[DenverCard]

In light of the issues of limited interest in Stanford Football in the Bay Area, NIL and athlete compensation that so changes the idea of a student athlete, and the cognitive dissonance re CTE that is called for when one watches football, I find myself in the "drop football" camp.  It works fine for Gonzaga, Georgetown, and other Division I schools that compete at a high level in other sports.

I strongly support maintaining excellence in all of the other sports.  And for many of them, belonging to a conference is not important. For sports centered on an end-of-season event, like swimming, track and field, cross country, and golf, being part of a conference is not required to have in-season events.  Other sports, such as soccer, could create ad-hoc conferences (each one unique to the particular team) as is currently the case with men's water polo and volleyball.  Given the burden of travel to far-flung places, these groupings would focus on historically good teams relatively near by.

Basketball is the most challenging situation, but a relatively small conference of the remaining Pac-12 teams and an emphasis on non-conference games, should be doable.  Same with baseball.

Given my interests and preferences, I favor going independent and remaining a force in college sports, but jettisoning football.  But I appreciate how painful that would be to those who love football, and how it does feel like quitting -- taking our ball and going home in the face of adversity.

[DenverCard]

In light of the issues of limited interest in Stanford Football in the Bay Area, NIL and athlete compensation that so changes the idea of a student athlete, and the cognitive dissonance re CTE that is called for when one watches football, I find myself in the "drop football" camp.  It works fine for Gonzaga, Georgetown, and other Division I schools that compete at a high level in other sports.

I strongly support maintaining excellence in all of the other sports.  And for many of them, belonging to a conference is not important. For sports centered on an end-of-season event, like swimming, track and field, cross country, and golf, being part of a conference is not required to have in-season events.  Other sports, such as soccer, could create ad-hoc conferences (each one unique to the particular team) as is currently the case with men's water polo and volleyball.  Given the burden of travel to far-flung places, these groupings would focus on historically good teams relatively near by.

Basketball is the most challenging situation, but a relatively small conference of the remaining Pac-12 teams and an emphasis on non-conference games, should be doable.  Same with baseball.

Given my interests and preferences, I favor going independent and remaining a force in college sports, but jettisoning football.  But I appreciate how painful that would be to those who love football, and how it does feel like quitting -- taking our ball and going home in the face of adversity.