[Row80Critic]

Easy to focus on the last few years, but he had an incredible run in the heart of his tenure, and he did it with a grace and composure that most will never have.  Most Stanford wins ever; 8 straight bowls, 2 Hizeperson 'runner ups'; 3 pac12 championships (5 championship game); that amazing McCaffery Rose Bowl; no scandals or stories  -- he presided over the best and longest run of Stanford football in my 53 seasons in the stands.  Yes, he stayed a few years longer than he should have and, yes, it was brutal to watch the downfall, but the glory days were truly glorious.  I tip my hat to him, wish him the best, and hope time softens the pain of the last few years so he can be remembered for presiding over unchartered success at Stanford.

[Row80Critic]

Easy to focus on the last few years, but he had an incredible run in the heart of his tenure, and he did it with a grace and composure that most will never have.  Most Stanford wins ever; 8 straight bowls, 2 Hizeperson 'runner ups'; 3 pac12 championships (5 championship game); that amazing McCaffery Rose Bowl; no scandals or stories  -- he presided over the best and longest run of Stanford football in my 53 seasons in the stands.  Yes, he stayed a few years longer than he should have and, yes, it was brutal to watch the downfall, but the glory days were truly glorious.  I tip my hat to him, wish him the best, and hope time softens the pain of the last few years so he can be remembered for presiding over unchartered success at Stanford.

[vataha]

For the most part I think we loved David Shaw for his content of character. Nobody is perfect (except St. Andrew) but his positives far outweigh any negatives along the way. It was a freakin’ amazing, incredible run and I am grateful for David Shaw and I will always want him to be a representative of Stanford the program and most of all the university.  Thank you David Shaw!

[vataha]

For the most part I think we loved David Shaw for his content of character. Nobody is perfect (except St. Andrew) but his positives far outweigh any negatives along the way. It was a freakin’ amazing, incredible run and I am grateful for David Shaw and I will always want him to be a representative of Stanford the program and most of all the university.  Thank you David Shaw!

[dabigv13]

A great guy, and if he's not the best coach in Stanford history, then he's at least in the conversation with some good company.

He was the head coach for more of my great Stanford football memories than anyone else, and I am very thankful for that. I hope he finds success and fulfillment in whatever he does next.

[dabigv13]

A great guy, and if he's not the best coach in Stanford history, then he's at least in the conversation with some good company.

He was the head coach for more of my great Stanford football memories than anyone else, and I am very thankful for that. I hope he finds success and fulfillment in whatever he does next.

[thunder_chik]

Thank you, Coach Shaw, for many enjoyable seasons of winning football, especially the Rose Bowls.

[thunder_chik]

Thank you, Coach Shaw, for many enjoyable seasons of winning football, especially the Rose Bowls.

[81alum]

Our thanks are getting scattered across several threads and mixed in with some people's parting shots.  But I will repeat my thanks to David Shaw.  Only Walsh really understood the unique Stanford environment as well as Shaw did.  I am thankful for 96 wonderful memories that Shaw bestowed upon me, and especially for the 2 Rose Bowl wins--the only Rose bowl wins in my history of watching Stanford football, which began in 1977. 

For 35 years I watched Stanford football--caring nothing about national rankings but longing for a successful trip to the Rose Bowl.  And he delivered two such victories.  Most of you won't agree with me, but I cannot help the way my heart feels:  there is nothing better in Stanford football than a Rose Bowl victory.  He gave me two of those, and no one else has ever given me one.

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of universities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

While we are thanking David Shaw for his more successful years as head coach, I think we all ought to thank him for being an important contributor to the Harbaugh years too.  It is ultimately impossible to know his level of influence, but I have to believe that Harbaugh's adjustment to Stanford culture had to be at least partly engineered by the former Stanford football alum on his staff at San Diego.

My future as a college football fan is very uncertain, but here is one thing that is certain:  David Shaw delivered countless hours of enjoyment to me over the years and kept me involved as an admiring fan of our team, the game, and the coach.  I wish him and his family the absolute best.

[81alum]

Our thanks are getting scattered across several threads and mixed in with some people's parting shots.  But I will repeat my thanks to David Shaw.  Only Walsh really understood the unique Stanford environment as well as Shaw did.  I am thankful for 96 wonderful memories that Shaw bestowed upon me, and especially for the 2 Rose Bowl wins--the only Rose bowl wins in my history of watching Stanford football, which began in 1977. 

For 35 years I watched Stanford football--caring nothing about national rankings but longing for a successful trip to the Rose Bowl.  And he delivered two such victories.  Most of you won't agree with me, but I cannot help the way my heart feels:  there is nothing better in Stanford football than a Rose Bowl victory.  He gave me two of those, and no one else has ever given me one.

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of universities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

While we are thanking David Shaw for his more successful years as head coach, I think we all ought to thank him for being an important contributor to the Harbaugh years too.  It is ultimately impossible to know his level of influence, but I have to believe that Harbaugh's adjustment to Stanford culture had to be at least partly engineered by the former Stanford football alum on his staff at San Diego.

My future as a college football fan is very uncertain, but here is one thing that is certain:  David Shaw delivered countless hours of enjoyment to me over the years and kept me involved as an admiring fan of our team, the game, and the coach.  I wish him and his family the absolute best.

[French Rage]

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of univerities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

This is a great way to put it.  From a lot of his public speaking, you could tell he wanted the Stanford mindset of doing things the right way to be the way it would become for the rest of college football.  Unfortunately, recent changes - with NIL and the transfer portal - have violently gone in the other direction.  It would not surprise me if part of his decision is that the sport as it is becoming is not the sport he started coaching 12 years ago, and that this was the right time to step aside and leave it for people who care to still be involved in what the sport is becoming.  And if that is the case I don't blame him one bit.

[French Rage]

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of univerities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

This is a great way to put it.  From a lot of his public speaking, you could tell he wanted the Stanford mindset of doing things the right way to be the way it would become for the rest of college football.  Unfortunately, recent changes - with NIL and the transfer portal - have violently gone in the other direction.  It would not surprise me if part of his decision is that the sport as it is becoming is not the sport he started coaching 12 years ago, and that this was the right time to step aside and leave it for people who care to still be involved in what the sport is becoming.  And if that is the case I don't blame him one bit.

[gailtate]

Our thanks are getting scattered across several threads and mixed in with some people's parting shots.  But I will repeat my thanks to David Shaw.  Only Walsh really understood the unique Stanford environment as well as Shaw did.  I am thankful for 96 wonderful memories that Shaw bestowed upon me, and especially for the 2 Rose Bowl wins--the only Rose bowl wins in my history of watching Stanford football, which began in 1977. 

For 35 years I watched Stanford football--caring nothing about national rankings but longing for a successful trip to the Rose Bowl.  And he delivered two such victories.  Most of you won't agree with me, but I cannot help the way my heart feels:  there is nothing better in Stanford football than a Rose Bowl victory.  He gave me two of those, and no one else has ever given me one.

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of univerities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

While we are thanking David Shaw for his more successful years as head coach, I think we all ought to thank him for being an important contributor to the Harbaugh years too.  It is ultimately impossible to know his level of influence, but I have to believe that Harbaugh's adjustment to Stanford culture had to be at least partly engineered by the former Stanford football alum on his staff at San Diego.

My future as a college football fan is very uncertain, but here is one thing that is certain:  David Shaw delivered countless hours of enjoyment to me over the years and kept me involved as an admiring fan of our team, the game, and the coach.  I wish him and his family the absolute best.

The Walsh irony: he convinced himself and most other people that the wild success wrought by Harb-Shaw, from 2010-2016 would be impossible for Stanford. A damn shame he couldn't live to see how wrong he was. His prejudice lives on in the hearts of many and it's a needless cloud still with us to this day.

[gailtate]

Our thanks are getting scattered across several threads and mixed in with some people's parting shots.  But I will repeat my thanks to David Shaw.  Only Walsh really understood the unique Stanford environment as well as Shaw did.  I am thankful for 96 wonderful memories that Shaw bestowed upon me, and especially for the 2 Rose Bowl wins--the only Rose bowl wins in my history of watching Stanford football, which began in 1977. 

For 35 years I watched Stanford football--caring nothing about national rankings but longing for a successful trip to the Rose Bowl.  And he delivered two such victories.  Most of you won't agree with me, but I cannot help the way my heart feels:  there is nothing better in Stanford football than a Rose Bowl victory.  He gave me two of those, and no one else has ever given me one.

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of univerities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

While we are thanking David Shaw for his more successful years as head coach, I think we all ought to thank him for being an important contributor to the Harbaugh years too.  It is ultimately impossible to know his level of influence, but I have to believe that Harbaugh's adjustment to Stanford culture had to be at least partly engineered by the former Stanford football alum on his staff at San Diego.

My future as a college football fan is very uncertain, but here is one thing that is certain:  David Shaw delivered countless hours of enjoyment to me over the years and kept me involved as an admiring fan of our team, the game, and the coach.  I wish him and his family the absolute best.

The Walsh irony: he convinced himself and most other people that the wild success wrought by Harb-Shaw, from 2010-2016 would be impossible for Stanford. A damn shame he couldn't live to see how wrong he was. His prejudice lives on in the hearts of many and it's a needless cloud still with us to this day.

[grendalor]

I think Shaw was ultimately a bit of an enigma.

Like most of us, I really admire many things about David Shaw.  I think he represented the university and the alumni community generally very well, and he was very much on the same page with the university administration.  He also started out more or less great -- the first 5 years saw three Rose Bowl appearances and a Fiesta Bowl appearance, three conference championships and two Rose Bowl wins.  All of those were virtually unthinkable for the program even 5-10 years prior.  He was more than capable in his handling of the outfit that JH set up, and those 5 years were some of the most memorable ones in the entire history of the program.

At the same time, Shaw had his flaws and tendencies which, over time, began to add up -- including an approach to his coaching staff which seems to have been rather sub-optimal.  At the same time, ongoing changes in the CFB environment have made things very challenging for Stanford in ways that David Shaw may not have been the best individual to address, from a strengths-and-weaknesses perspective.

As a result, his legacy is more mixed than it really ought to be, given how things started in the early years of his tenure.  I prefer to focus on those years, because they were so fantastic and memorable, but at the same time when viewing his overall legacy for the program, it's unfortunately more mixed.  Despite that, I do personally very much appreciate David Shaw's outstanding personal contributions to the university, the program and to CFB in general, and so in thinking of him in the years ahead I will generally personally choose to focus on those aspects rather than others.

Many challenges lay ahead for Stanford's program, and the recent changes in the sport are decidedly unfriendly to how the university would generally prefer collegiate athletics to work.  It will be quite challenging to identify someone who is capable of leading the program forward in this challenging environment.

[grendalor]

I think Shaw was ultimately a bit of an enigma.

Like most of us, I really admire many things about David Shaw.  I think he represented the university and the alumni community generally very well, and he was very much on the same page with the university administration.  He also started out more or less great -- the first 5 years saw three Rose Bowl appearances and a Fiesta Bowl appearance, three conference championships and two Rose Bowl wins.  All of those were virtually unthinkable for the program even 5-10 years prior.  He was more than capable in his handling of the outfit that JH set up, and those 5 years were some of the most memorable ones in the entire history of the program.

At the same time, Shaw had his flaws and tendencies which, over time, began to add up -- including an approach to his coaching staff which seems to have been rather sub-optimal.  At the same time, ongoing changes in the CFB environment have made things very challenging for Stanford in ways that David Shaw may not have been the best individual to address, from a strengths-and-weaknesses perspective.

As a result, his legacy is more mixed than it really ought to be, given how things started in the early years of his tenure.  I prefer to focus on those years, because they were so fantastic and memorable, but at the same time when viewing his overall legacy for the program, it's unfortunately more mixed.  Despite that, I do personally very much appreciate David Shaw's outstanding personal contributions to the university, the program and to CFB in general, and so in thinking of him in the years ahead I will generally personally choose to focus on those aspects rather than others.

Many challenges lay ahead for Stanford's program, and the recent changes in the sport are decidedly unfriendly to how the university would generally prefer collegiate athletics to work.  It will be quite challenging to identify someone who is capable of leading the program forward in this challenging environment.

[Goose]

The Walsh irony: he convinced himself and most other people that the wild success wrought by Harb-Shaw, from 2010-2016 would be impossible for Stanford. A damn shame he couldn't live to see how wrong he was. His prejudice lives on in the hearts of many and it's a needless cloud still with us to this day.

Could you point me at some quote or something that addresses this view by Walsh? I always thought he indicated HE didn't have what it took to do what was needed any more, not that it was structurally impossible.

[Goose]

The Walsh irony: he convinced himself and most other people that the wild success wrought by Harb-Shaw, from 2010-2016 would be impossible for Stanford. A damn shame he couldn't live to see how wrong he was. His prejudice lives on in the hearts of many and it's a needless cloud still with us to this day.

Could you point me at some quote or something that addresses this view by Walsh? I always thought he indicated HE didn't have what it took to do what was needed any more, not that it was structurally impossible.

[thunder_chik]

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of univerities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

This is a great way to put it.  From a lot of his public speaking, you could tell he wanted the Stanford mindset of doing things the right way to be the way it would become for the rest of college football.  Unfortunately, recent changes - with NIL and the transfer portal - have violently gone in the other direction.  It would not surprise me if part of his decision is that the sport as it is becoming is not the sport he started coaching 12 years ago, and that this was the right time to step aside and leave it for people who care to still be involved in what the sport is becoming.  And if that is the case I don't blame him one bit.

Both comments are right on.  If, as a college football player, you have the potential to ink NIL deals in the 6 and 7 figure range (e.g., Caleb Williams allegedly has racked up $2+ mil; tOSU's CJ Stroud drives a $200K Mercedes G Wagon around campus), then the "40-year decision" line of reasoning becomes less compelling.  Perhaps Coach Shaw isn't only tired of "being responsible for everything and everyone"--he's disillusioned.  Apparently now, it's just all about the money.

[thunder_chik]

Part of my joy during the Shaw era was directly linked to who David Shaw is--a fellow alum who completely understood the Stanford experience and who embraced Stanford's unique athletics situation rather than chaffing under it.  When we were winning and at our best, the high was so much higher than it would have been had I felt we had sold-out our academic and ethical values in order to win.  In fact, it was his and Stanford's example that solely kept me interested in college football, as the sport became (in my own mind) increasingly corrupt and distant from any connection to the underlying educational mission of univerities.  His example convinced me that--at least for a time--it was somehow possible for an elite academic university to field a high level football program without all the hypocrisy, cheating, scandal, corruption, and cheapening of values that has spread like a cancer over much of college football.  

This is a great way to put it.  From a lot of his public speaking, you could tell he wanted the Stanford mindset of doing things the right way to be the way it would become for the rest of college football.  Unfortunately, recent changes - with NIL and the transfer portal - have violently gone in the other direction.  It would not surprise me if part of his decision is that the sport as it is becoming is not the sport he started coaching 12 years ago, and that this was the right time to step aside and leave it for people who care to still be involved in what the sport is becoming.  And if that is the case I don't blame him one bit.

Both comments are right on.  If, as a college football player, you have the potential to ink NIL deals in the 6 and 7 figure range (e.g., Caleb Williams allegedly has racked up $2+ mil; tOSU's CJ Stroud drives a $200K Mercedes G Wagon around campus), then the "40-year decision" line of reasoning becomes less compelling.  Perhaps Coach Shaw isn't only tired of "being responsible for everything and everyone"--he's disillusioned.  Apparently now, it's just all about the money.