[DucksAreRoostingInTheTree]

No NFL scouts are questioning Oregon player toughness or suggesting that because they went to Oregon they need more scrutiny to make sure they are tough enough for the NFL. So why the hell should Stanford players be questioned?  This game IS a proxy battle of ideas.  The NFL people don't give Stanford a chance against Oregon, and if Oregon wins, they have no reason to question their skepticism of Stanford football players.  But if Stanford wins, they do.  Given the implications that has, a Stanford win has the potential to influence positive changes in the football culture.  And it may be a stretch, but it seems such an outcome can also in turn influence the greater society or at least set conditions for a positive evolutionary step forward.

At a time when a former Stanford player who helped establish Stanford football as physically and mentally tough is having his toughness questioned because he went to Stanford, there is no better possible way for the Stanford football community to help him than by beating the Oregon Ducks tonight.  If Stanford does win, we will be hearing a lot less questioning of Martin's toughness, see a big uptick in transcript requests of college football players from NFL people.

I love and appreciate the ingenuity of your argument. I would give you more than 1 plus for this post for that reason alone. However I think you have allowed the existence our rivalry (yes, it has become a rivalry, and in the nation's eyes, it is a more important rivalry than Stanford vs. California or Oregon vs Oregon St/Washington) to cloud the argument. Oregon is not the faceless enemy that represents the 'evil' you have described and with you wish to battle. It is your primary rival, and in this post you have turned it into the statue if you will, of the injustice you feel is being done to your team vis a vis this NFL debacle. If Stanford happens to win this game, you will prove only that you continue to be a great team (no one in their right mind even questions this, and I don't know of anyone who thinks Stanford is soft; rather, they are the epitome of tough, punch you in the mouth, ground and pound football reminiscent of the SEC). You have already proven you are tough. No one doubts this. As an Oregon fan, I am flattered by your esteem of us, and I consider it proof that the seeds of a great rivalry have taken root and are beginning to sprout.

[DucksAreRoostingInTheTree]

No NFL scouts are questioning Oregon player toughness or suggesting that because they went to Oregon they need more scrutiny to make sure they are tough enough for the NFL. So why the hell should Stanford players be questioned?  This game IS a proxy battle of ideas.  The NFL people don't give Stanford a chance against Oregon, and if Oregon wins, they have no reason to question their skepticism of Stanford football players.  But if Stanford wins, they do.  Given the implications that has, a Stanford win has the potential to influence positive changes in the football culture.  And it may be a stretch, but it seems such an outcome can also in turn influence the greater society or at least set conditions for a positive evolutionary step forward.

At a time when a former Stanford player who helped establish Stanford football as physically and mentally tough is having his toughness questioned because he went to Stanford, there is no better possible way for the Stanford football community to help him than by beating the Oregon Ducks tonight.  If Stanford does win, we will be hearing a lot less questioning of Martin's toughness, see a big uptick in transcript requests of college football players from NFL people.

I love and appreciate the ingenuity of your argument. I would give you more than 1 plus for this post for that reason alone. However I think you have allowed the existence our rivalry (yes, it has become a rivalry, and in the nation's eyes, it is a more important rivalry than Stanford vs. California or Oregon vs Oregon St/Washington) to cloud the argument. Oregon is not the faceless enemy that represents the 'evil' you have described and with you wish to battle. It is your primary rival, and in this post you have turned it into the statue if you will, of the injustice you feel is being done to your team vis a vis this NFL debacle. If Stanford happens to win this game, you will prove only that you continue to be a great team (no one in their right mind even questions this, and I don't know of anyone who thinks Stanford is soft; rather, they are the epitome of tough, punch you in the mouth, ground and pound football reminiscent of the SEC). You have already proven you are tough. No one doubts this. As an Oregon fan, I am flattered by your esteem of us, and I consider it proof that the seeds of a great rivalry have taken root and are beginning to sprout.