[chrisk]

There's a strong temptation to be overly dramatic with respect to Stanford's plight in the realignment fiasco.

Let's take a breath and realize one thing.  Based on its endowment, Stanford has choices that most of the other Pac-12 refugees didn't have.

The AD and President were incompetent, but maybe things are ending up the way they should.  Just as an example, one can easily imagine an Independent football schedule combined with Mountain West membership in all other sports.  This maintains a reasonable student-athlete experience and level of competition. Football may need to travel a bit more, but they have the charter flights and resources to manage it.  Less revenue may result in some sports being cut, but this remains a choice for the next President and AD (yes, I said it), not a financial necessity.

Stanford does not need to make the same desperate tradeoffs that other schools do. It can afford to have its cake (D1 football) and eat it (good student-athlete experience and less travel for other sports), too.

Developing an independent football schedule anywhere close to Notre Dame’s would be tough. Even ND has an agreement with the ACC for 5 games a year.

[chrisk]

There's a strong temptation to be overly dramatic with respect to Stanford's plight in the realignment fiasco.

Let's take a breath and realize one thing.  Based on its endowment, Stanford has choices that most of the other Pac-12 refugees didn't have.

The AD and President were incompetent, but maybe things are ending up the way they should.  Just as an example, one can easily imagine an Independent football schedule combined with Mountain West membership in all other sports.  This maintains a reasonable student-athlete experience and level of competition. Football may need to travel a bit more, but they have the charter flights and resources to manage it.  Less revenue may result in some sports being cut, but this remains a choice for the next President and AD (yes, I said it), not a financial necessity.

Stanford does not need to make the same desperate tradeoffs that other schools do. It can afford to have its cake (D1 football) and eat it (good student-athlete experience and less travel for other sports), too.

Developing an independent football schedule anywhere close to Notre Dame’s would be tough. Even ND has an agreement with the ACC for 5 games a year.