[Leftcoast]

Don\'t worry .... I get it and don\'t really mind but after, as Dave puts it, the "Iron Curtain" came down I\'ve seen the Red Zone flood the field at least 9 times - and I even joined them after a couple (Big Game win against Cal and Toby\'s big Oregon game).  It\'s starting to feel like that\'s just what YOU DO for any mildly exciting win.  Save it for the big one guys.    

Perhaps USC still qualifies but please don\'t rush the field if we need a 4th quarter field goal to beat Washington State.

Point noted though and I\'ll top off the fun tank, Redrum.

[Leftcoast]

Don\'t worry .... I get it and don\'t really mind but after, as Dave puts it, the "Iron Curtain" came down I\'ve seen the Red Zone flood the field at least 9 times - and I even joined them after a couple (Big Game win against Cal and Toby\'s big Oregon game).  It\'s starting to feel like that\'s just what YOU DO for any mildly exciting win.  Save it for the big one guys.    

Perhaps USC still qualifies but please don\'t rush the field if we need a 4th quarter field goal to beat Washington State.

Point noted though and I\'ll top off the fun tank, Redrum.

[Farm93]

Oddly, USC now becomes Stanford\'s friend.  So I sure hope that they were worthy of the field rush.  USC is talented enough to really hurt OSU & UofA.  And that would strengthen Stanford\'s chances of finishing in the top 2 or 3 in the standings.

My guess is that beating USC will prove to be an accomplishment.  I wish I could think USC could beat Oregon, but there is no way.  Oregon will destroy them.

On a related topic, with Arizona and USC looking weak, I think I have officially become a Duck fan.  I just don\'t see Oregon losing twice at this point.  However if the Ducks look GREAT, it should clear the way for Stanford to get an at-large BCS bid.
 
The computers, the media, the TV commentators and NFL fans love Luck & JH.

[Farm93]

Oddly, USC now becomes Stanford\'s friend.  So I sure hope that they were worthy of the field rush.  USC is talented enough to really hurt OSU & UofA.  And that would strengthen Stanford\'s chances of finishing in the top 2 or 3 in the standings.

My guess is that beating USC will prove to be an accomplishment.  I wish I could think USC could beat Oregon, but there is no way.  Oregon will destroy them.

On a related topic, with Arizona and USC looking weak, I think I have officially become a Duck fan.  I just don\'t see Oregon losing twice at this point.  However if the Ducks look GREAT, it should clear the way for Stanford to get an at-large BCS bid.
 
The computers, the media, the TV commentators and NFL fans love Luck & JH.

[washingtonismoney]

Sadly I\'ve missed all football rushes-of-the-field, though I\'ve rushed Maples once or twice. I\'d like to participate in a football one, so hopefully it continues in appropriate circumstances.

[washingtonismoney]

Sadly I\'ve missed all football rushes-of-the-field, though I\'ve rushed Maples once or twice. I\'d like to participate in a football one, so hopefully it continues in appropriate circumstances.

[Farm93]

Sadly I\'ve missed all football rushes-of-the-field, though I\'ve rushed Maples once or twice. I\'d like to participate in a football one, so hopefully it continues in appropriate circumstances.

Kind of need it to happen while you are a student.  If you are a student then the goal is to run on the field to celebrate with your friends on the team and your fellow students.  If you are not a student then IMO you should just stay in the stands.

I personally got to rush onto the field at C.a.l in 1990.  As a student I watched during the era of the rubberized ring of red, largely in the immediate post-Budweiser Big Game era.  So I never got onto the Stanford football field after a victory.  :(

Definitely jumped onto the court at Maples more than once, but that was easy back when the some students used to physically sit on the floor during the bigger games.

[Farm93]

Sadly I\'ve missed all football rushes-of-the-field, though I\'ve rushed Maples once or twice. I\'d like to participate in a football one, so hopefully it continues in appropriate circumstances.

Kind of need it to happen while you are a student.  If you are a student then the goal is to run on the field to celebrate with your friends on the team and your fellow students.  If you are not a student then IMO you should just stay in the stands.

I personally got to rush onto the field at C.a.l in 1990.  As a student I watched during the era of the rubberized ring of red, largely in the immediate post-Budweiser Big Game era.  So I never got onto the Stanford football field after a victory.  :(

Definitely jumped onto the court at Maples more than once, but that was easy back when the some students used to physically sit on the floor during the bigger games.

[jayasena]

On a related topic, with Arizona and USC looking weak, I think I have officially become a Duck fan.  I just don\'t see Oregon losing twice at this point.  However if the Ducks look GREAT, it should clear the way for Stanford to get an at-large BCS bid.
 
The computers, the media, the TV commentators and NFL fans love Luck & JH.

This is precisely what I said last week after our Oregon game. And with Bama losing, Oregon could even be #1 at the end of the regular season. If our only regular season loss is to the #1 or #2 team in the country, that\'s not a bad place to be.

However, I\'m less confident of that scenario playing out than I was last week. I\'m starting to wonder if Oregon really is that good on the road. They\'ve had trouble in every one of their road games -- trailed early against a bad Tennessee, struggled against ASU, and took forever to put away WSU. USC and OSU are both at home against Oregon. I don\'t think UO loses both, but I can easily see them dropping one of those. Plus our defensive woes the last two weeks make me less confident we\'d win out.

All that said, IMO the most important thing though is that this team is a lot of fun to root for and the fact that we can even be discussing these possibilities makes this season a heck of a lot more exciting than many expected.

[jayasena]

On a related topic, with Arizona and USC looking weak, I think I have officially become a Duck fan.  I just don\'t see Oregon losing twice at this point.  However if the Ducks look GREAT, it should clear the way for Stanford to get an at-large BCS bid.
 
The computers, the media, the TV commentators and NFL fans love Luck & JH.

This is precisely what I said last week after our Oregon game. And with Bama losing, Oregon could even be #1 at the end of the regular season. If our only regular season loss is to the #1 or #2 team in the country, that\'s not a bad place to be.

However, I\'m less confident of that scenario playing out than I was last week. I\'m starting to wonder if Oregon really is that good on the road. They\'ve had trouble in every one of their road games -- trailed early against a bad Tennessee, struggled against ASU, and took forever to put away WSU. USC and OSU are both at home against Oregon. I don\'t think UO loses both, but I can easily see them dropping one of those. Plus our defensive woes the last two weeks make me less confident we\'d win out.

All that said, IMO the most important thing though is that this team is a lot of fun to root for and the fact that we can even be discussing these possibilities makes this season a heck of a lot more exciting than many expected.

[Farm93]

Oregon looks bad on the road.  I would think they could lose to SC, but SC\'s D is just so bad.  In a few statistical categories they are the worst D in the FBS.  I just suspect Oregon will kill them.  I think Oregon has 3 games to worry about (USC, UofA, OSU).  I just don\'t see them falling twice.  And for the good of the conference, it would be nice for a non-SC team to play in the BCS game.

However, back to the glass 95% full view.
The team is 5-1 after playing @UCLA, @ND, @Oregon and against SC.  For almost everyone on this board, the idea of Stanford escaping that series with just one win would be thrilled.

Stanford will likely go to UW in late October with almost every season goal still possible.

[Farm93]

Oregon looks bad on the road.  I would think they could lose to SC, but SC\'s D is just so bad.  In a few statistical categories they are the worst D in the FBS.  I just suspect Oregon will kill them.  I think Oregon has 3 games to worry about (USC, UofA, OSU).  I just don\'t see them falling twice.  And for the good of the conference, it would be nice for a non-SC team to play in the BCS game.

However, back to the glass 95% full view.
The team is 5-1 after playing @UCLA, @ND, @Oregon and against SC.  For almost everyone on this board, the idea of Stanford escaping that series with just one win would be thrilled.

Stanford will likely go to UW in late October with almost every season goal still possible.

[JeffInCorvallis]

Kind of need it to happen while you are a student.  If you are a student then the goal is to run on the field to celebrate with your friends on the team and your fellow students.  If you are not a student then IMO you should just stay in the stands.

I personally got to rush onto the field at C.a.l in 1990.

Sorry, Farm, I was out there on the field with you (somewhere) in Berkeley that night in 1990 and I was already an alum then.  Hope you\'ll forgive me.  It felt like just rewards for having experienced the 1982 debacle, which DID happen while I was a student.

[JeffInCorvallis]

Kind of need it to happen while you are a student.  If you are a student then the goal is to run on the field to celebrate with your friends on the team and your fellow students.  If you are not a student then IMO you should just stay in the stands.

I personally got to rush onto the field at C.a.l in 1990.

Sorry, Farm, I was out there on the field with you (somewhere) in Berkeley that night in 1990 and I was already an alum then.  Hope you\'ll forgive me.  It felt like just rewards for having experienced the 1982 debacle, which DID happen while I was a student.

[Red_Banded_Hat]

My impressions from the stadium:

It was electric, with perhaps the most Stanford fans ever assembled in the new stadium.  Other sellouts in the last few years have (felt like they) had more substantial blocks of opposing fans - weenies, subway alumni and trojan hangers-on.  This year, between Stanford building a following and $c losing their bandwagon (though unfortunately not their band buses), the Losers of the Trojan War were limited to a few corner sessions and scattered others.  It seemed the fans around us were more the ones who actually like football and appreciate good plays, and not just those who want to be in the same arena as the team.

But enough about them - the students were rocking, loud and even doing organized cheers.  The stadium got loud most every $c 3rd down and most of the time they had the ball in the 4th quarter.  While it wasn\'t Autzen or Austin loud, it was enough to slow down the $c offense, as Barkley had to run back and forth behind the line of scrimmage to audible.  The crowd noise directly led to some obvious wasted timeouts and false starts and who knows how many miscommunicated routes and hesitant linemen not firing off their blocks in unison.

The back and forth nature of the 4th quarter with the dramatic shifts in emotion from the scores, missed PAT, KO runback, fumble, 3rd and 4th down stands, 1 minute drill and game-winning FG as time expired really ramped up the emotion.  Rushing the field was natural - not because $c was a great team or because they\'ve been a great team.  It was natural because the tension and excitement had been growing the whole game and especially the fourth quarter. Then Luck picked apart the $c D 12 or 15 yards at a time and then Whitaker popped the ball through as the clock went to 0:00.  Game over, $c had no chance to respond, elation, relief, and yes, relief we wouldn\'t have to face our trojan friends all week.

I think if we\'d won by 10, a few would have rushed, but not the horde.  The fans were celebrating the game and the gutty last drive, not (just) beating the Losers of the Trojan War.

[Red_Banded_Hat]

My impressions from the stadium:

It was electric, with perhaps the most Stanford fans ever assembled in the new stadium.  Other sellouts in the last few years have (felt like they) had more substantial blocks of opposing fans - weenies, subway alumni and trojan hangers-on.  This year, between Stanford building a following and $c losing their bandwagon (though unfortunately not their band buses), the Losers of the Trojan War were limited to a few corner sessions and scattered others.  It seemed the fans around us were more the ones who actually like football and appreciate good plays, and not just those who want to be in the same arena as the team.

But enough about them - the students were rocking, loud and even doing organized cheers.  The stadium got loud most every $c 3rd down and most of the time they had the ball in the 4th quarter.  While it wasn\'t Autzen or Austin loud, it was enough to slow down the $c offense, as Barkley had to run back and forth behind the line of scrimmage to audible.  The crowd noise directly led to some obvious wasted timeouts and false starts and who knows how many miscommunicated routes and hesitant linemen not firing off their blocks in unison.

The back and forth nature of the 4th quarter with the dramatic shifts in emotion from the scores, missed PAT, KO runback, fumble, 3rd and 4th down stands, 1 minute drill and game-winning FG as time expired really ramped up the emotion.  Rushing the field was natural - not because $c was a great team or because they\'ve been a great team.  It was natural because the tension and excitement had been growing the whole game and especially the fourth quarter. Then Luck picked apart the $c D 12 or 15 yards at a time and then Whitaker popped the ball through as the clock went to 0:00.  Game over, $c had no chance to respond, elation, relief, and yes, relief we wouldn\'t have to face our trojan friends all week.

I think if we\'d won by 10, a few would have rushed, but not the horde.  The fans were celebrating the game and the gutty last drive, not (just) beating the Losers of the Trojan War.

[fullmetal]

Having never experience storming the field, as the Iron Curtain was still in effect during my tenure, that looks awesome and I would do it after every exciting victory.

Certainly storming the court during big wins against Arizona and UW, even though we certainly had "been there before", was one of the highlights of my Stanford fandom.

zero court/field rushes of any sort for me :(  i\'ll be sure to join in during the next available opportunity.  it\'s not going to be the WSU reunion weekend game, that much is certain.

[fullmetal]

Having never experience storming the field, as the Iron Curtain was still in effect during my tenure, that looks awesome and I would do it after every exciting victory.

Certainly storming the court during big wins against Arizona and UW, even though we certainly had "been there before", was one of the highlights of my Stanford fandom.

zero court/field rushes of any sort for me :(  i\'ll be sure to join in during the next available opportunity.  it\'s not going to be the WSU reunion weekend game, that much is certain.

[CowboyIndian]

[quote] it\'s not going to be the WSU reunion weekend game, that much is certain.

We will muster our canes, walkers and wheelchairs and be out there....i guarantee it.

[CowboyIndian]

[quote] it\'s not going to be the WSU reunion weekend game, that much is certain.

We will muster our canes, walkers and wheelchairs and be out there....i guarantee it.

[mark3k]

I think if we\'d won by 10, a few would have rushed, but not the horde.  The fans were celebrating the game and the gutty last drive, not (just) beating the Losers of the Trojan War.

 Spot-on!

Also concur whole-heartedly with Farm93\'s comment about the media love for Luck & JH, which can only help offset the anti-West Coast / non-HPSwLoAWELRATS (brobdingnagian Public School with Lots of Alums Whose Entire Lives Revolve Around Their School) bias, when it comes to making those bowl selections... though I doubt that the computers "love" us, as much as they favor us relative to polls, due to their objectivity (it still amazes me how much the coaches\' poll seems to be influenced by schools\' historical football reputations -- maybe because coaches only watch games played by their own teams and opponents?).

With respect to everyone\'s comments about the home crowd support at this game, I would desperately reiterate my belief that if we want to retain JH\'s services for the next 20+ years, we MUST make this the norm, so please do all you can to make every friend and neighbor you have a Stanford Football fan!  Selling out only when we have ND, an LA school or Da Bares in our house may not cut it for him.  Otherwise, I still believe that most Stanford fans and writers significantly underestimate our ability to make this his career destination.

[mark3k]

I think if we\'d won by 10, a few would have rushed, but not the horde.  The fans were celebrating the game and the gutty last drive, not (just) beating the Losers of the Trojan War.

 Spot-on!

Also concur whole-heartedly with Farm93\'s comment about the media love for Luck & JH, which can only help offset the anti-West Coast / non-HPSwLoAWELRATS (brobdingnagian Public School with Lots of Alums Whose Entire Lives Revolve Around Their School) bias, when it comes to making those bowl selections... though I doubt that the computers "love" us, as much as they favor us relative to polls, due to their objectivity (it still amazes me how much the coaches\' poll seems to be influenced by schools\' historical football reputations -- maybe because coaches only watch games played by their own teams and opponents?).

With respect to everyone\'s comments about the home crowd support at this game, I would desperately reiterate my belief that if we want to retain JH\'s services for the next 20+ years, we MUST make this the norm, so please do all you can to make every friend and neighbor you have a Stanford Football fan!  Selling out only when we have ND, an LA school or Da Bares in our house may not cut it for him.  Otherwise, I still believe that most Stanford fans and writers significantly underestimate our ability to make this his career destination.

[terry]

Don\'t worry .... I get it and don\'t really mind but after, as Dave puts it, the "Iron Curtain" came down I\'ve seen the Red Zone flood the field at least 9 times

I remember seeing the students celebrating on the field after the Big Game in 2007, the Oregon game in 2009, the Notre Dame game in 2009, and last Saturday\'s game against USC. Just curious, what were the other 5 games where the students went on the field?

[terry]

Don\'t worry .... I get it and don\'t really mind but after, as Dave puts it, the "Iron Curtain" came down I\'ve seen the Red Zone flood the field at least 9 times

I remember seeing the students celebrating on the field after the Big Game in 2007, the Oregon game in 2009, the Notre Dame game in 2009, and last Saturday\'s game against USC. Just curious, what were the other 5 games where the students went on the field?

[Leftcoast]

Hi Terry, trust you to reign me in!

Nine was probably an exaggeration but check me on this .... the Students in smaller numbers were also on the field after Washington last year and Arizona in 2008, no?

It\'s been happening after roughly half of Stanford\'s home wins since the new student location.  There really is no barrier (thank God) in the new stadium.  I understand the enthusiasm but, well, we\'re old enough to remember the chilling presence of police guards (in riot gear) and the Iron Curtain.  I\'d hate to see a backlash to those days.

I love the new student enthusiasm.  It\'s great to see Stanford stadium once again become the place-to-be on football Saturdays.  I applaud the students who have ditched that Stanford too-cool-to-care mentality and are excited about the opportunity to party with the players and the band.  

So if it appears I\'m on a soapbox, it\'s a paper thin one.  Just save it for the really big games (and I admit USC may have been one) and be careful to not let it get out of hand - particularly with the opposing team exiting the stadium through the fans.  I\'m sure if the administration ever decides to protect the field it will decrease the game experience.

[Leftcoast]

Hi Terry, trust you to reign me in!

Nine was probably an exaggeration but check me on this .... the Students in smaller numbers were also on the field after Washington last year and Arizona in 2008, no?

It\'s been happening after roughly half of Stanford\'s home wins since the new student location.  There really is no barrier (thank God) in the new stadium.  I understand the enthusiasm but, well, we\'re old enough to remember the chilling presence of police guards (in riot gear) and the Iron Curtain.  I\'d hate to see a backlash to those days.

I love the new student enthusiasm.  It\'s great to see Stanford stadium once again become the place-to-be on football Saturdays.  I applaud the students who have ditched that Stanford too-cool-to-care mentality and are excited about the opportunity to party with the players and the band.  

So if it appears I\'m on a soapbox, it\'s a paper thin one.  Just save it for the really big games (and I admit USC may have been one) and be careful to not let it get out of hand - particularly with the opposing team exiting the stadium through the fans.  I\'m sure if the administration ever decides to protect the field it will decrease the game experience.

[Farm93]

I don\'t think the problem is with the Stanford students.  The Stanford students run onto the field with joy and happiness on their minds.  They really do know the athletes on the team, and so they are eager to celebrate.  They are not tearing down goal posts or looking to taunt the opposing team.

The problem will be a reaction to that celebration.  Most visitors do not have students that travel.  Those with student sections are placing their students in the top tier, so it makes rushing the field unlikely.  USC students were clearly up high.  UCLA does not have a big number.  I think the C.a.l students were high and low.  So, just like in 1989 the start of the problem will be uncovered by our friends in blue shirts.

At that point the joy will end.  Some day, maybe some day soon, Stanford will crush C.a.l on the way to a major bowl game.  In my scenario the C.a.l team might be a 10 point underdog, and will get beat by 20+.  Despite a convincing win over an inferior opponent, the Stanford students will still storm the field.

That scenario would likely anger our red shirt hating friends, and then it will all turn ugly.  It is only a matter of time.   :(

[Farm93]

I don\'t think the problem is with the Stanford students.  The Stanford students run onto the field with joy and happiness on their minds.  They really do know the athletes on the team, and so they are eager to celebrate.  They are not tearing down goal posts or looking to taunt the opposing team.

The problem will be a reaction to that celebration.  Most visitors do not have students that travel.  Those with student sections are placing their students in the top tier, so it makes rushing the field unlikely.  USC students were clearly up high.  UCLA does not have a big number.  I think the C.a.l students were high and low.  So, just like in 1989 the start of the problem will be uncovered by our friends in blue shirts.

At that point the joy will end.  Some day, maybe some day soon, Stanford will crush C.a.l on the way to a major bowl game.  In my scenario the C.a.l team might be a 10 point underdog, and will get beat by 20+.  Despite a convincing win over an inferior opponent, the Stanford students will still storm the field.

That scenario would likely anger our red shirt hating friends, and then it will all turn ugly.  It is only a matter of time.   :(

[yvonne]

There\'s another group that regularly goes on the field: local high school kids. My friend\'s daughter has a friend who got her picture taken with Toby last year, and this year posted a picture of herself with Andrew Luck. That closeness from local school kids has to be good for future football marketing.

[yvonne]

There\'s another group that regularly goes on the field: local high school kids. My friend\'s daughter has a friend who got her picture taken with Toby last year, and this year posted a picture of herself with Andrew Luck. That closeness from local school kids has to be good for future football marketing.

[Leftcoast]

Good point, Yvonne.  

Not so long ago one of those local high school kids was Jim Harbaugh.

Garvin, the 2000\'s version starts with a rush of a sizable (say 200) students at the final whistle and then grows as other students and fans join the party in a more controlled manner.  After congratulating the team near mid-field the band (and it\'s post-game concert) pulls the crowd back to the Student corner of the field with some remaining to congratulate the players as they walk back toward the tunnel.   I wasn\'t around in the 70\'s but it sounds pretty similar to what you describe other than that initial surge.

If I were going to make a suggestion it would be to let the other team leave first and encourage the fans to stay in our third of the field.   None of the students probably even remember the 90\'s so I doubt they can conceive of opposing fans storming the field after a loss looking for fights.  We unfortunately can.

[Leftcoast]

Good point, Yvonne.  

Not so long ago one of those local high school kids was Jim Harbaugh.

Garvin, the 2000\'s version starts with a rush of a sizable (say 200) students at the final whistle and then grows as other students and fans join the party in a more controlled manner.  After congratulating the team near mid-field the band (and it\'s post-game concert) pulls the crowd back to the Student corner of the field with some remaining to congratulate the players as they walk back toward the tunnel.   I wasn\'t around in the 70\'s but it sounds pretty similar to what you describe other than that initial surge.

If I were going to make a suggestion it would be to let the other team leave first and encourage the fans to stay in our third of the field.   None of the students probably even remember the 90\'s so I doubt they can conceive of opposing fans storming the field after a loss looking for fights.  We unfortunately can.