...their student fees are increasing in order to pay athletes, particularly when guys like Carson Beck are saying the quiet part out loud about attending class being an afterthought. That's certainly not a new phenomenon, and in no way am I making any statement about Avdalas' academics, but the point I am making is that requiring non-athlete students to pay more in fees that are then directly used to pay athletes is a new phenomenon, and I have a feeling that is bound to generate some animosity. I didnt watch the game yesterday - heck, I haven't watched a basketball game since Buzz Williams was still at VT. I only check this board from time to time to see what the team is doing. So I didn't witness whatever happened during yesterday's game. While I'm certainly not in favor of anyone booing their own team, there is unfortunately no way to prevent a few fans from acting like knuckleheads. And in the era of athletes getting paid six and seven figures per season to wear a jersey with a university logo on it, the expectations for production have been elevated. They are professional athletes now, so they are going to have to learn to quickly deal with pressure and criticism. They can't expect people to fork out enough money to fund their lofty NIL deals and then not produce. That's not how the professional world works, and these kids are going to have to figure that out. But that is one of the many issues I have with the status quo - these are kids who are still trying to figure out life in general. Navigating the transition into adulthood is difficult enough as it is...add in huge NIL money and the expectations that come along with it, and I just think it's more than most 18-22 year-olds can handle well. I also wonder if the NIL stuff is making some coaches feel forced to keep the "star" players in the game even when they are struggling. If that is the case, I don't think that is helpful to player development and can make certain players a target for fan frustration. Sometimes a player might be able to play his way through a slump, but in some situations I think it's helpful for a guy to sit on the sidelines for a bit, clear his head, and witness that the team can still function without him and that their collective success isn't resting solely on his shoulders. That realization could be freeing for some guys. ** Edited by MP4VT2004 at 2/2/2026, 2:53:44 PM