[76lsjumb]

Before just reading in another thread that this is the first year in almost a decade that we haven't gotten at least one McDonald's All-American in the upcoming recruiting class [yikes!], I was thinking that this scenario -- the potential for Tara to retire in the near future (although presumably not next year) -- might be a [the only?] scenario in which the transfer portal could actually benefit Stanford, at least in terms of recruiting.  

Given the number of ex-Stanford players starting for various teams around the country this season and in the recent past -- some of whom are starting or playing on top-10 teams [or at least top-25 teams -- why wouldn't a top-ranked recruit who wanted to play for the winningest coach of all time come to Stanford even if it might turn out to be for fewer than four years?  Betts, Nivar, and others have shown that -- if you're a good player [i.e., the quality that we're presumably worried about not being able to attract] it's pretty easy to be a one-and-done at Stanford and end up on another highly-ranked squad the next season.  Come to Stanford, play for Tara as long as she's there and, if it turns out to be less than four years and you're not feeling that the Stanford degree is worth staying and playing for the new coach, go play for Cori Close, or Kim Mulkey, or Geno Auriemma, or Lindsey Gottlieb, or whomever.  With each passing season, it's looking like the players who stay at one place for a whole 4-year career are becoming more and more rare.

Of course, if you already believe that playing for one of those others is better than getting any playing time at all under Tara, you wouldn't come here in the first place, I guess.  Is this year's recruiting situation an indication that sentiment already gained traction?  I hope not.

[76lsjumb]

Before just reading in another thread that this is the first year in almost a decade that we haven't gotten at least one McDonald's All-American in the upcoming recruiting class [yikes!], I was thinking that this scenario -- the potential for Tara to retire in the near future (although presumably not next year) -- might be a [the only?] scenario in which the transfer portal could actually benefit Stanford, at least in terms of recruiting.  

Given the number of ex-Stanford players starting for various teams around the country this season and in the recent past -- some of whom are starting or playing on top-10 teams [or at least top-25 teams -- why wouldn't a top-ranked recruit who wanted to play for the winningest coach of all time come to Stanford even if it might turn out to be for fewer than four years?  Betts, Nivar, and others have shown that -- if you're a good player [i.e., the quality that we're presumably worried about not being able to attract] it's pretty easy to be a one-and-done at Stanford and end up on another highly-ranked squad the next season.  Come to Stanford, play for Tara as long as she's there and, if it turns out to be less than four years and you're not feeling that the Stanford degree is worth staying and playing for the new coach, go play for Cori Close, or Kim Mulkey, or Geno Auriemma, or Lindsey Gottlieb, or whomever.  With each passing season, it's looking like the players who stay at one place for a whole 4-year career are becoming more and more rare.

Of course, if you already believe that playing for one of those others is better than getting any playing time at all under Tara, you wouldn't come here in the first place, I guess.  Is this year's recruiting situation an indication that sentiment already gained traction?  I hope not.