If true, I appreciate and thank coach Rhodes for what he has done at Rice. He leaves Rice in very good shape. Shamefully for Rice, the attendance doesn't measure up to the level of play on the court, and that makes it very difficult to keep Rhodes in place. However, I think Rice has an opportunity to make a good hire and to continue the momentum of the program. Hopefully Rice can make a good hire quickly and keep the core of players remains intact.

I wish that he would have waited for a better opportunity such as a team in a major conference than going back to VCU.

(03-21-2017 02:43 PM)75src Wrote:  I wish that he would have waited for a better opportunity such as a team in a major conference than going back to VCU.

It doesn't get much better than going back to your former mid-major with a recent track record of success and a major committment to your sport. That's the best realistic scenario.

And if you guys are frustrated about Rhoades leaving, imagine how VCU feels. First Capel, then Shaka, now Wade.

Even if we got to their level of success we would still be a revolving door of coaches.

(03-21-2017 01:07 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I would like another coach in a similar vein to Rhoades. Up and coming coach from a program that is doing well that has energy and the tenacity to take us to the next level. We'll need someone who can convince the current crop of guys to stay around because they can help them turn around the program.

Brent Scott?

I am curious how this went down...

Two years ago, VCU came hunting for Rhoades, but Rice was able to rebuff VCU's advances. Rhoades got a nice salary boost, and VCU perhaps could not afford the buyout. VCU is now an established mid-major power, but I understand VCU has resource issues. As a public university low in the state pecking order, VCU has a limit to how high they can go. Why was VCU successful in hiring away Mike Rhoades this time??

My theory matrix:
1) With the LSU money that bought out Will Wade's young contract, VCU may have gotten enough money together to simply lure Rhoades away.
2) Given that VCU forced Rice to increase Rhoades' salary two years ago, Karlgaard wasn't willing to pay another premium to retain Rhoades again from VCU's advances. Rhoades has done a solid job at Rice, but he has only gotten the Owls to the CBI after three years. A premium contract requires premium performance, and the Owls just haven't broken through yet. Rhoades' performance is very similar to Braun's performance over his first four years. While Rhoades left his team after three years, the team left Braun after four years! JK may have figured he could make use of VCU's buyout to hire another promising young up-and-comer.
3) The worst case scenario: Rhoades felt he was losing upward momentum at Rice, and rather than wait/hope for the big promotion if Rice made the Tournament, he thought he could do better by returning to mid-major VCU. VCU's program has transformed itself over the last decade, emerging from a series of lowly conferences into the mighty Atlantic 10, but I still tend to think Rice has a higher upside if it got its basketball act together. If Rhoades lost faith in Rice's potential, that's a bad sign.

The challenge for Karlgaard is to hire another up-and-comer with high energy and enthusiasm to hold the young roster together. VCU acted quickly when LSU raided them, so Rice should have a short list together already. It would make sense to retain the up-tempo style, because it fits the current roster and the sort of player Rice can recruit in the future. It's also a style that puts butts in seats...

Attendance Last Night: 1540

Attendance Last VCU Home Game: 7630

The salary of VCU's departing coach is on par with what Rice is willing to offer a coach with Rhoades' level of success, and since Rhoades seems eager to return to VCU it would probably take much more than that to get him to stay.

(03-21-2017 03:03 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  Attendance Last Night: 1540

Attendance Last VCU Home Game: 7630

VCU 31200 students, Rice 6600 students. Do the math. Last night's attendance wasn't bad for a Monday night game that wasn't even on the schedule a week ago.

(03-21-2017 03:03 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  Attendance Last Night: 1540

Attendance Last VCU Home Game: 7630

Well, VCU has been very good for a decade (or more?). I feel pretty confident that Rice's attendance would be significantly higher if it had a history of sustained success in basketball, just like the baseball attendance was very impressive during its peak. It seemed like the fans and students were just starting to buy-in.

I agree...so the new coach should be aware that we need...say three years of winning 23 games per year and then on a Monday night where the schedule has been released weeks in advance we have more than 1540 in attendance...just don't plan on post-season games.

At least we understand where we are.

(03-21-2017 03:27 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  I agree...so the new coach should be aware that we need...say three years of winning 23 games per year and then on a Monday night where the schedule has been released weeks in advance we have more than 1540 in attendance...just don't plan on post-season games.

At least we understand where we are.

Not sure what your point is. I should hope that the new coach at least aspires to win 23 games a year. As for attendance, I guess you didn't do the math.

I don't need to do the math. Yesterday's attendance was disgraceful.

(03-21-2017 03:48 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  I don't need to do the math. Yesterday's attendance was disgraceful.

If nothing else, at VCU Rhoades won't need to go around campus begging students to support the team and having to buy everyone pizza or give away t-shirts to get them to show up.

Tudor can fill up. I've seen it. But the product on the court needs some sustained success to make that happen. But nothing will change the fact that Rice is a small school, and that will always limit attendance.

(03-21-2017 02:57 PM)Bay Area Owl Wrote:  I am curious how this went down...

Two years ago, VCU came hunting for Rhoades, but Rice was able to rebuff VCU's advances. Rhoades got a nice salary boost, and VCU perhaps could not afford the buyout. VCU is now an established mid-major power, but I understand VCU has resource issues. As a public university low in the state pecking order, VCU has a limit to how high they can go. Why was VCU successful in hiring away Mike Rhoades this time??

My theory matrix:
1) With the LSU money that bought out Will Wade's young contract, VCU may have gotten enough money together to simply lure Rhoades away.
2) Given that VCU forced Rice to increase Rhoades' salary two years ago, Karlgaard wasn't willing to pay another premium to retain Rhoades again from VCU's advances. Rhoades has done a solid job at Rice, but he has only gotten the Owls to the CBI after three years. A premium contract requires premium performance, and the Owls just haven't broken through yet. Rhoades' performance is very similar to Braun's performance over his first four years. While Rhoades left his team after three years, the team left Braun after four years! JK may have figured he could make use of VCU's buyout to hire another promising young up-and-comer.
3) The worst case scenario: Rhoades felt he was losing upward momentum at Rice, and rather than wait/hope for the big promotion if Rice made the Tournament, he thought he could do better by returning to mid-major VCU. VCU's program has transformed itself over the last decade, emerging from a series of lowly conferences into the mighty Atlantic 10, but I still tend to think Rice has a higher upside if it got its basketball act together. If Rhoades lost faith in Rice's potential, that's a bad sign.

The challenge for Karlgaard is to hire another up-and-comer with high energy and enthusiasm to hold the young roster together. VCU acted quickly when LSU raided them, so Rice should have a short list together already. It would make sense to retain the up-tempo style, because it fits the current roster and the sort of player Rice can recruit in the future. It's also a style that puts butts in seats...

I don't know how true this is, but I read somewhere that Rhoades removed himself from consideration for the VCU job after Shaka left because he didn't want to leave a school after just one season. By all accounts, he seems like a patient man professionally (he spent nearly a decade at a D3 school). I guess everything fell into place for him to take it this time.

I think you guys will be OK, especially if you continue to tap into the youth vein. Rhodes could very well be your equivalent to Jeff Capel at VCU, who took a struggling team and laid down the first layer of excitement and quality on which has been built a pretty good program. I hope you guys find your Anthony Grant next.

(03-21-2017 03:53 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-21-2017 03:48 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  I don't need to do the math. Yesterday's attendance was disgraceful.

If nothing else, at VCU Rhoades won't need to go around campus begging students to support the team and having to buy everyone pizza or give away t-shirts to get them to show up.

It isn't just a Rice problem. Power conference schools do the same thing.

(03-21-2017 03:56 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Tudor can fill up. I've seen it. But the product on the court needs some sustained success to make that happen. But nothing will change the fact that Rice is a small school, and that will always limit attendance.

Plus the fact that there are many more other things to do in Houston besides go to Rice sporting events, at least compared to the alternatives to VCU games in Richmond.

"VCU 31200 students, Rice 6600 students. Do the math. Last night's attendance wasn't bad for a Monday night game that wasn't even on the schedule a week ago."

That may well be a good reason as to WHY VCU's attendance is much better than Rice's, but it does not change the fact that it IS much better than Rice's. Except for baseball (in the past?), Rice attendance the last 10-15 years, to the sporting events, has been terrible. Blame small school size; blame genius's in the library or lab; blame the many other attractions in Houston (that do not exist in Richmond); blame what you want. But this, more than facilities, would be the #1 worry if I were a coach here. If you are bringing a lot of people into poor facilities, you are going to get a facilities upgrade. If you are attracting poor crowds to nice facilities, you are going to get facilities that age by one year, every year, until they become poor facilities.

I know it is spring break, but only at Rice would the team play games without cheerleaders or the band. Just more of the kind of stuff that drives me crazy and says D3.

Well, 2017 is going to be quite the year for JK and Rice Athletics (not to mention my favorite whipping boys-Leebron and the BOT). Replace a coach who seemingly got things turned around, dealing with a sub-par situation in FB (I hope I am wrong in that analysis) and what used to be our trademark program that may have fallen into the abyss. Hope that he/they can do what Bobby May did in the late 80's/early 90's with the hirings of Thompson, Goldsmith/Hatfield, and Graham, oh yeah and Cristy McKinney. Otherwise, it will be time to talk to Trinity and Southwestern about life in D3.

Is this a done deal? Has there been an announcement by VCU?