[yvonne]

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford Athletics will be debuting the "Ask Coach Shaw" feature on the Stanford Athletics Facebook page Wednesday. The series will feature Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw answering selected questions from Stanford fans that have been posed on the Facebook pages of Stanford Athletics and Stanford Football.

Fans can begin submitting their questions now on each of the Facebook pages. Two to three questions will be selected to ask Coach Shaw, and the video feature will be presented exclusively on the Stanford Athletics and Stanford Football Facebook pages Wednesday.

This series will continue as a regular feature on Facebook over the course of the 2011 season.

Stanford is currently in preseason camp preparing for the season opener against San Jose State on Sept. 3 at 2 p.m. PT at Stanford Stadium.

http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footb...11aab.html

[yvonne]

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford Athletics will be debuting the "Ask Coach Shaw" feature on the Stanford Athletics Facebook page Wednesday. The series will feature Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw answering selected questions from Stanford fans that have been posed on the Facebook pages of Stanford Athletics and Stanford Football.

Fans can begin submitting their questions now on each of the Facebook pages. Two to three questions will be selected to ask Coach Shaw, and the video feature will be presented exclusively on the Stanford Athletics and Stanford Football Facebook pages Wednesday.

This series will continue as a regular feature on Facebook over the course of the 2011 season.

Stanford is currently in preseason camp preparing for the season opener against San Jose State on Sept. 3 at 2 p.m. PT at Stanford Stadium.

http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footb...11aab.html

[Redrum]

the issue is the tightly controlled information.  We already have something of an echo chamber.  The coach or coaches come out at the end of practice and make some comments.  None of these comments is particularly earth-shattering.  Injury comments are opaque,  position battles are upbeat and non-commital for the most part.  But the same content  ("news") is  repeated in the various media outlets.    The Chron, the Merc, the Examiner, the message boards  all grind on the same content.  If a Facebook account carries the same content as the existing ones,  then it is pretty low added value.  There is every reason to believe this will be the case.  The coaches have already become adept at saying stuff that reveals a minimum of new information.  The answers Shaw gives will likely be the same ones he gives to the Chron, Merc. and the Bootleg  If he does open up and provide insights not available previously,  then it might be a good idea.

[Redrum]

the issue is the tightly controlled information.  We already have something of an echo chamber.  The coach or coaches come out at the end of practice and make some comments.  None of these comments is particularly earth-shattering.  Injury comments are opaque,  position battles are upbeat and non-commital for the most part.  But the same content  ("news") is  repeated in the various media outlets.    The Chron, the Merc, the Examiner, the message boards  all grind on the same content.  If a Facebook account carries the same content as the existing ones,  then it is pretty low added value.  There is every reason to believe this will be the case.  The coaches have already become adept at saying stuff that reveals a minimum of new information.  The answers Shaw gives will likely be the same ones he gives to the Chron, Merc. and the Bootleg  If he does open up and provide insights not available previously,  then it might be a good idea.

[fullmetal]

Is it a good idea to reveal more information though?

[fullmetal]

Is it a good idea to reveal more information though?

[yvonne]

This isn't about information. This is about exposure and marketing. Weren't we complaining about a failure to market to youth? Reaching out to social networks is a way to do that. It could also help recruiting, but I'm not sure what the rules are with that.

[yvonne]

This isn't about information. This is about exposure and marketing. Weren't we complaining about a failure to market to youth? Reaching out to social networks is a way to do that. It could also help recruiting, but I'm not sure what the rules are with that.

[Hank 91]

I had a conversation with Rick Jones, the publisher of CardinalReport.com. He expressed a lot of frustration with the football department's aversion to publicity. His point -- and it's a good one -- is that the program recruits players who are such exemplary and well-spoken young men that they could essentially sell the program themselves. The program basically cut off the Bootleg and Cardinal Report because of their policy not to allow internet entities not connected with established brick and mortar media outlets to have access to players or coaches.

As a fan, it was frustrating last year to have absolutely no information about any of Chris Owusu's various injuries, for example, but I understood Harbaugh's point that he didn't want opposing coaches to have any extra info. But the players have to be the face of the program. If I had a son who was a blue chip recruit considering Stanford, my main concern would be the quality of people he would be surrounded by for four years, and that would include the coaches, athletes, and general student body. People should be able to get to know kids like Shayne Skov and Wayne Lyons, if only to know that Stanford is a great place filled with some great people.

[Hank 91]

I had a conversation with Rick Jones, the publisher of CardinalReport.com. He expressed a lot of frustration with the football department's aversion to publicity. His point -- and it's a good one -- is that the program recruits players who are such exemplary and well-spoken young men that they could essentially sell the program themselves. The program basically cut off the Bootleg and Cardinal Report because of their policy not to allow internet entities not connected with established brick and mortar media outlets to have access to players or coaches.

As a fan, it was frustrating last year to have absolutely no information about any of Chris Owusu's various injuries, for example, but I understood Harbaugh's point that he didn't want opposing coaches to have any extra info. But the players have to be the face of the program. If I had a son who was a blue chip recruit considering Stanford, my main concern would be the quality of people he would be surrounded by for four years, and that would include the coaches, athletes, and general student body. People should be able to get to know kids like Shayne Skov and Wayne Lyons, if only to know that Stanford is a great place filled with some great people.

[Redrum]

Just stating that its additional value to the existing Stanford community is limited unless the content is different.  If there are "youth"  out there who will be intrigued by Shaw's answers -- probably because they haven't heard that much coachspeak in their young lives--  then that's a good thing if it translates into "mindspace".    Hope mindspace then translates into game attendance or recruit commitments or television viewers or, maybe, just people who know Stanford exists.  There might be some risk putting Stanford's  image in the care of people without a firm commitment to Stanford (i.e. visitors), but I guess we'll see whether it develops into a positive force or a battleground.

[Redrum]

Just stating that its additional value to the existing Stanford community is limited unless the content is different.  If there are "youth"  out there who will be intrigued by Shaw's answers -- probably because they haven't heard that much coachspeak in their young lives--  then that's a good thing if it translates into "mindspace".    Hope mindspace then translates into game attendance or recruit commitments or television viewers or, maybe, just people who know Stanford exists.  There might be some risk putting Stanford's  image in the care of people without a firm commitment to Stanford (i.e. visitors), but I guess we'll see whether it develops into a positive force or a battleground.

[fullmetal]

Shaw didn't come off as a polished or comfortable speaker in that Youtube vid.  But that's okay, because you don't need to be the best PR man to be a winning CFB coach...

[fullmetal]

Shaw didn't come off as a polished or comfortable speaker in that Youtube vid.  But that's okay, because you don't need to be the best PR man to be a winning CFB coach...

[yvonne]

"...we're trying to get Andrew to stop initiating some of these hits that he likes to initiate."

WHAT!!!! >:(

[yvonne]

"...we're trying to get Andrew to stop initiating some of these hits that he likes to initiate."

WHAT!!!! >:(

[fullmetal]

As long as Andrew doesn't pull a Jake Locker and crack a rib...

[fullmetal]

As long as Andrew doesn't pull a Jake Locker and crack a rib...

[gtrplyr1]

The program basically cut off the Bootleg and Cardinal Report because of their policy not to allow internet entities not connected with established brick and mortar media outlets to have access to players or coaches.

Wow, I didn't know about this, Hank. Come on, Stanford football: between the obnoxious cliches on the Twitter account and the unwillingness to embrace digital media outlets... it's 2011.

[gtrplyr1]

The program basically cut off the Bootleg and Cardinal Report because of their policy not to allow internet entities not connected with established brick and mortar media outlets to have access to players or coaches.

Wow, I didn't know about this, Hank. Come on, Stanford football: between the obnoxious cliches on the Twitter account and the unwillingness to embrace digital media outlets... it's 2011.

[Leftcoast]

Despite my preference for the brown structured corrugate version of Stanford fandom I'm aghast that Stanford doesn't embrace The Bootleg.  Why turn your nose up at a direct conduit to a thousand plus of your most rabid fans and then embrace Lemon-sucking Ray Ratto?  And what would it take to humor them?  A couple of hours of player/coach access a month?  The Booty's value prop looks pretty good to me.

[Leftcoast]

Despite my preference for the brown structured corrugate version of Stanford fandom I'm aghast that Stanford doesn't embrace The Bootleg.  Why turn your nose up at a direct conduit to a thousand plus of your most rabid fans and then embrace Lemon-sucking Ray Ratto?  And what would it take to humor them?  A couple of hours of player/coach access a month?  The Booty's value prop looks pretty good to me.

[yvonne]

I do know that an online only reporter had access to the players and coaches following one of the spring practices. I'm reluctant to say more than that for fear that this brick-and-mortar only policy is in fact the official word and I would be outing the online reporter.

[yvonne]

I do know that an online only reporter had access to the players and coaches following one of the spring practices. I'm reluctant to say more than that for fear that this brick-and-mortar only policy is in fact the official word and I would be outing the online reporter.

[terry]

I believe the Bootleg's reporters have been participating with other media in the post-practice interviews with Shaw and various players. They've been posting the Q&A on the Bootleg.

[terry]

I believe the Bootleg's reporters have been participating with other media in the post-practice interviews with Shaw and various players. They've been posting the Q&A on the Bootleg.

[Redrum]

coverage is practically indistinguishable one from another.  Same fact set, same coaches' answers reused.  Very efficient.  In many ways,  true FANS hungry for information were better off  in the good ol' days when the Stanford sports information dept. was a sleepy backwater where burnouts went to bridge the time to retirement.  Then, some media guys in tune with the new Pac-10/Pac-12 realities came in speaking the new language of image control and media rights and $$$$$.    Now, they are much more pro-active and constantly posting videos.  Downside?  It is increasingly homogenous and controlled.  THEY decide what questions you want answered and then control the answer.

[Redrum]

coverage is practically indistinguishable one from another.  Same fact set, same coaches' answers reused.  Very efficient.  In many ways,  true FANS hungry for information were better off  in the good ol' days when the Stanford sports information dept. was a sleepy backwater where burnouts went to bridge the time to retirement.  Then, some media guys in tune with the new Pac-10/Pac-12 realities came in speaking the new language of image control and media rights and $$$$$.    Now, they are much more pro-active and constantly posting videos.  Downside?  It is increasingly homogenous and controlled.  THEY decide what questions you want answered and then control the answer.

[fullmetal]

I agree with Redrum...but if the end result is that key information is kept from prying eyes and sensitive ears, I'm okay with it.  I can get what I need from watching the games anyway.

Have y'all seen barkingcarnival.org?  They really tear into the guts of the Texas football program as well as the X's and O's aspect.  You could cobble together a halfway decent game strategy based on all the information they post, imho.  But it's good.  And read it--you may find yourself educated.

[fullmetal]

I agree with Redrum...but if the end result is that key information is kept from prying eyes and sensitive ears, I'm okay with it.  I can get what I need from watching the games anyway.

Have y'all seen barkingcarnival.org?  They really tear into the guts of the Texas football program as well as the X's and O's aspect.  You could cobble together a halfway decent game strategy based on all the information they post, imho.  But it's good.  And read it--you may find yourself educated.

[Spiny_Norman]

The program basically cut off the Bootleg and Cardinal Report because of their policy not to allow internet entities not connected with established brick and mortar media outlets to have access to players or coaches.

Yes, when the program won't let you have access to the head coach, that means you cannot ask more than 17 questions a day.

http://stanford.scout.com/2/1097345.html

[Spiny_Norman]

The program basically cut off the Bootleg and Cardinal Report because of their policy not to allow internet entities not connected with established brick and mortar media outlets to have access to players or coaches.

Yes, when the program won't let you have access to the head coach, that means you cannot ask more than 17 questions a day.

http://stanford.scout.com/2/1097345.html