But this I conceived was to be the least of my misfortunes: for as human creatures are observed to be more cruel in proportion to their bulk, what could I expect but to be a morsel in the mouth of the first among these enormous barbarians that should happen to seize me?
~ Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels (1726)
The world of offensive linemen is no different than what Swift describes -- mountainous men whose size and strength exceeds comprehension. "These enormous barbarians" wreak havoc in the most violent cauldron in a most violent game, but they do so with an under appreciated athleticism that is just as impressive as the so-called "skill players" who normally handle the ball or chase after it. Considering their physical and intellectual gifts, Stanford offensive linemen are perhaps the most unique athletes in college football.
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