(08-16-2016 01:10 PM)Barrett Wrote:  

(08-16-2016 12:50 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  http://m.chron.com/sports/rice/article/R...145734.php

Well there goes my theory . . .

Well, my assumption was wrong as well. At least in this case, I can be happily wrong.

Presenting is not the same thing as getting an invite, but as noted by many, the optics are good.

(08-16-2016 04:35 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(08-16-2016 01:10 PM)Barrett Wrote:  

(08-16-2016 12:50 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  http://m.chron.com/sports/rice/article/R...145734.php

Well there goes my theory . . .

Well, my assumption was wrong as well. At least in this case, I can be happily wrong.

Presenting is not the same thing as getting an invite, but as noted by many, the optics are good.

I don't hold that one against any of you. What ya'll posted made reasonable sense. Glad to find out we at least finally started to make some noise, though. Now, we need to step things up on the field and the court this season. Go Owls!!!

(08-12-2016 06:04 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(08-12-2016 05:04 PM)Mademen Wrote:  Even if you think you have zero chance, why wouldn't Rice present? Northern Illinois is presenting for crying out loud.

Because we've already presented

Just call me Nostradamus.

(08-17-2016 01:23 AM)mrbig Wrote:  

(08-12-2016 06:04 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(08-12-2016 05:04 PM)Mademen Wrote:  Even if you think you have zero chance, why wouldn't Rice present? Northern Illinois is presenting for crying out loud.

Because we've already presented

Just call me Nostradamus.

Big for short.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-expansion

Quote:Along with Rice and Buffalo, Tulane is the only American Association of Universities school out there that competes at the FBS level yet doesn't also have a home in a Power 5 conference.

(08-17-2016 12:16 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-expansion

Quote:Along with Rice and Buffalo, Tulane is the only American Association of Universities school out there that competes at the FBS level yet doesn't also have a home in a Power 5 conference.

I just saw that article too. Poorly written sentence. It seems to be an edit after someone pointed out that Buffalo and Rice fit into that criteria as well. The incorrect fact is still in the caption of the picture of the Tulane cheerleaders.

(08-17-2016 12:33 PM)MarketingOwl Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 12:16 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-expansion

Quote:Along with Rice and Buffalo, Tulane is the only American Association of Universities school out there that competes at the FBS level yet doesn't also have a home in a Power 5 conference.

I just saw that article too. Poorly written sentence. It seems to be an edit after someone pointed out that Buffalo and Rice fit into that criteria as well. The incorrect fact is still in the caption of the picture of the Tulane cheerleaders.

I agree with your assessment, but at least they mentioned us. Every little bit of publicity Rice can get from this situation will help. The more we can tout and reinforce the $113.2 million in facilities investments and the $31 million for Patterson EZF, especially with pictures in the media the more we can start to change the perception that many nationally still have that Rice doesn't care about sports.

We know that is no longer true, but there is an awful lot of work to be done in the national media to change the national perception. That is one area if I were the AD I'd put even more money into: increasing and getting regular national publicity wherever possible for Rices' recent investments in sports and sports facilities. The more feel-good pieces with pictures and videos we get out there, the more it will help.

(08-17-2016 12:48 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 12:33 PM)MarketingOwl Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 12:16 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-expansion

Quote:Along with Rice and Buffalo, Tulane is the only American Association of Universities school out there that competes at the FBS level yet doesn't also have a home in a Power 5 conference.

I just saw that article too. Poorly written sentence. It seems to be an edit after someone pointed out that Buffalo and Rice fit into that criteria as well. The incorrect fact is still in the caption of the picture of the Tulane cheerleaders.

I agree with your assessment, but at least they mentioned us. Every little bit of publicity Rice can get from this situation will help. The more we can tout and reinforce the $113.2 million in facilities investments and the $31 million for Patterson EZF, especially with pictures in the media the more we can start to change the perception that many nationally still have that Rice doesn't care about sports.

We know that is no longer true, but there is an awful lot of work to be done in the national media to change the national perception. That is one area if I were the AD I'd put even more money into: increasing and getting regular national publicity wherever possible for Rices' recent investments in sports and sports facilities. The more feel-good pieces with pictures and videos we get out there, the more it will help.

This is where the mediocre bowls we've been going to fit in. Sure it doesn't move the needle in terms of our fanbase, but in national discussions, outside of the top 4 bowls, every bowl is a toilet bowl(even the P5 ones), but it's even worse when you can't make one(like Tulane). When national journalists who don't even know what city Rice is in have to write a story, they look at bowls, the conference championship and recent season records from google and write their story from there. It's a good list item to have on top of the facilities improvements and the academic rankings. We really need to have a good season this year.

(08-17-2016 01:05 PM)owl95 Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 12:48 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 12:33 PM)MarketingOwl Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 12:16 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...-expansion

Quote:Along with Rice and Buffalo, Tulane is the only American Association of Universities school out there that competes at the FBS level yet doesn't also have a home in a Power 5 conference.

I just saw that article too. Poorly written sentence. It seems to be an edit after someone pointed out that Buffalo and Rice fit into that criteria as well. The incorrect fact is still in the caption of the picture of the Tulane cheerleaders.

I agree with your assessment, but at least they mentioned us. Every little bit of publicity Rice can get from this situation will help. The more we can tout and reinforce the $113.2 million in facilities investments and the $31 million for Patterson EZF, especially with pictures in the media the more we can start to change the perception that many nationally still have that Rice doesn't care about sports.

We know that is no longer true, but there is an awful lot of work to be done in the national media to change the national perception. That is one area if I were the AD I'd put even more money into: increasing and getting regular national publicity wherever possible for Rices' recent investments in sports and sports facilities. The more feel-good pieces with pictures and videos we get out there, the more it will help.

This is where the mediocre bowls we've been going to fit in. Sure it doesn't move the needle in terms of our fanbase, but in national discussions, outside of the top 4 bowls, every bowl is a toilet bowl(even the P5 ones), but it's even worse when you can't make one(like Tulane). When national journalists who don't even know what city Rice is in have to write a story, they look at bowls, the conference championship and recent season records from google and write their story from there. It's a good list item to have on top of the facilities improvements and the academic rankings. We really need to have a good season this year.

All of the above.

Interesting reading:
Frank the Tank: A Completely Logical Chicago and Illini Sports Blog and Random Thoughts on Politics, Pop Culture, and the World

link to complete article here: https://frankthetank.me/tag/rice-to-the-big-12/

Quote:III. EVALUATION OF BIG 12 EXPANSION CANDIDATES

The candidates are listed in reverse order from least desirable to most desirable. Once again, for the purposes of this evaluation, it is assumed that the only viable Big 12 expansion candidates are not currently power conference members and the calculations are based upon comparisons only to other schools within that non-power conference school group.

A. ALL HAT, NO CATTLE

RICE
Football Brand Value – 15
National TV Value – 5
Local TV Value – 0
Demographics/Recruiting Value – 0
Academics – 5
Basketball Value – 0
Geographic Fit/Need – 5
Tremendous Upside Potential/Monopoly Power – 5

Total: 35

Overview: Fantastic academic institution with a lot of history with the former Southwestern Conference teams in the Big 12, but the lack of a new market or recruiting area is a killer for its candidacy. It would take some massive on-the-field accomplishments (i.e. winning the Group of Five bid to a top bowl in the new College Football Playoff system multiple times) for Rice to move up here.

Says we need much more on the field than we have been getting.

RADIO: Rice head coach Bailiff comments on possible Big 12 movement before last(2015) season,
Yahoo Sports Radio • Aug 7, 2015, 8:30 AM:

link to audio on Yahoo Sports Radio: http://sports.yahoo.com/video/radio-rice...RzZWMDc3I-

(08-17-2016 02:40 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Interesting reading:
Frank the Tank: A Completely Logical Chicago and Illini Sports Blog and Random Thoughts on Politics, Pop Culture, and the World

link to complete article here: https://frankthetank.me/tag/rice-to-the-big-12/

Quote:III. EVALUATION OF BIG 12 EXPANSION CANDIDATES

The candidates are listed in reverse order from least desirable to most desirable. Once again, for the purposes of this evaluation, it is assumed that the only viable Big 12 expansion candidates are not currently power conference members and the calculations are based upon comparisons only to other schools within that non-power conference school group.

A. ALL HAT, NO CATTLE

RICE
Football Brand Value – 15
National TV Value – 5
Local TV Value – 0
Demographics/Recruiting Value – 0
Academics – 5
Basketball Value – 0
Geographic Fit/Need – 5
Tremendous Upside Potential/Monopoly Power – 5

Total: 35

Overview: Fantastic academic institution with a lot of history with the former Southwestern Conference teams in the Big 12, but the lack of a new market or recruiting area is a killer for its candidacy. It would take some massive on-the-field accomplishments (i.e. winning the Group of Five bid to a top bowl in the new College Football Playoff system multiple times) for Rice to move up here.

Says we need much more on the field than we have been getting.

I read the posts on that blog before when the last big shift happened. Why in the world would the big 12 care about getting into a new market at this point. They are guaranteed the extra $20 X however many schools they add. It doesn't matter what the markets are because they aren't going to get their own network. When the TV deal is over the conference is going to be over so I just don't see the relevance.

(08-17-2016 02:55 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 02:40 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Interesting reading:
Frank the Tank: A Completely Logical Chicago and Illini Sports Blog and Random Thoughts on Politics, Pop Culture, and the World

link to complete article here: https://frankthetank.me/tag/rice-to-the-big-12/

Quote:III. EVALUATION OF BIG 12 EXPANSION CANDIDATES

The candidates are listed in reverse order from least desirable to most desirable. Once again, for the purposes of this evaluation, it is assumed that the only viable Big 12 expansion candidates are not currently power conference members and the calculations are based upon comparisons only to other schools within that non-power conference school group.

A. ALL HAT, NO CATTLE

RICE
Football Brand Value – 15
National TV Value – 5
Local TV Value – 0
Demographics/Recruiting Value – 0
Academics – 5
Basketball Value – 0
Geographic Fit/Need – 5
Tremendous Upside Potential/Monopoly Power – 5

Total: 35

Overview: Fantastic academic institution with a lot of history with the former Southwestern Conference teams in the Big 12, but the lack of a new market or recruiting area is a killer for its candidacy. It would take some massive on-the-field accomplishments (i.e. winning the Group of Five bid to a top bowl in the new College Football Playoff system multiple times) for Rice to move up here.

Says we need much more on the field than we have been getting.

I read the posts on that blog before when the last big shift happened. Why in the world would the big 12 care about getting into a new market at this point. They are guaranteed the extra $20 X however many schools they add. It doesn't matter what the markets are because they aren't going to get their own network. When the TV deal is over the conference is going to be over so I just don't see the relevance.

I agree with you. cr11, just posting the article for the info and perspective.

Rice's intangibles as far as drawing votes from schools who are NOT Texas and OU in the Big XII realignment game are we don't hurt recruiting for the Big XII schools at all, we are easy to get to in Houston by two major airports, we make the Big XII look better academically by far, our football stadium can handle the bigger crowds right now (well, okay some additional restrooms/concessions and would have to make a deal with Med center on parking, but basically we can), we would probably be willing to go Big XII for almost zero money, leaving the rest of the members to divide up the additional TV contract revenue--Rice would be happy to improve perception by moving up, plus the gate for Big XII games would be somewhat more at HRS than for the game last year against, say, Charlotte was;
remember this?


Those conference crowds could turn back into this:



which would certainly help the Rice athletics bottom line.

This BigXII expansion is mostly about a money grab by those schools. Rice could arguably offer them among the most new money without hurting them in other areas of concern. And Rice could be a very good compromise candidate to add. They need to get to at least 12 schools, if not 14. The fact is that might matter more than who they actually pick.

(08-24-2016 12:12 PM)f1do Wrote:  Greg Swaim says BYU has 7 votes
https://twitter.com/jaromjordan/status/7...0560144385

The 3 missing are Texas, Texas Tech, and West Virginia. Texas and TT of course want Houston instead.

(08-24-2016 12:15 PM)f1do Wrote:  Swaim also believes that Cincinnati has enough votes and will be in.
https://twitter.com/GSwaim/status/768495053664718848

I wouldn't think that's the best scenario for Rice to be able to make a move...

(08-24-2016 03:28 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-24-2016 03:22 PM)TigersOhMy Wrote:  

(08-24-2016 03:12 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  Does anybody think it's a "front" to back UH publicly like this, with someone pulling the "well, they're okay, but we'd like someone more academic," with Rice's application already there?

I'm sorry, but I can't help but think some of this is theatre. Rice is the one the eggheads would want, but you have to make it a convincing sell that you're at least trying to pull for the fellow public institution, you know?

Or, it becomes a bickerfest over Houston and Rice, with no TX additions because of the discord? This opens the door for alternatives who just happen to have enough votes, UT and TTU be darned. They come off looking blameless, and they don't even have to pretend that they are losing sleep on it.

A CUSA school is not jumping straight from CUSA to the Big12. They are already trying to beat back perception issues of schools in the AAC. There's just no way that happens...

I don't disagree, but this isn't just ANY CUSA school, and a reason they are (still) there is more a dig at Rice's administration not possessing the right attitudes, philosophies, or commitments toward this component of their operations.

I don't think this is the same as what Tulane's addition did to break up the Big East. Rice has allies in a lot of high places, but failed to utilize them over the years. They may now have figured it out...where they reside presently has nothing to do with it.

It's not a lot unlike UTEP's current predicament. I think they passed on MWC membership just as MWC had lost Boise and SDSU, with Air Force on the fence, and CUSA and MWC were talking "merger." The Big East lost it all, the AAC lost its western affiliates, and Air Force walked away, even with Navy coming in. UTEP looks "stuck" now, but their place has a story to it.

Me likey!

If Rice could negotiate with NRG Stadium to hold conference home games there (to facilitate a move to the Big XII), would it help anything? It would cost money, of course, but it would also allow the rest of the conference's schools a guaranteed chance to play in an NFL stadium every other year.

Then again, the Texans wouldn't be too thrilled to have their field torn up the day before their home games; I'm assuming that it would be difficult to impossible to schedule Rice's home conference games only on Texans away weekends.

Apologies if this has been addressed, I've only been skimming the board for a while.

(08-24-2016 08:31 PM)Seventyniner Wrote:  If Rice could negotiate with NRG Stadium to hold conference home games there (to facilitate a move to the Big XII), would it help anything? It would cost money, of course, but it would also allow the rest of the conference's schools a guaranteed chance to play in an NFL stadium every other year.

Then again, the Texans wouldn't be too thrilled to have their field torn up the day before their home games; I'm assuming that it would be difficult to impossible to schedule Rice's home conference games only on Texans away weekends.

Apologies if this has been addressed, I've only been skimming the board for a while.

NRG moved to field turf for the Texans...so presumably that issue is not valid

Just tweeted by ESPN and confirmed in a similar tweet by ECU...

Quote:Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 3m3 minutes ago
East Carolina says it was informed by Big 12 it is no longer an expansion candidate

No surprise, but a bit unusual turned down candidates are being identified in advance of any final decision, and individually.

(08-31-2016 08:22 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Just tweeted by ESPN and confirmed in a similar tweet by ECU...

Quote:Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 3m3 minutes ago
East Carolina says it was informed by Big 12 it is no longer an expansion candidate

No surprise, but a bit unusual turned down candidates are being identified in advance of any final decision, and individually.

Not that I have any actual hope that we'll get selected, but if you were looking for promising signs, I feel like that's one. ECU is about as opposite to us as it gets in what it brings to a big conference. The only thing I can really think of that they have in common with us is that they generally have good baseball.

Memphis paper shows finalists named as: Houston, Cincinnati, USF, UCF, Memphis, UConn, BYU, plus two unnamed AAC schools. With our luck, those schools are probably Tulane and SMU. Schools will meet with Bowlsby and his staff over next few weeks to make final presentations, at which time Bowlsby will recommend two schools at next Big 12 board of directors meeting, when the board could potentially vote to issue invitations.

The source from the Boston Globe also disclosed "there was some chatter of a growing sentiment ... that the Big 12 presidents will table any expansion talk for at least one year."

Ultimately, we never had any chance this go round (if there are schools that actually get invited), but it was important for our fanbase to see that this athletic department made the full effort.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/sports/t...l?d=mobile