[Mick]

[quote author=SeattleTree link=topic=16303.msg183009#msg183009 date=1482174093]
[quote author=VFRing98 link=topic=16303.msg182994#msg182994 date=1482169719]
Wow. The negative response to this has a strong odor of entitlement.

The only people Christian has to explain this to are his teammates. And no one here knows what they think.

As fans, we are owed nothing. That this diminishes Christian in some of your eyes says more about you than it does about him. He was a shooting star at Stanford and we were fortunate; so, so, so very fortunate, to get a glimpse of him and to call him our own for those times.

Thought experiment: would you rather future athletes of Christian's caliber (not saying there will ever be any) NOT come to Stanford, if you knew they would leave prior to a meaningless exhibition game?

Interesting that you feel we as fans can't understand our great fortune in counting Christian as one of our own these last three years and still be disappointed by most recent decision. The two sentiments are not at all mutually exclusive.

I feel extremely fortunate to have watched Christian as a Cardinal these last 3 years, fully understand why he made he decision he did, and am still disappointed by it. If that makes me entitled, so be it. But I don't think things are quite as black and white as you see them; they are more nuanced.
[/quote]
Excellent post, SeattleTree.

I remain a big fan of C-Mac, he has represented the university very well and he makes me proud as an alum. I don't feel that he personally owes me anything, so I don't feel entitled with respect to him. But I am still disappointed in his decision, and would be surprised if his teammates and coaches didn't feel disappointed for the most part. My only caveat is that we may not know all the relevant information that went into his decision.

P.S. I am surprised by the repeated references to the Sun Bowl as an "exhibition", it is certainly no more of an exhibition than the season finale against Rice.
[/quote]


It's the absolute and exact opposite of exhibition.  It is the ultimate game against the best opponent we deserve, in front of a large audience, giving us an extra month of practice and preparation, and affording recruits an additional game to view us.  An exhibition is the Red v. White scrimmage.

[Mick]

[quote author=SeattleTree link=topic=16303.msg183009#msg183009 date=1482174093]
[quote author=VFRing98 link=topic=16303.msg182994#msg182994 date=1482169719]
Wow. The negative response to this has a strong odor of entitlement.

The only people Christian has to explain this to are his teammates. And no one here knows what they think.

As fans, we are owed nothing. That this diminishes Christian in some of your eyes says more about you than it does about him. He was a shooting star at Stanford and we were fortunate; so, so, so very fortunate, to get a glimpse of him and to call him our own for those times.

Thought experiment: would you rather future athletes of Christian's caliber (not saying there will ever be any) NOT come to Stanford, if you knew they would leave prior to a meaningless exhibition game?

Interesting that you feel we as fans can't understand our great fortune in counting Christian as one of our own these last three years and still be disappointed by most recent decision. The two sentiments are not at all mutually exclusive.

I feel extremely fortunate to have watched Christian as a Cardinal these last 3 years, fully understand why he made he decision he did, and am still disappointed by it. If that makes me entitled, so be it. But I don't think things are quite as black and white as you see them; they are more nuanced.
[/quote]
Excellent post, SeattleTree.

I remain a big fan of C-Mac, he has represented the university very well and he makes me proud as an alum. I don't feel that he personally owes me anything, so I don't feel entitled with respect to him. But I am still disappointed in his decision, and would be surprised if his teammates and coaches didn't feel disappointed for the most part. My only caveat is that we may not know all the relevant information that went into his decision.

P.S. I am surprised by the repeated references to the Sun Bowl as an "exhibition", it is certainly no more of an exhibition than the season finale against Rice.
[/quote]


It's the absolute and exact opposite of exhibition.  It is the ultimate game against the best opponent we deserve, in front of a large audience, giving us an extra month of practice and preparation, and affording recruits an additional game to view us.  An exhibition is the Red v. White scrimmage.