09-09-2021, 05:41 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-09-2021, 05:42 PM by BostonCard.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Divis..._the_2010s
https://www.si.com/college/notredame/foo...ast-decade
Over the course of the 2010's, Stanford was 10th in the NCAA in winning percentage, better than Notre Dame (because they had wins vacated, and I trust that you don't want Shaw to cheat to get to their level of success). Are there programs that are better? Yes, absolutely, and would I rather the winning consistency of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, or Oklahoma? Sure (provided we don't sell our soul to get there). But there are 121 other BCS teams, including 10 other Pac-12 teams, that would have readily traded in their (comparatively) mediocre records for Stanford's over the last decade. In the 2010's, Stanford had more top-10 finishes and more 10+ win seasons than Notre Dame, and owns a 6-4 record against the Domers. It had as many 10 win seasons as Oregon. And there is a veritable who's who of "blue-blood programs" (Penn State, Florida, USC, Washington, Texas, Florida State and yes, Michigan) that had a lower winning percentage, fewer 10+ win seasons, and fewer top-10 finishes than Stanford. And all of this was accomplished at Stanford, with all our recruiting limitations and academic requirements.
Listen, going forward, I agree with you guys that we are heading for a rough patch. I doubt the next 10 years will be as good as last 10, and the next five will probably not be as good as the last five (we did, after all, go to three bowl games and won the Pac-12 North once). I am not, however, convinced that the program is in terminal decline, and while I doubt we will be the 10th best program of the 2020's, I don't think that we are headed for a decade of 4-8 teams, or that the 2015 to 2019 trajectory will continue in a straight line until we again have a 1-15 team.
You want to say that the future is not as bright as the past? Fine. But let's not make a single 4-8 season negate a pretty darned good decade for Stanford football.
BC
https://www.si.com/college/notredame/foo...ast-decade
Over the course of the 2010's, Stanford was 10th in the NCAA in winning percentage, better than Notre Dame (because they had wins vacated, and I trust that you don't want Shaw to cheat to get to their level of success). Are there programs that are better? Yes, absolutely, and would I rather the winning consistency of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, or Oklahoma? Sure (provided we don't sell our soul to get there). But there are 121 other BCS teams, including 10 other Pac-12 teams, that would have readily traded in their (comparatively) mediocre records for Stanford's over the last decade. In the 2010's, Stanford had more top-10 finishes and more 10+ win seasons than Notre Dame, and owns a 6-4 record against the Domers. It had as many 10 win seasons as Oregon. And there is a veritable who's who of "blue-blood programs" (Penn State, Florida, USC, Washington, Texas, Florida State and yes, Michigan) that had a lower winning percentage, fewer 10+ win seasons, and fewer top-10 finishes than Stanford. And all of this was accomplished at Stanford, with all our recruiting limitations and academic requirements.
Listen, going forward, I agree with you guys that we are heading for a rough patch. I doubt the next 10 years will be as good as last 10, and the next five will probably not be as good as the last five (we did, after all, go to three bowl games and won the Pac-12 North once). I am not, however, convinced that the program is in terminal decline, and while I doubt we will be the 10th best program of the 2020's, I don't think that we are headed for a decade of 4-8 teams, or that the 2015 to 2019 trajectory will continue in a straight line until we again have a 1-15 team.
You want to say that the future is not as bright as the past? Fine. But let's not make a single 4-8 season negate a pretty darned good decade for Stanford football.
BC