[JustAnotherFan]

Also, I am guessing that the paring down of sports at Stanford will allow each remaining sport to potentially lower their academic standards marginally as a smaller percentage of the student body will be recruited athletes. Any thoughts on how that is going to impact the big money sports that are not perennial national championship caliber teams (e.g., football, basketball, baseball)?

I would not count on it.  There is no correlation between the proportion of the student body that are athletes and the admission requirements on those athletes.  Stanford isn't trying to have a minimum average SAT or GPA, so fewer athletes "bringing down the average" doesn't make a difference.

BC

Not all sports are created equal (e.g., football) and not all athletes are created equal (e.g., Tiger Woods). There are certainly stretch cases that get through admissions. When there are less sports and therefore scholarship positions, it is fair to wonder if the school would spread out the extra slots for extra consideration among the sports, or if they just disappear.

[JustAnotherFan]

Also, I am guessing that the paring down of sports at Stanford will allow each remaining sport to potentially lower their academic standards marginally as a smaller percentage of the student body will be recruited athletes. Any thoughts on how that is going to impact the big money sports that are not perennial national championship caliber teams (e.g., football, basketball, baseball)?

I would not count on it.  There is no correlation between the proportion of the student body that are athletes and the admission requirements on those athletes.  Stanford isn't trying to have a minimum average SAT or GPA, so fewer athletes "bringing down the average" doesn't make a difference.

BC

Not all sports are created equal (e.g., football) and not all athletes are created equal (e.g., Tiger Woods). There are certainly stretch cases that get through admissions. When there are less sports and therefore scholarship positions, it is fair to wonder if the school would spread out the extra slots for extra consideration among the sports, or if they just disappear.