You know the 'overhead cam' that so many stadiums use, run by a computer and essentially on 'wires' suspended above the field?

Why can't we do something like that?

That plus a 'laser show' or drones might really add something that fits in with the 'intelligence' aspect of our university and gets away from things that high schools do

I'd point out that lots of our athletic peers lack the stadium attributes to run one of those stadium cams. They can't suspend wires from their second deck (or run wires/lasers/ads along the front of their second deck) because they don't have a second deck.

(09-13-2016 11:42 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  You know the 'overhead cam' that so many stadiums use, run by a computer and essentially on 'wires' suspended above the field?

Why can't we do something like that?

That plus a 'laser show' or drones might really add something that fits in with the 'intelligence' aspect of our university and gets away from things that high schools do

I'd point out that lots of our athletic peers lack the stadium attributes to run one of those stadium cams. They can't suspend wires from their second deck (or run wires/lasers/ads along the front of their second deck) because they don't have a second deck.

Isn't that camera part of the network? I always thought NBC or whatever network ran that.

(09-13-2016 12:33 AM)Barrett Wrote:  Modern universities try to promote themselves in the same way--and with the same gaudy sensibilities--of pro sports (NFL, NBA, etc.). The pyrotechnics, the shiny stadia, the Arena League Football-type uniforms with shiny helmets, even the dancing girls (I'm not talking about cheerleaders; I'm talking about the dance squads that look like the Rockets Power Dancers).

Rice Athletics really can't compete with that. Even if it tried, it just comes off as a bit . . . silly. Like the nerdy kid trying to act super cool.

I think Rice needs to cut against the grain and go in the opposite way. Have the slogan and sensibility be "OLD SCHOOL." Sell itself with a more preppy, Vineyard Vines, Ivy League-ish vibe. If the football poster had a picture of the starters sitting in a group picture (traditional football team photo arrangement), all with matching blazers and blue/gray repp ties, and khaki shorts, that would be VERY different from what people are used to seeing with the UH, TSU, A&M, UT, etc. posters. Imagine that preppy group photo with the tagline beneath with something like WE CAN PLAY below it (similar to the Rice baseball bumper stickers I put together years ago).

We're already there with the clean, classic, tasteful football and baseball uniforms. I would rather see the generally used typeface be collegiate block letters (and numbers) on all uniforms (except baseball, which should continue to use OE typeface). The OE R should remain as the logo, however (that's a classic that should remain for decades at Rice).

Of course, you do the above, but for the whole thing to really work its best, you need to actually be able to play. You need to look like a prep but actually know what you're doing when it's game time.

Yes, this. Although, after viewing the billboard it's better than I'd imagined.

(09-13-2016 11:45 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(09-13-2016 11:42 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  You know the 'overhead cam' that so many stadiums use, run by a computer and essentially on 'wires' suspended above the field?

Why can't we do something like that?

That plus a 'laser show' or drones might really add something that fits in with the 'intelligence' aspect of our university and gets away from things that high schools do

I'd point out that lots of our athletic peers lack the stadium attributes to run one of those stadium cams. They can't suspend wires from their second deck (or run wires/lasers/ads along the front of their second deck) because they don't have a second deck.

Isn't that camera part of the network? I always thought NBC or whatever network ran that.

Why would it have to be though?

I'd primarily use it for 'fan cam' and pre-game and team intro and halftime to augment the mood

I actually like the saying, and I don't mind its use as a hashtag. I don't like it, however, when the hashtag is used as part of the twitter play by play from the office Rice Account. They actually stopped using it midgame this past week in Army once it was evident that the tide was turning, and the only thing Army had to fear was fear itself (read from the bottom up):

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
Davidson goes for a 13-yard touchdown to give Army a 14-7 lead.

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
A penalty on Rice makes it 2/6 from the Rice 13.

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
On 3/11, Bradshaw hits Poe for a 31-yard gain to the Rice 17.

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
Womac stops the rush attempt for a loss of 3 on first down

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
Army picks up two straight first downs and has 1/10 at the Rice 47

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
On fourth and short, Army picks up the first down

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
Army rushes for 20 yards on first down but is called for a penalty. They'll have 1/3 from the 23 #FearTheTalons

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
Rice is stopped two yards short of the line and will punt. Army will start at its own 16 #FearTheTalons

Rice Football ‏@RiceFootball Sep 10
On 2nd/4, Stehling hits Pollard for a first down #FearTheTalons

No good. It's not a catchy slogan, but I can't come up with anything better right this second.

(09-13-2016 01:14 PM)raptorsareout Wrote:  No good. It's not a catchy slogan, but I can't come up with anything better right this second.

"UH is not a college"?

(09-13-2016 01:16 PM)OldOwlNewHeel2 Wrote:  

(09-13-2016 01:14 PM)raptorsareout Wrote:  No good. It's not a catchy slogan, but I can't come up with anything better right this second.

"UH is not a college"?

Winner!

I love the effort. We got too far ahead of ourselves vis a vis our actual product, but at least we're trying. Problem is you won't buy the detergent that "Gets out tough stains"... if you know it doesn't actually get out tough stains. H-town works because their team wins. It wouldn't resonate and would fall flat if UH was 5-7 and ranked 120.

Regardless of whether 'fear the talons' is good for Rice athletics in the long term, because of the timing of the ads, we're asking consumers to buy into a message touting a strong *football* product, when we don't have one. We have a frustrating (and frustrated), poorly coached team. There's just too big a disconnect between the football program and the slogan. The ads tout a great, imposing team... and that's not what we have.

Marketing Rice football in its current iteration is a challenge, so I applaud all efforts to put more bodies in the stands, improve the window dressing and try to find other ways to make the game experience a fun one. Bells, Whistles, promos, window dressing, food, drink...

The smarter/student athlete ad angle might work, even on a losing team, if we were really playing smart and/or frequently using fun, trick plays ... but the way we're playing now is anything but smart. As Rick Gerlach and ExcitedOwl mentioned, 'Our athletes are book smart' by itself, probably won't get people to show up when there's no visible indication of that on the field. @Barret's "Old School Football" idea is fun and interesting too, particularly in Houston where Rice is one of the "old" institutions, but again, it would be most beneficially served by Ivy, test tubes, and 1960's b/w football footage fast-cut together with smash-mouth old-school but modern football.

Maybe basketball will change our stars and teams will start to 'fear the talons.'

I would not want to play against our basketball team this year or next.

Speaking of basketball ... I think they should re-appropriate "Rice Rising" to replace "Fear the Talons".

I like it on the billboard much more than in the abstract.
Hope it's not our only marketing slogan, though.

(09-13-2016 07:24 PM)Owl75 Wrote:  I like it on the billboard much more than in the abstract.
Hope it's not our only marketing slogan, though.

There is work going on right now revamping our branding. Not ready for release but hopefully we will see some nice changes prior to basketball...and while "Fear the Talons" doesn't make sense with football it is good to get it out there in time for basketball. Rice Rising is MBB specific so don't expect it to go away unless Rhoades wants to change it.

I liked "Fly With Us" better. It's "meh" vs. "slightly less meh", though.

(09-15-2016 10:32 PM)T-Moar Wrote:  I liked "Fly With Us" better. It's "meh" vs. "slightly less meh", though.

had to distance ourselves from smisek and that whole united debacle.