[burger]

My assumption has been that this hotel lifestyle 24/7 is not conducive to optimal play in D1 athletics.   The three Stanford coaches have done great things given the circumstances and have not reached for excuses that are readily available. 

Football had the benefit of knowing the end would be mid-December.   Women's basketball has the benefit of a very deep and supremely talented team that makes it possible to spread the burden to many.   Men's hoops doesn't have the depth or the decadent quality, so a little fatigue from the hotel lifestyle could quickly translate into a string of losses.

Therefore taking 5 days off at their campus homes might be the safer choice for the season.   It seems probable that the Stanford Athletic teams will be doing the road show thing for at least another month based on what has been happening with other age groups in CA athletics.  

Take the 5 days.   Recharge, relax and trust that they won't forget how to play the game.

It could be a very, very long Pac-12 hotel-based season and the 5 days will be more valuable than wringing out the last precious drops of player development.

Sadly, I should note.   This does not mean I think 5 days will be sufficient.  I fear that even with the rest the hotel lifestyle for an entire hoops season will ultimately drain this team.

I'm hopeful that the team will grit their way through the season and even be stronger for the (relative) adversity they're dealing with now. 

But I hate that Santa Clara Co. could potentially tank a promising season for the men or the women for absolutely no gain.  With testing three times a week (or so reported the Daily back in October), it's very unlikely that any outbreak on the team would spread far within the team and even more unlikely that it would spread meaningfully in the community.

[burger]

My assumption has been that this hotel lifestyle 24/7 is not conducive to optimal play in D1 athletics.   The three Stanford coaches have done great things given the circumstances and have not reached for excuses that are readily available. 

Football had the benefit of knowing the end would be mid-December.   Women's basketball has the benefit of a very deep and supremely talented team that makes it possible to spread the burden to many.   Men's hoops doesn't have the depth or the decadent quality, so a little fatigue from the hotel lifestyle could quickly translate into a string of losses.

Therefore taking 5 days off at their campus homes might be the safer choice for the season.   It seems probable that the Stanford Athletic teams will be doing the road show thing for at least another month based on what has been happening with other age groups in CA athletics.  

Take the 5 days.   Recharge, relax and trust that they won't forget how to play the game.

It could be a very, very long Pac-12 hotel-based season and the 5 days will be more valuable than wringing out the last precious drops of player development.

Sadly, I should note.   This does not mean I think 5 days will be sufficient.  I fear that even with the rest the hotel lifestyle for an entire hoops season will ultimately drain this team.

I'm hopeful that the team will grit their way through the season and even be stronger for the (relative) adversity they're dealing with now. 

But I hate that Santa Clara Co. could potentially tank a promising season for the men or the women for absolutely no gain.  With testing three times a week (or so reported the Daily back in October), it's very unlikely that any outbreak on the team would spread far within the team and even more unlikely that it would spread meaningfully in the community.