Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - Printable Version
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Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - Rally - 09-09-2014
I admire our fine young student athletes as much as anyone, but wonder if we are slipping into the past by losing balance. Many years ago there was a story making the rounds, no doubt apocryphal, that went like this.
Stanford lineman faces off against U.SC lineman, the one who eats lightbulbs, drinks motor oil, who sneers, "I'm going to kill you!" Stanford lineman thinks, "To hell with this! I'm going to be a neurosurgeon and don't need my hands broken today."
If it was ever reality, Harbaugh changed it. Now I read excerpts from today's press conference, following a very tough loss, like "I'm going to be a neurosurgeon," "I'm going to be a lawyer," and this piece on Usua Amaman, http://pac-12.com/videos/chevron-humanenergystories-usua-amanam .
Makes me proud, but I have a feeling Harbaugh would have told them something like, "great, but pipe down about it. I don't want to hear it in any connection with Stanford football. We bow to no man." Possible profanities omitted.
So, has something changed over the past couple of years? These kids are incredible, bright or brilliant, dedicated and ambitious, on and off the field. Great. Is is possible the intellectual and brutal have started to get out of balance? I'm not saying it has, just wondering. Thoughts?
Re: Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - jacketree - 09-09-2014
Honestly I think this is all being over-thought. Yeah, Stanford's O has been slowing down for the past two seasons and that seems to be bleeding over to this year. But there are ten games left, some that will be real tests. If Stanford loses five times we can start to panic about strategery and downward recruitin' trends.
Teams lose games they shouldn't all the time. Hope that doesn't become a trend around here. I also hope never to see the words "perfect storm" again. I think Mick brought it up in a recent post, but it just reminded me of Terry filling pages of posts with that description to explain away Buddy Teevens turning 9-2 into 2-9.
Can't say I'm not a little concerned Stanford isn't taking that next step to perennial powerhouse, because I think the talent is there. I can't believe the football players are thinking about career choices while they are in game. (Plus I think that old meme was sort of BS anyway. Stanford just wasn't as good as a lot of their opponents back then. Now they are.)
Re: Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - Rally - 09-09-2014
(09-09-2014, 05:44 PM)jacketree link Wrote:Honestly I think this is all being over-thought. Yeah, Stanford's O has been slowing down for the past two seasons and that seems to be bleeding over to this year. But there are ten games left, some that will be real tests. If Stanford loses five times we can start to panic about strategery and downward recruitin' trends.
Teams lose games they shouldn't all the time. Hope that doesn't become a trend around here. I also hope never to see the words "perfect storm" again. I think Mick brought it up in a recent post, but it just reminded me of Terry filling pages of posts with that description to explain away Buddy Teevens turning 9-2 into 2-9.
Can't say I'm not a little concerned Stanford isn't taking that next step to perennial powerhouse, because I think the talent is there. I can't believe the football players are thinking about career choices while they are in game. (Plus I think that old meme was sort of BS anyway. Stanford just wasn't as good as a lot of their opponents back then. Now they are.)
I agree with you. But I think it is worth discussing. I don't doubt these kids in any way, but a culture can develope over time, good or bad. And I said the story was probably bs (in my own way) and yes, we were overmatched regardless. I had a frat brother who was a star dlman. Before the draft he received letters from the Rams, 49ers and others. Read them and laughed. Has been a successful doc for years and good for him, but he knew his goals didn't focus on gridiron glory. Fb was a means to an end.
Re: Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - thunder_chik - 09-09-2014
I don't think we're out of balance. I think we've decided we're about EXCELLENCE in any and all fields of endeavor, including smashmouth football.
Re: Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - Rally - 09-09-2014
(09-09-2014, 06:22 PM)thunder_chik link Wrote:I don't think we're out of balance. I think we've decided we're about EXCELLENCE in any and all fields of endeavor, including smashmouth football.
Is it possible to play smashmouth football while thinking about a career as an orthodontist? Maybe.
Re: Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - Rally - 09-09-2014
(09-09-2014, 07:37 PM)ferrari link Wrote:[quote author=thunder_chik link=topic=10604.msg97719#msg97719 date=1410312147]
I don't think we're out of balance. I think we've decided we're about EXCELLENCE in any and all fields of endeavor, including smashmouth football.
Is it possible to play smashmouth football while thinking about a career as an orthodontist? Maybe.
[/quote]
How about the future proctologist playing kickass football? Old guys worry about these things. The doctor who did my eye surgery a year ago was head of opthamolgy at Stanford Hospital for a couple of years, year ago. Before the surgery I asked him what he enjoyed most about his time on the Farm. He said the "kick-ass tailgaters." They had to tie me down. Worked out well, tho, and we had a drink after.
Re: Has the intellectual/brutality balance gotten out of wack? - fullmetal - 09-10-2014
Is there ever a balance? I mean that as a challenge to the notion that the two ideas or goals are mutually exclusive. Stanford football players these days go through exactly the same hell that other schools' football players go through to make it to this level. Remember Papa Murphy's functional strength circuit? I don't think any of these kids are afraid to match strength or speed with U$C's or Oregon's or Alabama's players. And it's probably that drive or willingness to fully commit that helps them succeed in the classroom as well.
I think we just need some more power/strength + execution in the OL.