[cardcrimson]

I don't know who Ostler is, have never subscribe to the Chronicle.  I didn't find his column particularly humorous or insightful.  

However, the sentiments he expressed are, I think, more common than people on the Cardboard might care to admit.  My wife, an alum but not a sports fan, reacted in exactly the same way to the news that Stanford would be joining the ACC.  "What?  A California university in the ATLANTIC conference???  It would be much better to just drop football."  Her reaction exactly.  So I can't convince my own family, and keep in mind that most Stanford alums are like her--not particularly interested in sports to begin with.  Throw in the steady drip drip drip of articles about CTE and I fear what a scientific poll of Stanford alums would show about support for football's future (in general) or the move to the ACC (in particular.) 

So Ostler's sentiments are shared by others.  Whether Stanford football survives may depend upon how many share those views.

Sadly, many don't realize that there are other sports besides football. Joining a major conference was a necessity to keep those sports at the level of competition the athletes we've attracted over the years expect. Not doing so would have been the death of quality competition, and a dearth of quality athletes at Stanford.

[cardcrimson]

I don't know who Ostler is, have never subscribe to the Chronicle.  I didn't find his column particularly humorous or insightful.  

However, the sentiments he expressed are, I think, more common than people on the Cardboard might care to admit.  My wife, an alum but not a sports fan, reacted in exactly the same way to the news that Stanford would be joining the ACC.  "What?  A California university in the ATLANTIC conference???  It would be much better to just drop football."  Her reaction exactly.  So I can't convince my own family, and keep in mind that most Stanford alums are like her--not particularly interested in sports to begin with.  Throw in the steady drip drip drip of articles about CTE and I fear what a scientific poll of Stanford alums would show about support for football's future (in general) or the move to the ACC (in particular.) 

So Ostler's sentiments are shared by others.  Whether Stanford football survives may depend upon how many share those views.

Sadly, many don't realize that there are other sports besides football. Joining a major conference was a necessity to keep those sports at the level of competition the athletes we've attracted over the years expect. Not doing so would have been the death of quality competition, and a dearth of quality athletes at Stanford.