[Mudhead]

P

Cal is no more important to Stanford than many other West Coast schools .  If we just talk about football, Norte Dame is more important than Cal.  

USC, Oregon, UCLA and probably Washington are more significant athletic rivals to Stanford simply because beating them maters to people outside of a very tight geography in the Bay Area . The “Big ——- “ thing has felt manufactured over the last twenty years .

All things equal, it would be nice to be in the same conference with any of these schools but “nice” is not essential .  Neither Cal nor Stanford nor any other school can afford to stay linked if that is a great economic cost.

If we do in fact get the opportunity to be part of the Big whatever, we should jump at it.

 The alternative is Division 3 or Ivy League and that would be a of immense proportions cultural change , ie a retreat by Stanford from excellence at the highest level .  It may come to that and we might be forced to go there out of dislike for the consequences of NIL, an open transfer portal and fear of “ big media” and the money it provides. But Stanford would be a different place  then and not a better one. It would be a lesser of evils kind of move.

I hope that for now , Stanford  is actively pursuing membership in the only major conference that appears to be open, the former Big 10.

Where do you get the impression that the Big 10 is open?  The new commissioner has pretty well said the door is shut.

I have no inside information from Stanford, PAC 12 or Big 10 officials.  We all know that the BIG whatever wants Norte Dame. Membership is not closed.
  I believe that some of the Big 10 Presidents and some advertisers would like Stanford as part of that enlargement.   The Presidents because they don’t want to be compared to the SEC as what they look down on as a lot of athletic programs that also have academic programs . Rather they want to be seen as academic institutions first with strong athletic programs second .  

There has also been talk of creating a west coast pod which would have UCLA, USC, Stanford , Cal ( this assuages the presidents further) and Oregon and Washington.  They could form a third division of West coast teams who played five games against each other and 3 against each of the other two divisions. 

this is speculative to say the least.  But if you believe the big time college sports world will boil down to two super conferences that’s about where BIG 10 goes with SEC expanding into ACC country.

Don’t know if that is right but I am pretty sure there are no other conference options for Stanford worth a plug. Thus my hope that Stanford works the opportunity hard and with only .Stanford on its mind.

I do have reason to believe that the BIG 10 and their TV sponsors have Stanford on the draft board.  The latter needs for west coast time slots and does t want to leave the NorCal market open.

[Mudhead]

P

Cal is no more important to Stanford than many other West Coast schools .  If we just talk about football, Norte Dame is more important than Cal.  

USC, Oregon, UCLA and probably Washington are more significant athletic rivals to Stanford simply because beating them maters to people outside of a very tight geography in the Bay Area . The “Big ——- “ thing has felt manufactured over the last twenty years .

All things equal, it would be nice to be in the same conference with any of these schools but “nice” is not essential .  Neither Cal nor Stanford nor any other school can afford to stay linked if that is a great economic cost.

If we do in fact get the opportunity to be part of the Big whatever, we should jump at it.

 The alternative is Division 3 or Ivy League and that would be a of immense proportions cultural change , ie a retreat by Stanford from excellence at the highest level .  It may come to that and we might be forced to go there out of dislike for the consequences of NIL, an open transfer portal and fear of “ big media” and the money it provides. But Stanford would be a different place  then and not a better one. It would be a lesser of evils kind of move.

I hope that for now , Stanford  is actively pursuing membership in the only major conference that appears to be open, the former Big 10.

Where do you get the impression that the Big 10 is open?  The new commissioner has pretty well said the door is shut.

I have no inside information from Stanford, PAC 12 or Big 10 officials.  We all know that the BIG whatever wants Norte Dame. Membership is not closed.
  I believe that some of the Big 10 Presidents and some advertisers would like Stanford as part of that enlargement.   The Presidents because they don’t want to be compared to the SEC as what they look down on as a lot of athletic programs that also have academic programs . Rather they want to be seen as academic institutions first with strong athletic programs second .  

There has also been talk of creating a west coast pod which would have UCLA, USC, Stanford , Cal ( this assuages the presidents further) and Oregon and Washington.  They could form a third division of West coast teams who played five games against each other and 3 against each of the other two divisions. 

this is speculative to say the least.  But if you believe the big time college sports world will boil down to two super conferences that’s about where BIG 10 goes with SEC expanding into ACC country.

Don’t know if that is right but I am pretty sure there are no other conference options for Stanford worth a plug. Thus my hope that Stanford works the opportunity hard and with only .Stanford on its mind.

I do have reason to believe that the BIG 10 and their TV sponsors have Stanford on the draft board.  The latter needs for west coast time slots and does t want to leave the NorCal market open.