[OutsiderFan]

Interesting perspective.

I still hold to the Coke vs. "Cola" example.  People can package things and sell them all they want, but at the end of the day, consumers know what the genuine article is, and what the knock-off, wanna-be brand is.  Most people want the real thing, not the pretender. 

When it comes to recruiting, Stanford should welcome any school to claim it offers a similar academic and post college-career development springboard as Stanford.  The proof is in the facts.  Stanford has decades of accomplishments backed by data, and a culture of non-sports excellence to rival any competitor.  If I were charged with recruiting for Stanford, I'd say "bring it on" when it comes to any school claiming similar education value and post-college opportunities.  That would really get my competitive fires stoked in a serious way.

All that said, if a gifted athlete values near-term larger crowds and media attention more than the post athletic career life, he isn't a fit for Stanford anyway.  Losing those guys to ND, etc., really isn't a loss as such.

[OutsiderFan]

Interesting perspective.

I still hold to the Coke vs. "Cola" example.  People can package things and sell them all they want, but at the end of the day, consumers know what the genuine article is, and what the knock-off, wanna-be brand is.  Most people want the real thing, not the pretender. 

When it comes to recruiting, Stanford should welcome any school to claim it offers a similar academic and post college-career development springboard as Stanford.  The proof is in the facts.  Stanford has decades of accomplishments backed by data, and a culture of non-sports excellence to rival any competitor.  If I were charged with recruiting for Stanford, I'd say "bring it on" when it comes to any school claiming similar education value and post-college opportunities.  That would really get my competitive fires stoked in a serious way.

All that said, if a gifted athlete values near-term larger crowds and media attention more than the post athletic career life, he isn't a fit for Stanford anyway.  Losing those guys to ND, etc., really isn't a loss as such.