Give the Stanford AD a raise!

[MilfordHusky]

http://www.gostanford.com/genrel/062612aaa.html

The top intercollegiate athletic program for 18 years in a row--very impressive.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Impressive indeed.

 

[alexrgct]

The Stanford AD is brand new. I believe the old one became the new commissioner of the Big XII.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The Stanford AD is brand new. I believe the old one became the new commissioner of the Big XII.

The bar has been set high for the new guy (or woman).

 

[Bestiarius]

A great University in all respects.

 

[JS]

A great University in all respects.

Shhh. Don't let Cardfan hear you.

Gotta keep their heads right-sized. Keep talking about the weak conference.

 

[Bestiarius]

Shhh. Don't let Cardfan hear you.

Gotta keep their heads right-sized. Keep talking about the weak conference.

Doh! I thought it was Pinochle, or bridge, or maybe a magician.

 

[Husky68]

Who else has the money to fund all those sports? They have 35 teams. Uconn can't even field a boys lacross team 'cause have to balance costs of adding another title IX team. Uconn has 22 teams (10 boys and 12 girls). Hard to challenge a school that can fund almost 70% more teams.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Shhh. Don't let Cardfan hear you.

Gotta keep their heads right-sized. Keep talking about the weak conference.

That and the fact that they pick up championships in obscure sports.

 

[huskyblooz]

Stanford is a great university. But, who's their competition? Cal-Berkeley? There are very few great institutions on the west coast that play D-1 sports.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Stanford is a great university. But, who's their competition? Cal-Berkeley? There are very few great institutions on the west coast that play D-1 sports.

But to win national titles, they have to beat all comers. In case of WCBB, they tied the UConn-LSU record of 5 straight Final Fours. I agree that the conference is weak in some sports, but Stanford was good on a national scale. Where the weak competition shows up is the streak of in-conference wins and conference championships. It's been a long time since there was another national-caliber Pac-8/10/12 WCBB team. Maybe the lack of conference competition hurts Stanford in the Final Four, but it doesn't hurt or help them in getting to the Final Four.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Actually, at least at times, their most serious competition (for this prize) may come from the PAC12. This may be changing, but you do have sports where the PAC12 is historically extremely strong, including water polo, volleyball (both genders, I think), softball, baseball and I'm sure there are others. Although only once each, I saw where Arizona had NC's in golf and swimming in the past, probably some PAC12 strength in those sports as well. I didn't bother to read how the prize is exactly calculated, but I have to assume that this situation is a contributing factor.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Actually, at least at times, their most serious competition (for this prize) may come from the PAC12. This may be changing, but you do have sports where the PAC12 is historically extremely strong, including water polo, volleyball (both genders, I think), softball, baseball and I'm sure there are others. Although only once each, I saw where Arizona had NC's in golf and swimming in the past, probably some PAC12 strength in those sports as well. I didn't bother to read how the prize is exactly calculated, but I have to assume that this situation is a contributing factor.

For the water-related sports, tennis, golf, track, and volleyball, the powerhouses are indeed generally on the west coast, plus an occational Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Penn State. Softball is a little more varied, but UCLA and Arizona have been powerhouses. Baseball is strong in the Pac, as well. Football varies. Basketball has been weak in the west for a long time, even when UCLA was winning titles.

 

[cardfan]

All of Stanford women's sports are always in top ten or run for NC, and that's why Stanford wins the Directors' Cup year after year, AND the Capital One Cup this year (for women). Not bad for a school of ~6k undergraduates.

Many were surprised Bob Bowlsby's contract was not renewed as AD. He was liked by many and did an amazing job with football, but men's bball has not been so great.

 

[cardfan]

For the water-related sports, tennis, golf, track, and volleyball, the powerhouses are indeed generally on the west coast, plus an occational Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Penn State. Softball is a little more varied, but UCLA and Arizona have been powerhouses. Baseball is strong in the Pac, as well. Football varies. Basketball has been weak in the west for a long time, even when UCLA was winning titles.

The Pac 10/12 owns softball.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The Pac 10/12 owns softball.

Thank you. I wanted to say it, but restrained myself.

That said, I do think the SEC is a serious contender in softball, and not because Alabama won this year. The point I made that the times may be changing is really because the SEC schools are making serious investments into facilities for softball.

 

[alexrgct]

All of Stanford women's sports are always in top ten or run for NC, and that's why Stanford wins the Directors' Cup year after year, AND the Capital One Cup this year (for women). Not bad for a school of ~6k undergraduates.

Many were surprised Bob Bowlsby's contract was not renewed as AD. He was liked by many and did an amazing job with football, but men's bball has not been so great.

Leaving to be commissioner of a major conference is a pretty big opportunity. Not sure Stanford would have been able to retain.

 

[cardfan]

Leaving to be commissioner of a major conference is a pretty big opportunity. Not sure Stanford would have been able to retain.

He said before he wanted to stay at Stanford and didn't want to move again, so many had the impression it wasn't his choice to leave.