[Maple Leaf]

I think it would be better next year if Stanford started out ranked somewhere between #12 and #20.  This year's expectations were unrealistically high.  That can lead to disappointment by fans if initial expectations don't get met.   I would rather see Stanford overachieve next year and gradually work its way up in the rankings.

I think that is plausible.  We probably won't be expected to win the Pac 12 next year.  Utah gets everyone back.  UCLA's #1 freshman class become sophomores and players like Rice really come into their own.  Who knows what anyone else will look like with the massive flood of transfers, but the odds are that some other team in the league will hit the transfer jackpot in the off season.  Washington will be better next year than the team that beat us this year.  etc. 

To keep expectations reasonable, we probably should try to schedule non conference games that are the same caliber as conference games.  Maybe we should put one of those frenetic defenses on our schedule early on.

I total agree with your post, including the approach to scheduling.  I would like to see UNLV on the schedule, the reasoning being that Lindy knows Stanford so very well and she may be able to expose weaknesses and provide her old coach with constructive observations.

[Maple Leaf]

I think it would be better next year if Stanford started out ranked somewhere between #12 and #20.  This year's expectations were unrealistically high.  That can lead to disappointment by fans if initial expectations don't get met.   I would rather see Stanford overachieve next year and gradually work its way up in the rankings.

I think that is plausible.  We probably won't be expected to win the Pac 12 next year.  Utah gets everyone back.  UCLA's #1 freshman class become sophomores and players like Rice really come into their own.  Who knows what anyone else will look like with the massive flood of transfers, but the odds are that some other team in the league will hit the transfer jackpot in the off season.  Washington will be better next year than the team that beat us this year.  etc. 

To keep expectations reasonable, we probably should try to schedule non conference games that are the same caliber as conference games.  Maybe we should put one of those frenetic defenses on our schedule early on.

I total agree with your post, including the approach to scheduling.  I would like to see UNLV on the schedule, the reasoning being that Lindy knows Stanford so very well and she may be able to expose weaknesses and provide her old coach with constructive observations.