[SkiBum80]

BC, many challenging thoughts and questions raised about who and what should Stanford strive to be, and expect to be, in the drastically and rapidly changing world of college sports going forward.
I can't answer many of your challenges and questions.
But I would like to politely suggest that the recent move by us to join the ACC is not necessarily a solid answer to many of these questions either.
It is more of an immediate and practical jump for survival to remain with a chance to stay relevant.
And for this I don't just mean for football and basketball, but for many other sports too, soccer, baseball, swimming, etc.
We got to a twisted and very dangerous point (thanks to USC/UCLA, then the other lesser traitors) where it was either join ACC or doom many of our sports to immediate national irrelevance.
By irrelevance I mean a quick loss of the top coaching and recruits that are needed to give you the chance to contend for best, or near best, in the country.
Joining the ACC guaranteed nothing going forward, except the opportunity to succeed in fielding a top team if the opportunity can be well acted upon.
Not joining the ACC almost guaranteed not even having that chance.
So I continue to tip my hat to the Stanford leaders of Condi Rice et. al. that made this ACC move happen.

[SkiBum80]

BC, many challenging thoughts and questions raised about who and what should Stanford strive to be, and expect to be, in the drastically and rapidly changing world of college sports going forward.
I can't answer many of your challenges and questions.
But I would like to politely suggest that the recent move by us to join the ACC is not necessarily a solid answer to many of these questions either.
It is more of an immediate and practical jump for survival to remain with a chance to stay relevant.
And for this I don't just mean for football and basketball, but for many other sports too, soccer, baseball, swimming, etc.
We got to a twisted and very dangerous point (thanks to USC/UCLA, then the other lesser traitors) where it was either join ACC or doom many of our sports to immediate national irrelevance.
By irrelevance I mean a quick loss of the top coaching and recruits that are needed to give you the chance to contend for best, or near best, in the country.
Joining the ACC guaranteed nothing going forward, except the opportunity to succeed in fielding a top team if the opportunity can be well acted upon.
Not joining the ACC almost guaranteed not even having that chance.
So I continue to tip my hat to the Stanford leaders of Condi Rice et. al. that made this ACC move happen.