[cctop]

i don't think i'm going out on a limb when i say that persuading Mr. Harbaugh to come to The Farm was one of the biggest coups our athletic department has ever achieved.

I'm certain everyone would agree that hiring Harbaugh was one of the top 5 best things to ever happen to the Stanford football program.

But "coup" isn't really the right word.

If I recall correctly, hiring him was considered a big risk at the time.  He had no D-1 experience at any level, and he had a recent DUI.  He had interviewed at both San Diego State and Tulane and not gotten the job.

We got lucky the same way that USC got lucky with Pete Carroll.  Carroll wasn't their first or second choice, and there was a lot of grumbling and doubt when his hiring was announced.

[cctop]

i don't think i'm going out on a limb when i say that persuading Mr. Harbaugh to come to The Farm was one of the biggest coups our athletic department has ever achieved.

I'm certain everyone would agree that hiring Harbaugh was one of the top 5 best things to ever happen to the Stanford football program.

But "coup" isn't really the right word.

If I recall correctly, hiring him was considered a big risk at the time.  He had no D-1 experience at any level, and he had a recent DUI.  He had interviewed at both San Diego State and Tulane and not gotten the job.

We got lucky the same way that USC got lucky with Pete Carroll.  Carroll wasn't their first or second choice, and there was a lot of grumbling and doubt when his hiring was announced.