OT - Stanford names OC position after Andrew Luck
If you hadn't heard, the position formerly known as Stanford Offensive Coordinator is now the
"Andrew Luck Director of Offense". The name change was brought about by a large, and anonymous, donation.
Besides it being strange that a offensive coordinator is called something other than an offensive coordinator, how must current ALDO Pep Hamilton feel about now having his title memorialize a guy he coached. Also, in the unlikely but nevertheless possible event that Luck pulls a Ryan Leaf at the NFL level, how stupid does that title seem? I'm pretty sure Penn State is happy they don't have a Cameron (Ex-Tiger on the brain) Aaron Maybin Emperor of Linebackers and WVU thrilled they don't have a Pac-Man Jones Minister of the Secondary.
http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052212aaa.html
Most head coach positions are endowed at privet schools. Most positions are also named after someone. I think all of Stanford football scholarships are endowed as well. I would assume all Stanford sport scholarships are endowed, now that I think about it.
http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/stan-m-footbl-mtt.html
David Shaw is indeed the Bradford M. Freeman Director Of Football.
I assume that, later in the year, Mike Sanford - their RB coach - will hold the prestigious Darrin Nelson Endowment.
This Bradford M. Freeman is a few years older and considerably less skillful of a quarterback:
http://www.thepresidency.org/who-we-are/board-of-trustees/122-mr-bradford-m-freeman
Maybe he was looking for a shubbery?
Yeah, seems a bit premature, odd, etc.
Also, a large, anonymous donation? Named for a guy who was just recently the first overall pick in the draft? Who just got a very nice signing bonus? Coincidence? I think not!
haha, yeah - i was just about to write the same thing!
Luck was arguably the best thing to happen to Stanford football in over 30 years.
And before playing an NFL down Ryan Leaf was the best thing to happen to WSU football ever. Until you know this guy will be successful and a model citizen at the NFL level, it's way premature in my opinion.
Does success or failure at the NFL level change college stats at all?
It doesn't change stats, but it changes your impression of a person and whether they were a success or failure in life, not just one level of life. To keep going back to Ryan Leaf, he was successful at the collegiate level, unsuccessful at the NFL level, and unsuccessful at the "decent human being" level. I'm can't say for certain but I'd guess that WSU would rather him be forgotten about despite his collegiate success.
Have you heard anything other than Andrew Luck being a pretty darn nice and smart guy? I would bet he isn't going to become a jerk overnight if he isn't one now.
Nice, smart, straight-laced, focused guy from Stanford. Best player ever in his sport in Palo Alto. We would all bet our house and car that he would never, ever have any problems or cause embarassment to the University.
I present to you:
Just because Woods has his life in a mess doesn't mean Luck is destined for or even likely to end up that way. It's like saying Brady Hoke is destined for a scandal because of Jim Tressel. Reputation for being an honest, caring guy, teacher-like, "gets" The Game.....
Alot of guys that have a reputation for being a nice guy are nice guys. Some end up being dicks.
And to further rant, there are quite a few Michigan guys that didn't achieve great success at the NFL. Heck, RVB probably won't be a big time NFL guy but I for sure will remember him fondly.
Tiger Woods is merely an example of how quickly a reputation can change. By no means do I think Andrew Luck is going to fail at life, but it is possible, as it is with each and every one of us.
It's a sensationalist comment IMO. There's no reason to compare him to Ryan Leaf or Tiger Woods. Even if he fails in the NFL, I don't think Stanford will care all that much. He was great for them and helped make them alot of money.
Here is the comment that I was responding to, verbatim:
"Have you heard anything other than Andrew Luck being a pretty darn nice and smart guy? I would bet he isn't going to become a jerk overnight if he isn't one now."
If you don't get how Tiger Woods is relevant in the response, I'm sorry.
And you bringing up Ryan Leaf's character flaws is pretty much erroneous.
I'm sorry, can't help you with this one. You don't have to agree with me, but if you can't at least see how some could find it a risk by naming a high profile position after a KID then there is nothing I can do.
I doubt they care. It's about $, and as long as he doesn't turn out to be Ryan Leaf - which he almost definitely won't, it'll be fine. Nobody thought there was a risk in naming things after Paterno until....yeah. But I don't think you can blame them one bit when they were initially thinking of doing it, which was undoubtedly years ago. There's a risk in putting anyone's name on things because everybody is human. But I don't think you should hold it against Luck that he's a kid. No red flags have come up thus far, his dad is a former player and current AD, he was a Heisman candidate, #1 overall pick. He's used to the limelight already. Add to it that nobody is going to refer to their OC as anything other than the OC and it doesn't really matter.
I see what you're saying. Basically, it's that NFL performance will ultimately determine Luck's value to Stanford.There's certainly something to that.
But even if he doesn't do a thing in the NFL, his body of work in college has arguably put Stanford football in a great place--a place they probably wouldn't be at without him. Yes? No?
Yes. But nobody gets things named after them before they've started a career. It's just risking future embarassment in the event that Luck becomes a punchline to a joke.
Objectively, Luck is the best college QB Stanford has ever had. I see no problem with an alum (that most likely doesn't give a hoot about the NFL) wanted Luck's name to be attached to this endowment.
As an aside, if you have a few extra millions floating around, you can name an endow at Michigan after yourself. It isn't a big deal and it happens all the time. This one just happens to be named after a number one overall draft pick.
A lot of older Stanford fans hold out for Plunkett or Elway.
I think we understand one another and disagree. I'm chilln' and appreciate the discussion.
Agreed, thanks for the discussion. Just be careful around March 15th, don't hang around with too many guys (or buckeye mascots) named Brutus.
Interesting that the offense is now run by the luck coordinator. I wouldn't mind having that guy on our sideline.
I thought this was a joke!
I mean, as long as the OC doesn't have to introduce himself as anything other than the OC, then I guess it's cool to give a donation to the school with some ridiculous formal title given to the OC. But it is still all kinds of weird. No one knows how good Luck will be even how his life will turn out. Does Elway even have some football position endowed after him at Standford? And even if Luck does turn out to be the next Tom Brady, why name a coaching position after him. Can't you put up a statue and endow a scholarship or something? Retire the jersey?
Maybe they were not as well endowed back when Elway was at Stanford.
I think you're responding to a penis joke, not a serious response to your comment.
The whole 8===D thing doesn't get a great reception around these parts. We don't cup our hands around our farts and smell them.
Besides, if talking legendary NFL QBs, I hear that joke is better suited for Favre...
Can't tell if the joke continues or if your word choice (tip) was just a coincidence. In either case, well done!
did he win those titles at Stanford? or did he never take them to a bowl game?
fuck anyone who thinks college football exists primarily as a minor league for the NFL
What a deep well of tradition they must have to work with there. I mean, he is probably still cleaning out his dorm room.
Did someone say "cleaning out his dorm room"...
/s
Oh crap, Trey is leaving again?
And Craig James Killed Five Hookers...allegedly...
I haven't followed Andrew Luck or Standford all that closely, so feel free to tell me if I'm making some incorrect assumptions...
...but isn't Andrew Luck a really good quarterback? Doesn't having him make an offensive coordinator's job substantially easier, because he can just ask his really good quarterback to do what he's naturally good at doing? Doesn't that, in effect, mean that having a really good quarterback naturally inflates the results obtained by an offensive coordinator, thus obscuring the ability to tell how good the coordinator actually is? He's not personally responsible for the development of the quarterback (unless he's also the quarterbacks coach). He's just the lucky (no pun intended!) guy that happens to have this great weapon in his arsenal. So why name a coordinator position for a really skilled player?
Because the head coaching position is already endowed and some rich as balls alum wanted to endow Luck's name to a position. Beyond that, you are over thinking it.
Not to be outdone, OSU's head coaching position will henceforth be named the Clarrett/Pryor Director of Keeping Shady Shit on the D.L.
Dave Brandon is called the Donald R. Sheperd Director of Athletics. It says so in every press release.