08-17-2011, 02:22 PM
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.
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.
Please clear the field! The game is not over!