[SkiBum80]

I would not have applied to Stanford if it had not competed well in sports.  I got nerd/grind grades but never missed a football game, tennis match or swim meet, and attended lots of basketball and baseball games.  All school work and no play would have made Hulk a dull boy,

I would have applied, but probably wouldn't have gone if Stanford wasn't the athletic powerhouse it is. IMO, it's what distinguishes it from all the East Coast Ivies, MIT, Caltech, etc. And I was there for the darkest days of Stanford FB (2002-2006).

No offense to the east coast Ivies, but I am very glad, grateful, and appreciative that Stanford has a totally different history than them, and has maintained a distinct and unique personality and purpose. If we were to follow their path in athletics I would consider it a tragic collapse and a surrender. Better comparables for a school doing both great broad-based athletics along with quality academics are Duke and Notre Dame, which lo and behold, are now in our conference (other than Notre Dame FB being Ind.)

(BTW I learned from my daughters when teenagers, that you could say "No offense" and then follow it with whatever offensive remark you wanted. Apparently...)

[SkiBum80]

I would not have applied to Stanford if it had not competed well in sports.  I got nerd/grind grades but never missed a football game, tennis match or swim meet, and attended lots of basketball and baseball games.  All school work and no play would have made Hulk a dull boy,

I would have applied, but probably wouldn't have gone if Stanford wasn't the athletic powerhouse it is. IMO, it's what distinguishes it from all the East Coast Ivies, MIT, Caltech, etc. And I was there for the darkest days of Stanford FB (2002-2006).

No offense to the east coast Ivies, but I am very glad, grateful, and appreciative that Stanford has a totally different history than them, and has maintained a distinct and unique personality and purpose. If we were to follow their path in athletics I would consider it a tragic collapse and a surrender. Better comparables for a school doing both great broad-based athletics along with quality academics are Duke and Notre Dame, which lo and behold, are now in our conference (other than Notre Dame FB being Ind.)

(BTW I learned from my daughters when teenagers, that you could say "No offense" and then follow it with whatever offensive remark you wanted. Apparently...)