[AlbanyCardinal]

What narrative? Losing was unacceptable to Jim Harbaugh? He lost 21 games at Stanford. Shaw could lose every game the rest of the season and still have suffered fewer defeats than Harbaugh. After three consecutive bowl games, the AD didn't fire Shaw for going 8-5 and winning a bowl game last season? In what universe would have have been a sensible action? What coach would be interested in taking a position at Stanford if failing to make the Rose Bowl was a firing offense? That the fact that Shaw likes Stanford and wants to stay here should be held against him? Really? You want to go back to hiring resume-builders who were out of here after three seasons? Was that a formula for success?

You're comparing apples and oranges, though. Hardballs inherited a team that was as disorganized, without confidence, and flat-out bad as any in the country. You can't point to Shaw's relatively fewer losses and make some case for his greatness. He inherited a system, a well run machine, an identity, not to mention top-shelf players who bought into all that. Shaw did well to smoothly carry the torch and continue and even elevate Stanford's success, but you write of Shaw as if in some vacuum.

Irrespective of Shaw's relatively sterling win-loss record and its place in Stanford history, all I've needed to see is the rapid disintegration of our offense to know that he is not capable of running a productive offense that takes advantage of team personnel and strengths, or that minimizes team weaknesses. The offense is lost out there, period.

Maybe Shaw's a great head coach, but imo we won't know that until or unless he learns (or is forced) to hand the keys to a good OC and give him free rein. Maybe Bloomgren is partly responsible for this offensive mess, but that's still on Shaw to correct. How I wish Bloomgren were kept at offensive line and we had a real OC from outside the program running the offense. Not just a good Xs and Os guy, but someone who understands sustaining drives with rhythm and flow, and who adjusts to personnel and what the opposing team is doing. Easier said than done, finding a good OC, but Stanford ought to try at least. My hunch is Shaw's career on the Farm will depend on it, whether he or Muir ever see it that way.

[AlbanyCardinal]

What narrative? Losing was unacceptable to Jim Harbaugh? He lost 21 games at Stanford. Shaw could lose every game the rest of the season and still have suffered fewer defeats than Harbaugh. After three consecutive bowl games, the AD didn't fire Shaw for going 8-5 and winning a bowl game last season? In what universe would have have been a sensible action? What coach would be interested in taking a position at Stanford if failing to make the Rose Bowl was a firing offense? That the fact that Shaw likes Stanford and wants to stay here should be held against him? Really? You want to go back to hiring resume-builders who were out of here after three seasons? Was that a formula for success?

You're comparing apples and oranges, though. Hardballs inherited a team that was as disorganized, without confidence, and flat-out bad as any in the country. You can't point to Shaw's relatively fewer losses and make some case for his greatness. He inherited a system, a well run machine, an identity, not to mention top-shelf players who bought into all that. Shaw did well to smoothly carry the torch and continue and even elevate Stanford's success, but you write of Shaw as if in some vacuum.

Irrespective of Shaw's relatively sterling win-loss record and its place in Stanford history, all I've needed to see is the rapid disintegration of our offense to know that he is not capable of running a productive offense that takes advantage of team personnel and strengths, or that minimizes team weaknesses. The offense is lost out there, period.

Maybe Shaw's a great head coach, but imo we won't know that until or unless he learns (or is forced) to hand the keys to a good OC and give him free rein. Maybe Bloomgren is partly responsible for this offensive mess, but that's still on Shaw to correct. How I wish Bloomgren were kept at offensive line and we had a real OC from outside the program running the offense. Not just a good Xs and Os guy, but someone who understands sustaining drives with rhythm and flow, and who adjusts to personnel and what the opposing team is doing. Easier said than done, finding a good OC, but Stanford ought to try at least. My hunch is Shaw's career on the Farm will depend on it, whether he or Muir ever see it that way.