"Their head coach, Curt Cignetti, perpetually scowling beneath his 1950s crew cut, is fuel for countless memes. Their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, baby-faced and giving "glory to God" in his postgame interviews, is a midwestern star straight out of central casting-nevermind that he's from Miami, the hometown of his Monday-night rivals. These two men, along with a team that Mendoza has described as "a bunch of misfits,""
"But we need to be honest about what we're witnessing: The Hoosiers aren't true underdogs. They're a reflection of our wild and moneyed times, in which college athletes earn millions and barely stay on campus long enough to learn the fight song; wealthy benefactors pay player salaries (how much, exactly? No one knows!); loyalty doesn't exist; and games are won and lost in the transfer portal-a mystical place where college athletes gather at the end of the season, hoping to join new teams, ideally for more cash."
The Indiana Hoosiers have become national darlings led by coach Curt Cignetti and Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza and teammates are described as "a bunch of misfits" who have taken the long-struggling program to its first national-title game. Indiana entered the season as the all-time leader in college-football losses. The team's ascent reflects broader changes in college athletics, where athletes can earn millions and wealthy benefactors effectively pay players. Loyalty has weakened and the transfer portal now often determines roster strength and competitive outcomes, with players frequently moving teams in pursuit of higher compensation.
Read at The Atlantic
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