[winflop]

Has there been much criticism on this board on the theme on whether Bloomgren is doing a poor job as OC? I have noticed some criticism of Bloomgren doubling as OC and O line coach. I share that reservation. Personally, I've always appreciated him one of the best college O line coaches and a very good recruiter for Stanford. In the Shavitagren offense, I am not always clear on how to apportion credit or blame on various facets of the offense. I wonder if we'd be having this discussion if Scarlett was the #1 RB. Love has bailed out the offense this season.

Hard to criticize that which we do not understand. What is Bloomgren's role as OC when Shaw really runs the offense? The only thing we know is that he's a part-time OL coach and since he became part-time the OL has not gelled quickly enough more often than not.

[winflop]

Has there been much criticism on this board on the theme on whether Bloomgren is doing a poor job as OC? I have noticed some criticism of Bloomgren doubling as OC and O line coach. I share that reservation. Personally, I've always appreciated him one of the best college O line coaches and a very good recruiter for Stanford. In the Shavitagren offense, I am not always clear on how to apportion credit or blame on various facets of the offense. I wonder if we'd be having this discussion if Scarlett was the #1 RB. Love has bailed out the offense this season.

Hard to criticize that which we do not understand. What is Bloomgren's role as OC when Shaw really runs the offense? The only thing we know is that he's a part-time OL coach and since he became part-time the OL has not gelled quickly enough more often than not.

[Langdude]

My recollection is fuzzy, but I believe that Kirk Chambers was on the team as a freshman in the fall of 1997 and redshirted. At the end of fall quarter 1997, he went on his two-year mission, so he was gone in 1998 and 1999. He returned in early 2000 and participated in spring practice. Then he was the starter in fall of 2000. So he wasn't really a true freshman starter. But I'm not certain about this.

I don't recall a true freshman starter at LT since Whitfield. Buckey was not a starter as a true freshman.

[quote author=Langdude link=topic=17702.msg206938#msg206938 date=1508259588]
I've heard Kirk Chambers mentioned a few times as the last true freshman to start on the OL. Is that true? If so, remember that he had a two-year mission first; he was a 19- or 20-year old true freshman (though I am not suggesting that it was not impressive for him to start as a true frosh, even if he was a bit more mature). I wonder when the last time a 17- or 18-year-old true freshman started on the OL. We all know that Bob Whitfield started at LT as a 17-year-old; have there been any since then? Jeff Buckey started as a true frosh, no?

-m.

[/quote]

Huh. Not sure why I thought he played as a true frosh in 1992 (though he was a starter at guard; I was not only talking about frosh starters at LT). But, in response to your post, I went back into the Daily archives to investigate (I was a sportswriter and editor for the Daily back then) and you were right. Remind me never to doubt you...

-m.

[Langdude]

My recollection is fuzzy, but I believe that Kirk Chambers was on the team as a freshman in the fall of 1997 and redshirted. At the end of fall quarter 1997, he went on his two-year mission, so he was gone in 1998 and 1999. He returned in early 2000 and participated in spring practice. Then he was the starter in fall of 2000. So he wasn't really a true freshman starter. But I'm not certain about this.

I don't recall a true freshman starter at LT since Whitfield. Buckey was not a starter as a true freshman.

[quote author=Langdude link=topic=17702.msg206938#msg206938 date=1508259588]
I've heard Kirk Chambers mentioned a few times as the last true freshman to start on the OL. Is that true? If so, remember that he had a two-year mission first; he was a 19- or 20-year old true freshman (though I am not suggesting that it was not impressive for him to start as a true frosh, even if he was a bit more mature). I wonder when the last time a 17- or 18-year-old true freshman started on the OL. We all know that Bob Whitfield started at LT as a 17-year-old; have there been any since then? Jeff Buckey started as a true frosh, no?

-m.

[/quote]

Huh. Not sure why I thought he played as a true frosh in 1992 (though he was a starter at guard; I was not only talking about frosh starters at LT). But, in response to your post, I went back into the Daily archives to investigate (I was a sportswriter and editor for the Daily back then) and you were right. Remind me never to doubt you...

-m.

[BostonCard]

My recollection is fuzzy, but I believe that Kirk Chambers was on the team as a freshman in the fall of 1997 and redshirted. At the end of fall quarter 1997, he went on his two-year mission, so he was gone in 1998 and 1999. He returned in early 2000 and participated in spring practice. Then he was the starter in fall of 2000. So he wasn't really a true freshman starter. But I'm not certain about this.

I don't recall a true freshman starter at LT since Whitfield. Buckey was not a starter as a true freshman.

-m.

OMG, stop the presses, I get to correct Terry!

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/5100...nford.html

After high school, Chambers departed for a two-year LDS mission to Berlin, Germany, and upon his return, he enrolled at Stanford as a freshman in 2000. He's started all 35 games since for the Cardinal. Almost as impressive, his parents, who are school teachers, have attended all but one of those games.

The article note she played at Provo High in 1996 and 97, which means he graduated in spring of 1998.  He took his mission, which he came back from a bit early, and enrolled in the spring of 2000, when he played spring ball.  He started in the fall of 2000, and started every game of his 4-year career.

BC

[BostonCard]

My recollection is fuzzy, but I believe that Kirk Chambers was on the team as a freshman in the fall of 1997 and redshirted. At the end of fall quarter 1997, he went on his two-year mission, so he was gone in 1998 and 1999. He returned in early 2000 and participated in spring practice. Then he was the starter in fall of 2000. So he wasn't really a true freshman starter. But I'm not certain about this.

I don't recall a true freshman starter at LT since Whitfield. Buckey was not a starter as a true freshman.

-m.

OMG, stop the presses, I get to correct Terry!

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/5100...nford.html

After high school, Chambers departed for a two-year LDS mission to Berlin, Germany, and upon his return, he enrolled at Stanford as a freshman in 2000. He's started all 35 games since for the Cardinal. Almost as impressive, his parents, who are school teachers, have attended all but one of those games.

The article note she played at Provo High in 1996 and 97, which means he graduated in spring of 1998.  He took his mission, which he came back from a bit early, and enrolled in the spring of 2000, when he played spring ball.  He started in the fall of 2000, and started every game of his 4-year career.

BC

[terry]

The article notes he played at Provo High in 1996 and 97, which means he graduated in spring of 1998.  He took his mission, which he came back from a bit early, and enrolled in the spring of 2000, when he played spring ball.  He started in the fall of 2000, and started every game of his 4-year career.

BC

Hmmm . . . I'm going to suggest that the Deseret News made a mistake. I have Stanford's 1997 football media guide in front of me, and it shows that Kirk Chambers was a freshman on Stanford's 1997 team. So he couldn't have played at Provo High in the fall of 1997. The timeline I suggested earlier still seems like my best guess.

BTW, Kirk Chambers is now a co-athletic director, coach, and teacher at his alma mater, Provo High School.

[terry]

The article notes he played at Provo High in 1996 and 97, which means he graduated in spring of 1998.  He took his mission, which he came back from a bit early, and enrolled in the spring of 2000, when he played spring ball.  He started in the fall of 2000, and started every game of his 4-year career.

BC

Hmmm . . . I'm going to suggest that the Deseret News made a mistake. I have Stanford's 1997 football media guide in front of me, and it shows that Kirk Chambers was a freshman on Stanford's 1997 team. So he couldn't have played at Provo High in the fall of 1997. The timeline I suggested earlier still seems like my best guess.

BTW, Kirk Chambers is now a co-athletic director, coach, and teacher at his alma mater, Provo High School.

[BostonCard]

Odd, his Stanford athletics profile confirms that he was a senior at Provo high in 1997.

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2013/4/17/208440927.aspx

In High School: A SuperPrep All-American as an offensive lineman as a senior at Provo High School in 1997 ... He started on both offense and defense for three years ... As a defensive lineman his senior season, he had nine sacks and five fumbles forced ... Named to the Tacoma News Tribune's Western Top-100 ... He was named First-Team All-State and First-Team Academic All-State his senior season as an offensive lineman ... He was named First-Team All-Region on offense for three years ... Played four years of varsity basketball in high school and was a member of an AAU All-Star basketball team ... Vice President of his school ... Member of his school's choir for four years ... Member of the National Honor Society.

Note that the piece also writes "since returning to Stanford after his two-year Mormon mission", so it doesn't completely settle it.

BC

[BostonCard]

Odd, his Stanford athletics profile confirms that he was a senior at Provo high in 1997.

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2013/4/17/208440927.aspx

In High School: A SuperPrep All-American as an offensive lineman as a senior at Provo High School in 1997 ... He started on both offense and defense for three years ... As a defensive lineman his senior season, he had nine sacks and five fumbles forced ... Named to the Tacoma News Tribune's Western Top-100 ... He was named First-Team All-State and First-Team Academic All-State his senior season as an offensive lineman ... He was named First-Team All-Region on offense for three years ... Played four years of varsity basketball in high school and was a member of an AAU All-Star basketball team ... Vice President of his school ... Member of his school's choir for four years ... Member of the National Honor Society.

Note that the piece also writes "since returning to Stanford after his two-year Mormon mission", so it doesn't completely settle it.

BC

[terry]

Odd, his Stanford athletics profile confirms that he was a senior at Provo high in 1997.

Indeed it does. The language you quoted about Chambers playing at Provo High in 1997 first appeared in Stanford's 2000 media guide, and was repeated in later years.

That must be a mistake, though, because Chambers' full bio appears in Stanford's 1997 media guide, with a photo and all the normal background information. To me, that seems like pretty conclusive evidence that he wasn't playing at Provo High in 1997.

FWIW, in December 1996, the Deseret News named Chambers an All-State player, listing him as a senior. https://www.deseretnews.com/article/5284...TBALL.html

[terry]

Odd, his Stanford athletics profile confirms that he was a senior at Provo high in 1997.

Indeed it does. The language you quoted about Chambers playing at Provo High in 1997 first appeared in Stanford's 2000 media guide, and was repeated in later years.

That must be a mistake, though, because Chambers' full bio appears in Stanford's 1997 media guide, with a photo and all the normal background information. To me, that seems like pretty conclusive evidence that he wasn't playing at Provo High in 1997.

FWIW, in December 1996, the Deseret News named Chambers an All-State player, listing him as a senior. https://www.deseretnews.com/article/5284...TBALL.html

[martyup]

The article note she played at Provo High in 1996 and 97, which means he graduated in spring of 1998.  He took his mission, which he came back from a bit early, and enrolled in the spring of 2000, when he played spring ball.  He started in the fall of 2000, and started every game of his 4-year career.

BC

Was he also the first transgender football player at Stanford?  :o

[martyup]

The article note she played at Provo High in 1996 and 97, which means he graduated in spring of 1998.  He took his mission, which he came back from a bit early, and enrolled in the spring of 2000, when he played spring ball.  He started in the fall of 2000, and started every game of his 4-year career.

BC

Was he also the first transgender football player at Stanford?  :o

[Langdude]

I love that when we found corroborating documentary evidence that contradicted Terry's account, that the immediate conclusion was that the newspaper must be wrong. :) (And it sounds like it was! :) )

Cardboard is anti-fake news.

-m.

[Langdude]

I love that when we found corroborating documentary evidence that contradicted Terry's account, that the immediate conclusion was that the newspaper must be wrong. :) (And it sounds like it was! :) )

Cardboard is anti-fake news.

-m.

[dabigv13]

I really enjoyed watching this play out.

From Terrys "fuzzy" recollection (which turned out to be exactly right), to BC's excitement about correcting Terry, to the realization that Terry is right, again, like always, with plenty of conflicting documentary evidence to get through.

Good luck next time BC!

[dabigv13]

I really enjoyed watching this play out.

From Terrys "fuzzy" recollection (which turned out to be exactly right), to BC's excitement about correcting Terry, to the realization that Terry is right, again, like always, with plenty of conflicting documentary evidence to get through.

Good luck next time BC!

[pefloresjr]

In Terry we trust!

Cheers,
Pete F.

[pefloresjr]

In Terry we trust!

Cheers,
Pete F.

[terry]

I ran across this video about Kirk Chambers. It's about his new life as a high school coach and teacher, and reflecting on the path he has taken. There are comments by Kirk and his wife, and a brief mention of Stanford . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xre1ShBXHJE  (4 minutes)

[terry]

I ran across this video about Kirk Chambers. It's about his new life as a high school coach and teacher, and reflecting on the path he has taken. There are comments by Kirk and his wife, and a brief mention of Stanford . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xre1ShBXHJE  (4 minutes)