[CornFed]

In almost every way I prefer our football now to that prior to Harbaugh's departure.  Do not misinterpret me, though.  I enjoyed our rejuvenation under Harbaugh with every fiber of my being.  I simply like the role Stanford football has achieved under Shaw of being an established factor in college football, even perhaps a football power.

There is an element that is becoming less perceptible, however, as time marches on.  It feels as though we are getting slightly more detached from the concept of EUTM and have fewer and fewer Skov-like personalities.  I think Harbaugh evoked such maniacal devotion to winning and it feels like our team is now comprised of skilled, gentlemen ballers (to characaturize somewhat).  One thread suggested that perhaps our playbook has become a bible and players are paralyzed with the complexity, afraid of sinning.

Shaw himself is most almost always a soft-spoken, thoughtful person.  I have not seen him in practice, but it is very hard for me to envision him being, well, "maniacal".  Another thread discussed the fact that lately he does seem to be getting uncharacteristically perturbed and has gotten short with reporters and so on.  But that is exactly the point.  Even his pique is subdued, almost passive aggressive.

There are tea leaves strewn all over the place, there are lots of groundless concerns on which I can expend my fretful energies.  I just wanted to know if folks out there think that this is real or imagined on my part.  I can always move on to other tea leaves.

[CornFed]

In almost every way I prefer our football now to that prior to Harbaugh's departure.  Do not misinterpret me, though.  I enjoyed our rejuvenation under Harbaugh with every fiber of my being.  I simply like the role Stanford football has achieved under Shaw of being an established factor in college football, even perhaps a football power.

There is an element that is becoming less perceptible, however, as time marches on.  It feels as though we are getting slightly more detached from the concept of EUTM and have fewer and fewer Skov-like personalities.  I think Harbaugh evoked such maniacal devotion to winning and it feels like our team is now comprised of skilled, gentlemen ballers (to characaturize somewhat).  One thread suggested that perhaps our playbook has become a bible and players are paralyzed with the complexity, afraid of sinning.

Shaw himself is most almost always a soft-spoken, thoughtful person.  I have not seen him in practice, but it is very hard for me to envision him being, well, "maniacal".  Another thread discussed the fact that lately he does seem to be getting uncharacteristically perturbed and has gotten short with reporters and so on.  But that is exactly the point.  Even his pique is subdued, almost passive aggressive.

There are tea leaves strewn all over the place, there are lots of groundless concerns on which I can expend my fretful energies.  I just wanted to know if folks out there think that this is real or imagined on my part.  I can always move on to other tea leaves.