Continuing on with the Pac-10 roundtable discussions, today’s focus is Stanfurd! 

HydroTech: I would just to start off this discussion of Stanfurd football by bringing your attention back to September 17th, 2005.  On that day, Stanfurd forever embarrassed themselves and lost to UC Davis. 

YellowFever: So the day has finally come.  Stanford’s nominal starting quarterback finally puttered off to the NFL, leaving T.C. Ostrander to formally take over the starting job.  Of course, it’s not as if Ostrander doesn’t have experience starting; it’s just usually come after Edwards suffered his annual injury.  If I have my math right, Edwards = Jay Cutler + injuries.  Something like that.  That might be a bit harsh though.  After actually taking some time to look at why the Cardinal are bad…well, they gave up 50 sacks last season.  50!  Oregon State’s 47 recorded by their defense (including a bowl game) only came in third in the country, and Stanford’s offense gave up more than that.  In one fewer game.  Maybe Edwards couldn’t help but get himself injured behind that papier mache line.

TwistNHook: I would point your attention to December 15, 1998 as the most embarrassing date.  That’s when I received the rejection letter to my early admit application to Stanford.  That’s the most embarrassing thing Stanford has ever done.  I would have been so perfect for their band!!  Who is better at playing the sax while running around the field with a yarmulke on and my pants around my ankles???? NOBODY!

What is there to say about this team?  They were playing at a high school level last year.  They were playing with a level of enthusiasm known to mankind.  Their new coach has already angered half the coaches in the Pac-10, ensuring EPIC beatdowns.

We have defeated them 5 years in a row.  Many say the Big Game is boring and the fact we barely won last year was an embarrassment.  They beat us 7 years in a row, so until 2009 rolls around (and for YEARS after that, too), I say we defeat Stanford in the Big Game.  A controversial thesis, yes.  But just how I feel.  Gotta be honest.

YellowFever: Frankly, I can’t wait for the Big Game this year.  Not because I’m looking forward to beating Stanford down like usual, but because it’ll be the first time I’ve ever seen anything on Versus.  I’d make some cracks about how they were so desperate for programming that they had to air the Tour de France and the NHL (seriously, is biking a sport?  How serious a sport can it be if there’s only one event a year where people pretend to care?  Can we please stop covering it?), but the fact that they’re airing the Big Game kinda undermines that point.

TwistNHook:
I actually also cannot wait for Big Game.  I really want to see their new stadium.  I’ve heard it’s gorgeous.  Plus, it’s going to be like 80% Cal fans.

Yknow, it is unfortunate that our natural rival has fallen onto hard times like this.  It’s always fun for Stanford to be historically bad, but for a variety of reasons I’d rather have them be competative.  I just wish they were able to accept students to Stanford with a GPA under 5.0 and a SAT under 2400 (which apparently is the new highest point).  And I don’t know why the football team is requiring their players to take the LSAT for admission to the team.

Yknow, maybe they’d be a little bit better at football if they relaxed their admission standards a little.  Does somebody want to write a letter to Standford admissions about this issue?  They might want to be aware of it.

HydroTech: If I was Trent Edwards or T.C. Ostrander, I would have quit the team last year.  I’m really not one to quit, but I’m certainly not suicidal.  And for Edwards and Ostrander to actually drop back to attempt a pass last year, behind that crappy offensive line, was attempted suicide.  Who wants to get sacked 50 times in 12 games?!  Anyone?  Any takers?  That’s not even counting all the "knockdowns" that the defensive linemen and the linebackers got on them when they didn’t sack them.  Let’s assume that the Furd QBs got knock down 100 times last year in addition to the 50 sacks.  That means they probably got plain ol’ hit and bashed around about 150 times in 12 games last year.  That’s getting hit by a 300 pound lineman or a 250 pound linebacker about 12-13 times a game?!  Last year Ostrander and Edwards attempted 314 passes.  Divide that by 12 games they attempted about 26 passes or so a game.  Of those 26 passes they were getting knock downed or sacked 12 or 13 times.  That means there’s a 50% chance on any passing play that Edwards and Ostrander were getting tatted by the D!  Suicidal?  I think so. 

YellowFever: Maybe Stanford’s offense line thought they were doing great because they kept their defensive line from getting to the quarterback in practices; of course, this logic was revealed to be somewhat flawed when the team came to the realization that that was because their defensive line only recorded 14 sacks on the year versus other teams. 

"Harbaugh is hoping that senior defensive end Udeme Udofia comes into his own and rectifies that situation. "Udofia can be our big-time rush guy, like a Dwight Freeney," Harbaugh says."

Oh, that wacky Jim Harbaugh.  A veritable barrel of laughs.

HydroTech: I’m really looking forward to Big Game this year.  I want to see if we can break the NCAA record for sacks in a game. 

Edwards should have saved himself and his body from the punishment he sustained last year.  As soon as a pass play was called, he should have just "accidentally" tripped over himself or the turf and fell to the ground. 

TwistNHook, you do bring up the good point that a one-sided rivalry isn’t as competitive and meaningful as when both teams are good.  But I really have no sympathy for Stanfurd.  They suck, they know it, and they’ve given up trying to be good.  They are raising their admission standards not for the sole bragging rights of having an ALL-MENSA team but as an excuse for sucking.  If they want to suck they should leave the Pac and take a job as a White House Intern.  Otherwise, man up, play some football and stopping using the "we suck because our student athletes are smarter than yours" excuse.

YellowFever: To be fair, Harbaugh may have had a point, at least when he was saying that his alma mater, Michigan, was kinda bending their admission guidelines some with regards to football recruits.  I mean, check out defensive tackle Marques Slocum.  Of course, we all know it’s not fair for the program to pins its woes on the the university’s academic standards.  I don’t remember anyone crowing about how difficult it was to win in the Pac-10 at Stanford when they were actually, you know.  Winning.

HydroTech: I was really disappointed that Washington let Stanfurd beat them last year.  Washington is a superior team and really let Stanfurd get away with not having an 0-12 season when they deserved one.  I’m hoping Stanfurd is winless in 2007 and seriously think it’s very plausible.  No other team in the Pac is as bad as Stanfurd.  As long as everyone doesn’t let their guard down and Stanfurd pop in a haymaker, Stanfurd should get a well deserved goose egg in the win column. 

And while it’s being reported by the media that Stanfurd players seem to be responding to Harbaugh’s new and enthusiastic methodologies, will things stay that way once the Ls start rolling in?  I doubt it.  Keeping believers and faith in what the head coach is preaching is hard enough as it when you can’t win, and even harder when your head coach is in his first D-1A head coaching gig.  After a winless season in 2007, I’m thinking Stanfurd falls victim to some transfers.  Playing for a quack coach is one thing, but playing for a team whose Athletic Directors seem to be purposely undermining the team’s ability to win is another. 

The Ballots

In the order of: HydroTech, Ragnarok, TwistNHook, Yellow Fever
1.
2.
3.  OSU, __, OSU, UO
4.  __, OSU, __, __
5.  UO, ASU, __, ASU
6.  __,   UO, UO,  __
7.  ASU, UA, UA, OSU
8.  UA,  __, ASU, UA
9. 
10. SU, SU, SU, SU,