(05-07-2018 11:16 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(05-03-2018 04:40 PM)Kayjay Wrote:  I would want my AD to be the vocal leader among the AD's pushing the conference to improve ...

Most of the stated dissatisfaction with the conference seems to less about the other schools' programs and more that they are simply schools we would rather not be associated with. It's hard to see how that point would get much traction as a rallying cry for the other members.

Twenty years ago many schools probably said the same thing about Gonzaga as a fellow conference mate. Starting in 1999 they began to become a force in College Basketball and now few would complain if Rice was competing with the Zags in a solid conference. The long-term view is that CUSA needs to have highly competitive teams. If Marshall, Southern Miss and FIU became forces in Football, La Tech, UTEP, Western Ky and Middle Tennessee became regular NCAA hoops tournament contenders while Rice, Florida Atlantic and UTSA regularly make the baseball tournament, the dynamics of CUSA change and desire to disassociate with these schools diminishes, or should diminish.

I get the desire to be in a power 5 conference and Rice AD leadership should be working hard to try to find such an affiliation, but to not be leading the charge to push CUSA forward to becoming more competitive would be a strategic mistake for the athletic director.

Yeah, and I don't see that as a role traditionally fit for an AD. It's Karlgaard's job to improve Rice's lot. Judy McCloud is the one who's job it is to promote and elevate the conference. I don't think that she and her staff are doing a very good job, but they have very little to work with. Success in college athletics costs a lot of money, and everyone in this conference is strapped. Rice is the only school that could spend as much as it wanted on athletics...

Arguably, Rice athletics, at least in the "big 3" main sports, has finally reached a level that it might seem many affiliated with the University over the years, other than most who participate on this board, had hoped for. IMHO, this reflects extremely poorly on the University as a whole, was entirely unnecessary, and makes me more or less ambivalent to the University itself, although I still root for and hope for the athletic program as a Division I entity, regardless.

(05-10-2018 04:34 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Arguably, Rice athletics, at least in the "big 3" main sports, has finally reached a level that it might seem many affiliated with the University over the years, other than most who participate on this board, had hoped for. IMHO, this reflects extremely poorly on the University as a whole, was entirely unnecessary, and makes me more or less ambivalent to the University itself, although I still root for and hope for the athletic program as a Division I entity, regardless.

"Hoped for"? Except for that I agree but that term is more like facilitated by inaction through passive aggressive means. Death by gradual starvation is the same as directly pulling the plug.

(05-11-2018 07:42 AM)texowl2 Wrote:  

(05-10-2018 04:34 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Arguably, Rice athletics, at least in the "big 3" main sports, has finally reached a level that it might seem many affiliated with the University over the years, other than most who participate on this board, had hoped for. IMHO, this reflects extremely poorly on the University as a whole, was entirely unnecessary, and makes me more or less ambivalent to the University itself, although I still root for and hope for the athletic program as a Division I entity, regardless.

"Hoped for"? Except for that I agree but that term is more like facilitated by inaction through passive aggressive means. Death by gradual starvation is the same as directly pulling the plug.

In some ways worse and more cruel.

I long for the days of Bobby May.

(05-11-2018 08:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I long for the days of Bobby May.

as do I...he was at the game tonight with Lee Masterson...So glad we won the national championship on his 60th birthday...what a gift to a man that had the guts to hire a juco coach that had 13 players transfer to Rice and had a deep love for Rice University and what it once stood for...and when another school came knocking at the door, Bobby May put together a contract within 24 hours for Wayne and his staff and the development of the baseball facilities...

Wayne requested clarification on his contract situation on Feb. 20th, 2018 to David Leebron and Joey because Wayne was concerned about player/coaches morale...no response until April 11th....recorded...and Wayne was told his services were no longer warranted on April 11th. Incredibly mishandled. We're not bitter...Success is the best revenge...and the current athletic administration fears any further success of this rice baseball program under Wayne Graham as stated by some lo-level ad employee at Trauber last night...you people keep hurting yourselves...it would be comical if so many peoples' lives were not being impacted.

For Rice's honor....my ass

(05-12-2018 02:03 AM)skycatcher Wrote:  

(05-11-2018 08:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I long for the days of Bobby May.

as do I...he was at the game tonight with Lee Masterson...So glad we won the national championship on his 60th birthday...what a gift to a man that had the guts to hire a juco coach that had 13 players transfer to Rice and had a deep love for Rice University and what it once stood for...and when another school came knocking at the door, Bobby May put together a contract within 24 hours for Wayne and his staff and the development of the baseball facilities...

Wayne requested clarification on his contract situation on Feb. 20th, 2018 to David Leebron and Joey because Wayne was concerned about player/coaches morale...no response until April 11th....recorded...and Wayne was told his services were no longer warranted on April 11th. Incredibly mishandled. We're not bitter...Success is the best revenge...and the current athletic administration fears any further success of this rice baseball program under Wayne Graham as stated by some lo-level ad employee at Trauber last night...you people keep hurting yourselves...it would be comical if so many peoples' lives were not being impacted.

For Rice's honor....my ass

Really good athletic directors work hard to provide an atmosphere to make their coaches better....Look at the track record under Bobby May, Chris Del Conte and Rick Greenspan...coaches succeeded...what be happening under Joey? hmmmm.....Joey is all about the bot...chairman of the bot and that is why Lance Berkman will be hired...splash, no substance...and he'll work/play for free.

Was JK at the game. I saw Bobby there too - he still looks like he could compete in the hurdles at age 75.

(05-12-2018 05:35 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Was JK at the game.

Yes

Let's look at this from Joe's point of view. The people he has to keep satisfied are the large donors. That is important anywhere. DeLoss Dodds was flaming a-hole, but he knew how to keep the heavy hitters happy. If it's that important at Texas, it's even more important at Rice were the other revenue streams are microscopic or nonexistent. Let's assume, I think correctly, that the heavy hitters at Rice, or at least those who seem to have an opinion, want Lance Berkman as the next baseball coach. Wayne Graham doesn't, and I think that's more than an assumption. So you are Joe. What do you do? You can piss off the big donors and kill the athletic program, or you can dump on the most important person to Rice athletics since at least Jess Neely.

I think this accurately states the situation. If nothing else, it's an interesting hypothetical. Which do you choose?

If correct, and I think it is, then it also points to the extreme vulnerability of the program without multiple robust revenue streams.

(05-12-2018 02:03 AM)skycatcher Wrote:  

(05-11-2018 08:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I long for the days of Bobby May.

as do I...he was at the game tonight with Lee Masterson...So glad we won the national championship on his 60th birthday...what a gift to a man that had the guts to hire a juco coach that had 13 players transfer to Rice and had a deep love for Rice University and what it once stood for...and when another school came knocking at the door, Bobby May put together a contract within 24 hours for Wayne and his staff and the development of the baseball facilities...

Wayne requested clarification on his contract situation on Feb. 20th, 2018 to David Leebron and Joey because Wayne was concerned about player/coaches morale...no response until April 11th....recorded...and Wayne was told his services were no longer warranted on April 11th. Incredibly mishandled. We're not bitter...Success is the best revenge...and the current athletic administration fears any further success of this rice baseball program under Wayne Graham as stated by some lo-level ad employee at Trauber last night...you people keep hurting yourselves...it would be comical if so many peoples' lives were not being impacted.

For Rice's honor....my ass

Once again, this all sounds like sour grapes to me. You may not agree with the decision to not renew the contract of your husband. He has done a great job at Rice! A great job and Rice owes him a lot.. But, the program has been in decline for several years and times change. This happens to all of us! Best just to move on with class.

I'll give him a C+ since at the time the Graham situation appears to be a major botch. Let's see how Bloomgren plays out, can't call it a likely home run when he has 0 games as a HC.

(05-12-2018 12:17 PM)AggieOwl01 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 02:03 AM)skycatcher Wrote:  

(05-11-2018 08:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I long for the days of Bobby May.

as do I...he was at the game tonight with Lee Masterson...So glad we won the national championship on his 60th birthday...what a gift to a man that had the guts to hire a juco coach that had 13 players transfer to Rice and had a deep love for Rice University and what it once stood for...and when another school came knocking at the door, Bobby May put together a contract within 24 hours for Wayne and his staff and the development of the baseball facilities...

Wayne requested clarification on his contract situation on Feb. 20th, 2018 to David Leebron and Joey because Wayne was concerned about player/coaches morale...no response until April 11th....recorded...and Wayne was told his services were no longer warranted on April 11th. Incredibly mishandled. We're not bitter...Success is the best revenge...and the current athletic administration fears any further success of this rice baseball program under Wayne Graham as stated by some lo-level ad employee at Trauber last night...you people keep hurting yourselves...it would be comical if so many peoples' lives were not being impacted.

For Rice's honor....my ass

Once again, this all sounds like sour grapes to me. You may not agree with the decision to not renew the contract of your husband. He has done a great job at Rice! A great job and Rice owes him a lot.. But, the program has been in decline for several years and times change. This happens to all of us! Best just to move on with class.

again, I'm responding to the lies based on what I know to be fact...it's not about the lack of an extension. It's about the way he was strung along. He was told in June 2017 the contract would be revisited after the 2018 season. There was never an exit strategy presented to him - ever - until a very vague and awkward description on April 11th and no follow through.

There's also at least three other families impacted by this situation. No thought was given to them either....disgraceful.

There's a whole lot more I could add about "the decline." I'll save it for another day. I hope you hold Wayne's successor to the same standards Wayne established for this program.

For those of you offended by my posts and yet not by trolls like Richmond (whose lies I was largely responding to) - it's real simple - put me on ignore.

tell us more about the 'decline' - might as well get it all out.

(05-12-2018 03:18 PM)davidw Wrote:  tell us more about the 'decline' - might as well get it all out.

How about the Owls are in the B4 of their next to last home game with The OG as head coach and there is no thread?

Speaks volumes re the decline in interest.

Owls are down 4-1 BTW.

This is my second game all season... My first was A&M. Little league in both.

(05-12-2018 12:05 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Let's look at this from Joe's point of view. The people he has to keep satisfied are the large donors. That is important anywhere. DeLoss Dodds was flaming a-hole, but he knew how to keep the heavy hitters happy. If it's that important at Texas, it's even more important at Rice were the other revenue streams are microscopic or nonexistent. Let's assume, I think correctly, that the heavy hitters at Rice, or at least those who seem to have an opinion, want Lance Berkman as the next baseball coach. Wayne Graham doesn't, and I think that's more than an assumption. So you are Joe. What do you do? You can piss off the big donors and kill the athletic program, or you can dump on the most important person to Rice athletics since at least Jess Neely.

I think this accurately states the situation. If nothing else, it's an interesting hypothetical. Which do you choose?

If correct, and I think it is, then it also points to the extreme vulnerability of the program without multiple robust revenue streams.

I don't think you're correct. Yes, JK is focused on the very largest donors; not simply the broader pool of large donors. However, only one or two of them are Rice baseball supporters, and I know one of those two is strongly in support of Wayne, and was one of the signees to our letter. If he's listening to very large donors who are not baseball supporters about what to do with Rice baseball, that's pretty pathetic.

(05-12-2018 03:48 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 12:05 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Let's look at this from Joe's point of view. The people he has to keep satisfied are the large donors. That is important anywhere. DeLoss Dodds was flaming a-hole, but he knew how to keep the heavy hitters happy. If it's that important at Texas, it's even more important at Rice were the other revenue streams are microscopic or nonexistent. Let's assume, I think correctly, that the heavy hitters at Rice, or at least those who seem to have an opinion, want Lance Berkman as the next baseball coach. Wayne Graham doesn't, and I think that's more than an assumption. So you are Joe. What do you do? You can piss off the big donors and kill the athletic program, or you can dump on the most important person to Rice athletics since at least Jess Neely.
I think this accurately states the situation. If nothing else, it's an interesting hypothetical. Which do you choose?
If correct, and I think it is, then it also points to the extreme vulnerability of the program without multiple robust revenue streams.

I don't think you're correct. Yes, JK is focused on the very largest donors; not simply the broader pool of large donors. However, only one or two of them are Rice baseball supporters, and I know one of those two is strongly in support of Wayne, and was one of the signees to our letter. If he's listening to very large donors who are not baseball supporters about what to do with Rice baseball, that's pretty pathetic.

I think there is a real divide between the baseball supporters and the heavy hitters to the program as a whole. I don't think the baseball support group wants Wayne out, but I think there are some big donors to the program as a whole who want Lance.

(05-12-2018 03:56 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 03:48 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 12:05 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Let's look at this from Joe's point of view. The people he has to keep satisfied are the large donors. That is important anywhere. DeLoss Dodds was flaming a-hole, but he knew how to keep the heavy hitters happy. If it's that important at Texas, it's even more important at Rice were the other revenue streams are microscopic or nonexistent. Let's assume, I think correctly, that the heavy hitters at Rice, or at least those who seem to have an opinion, want Lance Berkman as the next baseball coach. Wayne Graham doesn't, and I think that's more than an assumption. So you are Joe. What do you do? You can piss off the big donors and kill the athletic program, or you can dump on the most important person to Rice athletics since at least Jess Neely.
I think this accurately states the situation. If nothing else, it's an interesting hypothetical. Which do you choose?
If correct, and I think it is, then it also points to the extreme vulnerability of the program without multiple robust revenue streams.

I don't think you're correct. Yes, JK is focused on the very largest donors; not simply the broader pool of large donors. However, only one or two of them are Rice baseball supporters, and I know one of those two is strongly in support of Wayne, and was one of the signees to our letter. If he's listening to very large donors who are not baseball supporters about what to do with Rice baseball, that's pretty pathetic.

I think there is a real divide between the baseball supporters and the heavy hitters to the program as a whole. I don't think the baseball support group wants Wayne out, but I think there are some big donors to the program as a whole who want Lance.

If by "program" you're referring to Rice baseball, there is only one big baseball program donor that I know of who wants Lance...and there are at least 2 big baseball program donors who are signees to our letter in support of Wayne.