[ThePassionOfTheChryst]

Dantonio is an interesting example.  His third season as head coach at Michigan State he posted a 6-7 season (after 7-6 and 9-4 seasons).  It would have been easy to look at it as a of exceedingly large proportions step backwards (I don't see anything in his coaching at Cincinati 7-5, 4-7, 7-5 seasons that would have made me certain that he would succeed).  He followed that up with back to back 11 win seasons... then had a 7-6 season which might have been viewed as him being incapable of sustaining the success.  Then he had a 13-1 Rose Bowl winning season and an 11-2 Cotton Bowl season.

In other words, Dantonio twice had hiccups that were worse than 8-5.  I don't follow Michigan State football closely so I have no idea if they were calling for his head in either one, but I should hope that no one is calling for Shaw's head after an 8-5 season.  It constantly amazes me how much people are willing to dismiss three consecutive ten plus win seasons (something that has never been done at Stanford) back-to-back conference championships/Rose Bowls and cite an 8-5 season as evidence that Shaw is incapable of sustaining greatness.

Shaw may or may not succeed over the long term at Stanford.  Maybe the bottom will fall out this season and he will follow it up with several consecutive losing seasons.  But unless and until that happens, I think his accomplishments to date have earned him at least a modicum of goodwill from us "fans" and maybe even the benefit of the doubt that he will be able to continue our tradition of success.  Because if 8-5 is considered "dire" than I hope we are routinely in dire straights.

BC

The difference is Dantonio took over a Michigan State team that had gone a combined 14-21 over the preceding three seasons, not one that his predecessor had built into a national power.  He also wasn't given the best quarterback in the country.  Shaw took over a program that was ready to win NOW, and to his credit, they won.

And please, let me be clear - I haven't said that Shaw can't sustain success.  I have said that he has yet to prove that he can.  I don't exactly think that that's a very outlandish statement.  Also, continuing to say that Shaw has done something Harbaugh wasn't able to do is strange to me.  Harbaugh inherited a 1-win team.  Shaw inherited an NFL team coming off an Orange Bowl win.

[ThePassionOfTheChryst]

Dantonio is an interesting example.  His third season as head coach at Michigan State he posted a 6-7 season (after 7-6 and 9-4 seasons).  It would have been easy to look at it as a of exceedingly large proportions step backwards (I don't see anything in his coaching at Cincinati 7-5, 4-7, 7-5 seasons that would have made me certain that he would succeed).  He followed that up with back to back 11 win seasons... then had a 7-6 season which might have been viewed as him being incapable of sustaining the success.  Then he had a 13-1 Rose Bowl winning season and an 11-2 Cotton Bowl season.

In other words, Dantonio twice had hiccups that were worse than 8-5.  I don't follow Michigan State football closely so I have no idea if they were calling for his head in either one, but I should hope that no one is calling for Shaw's head after an 8-5 season.  It constantly amazes me how much people are willing to dismiss three consecutive ten plus win seasons (something that has never been done at Stanford) back-to-back conference championships/Rose Bowls and cite an 8-5 season as evidence that Shaw is incapable of sustaining greatness.

Shaw may or may not succeed over the long term at Stanford.  Maybe the bottom will fall out this season and he will follow it up with several consecutive losing seasons.  But unless and until that happens, I think his accomplishments to date have earned him at least a modicum of goodwill from us "fans" and maybe even the benefit of the doubt that he will be able to continue our tradition of success.  Because if 8-5 is considered "dire" than I hope we are routinely in dire straights.

BC

The difference is Dantonio took over a Michigan State team that had gone a combined 14-21 over the preceding three seasons, not one that his predecessor had built into a national power.  He also wasn't given the best quarterback in the country.  Shaw took over a program that was ready to win NOW, and to his credit, they won.

And please, let me be clear - I haven't said that Shaw can't sustain success.  I have said that he has yet to prove that he can.  I don't exactly think that that's a very outlandish statement.  Also, continuing to say that Shaw has done something Harbaugh wasn't able to do is strange to me.  Harbaugh inherited a 1-win team.  Shaw inherited an NFL team coming off an Orange Bowl win.