Positive Take - Printable Version
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Positive Take - TChickens - 10-13-2013
I won't go so far as to say this loss doesn't really matter, but...
The loss to Utah gives the tiebreaker to Utah, IF they were in the same division or IF it matters for a non-BCS bowl...
Stanford still has its destiny in its own hands as far as getting the P12 title. They still must beat P12 North opponents, Ore, Ore St. and Cal, and would still have to if they beat Utah.
The loss affects the rankings now, but its early enough to climb right back into the conversation, especially with wins over UCLA, Ore, OreSt. Losses to Cal, USC or ND would be much more devastating, as late in the season as those are.
As a college baseball coach, I've learned that losses provide the greatest opportunity for growth on good teams. It provides impetus for working harder, re-focusing on details, and clearing the atmosphere of complacency or cockiness.
This makes them stronger in time to make the real statement....
...of course, all of this assumes they are a team that can beat anybody, which they are. It's just real hard to beat everybody.
Re: Positive Take - martyup - 10-13-2013
Well said. May I add, that I love my school (Leland Stanford Jr. University), I love our team, and I love our coach. We had a terrible loss against the Utah Utes. Yes, we made mistakes. However, I believe in my team and I will stand behind them until the day I die.
Re: Positive Take - Leftcoast - 10-13-2013
Well said guys!
There is still a lot on the table for this team - a PAC 12 North championship, overall PAC 12 championship, BCS Bowl, Rose Bowl and a shot at two more top 10 ranked teams. We still have room to learn and improve so let's watch the team absorb the loss and hope they come out stronger.Â
Last year the UW loss provided the catalyst that kicked the team into another, higher gear. Perhaps yesterday's Utah loss will be this year's catalyst?Â
Regardless, it's still good to be a Stanford fan and these ARE our golden years.
Re: Positive Take - stupac2 - 10-13-2013
(10-13-2013, 06:07 PM)Leftcoast link Wrote:Last year the UW loss provided the catalyst that kicked the team into another, higher gear. Perhaps yesterday's Utah loss will be this year's catalyst?
I don't take issue with your overall post, but really, is this true? As I remember it (and my reading of Rags to Roses backs it up) the win over WSU was really what made the team kick it into second gear.
Re: Positive Take - fullmetal - 10-13-2013
I'm still going to the UCLA game and whatever bowl game in which we end up playing, but looking at the amount of talent that will be leaving this team after this season--this is their last season, and a lot of that talent is pretty special. A lot can happen between now and early December, but yesterday had to have been pretty tough.
Re: Positive Take - Leftcoast - 10-13-2013
Hogan took over after the WSU game with his first full game coming against Colorado the next week. I can see why that would be called the turning point.Â
The quotes I heard after the UW game from players like Skov and Taylor on how important it was to make the extra effort and not coast because any team in the schedule could beat you had me see UW loss as the kick in the mouth that led to the extra effort needed in the rest of the PAC 12 games (all victories).
Re: Positive Take - OutsiderFan - 10-14-2013
Everything said by the OP is true. If Stanford beats UCLA, Oregon State, and Oregon, Stanford will be no worse than #5 again.
The rub here is BCS college football is not baseball. In baseball (and every other team sport), the better team make the playoffs and have a chance to show what they can do. In BCS college football, especially this season, having one loss can knock you out of the hunt for a national championship, which I believe is the goal set by Stanford football in 2013, and certainly a large number of its fans, as evidenced by some of them melting down after the Utah loss. It's perceived as maybe a once in a lifetime chance by some fans, so they are really emotional about it.
I'm sure people will be a lot less cranky about the loss on Wednesday, as the UCLA game looms.Â
Re: Positive Take - Cardinal96 - 10-14-2013
It is a matter of re-setting expectations. Having watched us every minute of six games, we are not a national championship contender. Very few teams can legitimately hope for that. Outside of the first half against Arizona State and the bulk of the WSU game, we have not been playing at an elite level.Â
All that said, this team can still accomplish so much. Every game on the schedule is winnable. Yes, even Oregon. A Rose Bowl is still a realistic possibility and that would be an amazing outcome. The game this week against UCLA is brobdingnagian. If we lose to UCLA, our chances of a BCS bowl go way down. We still have a decent shot at the Rose Bowl at 10-2 if we win every game but Oregon.
Re: Positive Take - OutsiderFan - 10-14-2013
(10-14-2013, 08:15 AM)NYCCardinalFan link Wrote:If we lose to UCLA, our chances of a BCS bowl go way down. We still have a decent shot at the Rose Bowl at 10-2 if we win every game but Oregon.
One could argue that given the Utah loss, UCLA is the most important game of the year. Not just because it is the next game, but because Stanford must beat UCLA to go to a BCS bowl in any scenario.Â
Re: Positive Take - cardcoug - 10-14-2013
(10-13-2013, 05:16 PM)TChickens link Wrote:I won't go so far as to say this loss doesn't really matter, but...
The loss affects the rankings now, but its early enough to climb right back into the conversation, especially with wins over UCLA, Ore, OreSt. Losses to Low APR U, Under Stanford Control or ND would be much more devastating, as late in the season as those are.
I think this is all correct. As others have pointed out, we still control our own destiny for the Rose Bowl, and I think that even the NCG isn't out of the question in terms of pure possibilities: if Ohio state drops a game, the Clemson/FSU winner drops a game (remember they each have tough rivalry games vs the SEC remaining), and Stanford wins out, the chances are very good.
But while the loss doesn't have a brobdingnagian effect on what possibilities are there for the Cardinal if they win out, it has had a very large effect on my thoughts about how likely Stanford is to pull it off. The way the Utes were able to consistently attack the perimeter has me imagining the ducks putting up 50+ again, taking us back to 2010-2011 type games. And the game this week looks scary too.
So, it sounds like I might be the only one - jacketree - 10-14-2013
at least slightly worried about heading to Los Angeles riding a four-game losing streak?
Re: Positive Take - yvonne - 10-14-2013
Los Angeles and Corvallis, as well. It's not going to be easy. We could end up in San Diego.
Re: Positive Take - jacketree - 10-14-2013
Yes, I was referring to playing Southern California after losing to Utah, UCLA, Oregon State, and Oregon. Trojans won't be easy either, so I won't be completely shocked if Big Game is just for bowl eligibility. That would be a fairly off the rails season.
Still, just one loss, Washington and ASU are decent, and you would think Stanford goes into Big Game at 6-4, 7-3 or 8-2. If they can pull off 9-1 it was all just a bad 3rd down dream.
Re: Positive Take - stupac2 - 10-14-2013
(10-14-2013, 01:07 PM)jacketree link Wrote:Yes, I was referring to playing Southern California after losing to Utah, UCLA, Oregon State, and Oregon. Literature's Most Famous Losers won't be easy either, so I won't be completely shocked if Big Game is just for bowl eligibility. That would be a fairly off the rails season.
Still, just one loss, Washington and ASU are decent, and you would think Stanford goes into Big Game at 6-4, 7-3 or 8-2. If they can pull off 9-1 it was all just a bad 3rd down dream.
I would be somewhat surprised if we're going into Big Game with a worse record than 7-3.