(03-12-2018 05:59 PM)Black Diamond Reb Wrote:  

(03-12-2018 04:16 PM)eaglebeaver Wrote:  We MIGHT get a regional, we MIGHT NOT get a regional.

Over here boys .. A pool pump rescue could happen any second.

Actually, that would be much more likely than, say, OP winning anything...

(By the way Poo for brains, I haven't worked at my old hotel in years...I'm now Guest Services Manager at one of the area's top resorts....So, you're welcome for my autograph and advice on how to win friends and influence people, anytime you'd like)

Oh yeah....CONEY ISLAND CAFE RE-OPENED!!!!!!

(03-12-2018 07:22 PM)eaglebeaver Wrote:  Oh yeah....CONEY ISLAND CAFE RE-OPENED!!!!!!

Just in time for Toby's hamburger tax.

(03-12-2018 07:36 PM)Black Diamond Reb Wrote:  

(03-12-2018 07:22 PM)eaglebeaver Wrote:  Oh yeah....CONEY ISLAND CAFE RE-OPENED!!!!!!

Just in time for Toby's hamburger tax.

Now THAT'S a Good un

There are TWO conference opponents in the top 100 RPI in baseball. FAU is a surprising #5 which should help, but La Tech is the next at like #75. If we want to be an elite program we have to play and beat elite teams. Beating the crap out of a bunch sorry teams says nothing at the end of the year. Ofcourse rattling off 10+ wins in baseball is impressive no matter the opponent. Usually Rice wakes up around conference time, and ends up having a decent RPI, hopefully top 50. Top 50 wins or games played is mainly what is judged for RPI. Gotta beat FAU, Ole Miss

(03-12-2018 01:12 PM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  It’s going to be extremely tough for us to host. We play a mediocre at best OOC and our conference schedule is absolute garbage. Conference USA is #15 (!!) in league RPI right now. Conferences that low have a tough time putting multiple teams in the tourney, much less having a team that hosts.

The FAU series will probably be our lone shot at a decent RPI boost in league play. Maybe LaTech but I think they cool off some and that series is at home so not as much of a boost as a road/neutral weekend.

And after what happened last year, I’m not sure I want to host again for a few seasons.

When we went 5-6 in 11 games and lost a series to Old Dominion last year, you said 'guys, there is no way we are hosting'. I'm not calling you out I'm just saying anything is possible when you rattle off 15 wins in a row which this team is capable of doing in this conference. Even a win against a bad team gives you a few RPI points in most cases. Maybe I don't know a whole lot, but I know having 6k fans cheering you on fires the players up and makes them play better (most of the time, i.e. MSU). Hosting also builds excitement with your fan base. I think we broke our season ticket total by like 200 this year. What happens when hosting becomes the norm? 1.9k ST? 2k? 2.5k? All the sudden we have to renovate our stadium.

Well, you are right that I thought that our host chances were shot after ODU (though I don’t think the quote you gave was exactly what I said ). That was a pretty depressing weekend.

We should be able to win at least 22-23 in this conference. 23-25 is a reasonable expectation, I think. I don’t see many top 50 games on this schedule, but I didn’t last year either and we finished something like 11-6 vs T50. Louisiana Tech, Rice, and USA (combined 7-2) were able to sneak in late in the season which was huge for us.

Right now, I feel pretty good in saying that Ole Miss and South Alabama are top 50 teams. FAU (I know they’re way up there now, but that won’t last), LaTech, and State could go either way.

And I definitely agree with you about beating ****** teams and how it doesn’t meaning anything. That’s why I hate this whole “50 WINS!!!!!11111!!!11” thing that they’ve pushed. Means zilch when you end the year the way we did.

(03-12-2018 11:45 PM)Yu-Es-Em Wrote:  

(03-12-2018 01:12 PM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  It’s going to be extremely tough for us to host. We play a mediocre at best OOC and our conference schedule is absolute garbage. Conference USA is #15 (!!) in league RPI right now. Conferences that low have a tough time putting multiple teams in the tourney, much less having a team that hosts.

The FAU series will probably be our lone shot at a decent RPI boost in league play. Maybe LaTech but I think they cool off some and that series is at home so not as much of a boost as a road/neutral weekend.

And after what happened last year, I’m not sure I want to host again for a few seasons.

When we went 5-6 in 10 games...Maybe I don't know a whole lot...

Article from today's Hattiesburg American:

https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/stor...417471002/

a few excerpts:

Fifteen games into the 2018 campaign, Southern Miss is either on or ahead of last year’s pace. The 16th-ranked Golden Eagles swept Georgia Southern last week to improve to 11-4 — the same record the team had this time a year ago.

Southern Miss is averaging 8.6 runs per game, compared to a 7.8 clip in 2017. Home runs are down slightly (15 this year compared to 18 a year ago), but hits (155) and RBIs (117) are up. The Golden Eagles have struck out more but have also walked more (75) and grounded into fewer double plays (7).

The pitching staff — especially the bullpen — has had a few shaky moments 15 games into this season. Starting pitching, however, is vastly improved. Southern Miss starters’ earned run average at this time last season was 4.11, while this year’s mark currently sits at 3.47, having thrown just 2 fewer innings. Relief pitching’s ERA is 3.94 this season, compared to 2.35 over the first 15 games of 2017.

Overall, the team ERA was 3.36, almost a half-run better than this season (3.83). The pitching staff has struck out more opposing hitters (143) this year and walked fewer (39) than last season.

Rice beating TCU 7-0. Would be a very big win for the conference and RPI for Rice.

Tuesday CUSA results with RPI prior to Tuesday's games:

MT (219) at Austin Peay (55) - MT won
Charlotte (201) vs Wake Forest (92) - Charlotte won
FAU (6) host North Florida (230) - FAU won
Rice (105) host TCU (48) - Rice won
LT (76) at Arkansas Little Rock (131) - LT lost
UTSA (164) at Texas St (196) - UTSA lost
UAB (253) host Troy (17) - UAB lost
WKU (251) host EKU (258) - WKU lost

And Tulane (118 now) lost at home Tuesday night to UL Lafayette

#13 Vandy about to lose to Eastern Kentucky
#19 MSU about to lose to SELA

Wednesday 3/14 CUSA scores. RPI is from before Tuesday’s games:

FAU (6) host North Florida (230) - FAU won
FIU (149) vs Rutgers (121) (played in Port Charlotte, FL) - FIU lost
ODU (218) vs VMI (186) - ODU won
Rice (105) host Columbia (88) - Rice up big in bottom 8
USM (60) at Tulane (94) - USM won

Our RPI up to #34 !!

#10 Clemson loses to #24 NC St.
#22 Va loses to BC
#12 UL loses to Wake
#7 FSU loses to Notre Dame
#6 Tx Tech loses to Baylor
#19 MSU losses to #13 Vandy
#11 TCU loses to Minn
#8 Ole Ms losing to Tenn
#4 Kentucky losing to #5 Ark
#9 Tx AM losing to #15 Auburn

(03-16-2018 09:59 PM)Reggie Favre Wrote:  #10 Clemson loses to #24 NC St.
#22 Va loses to BC
#12 UL loses to Wake
#7 FSU loses to Notre Dame
#6 Tx Tech loses to Baylor
#19 MSU losses to #13 Vandy
#11 TCU loses to Minn
#8 Ole Ms losing to Tenn
#4 Kentucky losing to #5 Ark
#9 Tx AM losing to #15 Auburn

wow......maybe it's a good thingy we got rained out today.....

Garrett Crochet got the start for Tennessee tonight in Oxford. If you remember, he’s the guy from Ocean Springs that had originally signed with Jones but peaked late and got drafted (34th round). Then the D1 offers started coming in. Ended up signing with UTK. Would have been a huge get for us. Now he’s an SEC ace as a true freshman and throwing 93-94. Damn.

Friday 3/16 CUSA results with RPI from Friday morning

FIU (162) at Charlotte (186) - Charlotte won
Rice (106) at LT (63) - LT won
UAB (260) at Marshall (176) - UAB won
FAU (5) at ODU (191) - FAU won
UTSA (177) at USM (41) - rained out
MT (212) at WKU (264) - MT won

Tech sweeps Rice

(03-17-2018 07:29 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Tech sweeps Rice

Man, back in their glory days, Rice would only lose 2 or 3 conference games the entire season. This was back when CUSA was a good league, too. Now, they’re losing 3 conference games by mid-March.

(03-17-2018 07:33 PM)BeagleUSM Wrote:  

(03-17-2018 07:29 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Tech sweeps Rice

Man, back in their glory days, Rice would only lose 2 or 3 conference games the entire season. This was back when CUSA was a good league, too. Now, they’re losing 3 conference games by mid-March.

Graham really needs to retire