(03-25-2015 01:03 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 09:57 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 08:24 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 08:02 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For those ready to jump off the bandwagon, preseason #2 ranked and last year's Omaha runner-up, UVA, has lost 7 of it's last 9 games, including blowout mid-week losses to Old Dominion and Georgetown, and has but one victory all season against Top 100 ranked competition.

Walt, do you think people discussing if we have fallen from being a Top 5 club to a Top 25 club is jumping off the bandwagon?

We were never a perennial Top 5 club, and no college program-- save for USC and UT in the 1970s - ever has been. I honestly don't think we've slipped all that much. Rather, we have simply failed to deliver in the post-season. The 2003 team was an upperclass, JUCO and college transfer-laden team (save for the Big 3), and the 2005 - '08 team was a once-in-a-generation squad that rode a truly exceptional and deep 2005 incoming recruitment class.

I'll agree "bandwagon" was a poor choice of words. However, there were more than a few Parliamentarians who were in total panic mode over the weekend, and calling for radical changes. Aside from the current skid by UVA, let's not forget that the Coogs had lost 7 of 9 games at one point not so long ago, against largely weak opposition, and has immediately followed that slump by reeling off 11 straight wins and counting. Cal State-Fullerton is yet another preseason Top 10 team that has suddenly found itself in an extended skid, having now lost 7 of it's last 10 games....but at least they've played solid competition.

I understand where Walt was and is coming from here. I don't think he meant "bandwagon" in the sense a few took it.

This is baseball, it's a long season and he is correct, no reason to panic. This is a young team still

Sure, but I think questioning whether we are still as quality of a club is relevant due to our obvious lack of trips to Omaha or Super Regionals. I mean, this is definitely a rich man's problem, and I'd much rather be discussing this sort of issue, than whether our football team has cracked the Top 75.

Concur

(03-25-2015 02:33 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 01:03 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 09:57 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 08:24 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 08:02 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For those ready to jump off the bandwagon, preseason #2 ranked and last year's Omaha runner-up, UVA, has lost 7 of it's last 9 games, including blowout mid-week losses to Old Dominion and Georgetown, and has but one victory all season against Top 100 ranked competition.

Walt, do you think people discussing if we have fallen from being a Top 5 club to a Top 25 club is jumping off the bandwagon?

We were never a perennial Top 5 club, and no college program-- save for USC and UT in the 1970s - ever has been. I honestly don't think we've slipped all that much. Rather, we have simply failed to deliver in the post-season. The 2003 team was an upperclass, JUCO and college transfer-laden team (save for the Big 3), and the 2005 - '08 team was a once-in-a-generation squad that rode a truly exceptional and deep 2005 incoming recruitment class.

I'll agree "bandwagon" was a poor choice of words. However, there were more than a few Parliamentarians who were in total panic mode over the weekend, and calling for radical changes. Aside from the current skid by UVA, let's not forget that the Coogs had lost 7 of 9 games at one point not so long ago, against largely weak opposition, and has immediately followed that slump by reeling off 11 straight wins and counting. Cal State-Fullerton is yet another preseason Top 10 team that has suddenly found itself in an extended skid, having now lost 7 of it's last 10 games....but at least they've played solid competition.

I understand where Walt was and is coming from here. I don't think he meant "bandwagon" in the sense a few took it.

This is baseball, it's a long season and he is correct, no reason to panic. This is a young team still

Sure, but I think questioning whether we are still as quality of a club is relevant due to our obvious lack of trips to Omaha or Super Regionals. I mean, this is definitely a rich man's problem, and I'd much rather be discussing this sort of issue, than whether our football team has cracked the Top 75.

The season isn't about a particular game or series. Rice will most likley win CUSA and either host or play in a Regional. Those are givens. The goals are to win the CUSA tournament and make Omaha. Hopefully each series serves as building blocks for those goals. This RPI and ranking stuff isn't material except hosting a regional. Hosting also doesn't necessarily guarantee a visit to Nebraska. I would rather be ranked #27 and build an Omaha tough team than #4 and lose in regionals. Sometimes we over analyze each inning, play or at bat.