(02-08-2014 03:59 PM)owlowlowl Wrote:  This is getting pathetic menssana/ricetennis ... who has the time or energy to constantly harp on every tiny happening of the team and try to drag someone thru the mud at every perceived opportunity? I hope you find some peace in your life.

Based on these comments arguably one could say that you find the status quo acceptable and any serious questioning of the direction of this team based on results and recruiting over the past two years is whining. If you take that standard to its logical conclusion then this board should be nothing more than an apologist forum for mediocre results. Look, I don’t have any dog in this fight, but it would be great to see Rice Mens tennis putting the pieces in place to be a top 30 team in the next year, or lets say two years. I don’t think that is asking too much, but it won’t happen unless the line-up gets more depth, and that won’t happen if you pen recruits like the one mid-season that has no results in juniors or pros. So what is the goal of this team and the strategy and time line to achieve it? That is a fair question.

(02-08-2014 12:52 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  I also find it curious that ricetennis/mens sana joined the Parliament within two hours of each other on January 16, 2011...

Curious indeed.

You've taken it as far as it will go here ... if you're truly concerned and not just out for personal attacks, go to the AD ... and why not have Efe in on the conversation as well. Maybe his point of view would shed some light on the recruiting situation.

to Houston Owl and d1owls.... I am clueless on the link you are trying to make. Deflect all you want but that does not change the current problems. I was only hoping my blogs would fuel some constructive debate...

While I agree that mens sana/tennis is/are a bit single minded and repetitive (I once counted the number of times he/they pointed out that we had to promote a player from the club team... I think it was nearly ten) is this really any different than the chorus of voices calling for Braun to be fired?

(02-08-2014 07:26 PM)chrisc Wrote:  While I agree that mens sana/tennis is/are a bit single minded and repetitive (I once counted the number of times he/they pointed out that we had to promote a player from the club team... I think it was nearly ten) is this really any different than the chorus of voices calling for Braun to be fired?

I agree with this, and I'm glad there are a couple (one?) people who actually care enough to post about Rice tennis here. It can't all be about baseball/football/basketball

Sorry to disappoint everyone but I am not also the user "Rice Tennis" so that makes more than one objective voice here questioning the direction of the team.

In fact, the only things repetitive here are the dual match losses including several to unranked programs. Rice Men's Tennis performance has gone from bad to worse, a result of mediocre recruiting for a top academic school with athletic scholarships. None of Rice's academic peers have this problem. For example - Notre Dame (6), UVA (10), Vanderbilt (14), Duke (17), Northwestern (23), and Stanford (52).

Rice never used to have this problem either...this is something I predicted but nobody listened.

I am not well schooled in the finances of Tennis (in the pro world) so I really can't speak to 'what we should do', though once again it seems that our academic reputation should give us a decided advantage here... at least over many... Tennis seems to be small enough in terms of traveling overhead that we should be able to schedule significant OOC matches in those events where our conference fails us... and of course, the clear indication that the women are getting it done, and I honestly don't see (unlike basketball) where men have a significant advantage over women financially in the pro tour... Of course, I know nothing about this... so please feel free to correct me.

I also don't know if this is the right coach or not... or if he is lacking in resources... but as I said... the women seem to be getting it done on whatever they get.

I'll let Dr K decide if it is the right person needing more time or not... but I see the women's success (admitting I may not know the nuances) as being a key way to measure performance.

Is there a reason I don't know about why the women might do well and the men, not... given the same resources and coaching?

(02-07-2014 10:45 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(02-07-2014 10:23 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  

(02-07-2014 08:21 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(01-24-2014 09:45 PM)mens sana Wrote:  If I were a gifted player, I would think twice before joining the Rice Team because the strength of schedule is so weak that I would have difficulty establishing myself as a top college player.

We understand that you are not happy with the men's tennis team. We all figured that out months ago. You made your point. But, in my opinion, you have crossed the line by openly trying to discourage any potential recruit from considering our program. Should you wish to make more specific points, perhaps you might privately contact our new athletic director.

I, for one, support Efe, and believe that he is the right man for the job. A little patience will pay huge dividends.

I find your remark somewhat defensive. Potential recruits don't read this blog, or if they did I would be very surprised. So you can't blame the inability for Rice's men's tennis to pen a top recruit on any comments made on this board. Excuses are just that, results are just that and facts are the facts. Top recruits look for teams with strong records, strong playing schedules and a solid line-up and that has nothing to do with what is said on this blog. Are we Waiting for Godot? Lets get real here.

Oh they don't? You know this for a fact?

He wasn't blaming comments like that for Rice Men's Tennis struggling. But they don't freaking help. Top recruits also look for top flight facilities, which we are about to have.

Look across the palm trees as Tudor Fieldhouse. Great facilities aren't going to solve everything.

Not specifically commenting on the tennis team or coaching as I don't know much about them. Just disagreeing with the "EZF/new facilities will solve our problems" mentality.

So "mens sana" & "ricetennis" ... what's your take on the Owls' pretty successful doubles performance in La Jolla this weekend?

I was surprised that neither of you chimed in with your insider insights ... unless, of course, you limit yourselves to the Johnny-one-note comments that we've seen so far.

(03-04-2014 03:48 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  So "mens sana" & "ricetennis" ... what's your take on the Owls' pretty successful doubles performance in La Jolla this weekend?

I was surprised that neither of you chimed in with your insider insights ... unless, of course, you limit yourselves to the Johnny-one-note comments that we've seen so far.

Pacific Doubles was a nice win but has nothing to do with the men's team, the strength of the line-up, the doubles teams, etc. The winning Rice duo included the assistant coach, a ringer so to speak, who had played professional tennis and had an ATP ranking in doubles. I was not going to say anything negative but you pushed the point directly at me. I would also be curious to know how many other 'college' teams had coaches as partner. So what is your point? Rice can win with a ringer? Rice men's tennis has become a shadow of its former self and taking an apologist position won't put things in the right direction. Clearly with a 2-9 record there is problem so lets deal with it rather than make excuses.

(03-05-2014 05:29 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  

(03-04-2014 03:48 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  So "mens sana" & "ricetennis" ... what's your take on the Owls' pretty successful doubles performance in La Jolla this weekend?

I was surprised that neither of you chimed in with your insider insights ... unless, of course, you limit yourselves to the Johnny-one-note comments that we've seen so far.

Pacific Doubles was a nice win but has nothing to do with the men's team, the strength of the line-up, the doubles teams, etc. The winning Rice duo included the assistant coach, a ringer so to speak, who had played professional tennis and had an ATP ranking in doubles. I was not going to say anything negative but you pushed the point directly at me. I would also be curious to know how many other teams had coaches as partner. So what is your point? Rice can win with a ringer? Rice men's tennis has become a shadow of its former self and taking an apologist position won't put things in the right direction. Clearly with a 2-9 record there is problem so lets deal with it rather than make excuses.

ouch

6-0, 5-0, 40 love? (if I remember my tennis scoring correctly)

sorry, couldn't resist. I have no opinion on the rest of the thread, but this post at least 'sounds' like insider insight.

(03-05-2014 05:57 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(03-05-2014 05:29 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  

(03-04-2014 03:48 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  So "mens sana" & "ricetennis" ... what's your take on the Owls' pretty successful doubles performance in La Jolla this weekend?

I was surprised that neither of you chimed in with your insider insights ... unless, of course, you limit yourselves to the Johnny-one-note comments that we've seen so far.

Pacific Doubles was a nice win but has nothing to do with the men's team, the strength of the line-up, the doubles teams, etc. The winning Rice duo included the assistant coach, a ringer so to speak, who had played professional tennis and had an ATP ranking in doubles. I was not going to say anything negative but you pushed the point directly at me. I would also be curious to know how many other teams had coaches as partner. So what is your point? Rice can win with a ringer? Rice men's tennis has become a shadow of its former self and taking an apologist position won't put things in the right direction. Clearly with a 2-9 record there is problem so lets deal with it rather than make excuses.

ouch

6-0, 5-0, 40 love? (if I remember my tennis scoring correctly)

sorry, couldn't resist. I have no opinion on the rest of the thread, but this post at least 'sounds' like insider insight.

So I have been following this thread for a while now and finally decided to make an account and post. The saga of mensana and ricetennis is an interesting one indeed if not potentially disturbing. Here are my observations.

1) They have literally said nothing positive about men's tennis at all and just dished on it.

2) They seem to post a lot after losses

3) They really don't post about the women's team

4) They have some degree of "insider knowledge"

5) They seem to have a visceral dislike of the Coach (Efe)

I have a (reasonably) well educated guess as to who they might be because I too have insider knowledge. They have revealed a fair bit in their posts and I feel comfortable perhaps making an educated guess about their identities. To me, they seem like disgruntled former players or friends/relatives thereof.

If this is right, then I have a guess as to who they may be (I'm not gonna say who just yet). I too have insider knowledge, perhaps not to the extent that ricetennis/mensana does if they in fact are former players/relatives thereof , but I have enough close contacts in the tennis team to know what's going on and what's going about.

But, I'm just trying to say that ricetennis/mensana should probably knock it off because I'm pretty sure I'm onto you.

FYI, men's team defeated 69th ranked San Diego State, 4-3 on Thursday.

(03-08-2014 10:16 AM)purpleduck Wrote:  I have enough close contacts in the tennis team to know what's going on and what's going about...

But, I'm just trying to say that ricetennis/mensana should probably knock it off because I'm pretty sure I'm onto you.

Excuse me, you think those posters should stop posting because ... you might know who they are?

Perhaps instead you could share with the board some of your insider knowledge so that we could have an actual argument about the state of men's tennis.

1. Seems like you are trying to deflect a productive conversation on the direction of men’s tennis by turning this into a personal attack against me. Maybe I have been a little rough, but results are results, and at least we may see the start of actual discussion. It’s hard not to talk about losses. The record is 3-9, let’s get real here. It’s been quite the losing streak. With such an abysmal loss record there needs to a discussion. I am not making things up here.
2. With San Diego State, it’s nice to finally see a win, but you need to get your research correct. The team is unranked, and it was tight win, but it is something to build on. (Rice lost 1-6 vs. #68 Univ San Diego)
3. I do not have as you put it a “visceral dislike” for “Efe Ustundag”. Actually, I think he is a really nice guy and makes a lot of really positive comments. But that is a separate matter than his record on recruiting the depth of recruits to position this team into the top 35 like traditionally in the past. I am not talking about a top 20 team, that’s a ways off with the current line-up.
4. I was not going to say anything negative on the Pacific Coast Doubles tourney win but after that negative comment directed squarely at me, I felt I had to explain my take.
5. When Ustundag took over he should have focused on bringing in a top 50 ITF junior or top 25 USTA player with 100% scholarship to play line one. He had the funds to do that, and that would have made it easier to bring in other strong players. Also, even with the current line-up, if such a player could be recruited, it would change the whole dynamic of the team. But don’t think Ustundag has the scholarship money available now, and a top player would not join an unranked team unless you could offer a carrot of 100% since most of these top guys get 80% anyway even at top programs.
6. When the program was in transition, I suggested bringing in an outsider, a game-changer for a new coach, who would immediately bring in top recruits, but that is the past. And I don’t Ustundag's job is in jeopardy at all as I don’t think having a top men’s tennis is a top priority for the athletic department, so I think he has a lot of time, but he has to some of the pieces in place.
7. The only disgruntled comments I heard coming from any player was from a coach who commented that a foreign transfer to Rice complained to his teammates in Florida about the Rice program, but he had a losing record here, so that was probably just sour grapes.

(03-13-2014 12:06 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  2. With San Diego State, it’s nice to finally see a win, but you need to get your research correct. The team is unranked, and it was tight win, but it is something to build on. (Rice lost 1-6 vs. #68 Univ San Diego)

My "research" was correct. At the time Rice played San Diego State, they were ranked.
http://www.itatennis.com/AwardsAndRankin...arch_4.htm

(03-13-2014 12:54 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 12:06 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  2. With San Diego State, it’s nice to finally see a win, but you need to get your research correct. The team is unranked, and it was tight win, but it is something to build on. (Rice lost 1-6 vs. #68 Univ San Diego)

My "research" was correct. At the time Rice played San Diego State, they were ranked.
http://www.itatennis.com/AwardsAndRankin...arch_4.htm

With all due respect.. we are both correct. I had looked at the most recent rankings - 3/11 and San Diego State was unranked.
http://www.itatennis.com/AwardsAndRankin...rch_11.htm

Anyway, good to see a win and snap the streak but it's also team that is off the radar. I will ask a simple question to those of you who say you are insiders, what is the strategy going forward? I don't think that question is unreasonable with a 3-9 record.

(03-13-2014 10:09 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 12:54 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 12:06 PM)ricetennis Wrote:  2. With San Diego State, it’s nice to finally see a win, but you need to get your research correct. The team is unranked, and it was tight win, but it is something to build on. (Rice lost 1-6 vs. #68 Univ San Diego)

My "research" was correct. At the time Rice played San Diego State, they were ranked.
http://www.itatennis.com/AwardsAndRankin...arch_4.htm

With all due respect.. we are both correct. I had looked at the most recent rankings - 3/11 and San Diego State was unranked.
http://www.itatennis.com/AwardsAndRankin...rch_11.htm

Anyway, good to see a win and snap the streak but it's also team that is off the radar. I will ask a simple question to those of you who say you are insiders, what is the strategy going forward? I don't think that question is unreasonable with a 3-9 record.

Rankings not relative since we are talking about unranked teams (right?) and even if they were ranked they would not be ranked better than 25 or less so who really cares. Point is at a college like Rice if you are going to give away scholarship money it needs to count at some level; otherwise you are giving away a position at the school that could go to another person who is academically very well qualified.