Humerous to RG, or humerous to a Muslim from Egypt or Iran? Because I imagine those are two different things. One man's outright racism is another man's buffoonery. You don't make humerous racial, religious, sexist, or any other comments in this day and age, and that is especially true when you are in a leadership position and even more true when many of the people in your organization are much younger than you.

(I realize you might not have been defending him or the circumstances, I am just making the point that while the circumstances might absolve how I feel about him personally, they don't affect what I think about him professionally, you just can't do that kind of thing and you should know better).

And it could have gone beyond "only big man left," as Oraby was supposedly his best friend and roommate. No source, just me speculating.

(06-30-2013 12:07 PM)mrbig Wrote:  Humerous to RG, or humerous to a Muslim from Egypt or Iran? Because I imagine those are two different things. One man's outright racism is another man's buffoonery. You don't make humerous racial, religious, sexist, or any other comments in this day and age, and that is especially true when you are in a leadership position and even more true when many of the people in your organization are much younger than you.

(I realize you might not have been defending him or the circumstances, I am just making the point that while the circumstances might absolve how I feel about him personally, they don't affect what I think about him professionally, you just can't do that kind of thing and you should know better).

And it could have gone beyond "only big man left," as Oraby was supposedly his best friend and roommate. No source, just me speculating.

And beyond that, there had been some ugly, ugly taunting at road games. If a guy who's supposed to have your back (RG) is pulling the same crap, I can see wanting to get out.

I can also see where it may have been a cynical move to get off a sinking ship. My guess, though, it that Arsalan never thought the allegations would get out. Wasn't that all sealed? Where did SI get its information about what was alleged in Arsalan's waiver request? One guess - Morcos shephered Arsalan through the process, and then leaked the allegations to SI to bolster his suit.

Bottom line, if RG did say that stuff and didn't get fired, we deserved the embarrassment and shame. If he didn't say it, then he and the university have been unfairly maligned and Arsalan and whoever leaked the misinfo are bad people. I don't know where the truth lies, and probably never will.

Most of the people on this board saying that they heard things are pretty well connected. Despite the fact that none of them are really RG fans, I also trust that they wouldn't resort to baseless rumor-mongering against RG. Therefore, I believe 99.99% that RG said at least a few things to/about the middle-eastern players. RG's motivations don't matter a whit to me, especially with the things I do know from talking to folks about the football situation. Good riddance, if people affected by RG feeling like further muddying his "character," I am fine with it, because he brought it on himself.

It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

You obviously have no clue what actually transpired, nor do you have an inkling of how much AK loved Rice, and how well he represented the University while he was here as a student-athlete...and he still plans to get his degree from Rice. The kid gave his heart and soul to the basketball program for 3 years, and he had every intention of finishing his eligibility as a Rice Owl. No one is making excuses for him. However, the ill-will that you and several others spout his way is, IMO, totally uncalled for and woefully out of line.

(06-30-2013 07:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

You obviously have no clue what actually transpired, nor do you have an inkling of how much AK loved Rice, and how well he represented the University while he was here as a student-athlete...and he still plans to get his degree from Rice. The kid gave his heart and soul to the basketball program for 3 years, and he had every intention of finishing his eligibility as a Rice Owl. No one is making excuses for him. However, the ill-will that you and several others spout his way is, IMO, totally uncalled for and woefully out of line.

I have every clue about what actually transpired, but you are correct, I have no idea about how much AK loved Rice University, though I can definitely draw my own conclusions about that love based on the way he slunk out of here. Apparently he didn't love good ole Rice U THAT MUCH. Everybody who plays on scholarship gives their heart and soul to a program....and some walk ons do too. I have no interest in what his INTENTIONS were. He did NOT follow through with them.
Of course he wants to graduate from Rice!!!! Would you choose a degree from Oregon over Rice?? Yea, exactly. No one would.
He left to further his own agenda, and the repercussions at Rice were the least of his concern.
The End.

(06-30-2013 07:26 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

You obviously have no clue what actually transpired, nor do you have an inkling of how much AK loved Rice, and how well he represented the University while he was here as a student-athlete...and he still plans to get his degree from Rice. The kid gave his heart and soul to the basketball program for 3 years, and he had every intention of finishing his eligibility as a Rice Owl. No one is making excuses for him. However, the ill-will that you and several others spout his way is, IMO, totally uncalled for and woefully out of line.

I have every clue about what actually transpired, but you are correct, I have no idea about how much AK loved Rice University, though I can definitely draw my own conclusions about that love based on the way he slunk out of here. Apparently he didn't love good ole Rice U THAT MUCH. Everybody who plays on scholarship gives their heart and soul to a program....and some walk ons do too. I have no interest in what his INTENTIONS were. He did NOT follow through with them.
Of course he wants to graduate from Rice!!!! Would you choose a degree from Oregon over Rice?? Yea, exactly. No one would.
He left to further his own agenda, and the repercussions at Rice were the least of his concern.
The End.

And what exactly were the repercussions at Rice? The basketball team was already gutted. Even had he stayed, it's highly unlikely we would have won more than 3 - 4 more games maximum. And don't even try to place blame on him for the racial discrimination charges leveled against RG. You have "no interest in what his intentions were", but you're passing judging on why and how he left. Very big of you.

(06-30-2013 07:34 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:26 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

You obviously have no clue what actually transpired, nor do you have an inkling of how much AK loved Rice, and how well he represented the University while he was here as a student-athlete...and he still plans to get his degree from Rice. The kid gave his heart and soul to the basketball program for 3 years, and he had every intention of finishing his eligibility as a Rice Owl. No one is making excuses for him. However, the ill-will that you and several others spout his way is, IMO, totally uncalled for and woefully out of line.

I have every clue about what actually transpired, but you are correct, I have no idea about how much AK loved Rice University, though I can definitely draw my own conclusions about that love based on the way he slunk out of here. Apparently he didn't love good ole Rice U THAT MUCH. Everybody who plays on scholarship gives their heart and soul to a program....and some walk ons do too. I have no interest in what his INTENTIONS were. He did NOT follow through with them.
Of course he wants to graduate from Rice!!!! Would you choose a degree from Oregon over Rice?? Yea, exactly. No one would.
He left to further his own agenda, and the repercussions at Rice were the least of his concern.
The End.

And what exactly were the repercussions at Rice? The basketball team was already gutted. Even had he stayed, it's highly unlikely we would have won more than 3 - 4 more games maximum. And don't even try to place blame on him for the racial discrimination charges leveled against RG. You have "no interest in what his intentions were", but you're passing judging on why and how he left. Very big of you.

Look, I don't know if this guy is your buddy or what, but not all the rest of us have the opportunity to be best friends with these guys. You're trying to defend your friend and that's fine, God Bless America and all that. I do not forgive so easily, and maybe I have the ability to judge this situation more objectively than you because AK and I aren't pals.
I resent AK for what he did...no one else. AK should know that if your feelings get hurt, you man up and get past it, which I'm sure he could have done if he wanted to, he seemed a pretty tough guy. But he took the easy way out.
How am I placing blame on him for the racist charges against RG? I never said that, and I have no doubt RG said what is alleged, albeit not in the tone or attitude depicted. AK took his opportunity and ran with it, and he screwed Rice over in the process. If you can't admit that, then your judgement is clouded by your personal feelings for AK.

(06-30-2013 07:54 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:34 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:26 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

You obviously have no clue what actually transpired, nor do you have an inkling of how much AK loved Rice, and how well he represented the University while he was here as a student-athlete...and he still plans to get his degree from Rice. The kid gave his heart and soul to the basketball program for 3 years, and he had every intention of finishing his eligibility as a Rice Owl. No one is making excuses for him. However, the ill-will that you and several others spout his way is, IMO, totally uncalled for and woefully out of line.

I have every clue about what actually transpired, but you are correct, I have no idea about how much AK loved Rice University, though I can definitely draw my own conclusions about that love based on the way he slunk out of here. Apparently he didn't love good ole Rice U THAT MUCH. Everybody who plays on scholarship gives their heart and soul to a program....and some walk ons do too. I have no interest in what his INTENTIONS were. He did NOT follow through with them.
Of course he wants to graduate from Rice!!!! Would you choose a degree from Oregon over Rice?? Yea, exactly. No one would.
He left to further his own agenda, and the repercussions at Rice were the least of his concern.
The End.

And what exactly were the repercussions at Rice? The basketball team was already gutted. Even had he stayed, it's highly unlikely we would have won more than 3 - 4 more games maximum. And don't even try to place blame on him for the racial discrimination charges leveled against RG. You have "no interest in what his intentions were", but you're passing judging on why and how he left. Very big of you.

Look, I don't know if this guy is your buddy or what, but not all the rest of us have the opportunity to be best friends with these guys. You're trying to defend your friend and that's fine, God Bless America and all that. I do not forgive so easily, and maybe I have the ability to judge this situation more objectively than you because AK and I aren't pals.
I resent AK for what he did...no one else. AK should know that if your feelings get hurt, you man up and get past it, which I'm sure he could have done if he wanted to, he seemed a pretty tough guy. But he took the easy way out.
How am I placing blame on him for the racist charges against RG? I never said that, and I have no doubt RG said what is alleged, albeit not in the tone or attitude depicted. AK took his opportunity and ran with it, and he screwed Rice over in the process. If you can't admit that, then your judgement is clouded by your personal feelings for AK.

1. I have no personal feelings for AK. I have never met him, and spoke to him only once over the telephone (when he called to thank me for my OwlClub gift a couple years back).

2. I fail to see how you're judging the situation objectively, based on your comments in the previous posts. From my perspective as a very active and long-standing alum, given what I know to be the circumstances (from multiple, collaborating, reputable inside sources), I fail to see what he did to hurt or disparage the University. To the contrary, he was left with few options but to leave the University he loved. And, please-- don't give me this crap about every scholarship student-athlete gives his heart and soul to the program. That is so far from the truth as to be laughable.

(06-30-2013 08:02 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:54 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:34 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:26 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  You obviously have no clue what actually transpired, nor do you have an inkling of how much AK loved Rice, and how well he represented the University while he was here as a student-athlete...and he still plans to get his degree from Rice. The kid gave his heart and soul to the basketball program for 3 years, and he had every intention of finishing his eligibility as a Rice Owl. No one is making excuses for him. However, the ill-will that you and several others spout his way is, IMO, totally uncalled for and woefully out of line.

I have every clue about what actually transpired, but you are correct, I have no idea about how much AK loved Rice University, though I can definitely draw my own conclusions about that love based on the way he slunk out of here. Apparently he didn't love good ole Rice U THAT MUCH. Everybody who plays on scholarship gives their heart and soul to a program....and some walk ons do too. I have no interest in what his INTENTIONS were. He did NOT follow through with them.
Of course he wants to graduate from Rice!!!! Would you choose a degree from Oregon over Rice?? Yea, exactly. No one would.
He left to further his own agenda, and the repercussions at Rice were the least of his concern.
The End.

And what exactly were the repercussions at Rice? The basketball team was already gutted. Even had he stayed, it's highly unlikely we would have won more than 3 - 4 more games maximum. And don't even try to place blame on him for the racial discrimination charges leveled against RG. You have "no interest in what his intentions were", but you're passing judging on why and how he left. Very big of you.

Look, I don't know if this guy is your buddy or what, but not all the rest of us have the opportunity to be best friends with these guys. You're trying to defend your friend and that's fine, God Bless America and all that. I do not forgive so easily, and maybe I have the ability to judge this situation more objectively than you because AK and I aren't pals.
I resent AK for what he did...no one else. AK should know that if your feelings get hurt, you man up and get past it, which I'm sure he could have done if he wanted to, he seemed a pretty tough guy. But he took the easy way out.
How am I placing blame on him for the racist charges against RG? I never said that, and I have no doubt RG said what is alleged, albeit not in the tone or attitude depicted. AK took his opportunity and ran with it, and he screwed Rice over in the process. If you can't admit that, then your judgement is clouded by your personal feelings for AK.

1. I have no personal feelings for AK. I have never met him, and spoke to him only once over the telephone (when he called to thank me for my OwlClub gift a couple years back).

2. I fail to see how you're judging the situation objectively, based on your comments in the previous posts. From my perspective as a very active and long-standing alum, given what I know to be the circumstances (from multiple, collaborating, reputable inside sources), I fail to see what he did to hurt or disparage the University. To the contrary, he was left with few options but to leave the University he loved. And, please-- don't give me this crap about every scholarship student-athlete gives his heart and soul to the program. That is so far from the truth as to be laughable.

One question: why was one of his "few" options to leave? How exactly was he forced out? His feelings were so hurt that he had to leave Rice University, the place that he SO LOVED, because one idiot made stupid and insulting remarks toward him? I never would have finished anything I started in my life if this was the only answer to that situation. Again, I say, MAN UP.

I guess we could get into a wonderful discussion on the definition of "heart and soul" and all things in spirit, but something tells me you and I wouldn't agree on that either. I think those 4 or 5 souls (on scholarship) that stayed with our basketball program during last years debacle of a season might qualify for the "heart and soul" classification.
The guy who deserted them?? ...ehhh not so much.

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

I hardly see how Kazemi leaving a year earlier would have been any better for Rice.

He didn't really waste a scholarship. The team was below the limit before he transferred, which means they already had scholarships to give. Obviously Braun didn't think any of the available recruits were worth a slot.

Speculate all you want, but I will never pretend to know the thought process behind his decision to transfer. It's easy to trivialize it to "hurt feelings" when you aren't the one who actually had to put up with it. What matters to me is that Rice chose to hire a known buffoon for AD and a known sleazebag for assistant coach. Kazemi's transfer and the affiliated publicity is just part of the price for at least one of those decisions.

(06-30-2013 08:43 PM)Gravy Owl Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:14 PM)tramile12 Wrote:  It amazes me that people actually support the fact that this guy transferred. He left because he saw the team was gutted, his roommate was leaving, and MOST IMPORTANTLY because he saw an opportunity to play immediately if he were to use this story about racism. If he was so offended by RG, he would have left a year before....or at least at the end of the 2012 school year. Instead, he screws Rice around and wastes a scholarship, starts the 2013 academic school year, and THEN leaves. Absolute BULL CRAP.
I empathize with him about as far as I can throw him....good riddance and good bye, and please certain Parliament members, stop making excuses for his ungentlemanly behavior.

And, the Wizards suck.

I hardly see how Kazemi leaving a year earlier would have been any better for Rice.

He didn't really waste a scholarship. The team was below the limit before he transferred, which means they already had scholarships to give. Obviously Braun didn't think any of the available recruits were worth a slot.

Speculate all you want, but I will never pretend to know the thought process behind his decision to transfer. It's easy to trivialize it to "hurt feelings" when you aren't the one who actually had to put up with it. What matters to me is that Rice chose to hire a known buffoon for AD and a known sleazebag for assistant coach. Kazemi's transfer and the affiliated publicity is just part of the price for at least one of those decisions.

I agree with most of what you say here. But if he had left earlier, as well as Oraby (2 wasted scholarships), I have no doubt we would have pushed harder to bring in one or two more recruits in the time period from May 2012 through the start of the school year. Yes, it definitely would have mattered.
Absolutely our own fault for hiring that buffoon RG in the first place. Spot on. Having said that, Kazemi (and Oraby for that matter) are not blameless innocents in this mess. They put themselves above everyone else, and used some questionable tactics with the NCAA in order to play immediately. The are guilty as well.