(03-04-2017 06:11 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Let's run the baseball program into the ground like we did basketball and then we will hire a new coach

It is kind of amazing that at the moment basketball is our premier sport.

(03-04-2017 07:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 06:11 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Let's run the baseball program into the ground like we did basketball and then we will hire a new coach

It is kind of amazing that at the moment basketball is our premier sport.

We are still competing. By your logic our premier sports are men's swimming (undefeated since 1999) and fencing (undefeated since 1956)!

There is plenty of time left in the season. Graham will figure out how to best use the available talent. As a side note, perhaps the board of trustees should reread the WMR will and reconsider the charging of tuition. If Rice were not cost prohibitive, students with talent, including athletic talent, would be admitted on merit and we wouldn't have this partial scholarship issue. Go Owls, keep the regional streak alive!

It is very disheartening to read the recent baseball posts. They are beginning to sound like football posts. Rice beating itself with ultra inept play, play that you would not expect of a second rate college team, much less one that aspires to be an elite team. Forever we could not bunt. Now we can't field bunts. Too often, we do not seem to be able to accomplish basic tasks. What is more discouraging is that we have been on a pretty much downhill slide tend since 2008 or 09, with a few bumps up now and again.

Once again, as with football, the manner of the losses is more worrisome than the losses themselves.

But viewed more macroscopically, from 2002 to 2008, we went to five out of seven CWS and six of seven super-regionals. Since then, we have been to two SRs and no CWSs. Now admittedly 2002 - 2008 was a fairly special, dominant period, but the comparison is significant.

Another way of looking at it. Twelve or so years ago, we expected to be a national seed. Now, I doubt many people expect us to even host a regional.

And I do think that, unless something changes in a massive way, we will not win conference or participate in a regional.

(03-04-2017 07:31 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 06:11 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Let's run the baseball program into the ground like we did basketball and then we will hire a new coach

It is kind of amazing that at the moment basketball is our premier sport.

We are still competing. By your logic our premier sports are men's swimming (undefeated since 1999) and fencing (undefeated since 1956)!

There is plenty of time left in the season. Graham will figure out how to best use the available talent. As a side note, perhaps the board of trustees should reread the WMR will and reconsider the charging of tuition. If Rice were not cost prohibitive, students with talent, including athletic talent, would be admitted on merit and we wouldn't have this partial scholarship issue. Go Owls, keep the regional streak alive!

My logic is that in the 2016-17 school year, basketball has done better than football, and so far, baseball.

I realize that tennis and swimming and track and other have achieved, but among the big 3, so far it is basketball.

I would love for baseball to storm back and retake their spot.

Good thing we ran off Howlomaha. That guy was way off base.

Allow me to interrupt this doom and gloom with one bit of positive news.

Today in Argentina, the US Eagles rugby team drew with Argentina 27-27, and therefore won the Americas Rugby Championship. I believe this is the largest international win for US men's rugby 15s since the 1924 Olympic gold medal. They won London 7s a couple of years ago, but this is the first 15s championship that I can recall.

It's not that big a deal. The Argentina side that competed in the tournament was their B side, and we would get blown out by their first side which is among the top 5 or so in the world, but even so this is a huge leap forward for the US in this sport.

(03-04-2017 07:31 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 06:11 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Let's run the baseball program into the ground like we did basketball and then we will hire a new coach

It is kind of amazing that at the moment basketball is our premier sport.

We are still competing. By your logic our premier sports are men's swimming (undefeated since 1999) and fencing (undefeated since 1956)!

There is plenty of time left in the season. Graham will figure out how to best use the available talent. As a side note, perhaps the board of trustees should reread the WMR will and reconsider the charging of tuition. If Rice were not cost prohibitive, students with talent, including athletic talent, would be admitted on merit and we wouldn't have this partial scholarship issue. Go Owls, keep the regional streak alive!

Yeah ... keep the $ 5.5+ B endowment hidden in the piggy bank for a rainy day. The

(03-04-2017 08:24 PM)Da.Owl Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:31 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 06:11 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Let's run the baseball program into the ground like we did basketball and then we will hire a new coach

It is kind of amazing that at the moment basketball is our premier sport.

We are still competing. By your logic our premier sports are men's swimming (undefeated since 1999) and fencing (undefeated since 1956)!

There is plenty of time left in the season. Graham will figure out how to best use the available talent. As a side note, perhaps the board of trustees should reread the WMR will and reconsider the charging of tuition. If Rice were not cost prohibitive, students with talent, including athletic talent, would be admitted on merit and we wouldn't have this partial scholarship issue. Go Owls, keep the regional streak alive!

Yeah ... keep the $ 5.5+ B endowment hidden in the piggy bank for a rainy day. The

Well.... to be blunt..... protecting the endowment is the ultimate legal responsibility of the Board of any university.

And also to be blunt, if the case could be made that an investment in sports would actually protect the endowment, they would.

Sorry, but the state of almost all Owl athletics precludes any 'investment' until it could be shown that it would be additive. We are on a long, 'pull it up by the bootstraps' haul at this point.

(03-04-2017 06:22 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Also would note that Men's Tennis isn't a full scholarship sport and Efe isn't having any issues over there.

Tennis players tend to come out of a bit of a different socio-economic status and demographic than do baseball players.

The other thing is that tennis's success is probably approaching the same status where baseball is now. It's not an elite program on the national level, and any attempt to get there would probably find the same issues that baseball faces.

what's happened to Rice baseball this season? did y'all schedule too tough?

(03-04-2017 09:47 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  what's happened to Rice baseball this season? did y'all schedule too tough?

We haven't been as successful at goading the opponents to throwing their water cups at the fans as we have been in other sports.

(03-04-2017 06:18 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Giving up 5 runs with one out left in the rubber game of a series with a middling WCC team isn't a scholarship issue. That's an issue of fortitude and concentration.

It's an issue of the level of ability of the pitcher giving up those runs and the defense behind him. And those are most definitely scholarship issues.

We are getting beat because the other teams have better players. And that's a recruiting issue. And that's a scholarship issue, at least in (large) part.

I'e been expecting this for some time. And quite frankly, it's a testament to the greatness of Wayne that it has taken this long. I wouldn't put it past him to turn things around and have us competing at a championship level by the season's end. But we're currently at a huge recruiting disadvantage versus the likes of TCU. They've blown us out the last couple of times we've played them, because they have better players. Wayne can outcoach Schlossnagle, but if Schlossagle is consistently getting better players, guess who is going to win most of the time? This isn't sustainable under current conditions, and we're kidding ourselves to expect that it is. And I quite frankly don't have a solution.

A&M up on TCU 5-1 after 2 innings.

March 21st should be fun.

(03-04-2017 09:47 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  what's happened to Rice baseball this season? did y'all schedule too tough?

Million dollar question!

Keep winning though because we'll need y'all to look good on our resume if we do turn it around... Unfortunately, there has been no signal of that.

(03-04-2017 08:18 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Allow me to interrupt this doom and gloom with one bit of positive news.

Today in Argentina, the US Eagles rugby team drew with Argentina 27-27, and therefore won the Americas Rugby Championship. I believe this is the largest international win for US men's rugby 15s since the 1924 Olympic gold medal. They won London 7s a couple of years ago, but this is the first 15s championship that I can recall.

It's not that big a deal. The Argentina side that competed in the tournament was their B side, and we would get blown out by their first side which is among the top 5 or so in the world, but even so this is a huge leap forward for the US in this sport.

I started to say........but I just wonder, are you shh, err, kidding me, really, rugby??? Perhaps I can start reporting on what I really enjoy....woodworking....it's certainly relevant to most of us as rugby!!

(03-04-2017 11:52 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 08:18 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Allow me to interrupt this doom and gloom with one bit of positive news.
Today in Argentina, the US Eagles rugby team drew with Argentina 27-27, and therefore won the Americas Rugby Championship. I believe this is the largest international win for US men's rugby 15s since the 1924 Olympic gold medal. They won London 7s a couple of years ago, but this is the first 15s championship that I can recall.
It's not that big a deal. The Argentina side that competed in the tournament was their B side, and we would get blown out by their first side which is among the top 5 or so in the world, but even so this is a huge leap forward for the US in this sport.

I started to say........but I just wonder, are you shh, err, kidding me, really, rugby??? Perhaps I can start reporting on what I really enjoy....woodworking....it's certainly relevant to most of us as rugby!!

Just trying to find some good news on a gloomy day.

As an American, and I think a patriotic one, I care any time the USA national team plays another country in any sport.

(03-05-2017 06:04 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 11:52 PM)RiceDad Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 08:18 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Allow me to interrupt this doom and gloom with one bit of positive news.
Today in Argentina, the US Eagles rugby team drew with Argentina 27-27, and therefore won the Americas Rugby Championship. I believe this is the largest international win for US men's rugby 15s since the 1924 Olympic gold medal. They won London 7s a couple of years ago, but this is the first 15s championship that I can recall.
It's not that big a deal. The Argentina side that competed in the tournament was their B side, and we would get blown out by their first side which is among the top 5 or so in the world, but even so this is a huge leap forward for the US in this sport.

I started to say........but I just wonder, are you shh, err, kidding me, really, rugby??? Perhaps I can start reporting on what I really enjoy....woodworking....it's certainly relevant to most of us as rugby!!

Just trying to find some good news on a gloomy day.

As an American, and I think a patriotic one, I care any time the USA national team plays another country in any sport.

Although not the same cast of characters, was glad that we could somewhat avenge the last second choke job that the US sevens team had against Argentina in the Olympics.

I guess games like number 2 are karma for all the disparaging remarks made about UH coogin it. I guess they will start talking about owlin it.

(03-04-2017 11:28 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 09:47 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  what's happened to Rice baseball this season? did y'all schedule too tough?

Million dollar question!

Keep winning though because we'll need y'all to look good on our resume if we do turn it around... Unfortunately, there has been no signal of that.

we're now 11-1 heading into a midweek game at Mississippi St

(03-05-2017 06:44 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 11:28 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 09:47 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  what's happened to Rice baseball this season? did y'all schedule too tough?

Million dollar question!

Keep winning though because we'll need y'all to look good on our resume if we do turn it around... Unfortunately, there has been no signal of that.

we're now 11-1 heading into a midweek game at Mississippi St

I remember about 2005, Miss State was something like 21 and 0. Went to Tech. State led by something like 5 runs and had Tech down to its last out. Don't think anyone was one base. Tech won.