Christian McCaffrey, Leonard Fournette Usher in Non-Participation Generation

Christian McCaffrey, Stanford’s now-former star running back has announced that he will sit out the Hyundai Sun Bowl. Over the weekend, LSU’s now-former star running back Leonard Fournette announced he would sit out the Citrus Bowl. Both young men have chosen against risking their futures in pointless college bowl games that will earn their school’s more money. Their schools will still make the same amount of money. Plus, guys who want to play in a pointless bowl game will get more opportunities. Still, screw these guys.

This presents an ethical dilemma for vocal opponents of participation trophies who would like athletes to participate in exhibition games to see who might be 35th rather than 37th. How do you get a participation trophy if you don’t even participate?

Are guys like Fournette and McCaffrey ushering in the era of the non-participation trophy generation? In this non-participation trophy generation, will the warped youth of America not actually participate in any games? The best athletes will just sit out Pop Warner, High School and College Football games and then get drafted into the NFL where they will collect paychecks, but not actually play. It’s a slippery slope and I’m pretty sure this is the only conclusion to draw from this dire situation.

It’s not like this is a new thing. For years, players who haven’t actually participated in championship games have been given championship rings. We should have seen this coming. If you want a trophy, you should at least participate. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I was raised.