[Mick]

Look at how far we have come, thanks in large part to Bob Bowlsby, Etch and Hennessy.  We paid bargain basement rates for Jim Harbaugh and discovered he was a turn around artist with EUTM.  Even some of the harshest critics on the boot, didn't think Bob would pull the cord.  He did and we have all celebrated Stanford's rise.  IRS form 990 was a form that was not to be touched by athletics, but Bob thankfully started to break down that way of thinking, once it became obvious that Harbaugh was going to be a target of other programs (remember Ty to ND).  Would we continue to be a stepping stone? No! 

I've been thinking about Ty lately.  I recall thinking when he left that he had seriously underestimated his own abilities.  I'd met him a few times, and I thought that Stanford would be the one place that would forgive TW his somewhat significant --
sometimes bordering on spectacular -- shortcomings.

I liked the man personally, and i thought he was good for Stanford football at the time.  I was also 100% convinced that he would crash and burn at Noter Dame (despite their advantages) and that he would do even worse at Washington.  He was 44-36-1 at Stanford, and went 8-0 to start his ND career.  That season, they went 10-2 in the regular season, and continued Willingham's futility in bowls (career 1-4 record).  Worse than TW's gameday management, however, was his recruiting.  His last recruiting class at ND in 2004 was considered to be the worst ND recruiting class in decades.  Still, he received a "coach of the year" award in 2002.  And he even got to stampede his team through Stanford's ceremonies at the beginning of a game, a truly classless act.

Outside of Stanford and his first ND season, TW's collegiate football coaching record was 22-50.  He had never even been a coordinator until he came to Stanford, just a skill-positions coach (RB/WR/DB).

it seemed to me that when TW left Stanford, he acted like a jilted lover.  I don't think he actually wanted to leave Stanford, I think he just wanted to be paid more money...which he got at Noter Dame.  But I think, in his heart of hearts, he realized he wasn't a great recruiter and wasn't a great gameday head coach.  And those are two very important roles.  I suspect he may have known that himself.  But he missed it.  He coached his final game at age 54, but didn't formally retire from gameday coaching until two years later.  And he's enjoying retirement:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/sports...peace.html

Old joke.  Prepare three envelopes, from Ty Willingham to Charlie Weis:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/28778...arlie-weis

Interesting interview, TW gives props to Walsh and Denny Green, and addresses his later shortcomings:
http://www.foxsports.com/college-footbal...tee-090514

Interesting LA Times article on TW at the end with UW:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/30/...dufresne30

[Mick]

Look at how far we have come, thanks in large part to Bob Bowlsby, Etch and Hennessy.  We paid bargain basement rates for Jim Harbaugh and discovered he was a turn around artist with EUTM.  Even some of the harshest critics on the boot, didn't think Bob would pull the cord.  He did and we have all celebrated Stanford's rise.  IRS form 990 was a form that was not to be touched by athletics, but Bob thankfully started to break down that way of thinking, once it became obvious that Harbaugh was going to be a target of other programs (remember Ty to ND).  Would we continue to be a stepping stone? No! 

I've been thinking about Ty lately.  I recall thinking when he left that he had seriously underestimated his own abilities.  I'd met him a few times, and I thought that Stanford would be the one place that would forgive TW his somewhat significant --
sometimes bordering on spectacular -- shortcomings.

I liked the man personally, and i thought he was good for Stanford football at the time.  I was also 100% convinced that he would crash and burn at Noter Dame (despite their advantages) and that he would do even worse at Washington.  He was 44-36-1 at Stanford, and went 8-0 to start his ND career.  That season, they went 10-2 in the regular season, and continued Willingham's futility in bowls (career 1-4 record).  Worse than TW's gameday management, however, was his recruiting.  His last recruiting class at ND in 2004 was considered to be the worst ND recruiting class in decades.  Still, he received a "coach of the year" award in 2002.  And he even got to stampede his team through Stanford's ceremonies at the beginning of a game, a truly classless act.

Outside of Stanford and his first ND season, TW's collegiate football coaching record was 22-50.  He had never even been a coordinator until he came to Stanford, just a skill-positions coach (RB/WR/DB).

it seemed to me that when TW left Stanford, he acted like a jilted lover.  I don't think he actually wanted to leave Stanford, I think he just wanted to be paid more money...which he got at Noter Dame.  But I think, in his heart of hearts, he realized he wasn't a great recruiter and wasn't a great gameday head coach.  And those are two very important roles.  I suspect he may have known that himself.  But he missed it.  He coached his final game at age 54, but didn't formally retire from gameday coaching until two years later.  And he's enjoying retirement:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/sports...peace.html

Old joke.  Prepare three envelopes, from Ty Willingham to Charlie Weis:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/28778...arlie-weis

Interesting interview, TW gives props to Walsh and Denny Green, and addresses his later shortcomings:
http://www.foxsports.com/college-footbal...tee-090514

Interesting LA Times article on TW at the end with UW:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/30/...dufresne30