It’s a compelling story on several levels, starting with the fact that Stanford’s vision and rise to excellence in college football parallels and clashes with Oregon’s, once a year on the field, around the clock in recruiting, perception and prominence.
Stanford head coach David Shaw gave a talk at the TEDxStanford Conference in June. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, a movement for the exchange of ideas involving video and live speakers.
Shaw’s speech, entitled, “Can football change the world?” illuminates the way The Cardinal created an ambitious and specific vision to transform the football team from a 1-11 disaster in 2006 to a football power churning out number one draft picks with Engineering degrees.
It’s a remarkable story, and Shaw reveals himself to be an articulate, entertaining leader (showing some comic timing, with references to Jim Harbaugh, audaciousness and “Sharknado”) in this 11-minute address, which will increase both your understanding and respect for what they’re doing on the other side of the border, with a specific blueprint that’s a little different than the Nike-inspired revolution that continues in Eugene:
Hat tip: reader Zduck sent along this clip in the comments section, and it seemed so topical and relevant we elevated it to a post.
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