Pat Forde takes predictable cheap shot at Nico Iamaleava and the Vols after Tennessee's loss to Arkansas
Tennessee Vols fans had to know it was coming after UT's loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks this past weekend. They had to know that Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde was at his keyboard, likely with a big grin, eager to bring up Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava's NIL deal, and the NCAA inquiry into that deal from […]
Tennessee Vols fans had to know it was coming after UT's loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks this past weekend.
They had to know that Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde was at his keyboard, likely with a big grin, eager to bring up Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava's NIL deal, and the NCAA inquiry into that deal from earlier this year, after Tennessee's loss to the Razorbacks.
Forde, a longtime college football reporter who never misses a chance to take a shot at Tennessee, didn't let those fans down.
Predictably, Forde, less than 12 hours after the loss, took a shot at Iamaleava's NIL deal and questioned if Tennessee is getting its money's worth from Nico.
From SI.com: The Tennessee attorney general carried Big Orange water by going to court and nuking the NCAA’s power to enforce rules on pay-for-play transactions for recruits. That effectively ended an investigation into Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his reported $8 million agreement to play for the Vols.
After a stunning upset loss to Arkansas, the question now is what bang Tennessee is getting for all those bucks. Iamaleava led the Vols to just 14 points, none in the first half, and their last five possessions were all punts or turning the ball over on downs. Iamaleava passed for a season-low 156 yards and ranks 10th in efficiency in league games.
Iamaleava's NIL deal seems to be the only NIL deal that Forde is interested in for some bizarre reason. There was no mention of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe's NIL deal after the Crimson Tide's loss to Vanderbilt. But it's the first thing that Forde points out after Tennessee loses a tough road game to Arkansas.
It's a lazy take, but it seems to be the only take that Forde has these days when it comes to the Vols.
You'd think Forde would have a better grip on how sports work after this many years in the business, but he's probably been too busy slapping backs and shakings hands at media gatherings instead of actually paying attention to the sport he covers.
A lot has changed in college sports over the last 10 years. NIL, transfer portal, recruiting rules, etc. But one thing that hasn't changed is development. No amount of money changes the development process for a player. Just because Nico is earning __ dollars right now as the quarterback at Tennessee doesn't mean that he's going to be a finished product at 20 years old. That's not how it works, Pat.
Iamaleava is still developing as a player and as a leader. And that development isn't linear. There are ups and downs for every quarterback. And every quarterback will develop at a different pace because of different factors. Comparing Iamaleava's development, for example, to Milroe at Alabama or Carson Beck at Georgia isn't just a waste of time, it's completely ignorant. Each of those players are dealing with different variables each day. They've also each taken a different developmental path to get to college. Those players are in a race against themselves, not against each other.
People like Pat Forde are bad for college sports. People like Forde, Paul Finebaum, Stephen A. Smith, Colin Cowherd (and a host of others) craft narratives that are short-sighted and harmful to young athletes. Being negative seems to be all those guys are good at.
Iamaleava is out there competing every day, trying to get better, and eager to improve. No one feels worse about losing to Arkansas than him. But while he's working to get better, he has to listen to clowns like Forde bring up his irrelevant NIL deal.
Be better, Pat. And don't do it for college football fans, do it for the athletes you cover.
