play a game, either. It’s age discrimination to prevent them, and very challenge-worthy especially in this “fight the power” atmosphere. But I think the NFL machine is perceived as too powerful to take on. Nobody is willing to bite a hand that might ultimately feed them, from players to networks and agents and likely even many attorneys. It’s too bad, as it would end up helping the college game if high school grads of adult age had the choice to skip the college charade and make themselves available to play in the NFL. Addison could have gone directly where he prefers to go, the NFL, rather than another year in college football. The Bilitnikoff winner would surely have been a first rounder. Not that it matters, but that would likely have been far more easy to take as a Pitt supporter than this rigmarole. I’ve never begrudged Fitz, McCoy, Boyd etc. for leaving for the ultimate destination.

 

[Franb]

There’s nothing inherent in legal adults of any age 18 or above being able to play a game. It’s age discrimination and very challenge-worthy but I think the NFL machine is perceived as too powerful to take on. Nobody is willing to bite a hand that might ultimately feed them. It would end up helping the college game if high school grads of adult age decided they’d rather skip the college charade and made themselves available to play in the NFL.

There are literally thousands of age-based requirements in this country, and there are no lawyers challenging them. That tells you that the legal community does not agree with your assessment. And this requirement is not age-based to begin with - it is based on 3 years after high school. An 18-year-old was eligible for the draft, because he graduated from high school when he was 15.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

There are literally thousands of age-based requirements in this country, and there are no lawyers challenging them. That tells you that the legal community does not agree with your assessment. And this requirement is not age-based to begin with - it is based on 3 years after high school. An 18-year-old was eligible for the draft, because he graduated from high school when he was 15.

We’ll agree to disagree.

It’s ridiculous to think that it’s ok to forbid 18 years and older from playing a game they’re perfectly capable of playing. And the “3 years from high school” is bogus, and everyone knows it. I credit the NFL for coming up with it, but it’s BS and high time for it to be challenged. It would have prevented this situation with Addison forced to publicly spurn Pitt from needing to even happen. I don’t think the guy wishes to come off like he’s giving Pitt the bird…he wants to play pro football where pro football is being played, not at ax different college for one single season, that’s preposterous. That’s what this arbitrary NFL ‘rule’ forced him into doing to get the coin he craves now. The guy isn’t even pretending he’s playing at a college level to get the education, either. So the NFL is a big part of that problem too. Their silly rule is creating multiple wrongs that aren’t making a right.

 

[lilspainishflea]

In all fairness, this remains to be seen since we're working with counterfactuals. Him being competitive for a conference championship at Pitt compared to USC isn't very meaningful since it's already on his resume.

I think we may be focusing too much on the money side of his decision making. It's important to consider a few things regarding the offense he left and the one he is going to:

1. Pitt is installing a new offensive coordinator with playbook and play calling focused more on the run game (especially when compared to Whipple's offense). It has been publicly stated by Cignetti and others that the philosophy of the offense is changing from what Addison thrived under with Whipple.
2. Heisman finalist KP is gone and a QB battle is underway to replace him by a career backup with spot duty and a transfer QB who literally regressed every single year at USC until he lost the starting job. I think we can say with relatively high confidence that Addison's numbers were going to go down this year if he stayed. The question is "how much?", and I think people are understating it.
3. Lincoln Riley runs a modified Air Raid offense where smaller receivers like Addison can and do typically thrive. Riley put 5 WR's into the NFL in his offense and 2 of them were 1st round picks at roughly the same size of Addison.
4. Caleb Williams will be a pre-season Heisman candidate and he already has a year of experience with Lincoln Riley's playbook and coaching as a starter. I don't see Slovis or Patti bringing the same starting experience and talent combined.

I think once we consider the above, Addison going to USC has positioned himself for a better draft position. Obviously these things aren't guaranteed, but the risk/reward ratio for him in terms of his draft stock just makes more sense the more I look at it.

It sucks losing him and he way he went, and I hope Slovis/Patti have our offense churning, but I can see the reasoning in his decision making beyond simply the extra money.

This is a really long winded rationalization.

Addison won the Biletnikoff. He's probably the best or second best WR in a really good class. There are many scheme fits for him. He has 99th percentile age adjusted production. He'd probably remain a 1st round draft pick on any team in the country that didn't run the triple option, including Pitt. Hell, NDSU just had a kid drafted at 33 who had 100 total career catches in 5 years.

Why not go to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, WVU, or any other Air Raid? Why not go to Penn State or Ohio State who just put WR in the 1st round?

It's for the $3 million. No need to overthink this or bend over backwards trying to explain it.

 

[TD_6082]

This is a really long winded rationalization.

Addison won the Biletnikoff. He's probably the best or second best WR in a really good class. There are many scheme fits for him. He has 99th percentile age adjusted production. He'd probably remain a 1st round draft pick on any team in the country that didn't run the triple option, including Pitt. Hell, NDSU just had a kid drafted at 33 who had 100 total career catches in 5 years.

Why not go to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, WVU, or any other Air Raid? Why not go to Penn State or Ohio State who just put WR in the 1st round?

It's for the $3 million. No need to overthink this or bend over backwards trying to explain it.

This.

And by hitting the portal to entertain offers, I'd be surprised if he can't bring in considerably more than $3 mil.

 

[Hayekr]

This is a really long winded rationalization.

You wrote an even longer post about marginal tax rates and monthly SoCal rent costs above lmao. I guess it takes one wind bag to know another?

USC's offense is a much better fit for him than Pitt's for the reasons I outlined. It's very possible his numbers would regress this year had he stayed at Pitt for all of the reasons I outlined. It is also possible for it to be about money and what he saw as the "writing on the wall' with the changes to OC and QB at Pitt. Saying it's "just about the money" is fairly myopic but you do you.