(10-04-2015 01:04 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-04-2015 12:39 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  I agree with the disagreement. While schools like Stanford have enough other sports to allow them to lower the bar enough in football and basketball to let in more marginal students, Rice is way too small to do this, and we have enough problems already. Much as I want to win and dominate, I want the kids to be able to read, spell, speak and think. Many "schools" don't even require that minimum standard.

We have been able to recruit good student athletes, and there are more out there. I think the right coaches in each sport can get their share--there's enough out there to choose from, they are just going to Duke, Stanford, etc... over us right now. I think Rhoades is doing well, and after improving this year will have an even better story to sell as he should be able to get the RPI high enough to schedule more schools these kids want to play against. In that way, basketball is easier to turn around than football.

Whoa... How did we jump to not being able to read? I'm assuming since he was recruited by Rhoades he has decent HS academics and maybe just didn't get the test scores he needed for Rice. If that's the case I'll be interested to see where he ends up. I have a hard time imagining not passing sports management classes if he has decent HS grades and is willing to work...

Let's remember he would have been our highest rated basketball recruit of at least the last decade BY FAR, maybe ever. On top of that he committed super early and clearly wanted to be at Rice. It's a shame it won't work out.

Apologies, cr11owl, I was talking more in general, not specifically about Hall, whom I don't know much about as far as his particular academics and situation more than what I read on this board. I'm sure he's a decent guy, because Rhoades has not struck me as wanting to bring in creeps to Rice--I don't think that mentality fits his system. He seems to want smart players who can quickly adjust and adapt, and use their brains to overcome their physical disadvantages against superior teams. He seems to be a very good fit for Rice.