There have been rumors about Obi's transfer for two or three weeks. Washington has been trying to transfer for over a year but couldn't find an acceptable (to him) place to land. Read what you will into that fact. I wish them well.

On another note, I spoke with the father of a player who was at ASU with our incoming associate head coach. The son's opinion was that Pera is an "exceptional" coach and really treated all of the players very well. He couldn't have been more positive.

(03-28-2014 08:27 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  When Tamir and arsalan were juniors, we had some big game towards the end of the season and when the players came out of the locker room, you could see their disappointment in the noncrowd. That team coulda built excitement for the future but the lack of marketing in the last 10 years has just been a disaster.

I was at several of these games, one of maybe 100 people (or less) in the stands. The team came over and high fived the few people sitting behind the basket after we beat Memphis - I can imagine it was disappointing that there were so few of us there to watch.

That said, most people aren't like you, me or the rest of us on Parliament. The vast majority will not watch a 10 win team day or even follow them. Coach Rhoades needs to make his recruits understand that they need to make the first step, they need to step it up and play good ball and only then people will come.

I also agree that the marketing has been abysmal. Still, the performance and W's need to come first. When I am in Houston I usually try to get friends to go to the games with me - no one wants to go. Granted this is a small sample size, but if I cannot "market" a MBB game to my close friends, then I do not think marketing will help bring in droves of fans without marked improvement in the team's performance.

Having said all of this, I plan on making an extra effort this season to come to MBB games. This is a rebuilding year with a new coach and I feel that giving as much support as possible will help start the new era on the right foot.

(03-29-2014 10:11 AM)Houston Owl Wrote:  There have been rumors about Obi's transfer for two or three weeks. Washington has been trying to transfer for over a year but couldn't find an acceptable (to him) place to land. Read what you will into that fact. I wish them well.

On another note, I spoke with the father of a player who was at ASU with our incoming associate head coach. The son's opinion was that Pera is an "exceptional" coach and really treated all of the players very well. He couldn't have been more positive.

2nd paragraph...more good news...thanks for the info.

At least Obi didn't say he was transferring to be closer to home.

one area where I expect Rhoads to have an impact is in student body enthusiasm. His mindset and style of play should be infectious.

It might be too gimmicky, but given our roster situation, I wonder if there might a hoops equivalent to the 12th man, whereby he holds walk on tryouts and selects the best player from every residential college, and the five colleges with the best attendance at games get their 5 guys to be the ceremonial starting 5, or to be a 5 that plays a single possession just before a media timeout.

I believe that an energetic and engaged student body is as important to selling basketball tickets as is the product on the floor.

Seems to me that over the years, a lot of Rice "fans" have turned into bandwagon fans - they will come out only when or perhaps after the team (any sport) has started winning, or playing a certain offense, or playing certain opponents, or attracting other people, or otherwise meeting some requirement put up by the fan. I do not understand this attitude, but you see it here when people threaten to withhold support and attendance until they get X. I am not sure if this was always the case or if it is new, but it is an attitude that I just can't get on board with.

I cannot say my own attendance has been exemplary, but it is not because the teams are failing to meet my standards - it is because of developments in my life.

Maybe the bandwagon fans will get Rhoades' wagon, and stay there. I hope so.

(03-29-2014 12:02 PM)MemOwl Wrote:  one area where I expect Rhoads to have an impact is in student body enthusiasm. His mindset and style of play should be infectious.

It might be too gimmicky, but given our roster situation, I wonder if there might a hoops equivalent to the 12th man, whereby he holds walk on tryouts and selects the best player from every residential college, and the five colleges with the best attendance at games get their 5 guys to be the ceremonial starting 5, or to be a 5 that plays a single possession just before a media timeout.

I believe that an energetic and engaged student body is as important to selling basketball tickets as is the product on the floor.

Hell, forget the colleges; how bout a ceremonial starting 5 from the Parliament?? I wanna see GoodOwl, Wiessman, and bukey run a 3-man weave. Say yes, Coach!

(03-29-2014 10:19 AM)Antarius Wrote:  [quote='texowl2' pid='10612223' dateline='1396056421']
When Tamir and arsalan were juniors, we had some big game towards the end of the season and when the players came out of the locker room, you could see their disappointment in the noncrowd. That team coulda built excitement for the future but the lack of marketing in the last 10 years has just been a disaster.

I was at several of these games, one of maybe 100 people (or less) in the stands. The team came over and high fived the few people sitting behind the basket after we beat Memphis - I can imagine it was disappointing that there were so few of us there to watch.

Here's an idea -- Why not get a before and after shot of the east or west stands at one of those 100 attendance games and compare to the same shot 1-2-3 years later to see if progress is being made?

Hopefully we can capture a shot like the Owl - Herd FB victory with players jumping into the arms of long-suffering fans.

Welcome Coach Rhoades and Go Owls!

fwiw, I remain skeptical of the "of course we can't expect to keep talented players on the roster unless we sell more tickets" line of hopelessness.

there are some pretty decent teams out there that don't draw jack.

this is from last year, but notable teams on the low end include Manhattan, FlaGulfCoast, ULaLa, Stephen F Austin, Mt St Mary's.

also fwiw, Cal Poly drew 2000, with a student body over 30,000. they weren't a good team, but they did make the tournament. and they house a Rice transfer.

Maybe we need to parse the transfers into playing time based, racial slur based, and attendance based.

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketba...d/2013.pdf

(03-29-2014 12:16 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Seems to me that over the years, a lot of Rice "fans" have turned into bandwagon fans - they will come out only when or perhaps after the team (any sport) has started winning, or playing a certain offense, or playing certain opponents, or attracting other people, or otherwise meeting some requirement put up by the fan. I do not understand this attitude, but you see it here when people threaten to withhold support and attendance until they get X. I am not sure if this was always the case or if it is new, but it is an attitude that I just can't get on board with.

I cannot say my own attendance has been exemplary, but it is not because the teams are failing to meet my standards - it is because of developments in my life.

Maybe the bandwagon fans will get Rhoades' wagon, and stay there. I hope so.

I disagree here. I used to buy season tickets, but quit a few years ago because they were so bad. I attend virtually every home baseball game and have since before Reckling opened. I have been to Baton Rouge , at least twice for regionals or Supers. I was at Stanford two years ago and would have been there this year except for a conflict. I was in the stands to see all of the 2003 wins in Omaha (except the second TU game). I have traveled to Omaha every year the owls have made it since then. I attend all home football games, went to ATM this year and was at Reliant, New Orleans, Fort Worth, and Memphis for our bowl games, as was my wife. So my lack of support for MBB reflects two things:1) I generally don't like college BB because of reasons listed in a post above, and 2) My time is too valuable to use up on a team that plays like it doesn't much care. So, the "bandwagon fan" theory doesn't hold much water for me.

I don't think the problem is that Rice players are transferring because college basketball players are transferring to and from almost every school. According to the Sports Illustrated article I linked earlier, 40 percent of players transfer during their college career. Rice's problem is the transfer disparity. Many players leave but there are few incoming transfers. Let's hope our new coach gets active in the transfer recruiting market so Rice gets its share of quality transfers.

(03-29-2014 08:12 PM)Benchwarmer Owl Wrote:  I don't think the problem is that Rice players are transferring because college basketball players are transferring to and from almost every school. According to the Sports Illustrated article I linked earlier, 40 percent of players transfer during their college career. Rice's problem is the transfer disparity. Many players leave but there are few incoming transfers. Let's hope our new coach gets active in the transfer recruiting market so Rice gets its share of quality transfers.

To me, that whole scenario is troubling!

(03-29-2014 10:35 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 08:12 PM)Benchwarmer Owl Wrote:  I don't think the problem is that Rice players are transferring because college basketball players are transferring to and from almost every school. According to the Sports Illustrated article I linked earlier, 40 percent of players transfer during their college career. Rice's problem is the transfer disparity. Many players leave but there are few incoming transfers. Let's hope our new coach gets active in the transfer recruiting market so Rice gets its share of quality transfers.

To me, that whole scenario is troubling!

I dont think it's troubling at all. What's troubling is that a lot of these kids have handlers and other people in their ear about playing at certain places, or have a higher opinion of their talents than is true. I think a high percentage of recruits sign with programs that are not equal to their talent level.

If you're a 3* recruit, you shouldn't sign with Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, etc. Odds are, you won't play.

There are many players that we could've used this year who would've made a big impact, who are sitting on the bench at Kansas, Syracuse, Illinois, Iowa State, etc.

Sometimes, they get it and transfer to a level better suited to their skill level. Sometimes, in the case of UNC C Desmond Hubert, they are content sitting on the bench their entire career.

(03-29-2014 11:05 PM)JHG722 Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 10:35 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 08:12 PM)Benchwarmer Owl Wrote:  I don't think the problem is that Rice players are transferring because college basketball players are transferring to and from almost every school. According to the Sports Illustrated article I linked earlier, 40 percent of players transfer during their college career. Rice's problem is the transfer disparity. Many players leave but there are few incoming transfers. Let's hope our new coach gets active in the transfer recruiting market so Rice gets its share of quality transfers.

To me, that whole scenario is troubling!

I dont think it's troubling at all. What's troubling is that a lot of these kids have handlers and other people in their ear about playing at certain places, or have a higher opinion of their talents than is true. I think a high percentage of recruits sign with programs that are not equal to their talent level.

If you're a 3* recruit, you shouldn't sign with Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, etc. Odds are, you won't play.

There are many players that we could've used this year who would've made a big impact, who are sitting on the bench at Kansas, Syracuse, Illinois, Iowa State, etc.

Sometimes, they get it and transfer to a level better suited to their skill level. Sometimes, in the case of UNC C Desmond Hubert, they are content sitting on the bench their entire career.

These guys have "handlers"...... i.e., they are professionals disguised as amateurs and their goals are purely athletic, not academic, is that what you are saying? If so, you prove my point, college BB is a POS!! BTW, how on earth did you pick up on this thread?

Does Temple have an inside track on Obi?

(03-30-2014 12:15 AM)RiceDad Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 11:05 PM)JHG722 Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 10:35 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 08:12 PM)Benchwarmer Owl Wrote:  I don't think the problem is that Rice players are transferring because college basketball players are transferring to and from almost every school. According to the Sports Illustrated article I linked earlier, 40 percent of players transfer during their college career. Rice's problem is the transfer disparity. Many players leave but there are few incoming transfers. Let's hope our new coach gets active in the transfer recruiting market so Rice gets its share of quality transfers.

To me, that whole scenario is troubling!

I dont think it's troubling at all. What's troubling is that a lot of these kids have handlers and other people in their ear about playing at certain places, or have a higher opinion of their talents than is true. I think a high percentage of recruits sign with programs that are not equal to their talent level.

If you're a 3* recruit, you shouldn't sign with Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, etc. Odds are, you won't play.

There are many players that we could've used this year who would've made a big impact, who are sitting on the bench at Kansas, Syracuse, Illinois, Iowa State, etc.

Sometimes, they get it and transfer to a level better suited to their skill level. Sometimes, in the case of UNC C Desmond Hubert, they are content sitting on the bench their entire career.

These guys have "handlers"...... i.e., they are professionals disguised as amateurs and their goals are purely athletic, not academic, is that what you are saying? If so, you prove my point, college BB is a POS!! BTW, how on earth did you pick up on this thread?

Like 95% of the 4 and 5 star recruits do. Plenty of the 3 star recruits do. Then you have just general people like uncles, friends, etc. trying to steer recruits to certain schools.

The best one that we heard was from a 4 star recruit from Philly who was committed to Villanova. His handlers demanded compensation from Nova for his commitment and they told his handlers to shove it. Ended up decommitting for 'academic reasons'. His handlers met with our head coach and again demanded compensation for his commitment. Fran Dunphy told his handlers to pound sand. Ended up at the kinda shady place you'd expect someone whose handlers asked for money to end up at. Ended up leaving after having legal issues and is currently a free agent.

(03-30-2014 01:04 AM)MemOwl Wrote:  Does Temple have an inside track on Obi?

I have absolutely no clue. By the time he is eligible we will have:

1 senior PF 6'7 230
1 junior 3/4 combo F 6'7 225
1 junior PF 6'8 240
1 sophomore 3/4/5 combo F 6'10 220
1 senior C 6'10 210

If he can play Center, he would certainly have plenty of playing time available here.

I know that looks like a lot of players, but we currently don't have a small forward on our roster. We have one who is more of a shooting guard than a wing. The 3/4 combo forward will likely play small forward for us. Obi is better than our current center.

We have a good track record with Nigerians lately. Our last center was a 6'11 Nigerian who played high school basketball in suburban Philly. Our only current commit for the class of 2014 (the 6'10 220 sophomore 3/4/5 listed above) is a Nigerian-American coincidentally named Obi.

(03-28-2014 04:24 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Obi is out on twitter pimping himself by retweeting favorable comments about him made by basketball gurus.

Retweeted by Sean Obi
Norman R ‏@ECoastBias 49m

Sean Obi was BEAST of a rebounder as a freshman at Rice. Grabbed 30.6% of available defensive rebounds, 2nd best rate in the country.

And now a retweet from Obi of a tweet from a Razorback fan.

Retweeted by Sean Obi
Cory Williams ‏@corylynn22 13h

Big fan of Sean Obi from Rice. Transferring out. Go get him Mike!

For everyone blaming Rice marketing, what are they supposed to advertise? "Watch Rice lose again!" "Support a coach everyone hates!" "Cheer on that star player who won't be here tomorrow!"

As for the fans, sports are supposed to be about fun and entertainment. There's nothing entertaining about watching a team lose 20+ games each year, often by a significant margin. If marketing did reach someone and they showed up, why would they want to come back?

Hopefully that will change with Rhoades, but I think many of you have unrealistic expectations. Most people don't think Rice basketball is inherently important regardless of quality. Very few people are going to show up simply because it says Rice on the jersey.

(03-29-2014 10:11 AM)Houston Owl Wrote:  There have been rumors about Obi's transfer for two or three weeks. Washington has been trying to transfer for over a year but couldn't find an acceptable (to him) place to land. Read what you will into that fact. I wish them well.

On another note, I spoke with the father of a player who was at ASU with our incoming associate head coach. The son's opinion was that Pera is an "exceptional" coach and really treated all of the players very well. He couldn't have been more positive.

What you're saying is misleading. Keith had other options to transfer to, including a top 10 juco. He stayed because he wanted to see if things would turn around at rice, and also because Braun said they'd play in a more up tempo system. Neither of which happened.

(03-30-2014 10:52 AM)bukey Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 10:11 AM)Houston Owl Wrote:  There have been rumors about Obi's transfer for two or three weeks. Washington has been trying to transfer for over a year but couldn't find an acceptable (to him) place to land. Read what you will into that fact. I wish them well.

On another note, I spoke with the father of a player who was at ASU with our incoming associate head coach. The son's opinion was that Pera is an "exceptional" coach and really treated all of the players very well. He couldn't have been more positive.

What you're saying is misleading. Keith had other options to transfer to, including a top 10 juco. He stayed because he wanted to see if things would turn around at rice, and also because Braun said they'd play in a more up tempo system. Neither of which happened.

That's the same thing WW would say each year as well and with the same results. Guess it is part of the contract with Rice basketball head coaches.