MLive: Teammates support Rashan Gary’s decision to skip Peach Bowl

MLive: Teammates support Rashan Gary’s decision to skip Peach Bowl


December 5, 2018

Some of Rashan Gary’s teammates support his skipping of the Peach Bowl (LINK).

I’ll say this about the topic: Gary is certainly entitled to do what’s best for him and his family. We’ve seen people get hurt in bowl games before, including tight end Jake Butt tearing his ACL just a couple years ago. But I’m also okay with it if some Michigan fans are disappointed. For years we’ve been rooting for Michigan players who go all out and put the team before themselves, and there’s something to be respected about that. If Gary goes down in Michigan history as not being one of those guys…well…so be it.

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18 comments

  1. Comments: 1863
    Joined: 1/19/2016
    je93
    Dec 05, 2018 at 10:10 PM

    Agree. I can’t blame him, but my role as a fan leads me to prefer he play

    • Comments: 6285
      Joined: 8/11/2015
      Lanknows
      Dec 06, 2018 at 12:08 PM

      On the scale of “how damaging is a loss” this would be the least meaningful game of the year. Obviously want to win but the stakes are about as low as they get for a good Michigan football team.

      I’m mostly on to next year. I’d rather see the youngsters like Paye, Hutchinson, and Uche get snaps than the senior “showcase” we saw in 2016. Most of the offense is back but I’d like to see the backup RBs and Steuber and/or Mayfield get time. Wouldn’t mind some Milton snaps in either…

    • Comments: 1863
      Joined: 1/19/2016
      je93
      Dec 09, 2018 at 6:44 PM

      We mostly agree on players skipping a Bowl. But what if he’s a Captain?
      IMO, Bush should play. I wouldn’t bash the kid, but would have rather had the ‘above & beyond’ type selected for that role (if he chooses not to). This goes twice for Higdon, who isn’t even a 1st round pick (or even 2d)…
      Again, I wouldn’t hate either, but would much prefer the Captain that truly sees the University and the Program as an honor to play for. JMO

  2. Comments: 522
    Joined: 8/12/2015
    DonAZ
    Dec 05, 2018 at 10:15 PM

    This will become a more and more common thing, particularly for players that have a legitimate shot at the NFL. The risk of injury is not worth playing in a non-playoff bowl game.

    • Comments: 1863
      Joined: 1/19/2016
      je93
      Dec 05, 2018 at 10:37 PM

      The new 4year rule should help. We don’t get to see Gary, but who know if some TrFR can earn a rep or few. Probably not this year since the 2018 class is what it is, but maybe down the road

  3. Comments: 1356
    Joined: 8/13/2015
    Roanman
    Dec 06, 2018 at 6:41 AM

    While, as anyone who knows me even a little, also knows full well, I bought into Saint Bo and everything he stood for to the highest level. On this issue and possibly this issue alone however, I have to wander off the reservation.

    This game, and the bowl games in particular is mostly only about money for the networks, conferences and universities. Should Gary go down, not one of those pricks is gonna show up with a dime. They’ll all go on some about how bad they feel about such a tragedy and then they’ll all head off to the bank to cash their own very generous checks.

    Even though he was a Spartan, Phil Elliot/Pete Gent gets it right on this one.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNiisYtYcRk

    • Comments: 3844
      Joined: 7/13/2015
      Dec 06, 2018 at 9:19 AM

      I know I’m not the first one to bring this up, but couldn’t that logic also be applied to any/every other game during the season?

      Also, welcome back! I was actually thinking about e-mailing you to see if everything was okay, because you hadn’t been posting.

      • Comments: 1356
        Joined: 8/13/2015
        Roanman
        Dec 06, 2018 at 10:02 AM

        Yes, it could, absolutely. But there is some nuance. The regular season offers championships, rivalries, common goals. I do buy into all that stuff, but I don’t find those items to be nearly as compelling when argued concerning bowl games.

        The problem here to my way of thinking is that both the money and the risk are enormous. However the financial rewards go to everyone other than them that are taking the risk. Then … the risks are not evenly shared across a roster. In the case Rashan Gary that risk is particularly profound.

        He has or is about to give up his scholarship and the medical care that comes with it and is pretty much on his own with a present and future family to consider. As much as we all like to talk about teams being family, particularly when the celebration is going on. The team ain’t your family as much as you might love them/it.

        I have no answer here … by the way. I’m just sayin’.

        On the other thing. I’m within hopefully 60 or so days of completing phase 1 of a life long project. I work slow sometimes. I took a look at the calendar this summer, took note of a great many completed calendars behind me and decided that maybe I’d better get off my dead ass and finish this thing. So I’ve been doing the submarine thing. Hopefully you’ll notice the result in the near future.

        • Comments: 6285
          Joined: 8/11/2015
          Lanknows
          Dec 06, 2018 at 11:56 AM

          I agree with all this.

          • Comments: 1356
            Joined: 8/13/2015
            Roanman
            Dec 06, 2018 at 12:34 PM

            Jumbo backs are best.

            • Comments: 6285
              Joined: 8/11/2015
              Lanknows
              Dec 06, 2018 at 1:22 PM

              This is incorrect. Please see any of my 4,000 posts for why.

              • Comments: 1356
                Joined: 8/13/2015
                Roanman
                Dec 06, 2018 at 3:02 PM

                Thought I’d take a shot.

      • Comments: 6285
        Joined: 8/11/2015
        Lanknows
        Dec 06, 2018 at 1:20 PM

        The difference for this game vs the rest of the season are significant:

        1. Lower stakes – no title or championship on the line. A bowl loss is less costly than any other loss the entire season.

        2. More investment – 5 weeks of practice, prep, and bowl pomp all for 1 game vs a typical 6-day turnaround.

        3. More injury risk – more practice time means more injury risk

        4. Timing. If you’re a senior your December is focused on the next step in life. Academically this means finishing strong on finals, graduation, etc. NFL prospects need to train & prep for the February combine that arguably matters just as much as college production. These things can go on the backburner in the Fall but in December and January real life is right around the corner.

  4. Comments: 111
    Joined: 10/14/2015
    UM_1973
    Dec 06, 2018 at 11:12 AM

    I think the fact that alot of people think it is OK (at least understandable) for a potential high lottery pick to skip the Bowl Games goes to show how meaningless Bowl Games have become. If Harbaugh decides to treat this like an exhibition game and start pulling starters and playing freshmen in the second quarter, would any Michigan fans care if we lose the game?

    • Comments: 359
      Joined: 8/11/2015
      GKblue
      Dec 06, 2018 at 1:51 PM

      I would.

      • Comments: 1863
        Joined: 1/19/2016
        je93
        Dec 06, 2018 at 3:41 PM

        Absolutely GK. Win first

  5. Comments: 6285
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    Lanknows
    Dec 06, 2018 at 11:54 AM

    I have no problem with it at all. Rashan already risked a lot to play against PSU, Indiana, and OSU. So if you’re going to put him in black/white box I think he’s absolutely in the “team player” bin – as his teammates will attest. Sacrifice is kind of inherent to the position he plays on this defense where he arguably could/would put up much bigger numbers in another system or at WDE.

    The bowl game isn’t just 1 more game like any other it’s multiple weeks of practice. That’s more risk than the payoff. I can fault Rashan for spending the next month focusing on school and combine training.

  6. Comments: 6285
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    Lanknows
    Dec 06, 2018 at 12:00 PM

    To add to the discussion: a hypothetical. Had Michigan beaten OSU and Northwestern and gotten a playoff invite…

    Does Rashan skip if it’s a playoff game?

    I really doubt it.

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