I am Happy. We're finally moving athletics at Rice in the Right Direction!
I figured I'll leave the b!+@#(*$+ to the other threads.
Because I am actually happier today about what I perceive as an important shift in the direction of the Athletic dept. at Rice.
I was hoping we wouldn't use the excuse of a 2 year lame duck contract hanging on Braun to allow two last-place finishes in CUSA and all the fun with transfers, etc... to not let us fire him to save money. And lo and behold, we got him to go. That is a huge change in what has happened in the past in these situations.
We have a new AD who has an ideal background for Rice's situation, has a pretty strong interest in getting us there or a substantial way there because if he fails here it will set his career back. Moreover, he seems like a guy who "gets Rice" and many here complain that is their main concern, even more than winning is. Okay. You got him. Dr. K I believe does get Rice, and more importantly, he does not appear to have a self-inflated ego, something I would accuse both CDC and RG of. I am happy we have Dr. K here and look forward to seeing his work.
We have just hired a new head mens' Basketball coach who is a baller, a gym-rat, heck he ever got two front teeth knocked out scrimmaging as a coach with his own guys! When is the last time that happened here? Even Thompson didn't jump in like I think Rhoades will. And Thompson had an ego as well that constantly stated he had one foot out the door at the first best opportunity. Rhoades stayed 10 years at a Div. III college and won a national championship.
And , instead of the usual search committee bs where we get some watered down version of a coach who might be highly regarded and actually seriously desired by other schools as well, Dr. K was given responsibility and reign to go use his instincts, working with Tudor, I'm sure, to go get the kind of guy Rice needed. That is a hug change in how Rice has done things in the past. I am happy.
I think we should be extremely grateful and happy we have a coach with the background, pedigree and hustle ethic of Coach Rhoades--something that quite frankly WILL scare away players who are afraid of working that hard or who know deep inside they can't cut the mustard. Let 'em go. Who cares? Obi is not as great as he thinks he is (He was the man guy on a 15th place team in a weak conference? Hello! Of course he was going to get rebounds and score next to the basket- who else did we have? I think he was chicken that he wouldn't be able to run in Rhoades' system, but already had one foot out the door himself before Braun was even removed. Let him go, thanks, and good luck to him.
Washington isn't the second coming either--he's replaceable.
Some of ya'll talked about Oraby like he was some great player- I saw him play and he was pathetic. He was just tall, that's all. Kazemi had no jump shot. Now he's playing back overseas. Overrated.
I like the kind of guy Coach Rhoades appears to be. He seems solid, and he's a young guy on his way up. He wants to succeed and please. He is such a Rice guy that I figured all those who want someone who "gets Rice" would be creating a mess all over yourselves that we got him.
And I noticed Bobby Tudor in the presser video. I am happy Tudor is our BOT Chairman. I think he wants to get it right. He's going to find ways to help get what we need to succeed.
Leebron is on the NCAA committee and I think he has been exposed to enough of the sports culture that he wants to show those other guys Rice can do it to. He beats the h377 out of Rupp as far as support for sports at Rice. I'm happy.
I am confident Rhoades will make it work here in Mens' hoops. Transfers or not, it's not the RG and Braun show. This is doing it right. Let the rif-raf go and welcome in the new. My biggest fear was there were so few slots for Rhoades to recruit and now some are opeining up. Do you really believe Rhoades can't recruit better players than ones who finished last place for 2 consecutive years under Braun's coaching? I think he can. Moreover, I think he can "coach up" whatever Braun's players remain. I think it will be exciting to watch. The gym will fill back up. I watched it happen under Thompson from the beginning and I think Coach Rhoades is a better fit and coach for Rice than Thompson was.
I think we'll see the vision announcement in April and be pleased with what is presented. I think Dr. K has the experience to raise the funds to make it a reality. All CDC did was accept a check from Tudor and puff out his chest. I think Dr. K is getting to work. I like that difference.
I think we'll finally see some coordinated marketing here, especially when they figure out how to get out of that 10 year marketing agreement that RG saddled us with.
Things are looking up, boys. Maybe this is not what you wanted, but this is more of what I wanted. I am happy. I hope Bailiff catches the fever and gets after it and raises the bar for himself. He's got a good team on the field and in the AD office. He'll have some improvements to facilities to crow about soon.
It's a great time to be a sports fan, an alum, a student, an athlete at Rice University--better than in the last 20 years!
|