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Vlad Belo: "Stanford" for journalistic integrity. We can mock them in other ways. And I've grown tired of the "u" because it feels as sophomoric as their use of "K" for "Kal."
I kind of like calling them LSJU.
Vincent S: I don't know if I'm allowed to take part in this debate anymore.
I did use LSJU a bit, though.
Berkelium97: I agree with Vlad that spelling it "stanfurd" is rather juvenile and uncreative, and I try to avoid it when writing articles for the site. Instead I like to emphasize the Junior in Leland Stanford JUNIOR University because it seems to rustle their jimmies. I'm also fond of calling them the Lobsterbacks, as Coach Garrett Cochran did in his famous pre-game speech before the 1898 Big Game:
"Boys, this is the opportunity of your lives. A grander opportunity to immortalize your names, stamp them indelibly upon the pages of the history of your university, has never been given you. For eight long years have those lobster backs made you bite the dust. It is your turn now. Make them bite and bite hard. Play, every one of you until you drop in your tracks; and when you can’t play any longer, we’ll put another man in your place. If you are repulsed once, come at them again, harder. Just think what it means! Here are twenty thousand people to watch you! Some of you have mothers and fathers and sisters here today. Yes, boys, some of you have sweethearts here, who are wishing and praying that you may win. Play, fellows, play for their sakes. Let your motto be, 'Hit ‘em again, harder, harder.'"
"Boys, this is the opportunity of your lives. A grander opportunity to immortalize your names, stamp them indelibly upon the pages of the history of your university, has never been given you. For eight long years have those lobster backs made you bite the dust. It is your turn now. Make them bite and bite hard. Play, every one of you until you drop in your tracks; and when you can’t play any longer, we’ll put another man in your place. If you are repulsed once, come at them again, harder. Just think what it means! Here are twenty thousand people to watch you! Some of you have mothers and fathers and sisters here today. Yes, boys, some of you have sweethearts here, who are wishing and praying that you may win. Play, fellows, play for their sakes. Let your motto be, 'Hit ‘em again, harder, harder.'"
The Lobsterbacks moniker has historical significance and has a nice, patriotic connotation.
Ruey Yen: I have started to shy away from "Stanfurd" but due to the character restrictions for our teaser title and/or tweets, I do often have to use the abbreviation of "Furd" for the Junior University in The Farm.
boomtho: I use furd but I honestly couldn't say why, and after reading all the responses, it does seem juvenile and not all that funny. I think I will stop using it and, like Berkelium97, focus on the JUNIOR angle. What a great New Year's resolution for 2015!
Vincent S: It always amuses me that the announcer for the band emphasizes a very long pause between "Leland Stanford Junior" and "University Marching Band." Does this mean it's been an issue?
Vlad Belo: There is nothing about the LSJU band that amuses me.
TwistNHook: I find all of those names inane. Like furd or toejams or fUCLA or whatever. I find uclol funny sometimes, because it is somewhat more recent. But it all generally seems extremely uncreative.
Stanford calls us Kal, which makes no sense. Maybe they love Kumar!
LeonPowe: I spell it Furd because I'm an easily cowed trend follower who participated in crowds due to lack of original thought.
I do find it childish, but I continue because I'm childish and juvenile.
TwistNHook: As a coda, I will (at all times!) accept the moniker Stanfeit in honor of their rugby team.
LeonPowe: A man's got to have a coda.
Leland Wong: Well, I guess I'm one of the few people here who's immature enough to use "Stanfurd" and "Furd." Do I think it's particularly mature or witty? Certainly not. If I'm looking for creative and funny shots against Stanfurd, then I'll turn to the one and only Blogger Throwdown Champion in the history of the world, Scott Chong. I'm not smart enough to come up with anything on my own. However, "Stanfurd" is tradition for the Golden Bears and tradition is one of the defining characteristics of college athletics.
Tradition should be held in the highest regard in the California-Stanfurd rivalry especially. Not only is it the eighth–most played game in all of college football—and thus rich with history—but most (of the few) Stanfurd fans have come around recently and have no grasp of tradition or history. I see that as all the more reason to make sure one of the fanbases in this rivalry understands its history and significance.