Hard to imagine David Shaw getting any heat. I mean, judging from butts in seats at Stanford Stadium (even when the team was good) most Cardinal supporters simply don’t care.
Regarding the portal, I get how it is most fair to the athletes to be able to move to whatever program they wish. But it is not so great for college football. The loss of a year's eligibility for transferring was a good check on unlimited transfers and allowed the sport some stability. I worry about unlimited movement on top of unlimited recruiting of top talent (wouldn't a draft for HS talent be nice to spread out the talent rather than create 5 star dynasties like Alabama and Ohio State?). The portal will just make the strong, stronger and the weak, weaker. I do not envy the Colorado program or any other of the Bottom 10 trying to attract talent.
As for the Beavers: it seems like Coach Smith needs to up his portal game. OSU was one of the least active in the portal last year and has a lot of needs at QB, RB, WR and next year the DBs. I like Chance Nolan. He is a gamer. But he doesn't have top level talent. It seems like every other Pac-12 program found an upgrade at QB, except for the Beavs. If WSU can get talent, then the Beavs surely must be able to upgrade. The portal is the future. Teams need to get active and play or be left behind.
Stanford seems to be regressing to its natural state. Stanford's long history of football is really a lot of bad teams interrupted by a few brief successful eras. We are in the twilight of the Harbaugh era now. I keep hearing Stanford mentioned as a potential Big10 team, and it seems crazy that the Big10 would want another Northwestern (great school, big city, no value).
It’s great to talk or write about sports but it’s really great when you can write and talk about sports when family is involved. I as a reader enjoy it.
Got a third grade granddaughter playing volleyball via our Y-league. Going to my first game tomorrow. Coaching has been a village effort, to be sure.
We all agree the transfer portal has transformed (pun intended) the game for the foreseeable future. If you can’t make it work, your program is destined for second-level mediocrity.
Looking forward to the Washington/UCLA matchup tonight - “Beat L.A.”
"What’s your theory on why there’s so much betting interest on the Pac-12 this season?"
Could be because Reno and Las Vegas sports books, even their online equivalents like the Caesars and Harrahs websites, are on the west coast (close to it) and so most of their clients are in or near the Pac-12
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aaron Kendall! Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Your generosity toward strangers shows you to be a special person.
Thank you for giving the subscribers the opportunity to gift subscriptions, that was a fantastic idea! I'm sure there are several that have loved sports all there lives and this gives them an opportunity to stay connected when they can't afford it. Well done!
I enjoy the Comments section almost as well as JC’s verbiage. Like Buck and OCD!!!
I think the P12 betting interest is because we have some legit changes from the norms of the past few years. (who's good and how good, etc)
Sports books sometimes only catch up to that sort of stuff later (as the year goes on) and thus there is opportunity for bettors in the mean time.
Hard to imagine David Shaw getting any heat. I mean, judging from butts in seats at Stanford Stadium (even when the team was good) most Cardinal supporters simply don’t care.
Regarding the portal, I get how it is most fair to the athletes to be able to move to whatever program they wish. But it is not so great for college football. The loss of a year's eligibility for transferring was a good check on unlimited transfers and allowed the sport some stability. I worry about unlimited movement on top of unlimited recruiting of top talent (wouldn't a draft for HS talent be nice to spread out the talent rather than create 5 star dynasties like Alabama and Ohio State?). The portal will just make the strong, stronger and the weak, weaker. I do not envy the Colorado program or any other of the Bottom 10 trying to attract talent.
As for the Beavers: it seems like Coach Smith needs to up his portal game. OSU was one of the least active in the portal last year and has a lot of needs at QB, RB, WR and next year the DBs. I like Chance Nolan. He is a gamer. But he doesn't have top level talent. It seems like every other Pac-12 program found an upgrade at QB, except for the Beavs. If WSU can get talent, then the Beavs surely must be able to upgrade. The portal is the future. Teams need to get active and play or be left behind.
Stanford seems to be regressing to its natural state. Stanford's long history of football is really a lot of bad teams interrupted by a few brief successful eras. We are in the twilight of the Harbaugh era now. I keep hearing Stanford mentioned as a potential Big10 team, and it seems crazy that the Big10 would want another Northwestern (great school, big city, no value).
My mantra here will always be: sourced, in-depth, reporting and commentary.
Yep. And you deliver.
It’s great to talk or write about sports but it’s really great when you can write and talk about sports when family is involved. I as a reader enjoy it.
The biggest threat to the Pac12 and NTM all conferences is inflation/economy/recession...
Things are going south quickly and if doesn't stop fans will choose to stay home and funding for
programs will dry up. This is probably another reason for jumping to the B1G.
We are on a fixed income and have already altered our life style. Just eating out at the local pub
runs $50 for two.
RE: “gloom and doom” report from CBS Sports.
Two words; “click bait”
Got a third grade granddaughter playing volleyball via our Y-league. Going to my first game tomorrow. Coaching has been a village effort, to be sure.
We all agree the transfer portal has transformed (pun intended) the game for the foreseeable future. If you can’t make it work, your program is destined for second-level mediocrity.
Looking forward to the Washington/UCLA matchup tonight - “Beat L.A.”
Love the flying cheerleader pic
GO DAWGS
"What’s your theory on why there’s so much betting interest on the Pac-12 this season?"
Could be because Reno and Las Vegas sports books, even their online equivalents like the Caesars and Harrahs websites, are on the west coast (close to it) and so most of their clients are in or near the Pac-12
My kids have all aged out of the youth programs but I still coach youth. Keeps me out of trouble.
Kelly was probably wearing a Nike FuelBand prototype - I had one of those very early on
Well….I was wrong.
Washington not up to spec yet
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aaron Kendall! Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Your generosity toward strangers shows you to be a special person.
Hey John,
Thank you for giving the subscribers the opportunity to gift subscriptions, that was a fantastic idea! I'm sure there are several that have loved sports all there lives and this gives them an opportunity to stay connected when they can't afford it. Well done!
Why wouldn’t schools develop QBs out of HS? Even if they transfer, they need to develop somewhere right?