[76lsjumb]

Deja Vu, anyone?

I remember having this EXACT conversation during Montgomery's years near the top of the basketball world.  Particularly the year we were Sports Illustrated's pre-season #1 (following our Final Four appearance).  Folks on this message board wondered whether Stanford would wilt under the pressure and had only thrived by being able to play "under the radar".    Needless to say, this is no longer a top concern.

My takeaways from that long ago time?  Being a perennial preseason Top 5 is much, much better than being a hungry second division Pac 12 team.  The national expectations made the team tougher, games more important (UConn at Maples or Duke at the Colliseum anyone?) and, from a fan perspective, Stanford Basketball MATTERED on the national stage.  Students camped out for tickets, Maples was rocking and players seemed to relish the big games and maintaining what they built.  Think Peter Sauer, Chris Hernandes, Michael Montgomery, Jason and Jaron Collins, Casey Jacobsen - all players who relished and thrived in the hot house environment of a high national ranking.  Recruits flocked to our games - even the ones who went elsewhere.

I'd rather have that environment any day than to be a hungry team on the periphery.  Right now Stanford football is very, very good, the nation's noticed and that is OK.  My advice: Embrace and Enjoy the moment!

Unfortunately, what I remember about that season following our Final Four appearance is the great price I subsequently got on my pre-season purchase of plane tickets to St. Petersburg [which, fortunately, were at least partially refundable]...

As many have noted, there are all sorts of advantages to being highly ranked pre-season, ... just as long as the players know those rankings mean absolutely nothing during practices and games.

Listening to Nick Saban after the NCG, I had two thoughts.  First, I was remembering how much fun it was to sit there in El Paso watching Chad Hutchinson, et al. administer an epic beatdown to Saban's MSU team.  Second, I was thinking that he was probably right about his "2-day rule" for celebrating wins, and, since the Rose Bowl happened more than two days earlier, I sure hoped our guys already had a few days' jump on Alabama for next year.  I remember Shaw making a big deal after the Orange Bowl about taking the trophy, putting it on the shelf, and concentrating on next season.  If the players maintain that attitude, we'll be okay.  If not,...

[76lsjumb]

Deja Vu, anyone?

I remember having this EXACT conversation during Montgomery's years near the top of the basketball world.  Particularly the year we were Sports Illustrated's pre-season #1 (following our Final Four appearance).  Folks on this message board wondered whether Stanford would wilt under the pressure and had only thrived by being able to play "under the radar".    Needless to say, this is no longer a top concern.

My takeaways from that long ago time?  Being a perennial preseason Top 5 is much, much better than being a hungry second division Pac 12 team.  The national expectations made the team tougher, games more important (UConn at Maples or Duke at the Colliseum anyone?) and, from a fan perspective, Stanford Basketball MATTERED on the national stage.  Students camped out for tickets, Maples was rocking and players seemed to relish the big games and maintaining what they built.  Think Peter Sauer, Chris Hernandes, Michael Montgomery, Jason and Jaron Collins, Casey Jacobsen - all players who relished and thrived in the hot house environment of a high national ranking.  Recruits flocked to our games - even the ones who went elsewhere.

I'd rather have that environment any day than to be a hungry team on the periphery.  Right now Stanford football is very, very good, the nation's noticed and that is OK.  My advice: Embrace and Enjoy the moment!

Unfortunately, what I remember about that season following our Final Four appearance is the great price I subsequently got on my pre-season purchase of plane tickets to St. Petersburg [which, fortunately, were at least partially refundable]...

As many have noted, there are all sorts of advantages to being highly ranked pre-season, ... just as long as the players know those rankings mean absolutely nothing during practices and games.

Listening to Nick Saban after the NCG, I had two thoughts.  First, I was remembering how much fun it was to sit there in El Paso watching Chad Hutchinson, et al. administer an epic beatdown to Saban's MSU team.  Second, I was thinking that he was probably right about his "2-day rule" for celebrating wins, and, since the Rose Bowl happened more than two days earlier, I sure hoped our guys already had a few days' jump on Alabama for next year.  I remember Shaw making a big deal after the Orange Bowl about taking the trophy, putting it on the shelf, and concentrating on next season.  If the players maintain that attitude, we'll be okay.  If not,...