[OutsiderFan]

The Ca.l Rivals board posters on Stanford:

1. Shaw sucks - Same criticisms about conservative Shaw decisions seen from Stanford fans (rooted in the Fiesta Bowl and Utah punt decisions too), and he's just riding Harbaugh's coattails.  This is the year Stanford reverts to the mean. 

2. Offense is pedestrian - They see Stanford as a slow, plodding team (looked slow and plodding much of last season and against Northwestern).

3. Hogan sucks - His slow release and lousy performances in 2014 make the idea of him being an NFL prospect laughable.

4. Defense is average - Lost so many starters, so they can't be that good!

5. Play a real defense and we'll see if the offense has improved.

To me, they were positively convinced this was going to be the year for Stanford to fall.  No more Harbaugh recruits to rely on, Shaw sucks, Hogan sucks, and such a young defense means back to 6-6.  IOW, they were convinced (hoping) Stanford would be back down to their level.  This explains the visceral inability to give Stanford credit this year.  If Stanford isn't back to "normal" this year, then they might be a long-term power after all. 

Most Cal fans can't accept the possibility that there is a new higher win normal for Stanford, when there is no real evidence there is a new higher win normal for Cal.

[OutsiderFan]

The Ca.l Rivals board posters on Stanford:

1. Shaw sucks - Same criticisms about conservative Shaw decisions seen from Stanford fans (rooted in the Fiesta Bowl and Utah punt decisions too), and he's just riding Harbaugh's coattails.  This is the year Stanford reverts to the mean. 

2. Offense is pedestrian - They see Stanford as a slow, plodding team (looked slow and plodding much of last season and against Northwestern).

3. Hogan sucks - His slow release and lousy performances in 2014 make the idea of him being an NFL prospect laughable.

4. Defense is average - Lost so many starters, so they can't be that good!

5. Play a real defense and we'll see if the offense has improved.

To me, they were positively convinced this was going to be the year for Stanford to fall.  No more Harbaugh recruits to rely on, Shaw sucks, Hogan sucks, and such a young defense means back to 6-6.  IOW, they were convinced (hoping) Stanford would be back down to their level.  This explains the visceral inability to give Stanford credit this year.  If Stanford isn't back to "normal" this year, then they might be a long-term power after all. 

Most Cal fans can't accept the possibility that there is a new higher win normal for Stanford, when there is no real evidence there is a new higher win normal for Cal.