[jayasena]

[quote author=somnambule link=topic=10701.msg99303#msg99303 date=1411772871]

I'm with WIM on this. The "off-field representative" aspect is easy to prioritize when both people in question are all-world talents but one is a near-saint and the other is a certifiable sleazeball. But i don't think anyone is advocating hiring/recruiting total embarrassments.

The more challenging case is when the "ideal representative" may not be the best player or coach. At that point, how much are you willing to give up on "idealness" as a representative for better on-field results? I honestly think Teevens was a better off-field representative of the university than Harbaugh was. But I know who I'd want if I had to pick between those two to return as the head football coach*.

* Hmm... typing that makes me appreciate Shaw even more.

Okay, I confess to stacking the deck in my first example. 

How about this one, then:  Geno Auriemma vs. Tara VanDerveer ?
[/quote]

I wouldn't trade Tara for anyone. On the other hand, in an alternate universe where we never had Tara and Auriemma was our long-time coach, I wouldn't imagine myself wanting to get rid of him either. But I'll readily admit that I don't follow much non-Stanford WBB news and there may be things about Auriemma's off-field conduct that I don't know about that may could change my thinking.

[jayasena]

[quote author=somnambule link=topic=10701.msg99303#msg99303 date=1411772871]

I'm with WIM on this. The "off-field representative" aspect is easy to prioritize when both people in question are all-world talents but one is a near-saint and the other is a certifiable sleazeball. But i don't think anyone is advocating hiring/recruiting total embarrassments.

The more challenging case is when the "ideal representative" may not be the best player or coach. At that point, how much are you willing to give up on "idealness" as a representative for better on-field results? I honestly think Teevens was a better off-field representative of the university than Harbaugh was. But I know who I'd want if I had to pick between those two to return as the head football coach*.

* Hmm... typing that makes me appreciate Shaw even more.

Okay, I confess to stacking the deck in my first example. 

How about this one, then:  Geno Auriemma vs. Tara VanDerveer ?
[/quote]

I wouldn't trade Tara for anyone. On the other hand, in an alternate universe where we never had Tara and Auriemma was our long-time coach, I wouldn't imagine myself wanting to get rid of him either. But I'll readily admit that I don't follow much non-Stanford WBB news and there may be things about Auriemma's off-field conduct that I don't know about that may could change my thinking.